YDR food writer Nicki Lefever and her husband, Nate, contemplated going on another cruise for their October vacation, but decided a camping trip was in order instead. Below is her report:
Continue reading October in Ohiopyle.
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This entry comes straight from the vacation of YDR photographer Bil Bowden, who is biking the Greater Niagara Circle Route in Ontario. That includes alongside the Welland Canal and above the Niagrara River to the falls.
"Nancy Peterson and I did the loop trail, which is entirely paved and the Welland Canal part, anyway, is nearly flat. We pedaled along with the Blacky, a ship made in China that was on its maiden voyage," Bil writes
"We're headed to Pelee Island Friday, taking the ferry over, and biking. As you can see, the weather was terrific, and there's still plenty of color. Wanted to take advantage of the fair weather, since this is, of course, the Buffalo area."
His travel tips: October/November is a wonderful time to travel It's still comfortable enough to travel outdoors, but without the crowds. Niagara Falls was empty of tourists (not that we spent much time around all the souvenirs anyway).
Many motels have dropped their prices, and gas prices are dropping like a rock. In Ohio, we're looking at 2.19. And the U.S. dollar is finally worth more than the Canadian dollar again.
To see more of Bil's photos, visit his blog, Bil's Eye View.
Laura Westerberg of York poses for a photo with guide Mohamed Khalil July 17 at Deir el-Bahari, Egypt.
She and others spent 11 days touring Cairo this summer, then flew south to Abu Simbel and, finally, cruised the Nile from Aswan north to Luxor.
Westerberg wrote that seeing the pyramids and places such as Valley of the Kings and Karnak was inspiring: "The sharp line where the vegetation stops and the desert begins was sobering - showing how little fertile soil is available for Egypt's inhabitants for living and farming."
Her travel tip: Get a guide Buy four to six bottles of water a day and drink them all - plus bottled water at meals. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your skin and eyes.
Students and chaperones from Susquehannock High School traveled to Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands from June 23 to July 2. Students must have taken two years of Spanish to go on the trip.
The group toured Ecuador's historic capital of Quito, visited the equator and Cotopaxi, the largest active volcano in the world. They also spent time on Santa Cruz, Floreana and Bartolome islands in the Galapagos, where they saw sea lions, frigget birds, blue-footed boobies, iguanas, giant tortises, crabs and more.
Susquehannock student Matt Schriver offered the following travel tips:
*Bring cool-weather clothes for high-altitude destinations
*Be careful with your passport -- it can easily be lost or stolen
*Knowing some Spanish can be very helpful, especially for shopping and dining out.
Lori Brose of Glen Rock spent 14 days in Alaska in July and caught this 120-lb halibut during a fishing trip out of the town of Homer. She rented an RV at the Anchorage airport an found it to be a good way to see the state. "Summer is a good time to go, as the salmon are coming into the streams and the bears come for the salmon."
Her travel tips: Alaska is a very large state, so allow yourself time to see as much as possible. Pack a little of everything because the weather ranges from 40 degrees and rainy to 85 degrees and sunny.
Deb Beaverson took this photo from the Glacier Gardens above Juneau, Alaska, in July. Beaverson was on a 12-day cruise with her sister Janet Smith of West Manchester Township.
Their travel trip: Be sure to dress in layers, and be prepared for rain. Southeast Alaska is a temperate rain forest.
Doris King of Windsor Township stands in front of the Mayflower II in Plymouth, Mass., during a trip through New England earlier this summer. She said the Mayflower II, an exact replica of the original ship, was much smaller than she had imagined.
'It truly drives home the fact that these people suffered many hardships in order to realize their dreams of a new way of life," she wrote.
King spent two days in Plymouth and found the town charming. "We roamed the streets until late at night. The local people were exceptionally friendly."
Sharon Pichler of Spring Garden Township sent in this photo of her daughter Ellen Pichler, 19, a junior at Mount Saint Mary's University, in front of Big Ben and Westminster Palace during a trip to England in July.
Ellen traveled with her mother, Sharon, and her older sister, Kate Slaugh-Sanford. They visited London, Exeter, Powderham Castle and the coastal towns of Torquay, Dawlish and Paignton.
Her travel tip: If you plan to travel to more than one area of the country, purchase a British Rail pass. The United Kingdom has an excellent rail system and the pass allows you to hop on and off most all the trains in the England. But you must purchase it here in the States. It is not for sale in England.
Ken, Cindy and Jason Roach pose for a photograph in front of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaksa. The Washington Township family took a 12-day cruise to Alaksa in May to celebrate Jason's graduation from Lebanon Valley College with a music education degree.
Their travel tips: Get off the cruise ship and explore. Book your excursions several months before you leave on your trip so it won't be sold out. Plan ahead -- Alaska trips sell out quickly!
Josh Rowand, right, shares a camel ride with Benjamin Lee in Israel during a three-week scholarship program called "Israel Experience" run by Eagles Wings Ministeries.
Rowand, 19, of Dover Township, attends Valley Forge Christian College. Lee attends Georgetown University. The pair were in a Bedouin camp in the southern Israeli desert the first week of August when this photo was taken.
His travel tip: Drink A LOT of water. It's very easy to get dehydrated, and Israel is very hot and dry. Also, go during our summer months. It doesn't rain there. Ever. We had great weather every day for the three weeks we were there.
