Un-Be-Lied: My Trip to Hyde Park (or How to Tell the Truth)

MY STORY

I have a very difficult time telling lies. While I do believe that the occasional white lie can serve a positive purpose, I prefer to stick with the truth. On occasion, I have gone to some length to avoid telling a bold-faced lie.

One year at Thanksgiving, a friend invited me to her house for dinner. Not wanting to eat at her house for a number of reasons, I told her I was spending Thanksgiving out of town with a different friend. Knowing that Friend 1 would ask me about my holiday after the fact, I knew I really had to go out of town so that my lie became a more manageable white lie as opposed to an outright lie. Not wanting to impose upon Friend 2, I decided to take a solo trip to Hyde Park to cover my butt. I had been to the area previously but had not visited the Eleanor and FDR sites, so I decided to go to Hyde Park for Thanksgiving.

I arrived in Hyde Park on Thanksgiving afternoon. After checking in to the Quality Inn, I caught a movie at the Cineplex. As most restaurants were closed for Thanksgiving, I had supper at the Eveready Diner. The next day, I visited the tourist sites and headed back to Albany in the late afternoon. I had a grand time on this solo trip. Friend 1 did ask me later about my “trip.” I was able to tell her honestly that I had a good trip. I just did not tell her that I took a different trip than I initially claimed.

When the Yahoo Contributors Network gave me the assignment of writing about an itinerary for a solo trip in an area of my choosing, my Hyde Park trip sprang to mind. I added the Hudson part to flesh out the trip a bit. Below, I have republished an edited version of the original.

SOLO TRIP TO HUDSON AND HYDE PARK

Where does the solo traveler go that is not overrun with other travelers? Hudson, New York, and Hyde Park, New York, provide the perfect itinerary of history and low-key culture for the solo traveler.

DAY 1 HUDSON: THINGS TO DO

Start your day on Route 9 north of Hudson at the thrift shops. Hudson offers a selection of Goodwill and Salvation Army shops to delight any bargain hunter. Then, head to the heart of Hudson and Warren Street. Since it is lunch time, grab a sandwich or pizza and picnic at the waterfront park. Then, saunter up Warren Street and browse the quirky shops. I left Hudson recently with a Lancelot marionette and a second hand book about the last meals of famous people, including recipes. Mexican Radio is the dinner destination, with its marvelous margaritas and homemade sangria--and good food, too. After dinner, catch a performance at Helsinki Hudson or maybe a play at Hudson Stageworks.

HUDSON: LODGING

Downtown Hudson offers a number of inns and bed and breakfast establishments suitable for the solo traveler.

DAY 2 HYDE PARK: THINGS TO DO

Head south on Route 9 toward Hyde Park and spend the morning exploring Olana, the home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church. The next stop on the itinerary involves a gastronomic delight at the Culinary Institute of America with its three restaurants to choose from. Plan ahead, as reservations are required. Once your appetite for food is sated, next on the itinerary is the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site to feed your appetite for historic society. The solo traveler can simply meander around the exquisite gardens or tour the house, as well. Once your appetite here is sated, continue south to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. One admission price will also admit you to the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, run by the National Park Service. In addition to reveling in the United States history surrounding Franklin and Eleanor, enjoy the grounds, especially the flower gardens. For dinner in Hyde Park, stop in at the Eveready Diner and then catch a movie at the Hyde Park Roosevelt Cinemas.

HYDE PARK: LODGING

When I took my solo trip to Hyde Park, I stayed at the Quality Inn. It is convenient to the sites and safe.

HEADING HOME

In the morning, visit Val-Kill, Eleanor’s personal retreat. Spend some time appreciating her contribution to U. S. history and her humanism. Return home with a full head and heart as you look forward to planning another solo trip.

Out of Nowhere

We were on the edge of nowhere, headed toward the middle. The drive had been about as exciting as watching a yogi demonstrate deep breathing techniques for relaxation. Initially, our idea of taking a “blue highways” trip seemed fun. After driving through the umpteenth dreary, dying little town, I missed the predictability of the interstate, the mile markers and services signs. As dusk fell, I began to wonder if we would have to spend the night in the car in the middle of nowhere.

We heard it before we saw it. The sound of music blared, a beacon of hope. Then, we rounded a curve and the little inn lit up the darkness as if an alien spaceship had deposited it there, in the middle of nowhere. Of course, we stopped.  As it turns out, that night was the weekly karaoke night at the inn and the joyful noise a random collection of amplified voices singing Elvis tunes.

We ordered a big plate of barbecued spare ribs with cole slaw and cornbread and joined in the karaoke impromptu Elvis celebration. Of course, I howled “Hound Dog.” After the Elvis karaoke left the building, the owner found room for us at the inn. We did not have to sleep in the car. 

We woke up early the next morning, ready to continue our journey. Much to my surprise, someone had put out a selection of Krispy Kreme donuts alongside the coffee in the lobby. I can’t imagine where that far north of the Mason-Dixon Line those donuts came from!

We continued our drive, a peaceful feeling pervading me, the dreariness of the previous day gone. All I can say is it came out of nowhere.

NOTE: Usually on "Be-Lied," I start with a non-fiction piece and attach "My Story" to it, still hoping that one day someone will take up the storytelling challenge that begins "Be-Lied."  For this entry, I simply offer a story. Hwaet!