June 25, 2010 – Day Forty-nine

We were on the west side of the Hudson River, and today I wanted to get on the east side, head up the gorgeous Hudson River Valley and end up in Lake George, where my family went for a week’s vacation in 1958. But there would also be a ton of history along the way.

We crossed the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, and headed north. The next town was Hyde Park, home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

I had been to Warm Springs, Georgia, called the Little White House, twice to see the polio spa he saved and loved. Shortly before Germany surrendered, in the closing months of World War II, he was spending time there with his mistress Lucy Mercer, a woman he had known and loved for decades. She was the woman he promised his wife Eleanor that he would never see again when she found out about his affair with her earlier. Eleanor had never been to Warm Springs in the two decades of FDR’s visits, so he felt comfortable about having his trysts there. On the afternoon of April 12, Roosevelt said, "I have a terrific pain in the back of my head." He then slumped forward in his chair, unconscious, and was carried into his bedroom. The president's attending cardiologist, Dr. Howard Bruenn, diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage (stroke). At 3:35 p.m. that day, Roosevelt died. At the time he collapsed, Roosevelt had been sitting for a portrait painting by the artist Elizabeth Shoumatoff, known as the famous Unfinished Portrait of FDR.

In the weeks earlier his blood pressure had been recorded at an astounding 330/180. He looked terrible, gaunt, and wasn’t his usual vigorous self. Boxer Jack Dempsey had once noted that his chest resembled that of a prize fighter.

But now we were in Hyde Park where FDR was born and where he was buried. And again we were able to use our Golden Eagle pass to be able to take a tour of the home for free.

The home overlooks the Hudson River, but the trees have grown as to practically obliterate the view. These trees were planted by FDR and on IRS documents he listed his occupation as tree farmer rather than lawyer.

As with TR, his fifth cousin, we learned much about his life including interesting tidbits of information that probably aren’t in any history books. This sort of information makes these presidents more like real people to me.

We continued north toward Lake George driving past one cute town after another. Someday I’ll have to come back this way with my Miata and in the fall when there is a color explosion.

One of the little towns we came through was Kinderhook, a name that seemed familiar to me for some reason. And it quickly became apparent to me when we drove by the birthplace, home, and burial site of this country’s eighth president, Martin Van Buren. Unfortunately there were no signs forewarning us of the site, so we regrettably sped on by. I made a mental note that this was now on my bucket list.

We passed through Albany, New York’s capital, and forty minutes later we were at the Lake George KOA.

Reading the literature regarding this KOA made me think it may have been on or even close to Lake George. But no, it was 8½ miles up the hill away from it, much closer to the much smaller Lake Lucerne. Oh well, live and learn.

We set up camp, and since we were in a somewhat remote area of the campground, and against regulations, we let the dogs loose. Immediately they began chasing each other at 90 miles per hour for about 10 minutes non-stop. It was fun watching them have such a blast. And when they were done, they were, you guessed it, dog tired.

Tonight we grilled some Bubba burgers on our outside grill. This was the first time on the trip we had used the grill, but it was now also finally becoming cool at night, cool enough to need a sweatshirt. Yea! No more killer heat for a while, because we were going to be heading even further north and toward the Atlantic.

Something to dream about.