1. After a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts for a cup of coffee, Debbie and I hit the road and traveled about thirty miles north and visited the grandeur of Croton Gorge Park. An imposing masonry dam, its base is 266 feet broad and at its crest the dam is 297 feet high. On the left side of the dam, as one faces it, is a spillway of a series of stunning cascades and to the right of these waterfalls the water runs down to the river over a series of masonry steps. The sight was astonishing, but I loved the sound of all that cascading water even more.
Debbie, Gibbs, and I sat at a picnic table in the shade and ate some snacks. I just kept drinking in this wondrous structure and the sound of the falling water's power soothed me.
The scene at the park was perfect. Large groups of families and friends of various ethnicities and religions were gathered in picnic areas across the park's green expanse grilling food, kicking soccer balls, taking walks around the park, snapping photographs, and enjoying this glorious late morning. The vibe in this park and among the people enjoying themselves in various ways was playful, peaceful, generous, and, above all, happy.
2. We all piled back into the rental car and drove to Applewood Winery, under the mistaken impression that we could drink some wine outside with Gibbs in tow. The place was pastoral, very inviting, but, alas, no pets were allowed, and so we piled back into the car and headed to Tin Barn Brewing, not far from Sugar Loaf, NY. Dogs were welcome on leashes. The people who run Tin Barn Brewing had a watering station dedicated to dogs. There was an abundance of outdoor (and indoor) seating. We sat outside at a picnic table under an umbrella near a mister and shared 5 oz pours of three of their Hazy Imperial IPAs and later we shared a five oz pour of a pastry Imperial Stout that was sweet, bourbon barrel-aged, and, for me, the perfect way to finish our session of moderate beer drinking.
The master brewer's mother, probably a bit older than we are, spotted Gibbs and came over and pet him and talked with us, emphasizing how proud she is of her daughter that she got this brewery started, brews such delicious beer, and that Tin Barn is doing very well as it approaches its first anniversary. I loved being out in the country at a brewery, loved that this place attracted young and old beer lovers alike, loved the samples of beer I tried, and loved that Debbie and I had a couple of long conversation with a beaming thirty year old guy working at the brewery (pouring inside and clearing tables outside). He's a native of the area, born and raised in Sugar Loaf, and we told him about being out in New York from Idaho and he told us about how well the brewery is doing and was happy to know we love traveling around his native state.
3. We made our way back to Valley Cottage. Josh's mom and stepdad were at the Langford house because Ellie is being baptized on Sunday morning. We all joined around the dining table and enjoyed a great dinner. Josh grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and the whole dinner he built around them was great. Debbie and I were a bit tired from all our traveling during the day, but were really happy to be out to see such beautiful landscapes as we toured this neck of the great state of New York.
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