Today on an overall clouded and rainy day I finally slowed down and had a very relaxed day cruising the state of New York from the west to the east.

You may have recognized that I wrote cruising and not traveling?

Nearly always when somebody ask me about my vacations the dialog ends up in something like … Nice, interesting! But honestly I would not like to do that much of driving during my vacation like you!

Well, I do not mind driving in general. And driving through a foreign country for me is what I call spying peoples front yard without bothering them. And … thats exactly what I have done today.

Now free in my mind and knowing about there would nothing be really exciting to see today I finally slowed down, by speed as also by mind. Just cruising new piece of this world, a new territory to explore and enjoying what is out there behind the windscreen to see ….

First we traveled the most beautiful farming countryside spotting about every second farm was offering sweet corn or pumpkins to buy. To then later entering the green mountains again. An overall beautiful forest area and most colorful during this very first autumn day of this year for me.

Finally we ended up in the most lovely bed and breakfast I’ve ever seen so far. An old mill operated by an elderly couple. With both people are up in there late seventies and a property, first erected in 1820, you couldn’t construct and design better yourself even when tried.

Yeah! Thats vacation for me …. forgetting about all for a limited time and just cruising life on a day by day basis enjoying whatever this particular new day will come up with for you to enjoy. 

Now it’s nothing really fancy doing things twice. I’m cleaning my teeth at least twice a day ….. :-/

And there also mistakes you can do twice! But at this point I’m referring to heading back to some special place you have been already and you are not be able to visit every day.

A few days ago I wrote about sparing something out as for a reason to return. In the actual case it is about the riding with famous "Maid of the Mist" at Niagara Falls.

I was already here in 2001 on a very hot and sunny summer day and the queue in front of the boat did tell me about I would have to wait for nearly two ours until I would a able to get on the boat ….

Today I’m back at Niagara Falls and did that ride!!! It’s a very special feeling and exciting for sure …. even I know some Canadians could do every weekend and at the end it is something rather touristy thingy.

Non the less feeling the power of the water falling down and getting wet by the mist was great. Doing things twice … Thats Tops!!

ps: There is a some cycling tour I did once with friends. And even I know that you can’t really repeat things, I’m keen to catch up soon again …. having more fun together.

It was somewhat early that year when my brother came up with the news that he had bought some reasonable priced GPS by following some info he had found on the net about this device could easily loaded with a bigger variety of all the famous navigation software packages like TomTom, Navigon or iGo.

Great I said, but didn’t really go into it as for since my time at the German Air Force (no, I wasn’t a pilot) I’m trained in finding my directions by using some good old maps.

So all the years, on all my journeys and trips I’ve never needed more than some more or less recent map about the area I was going to cruise and I never got lost. But it wouldn’t have been my brother coming back to it again and again … at that point we both a very much alike!

Hey have a look an what I have done with it again and again …. until the day he called me with the news: "I’ve ordered one for YOU!!"

Great :-/   That is my brother!  A 100 Euro for nothing I thought!

For what would I ever need a GPS for?! It came like it had to came. I did put it aside all the time, until shortly before this vacation now when my brother told me about he would have some North America Map for me.

Ok, why not I thought and did take it with me finally.

Now believe it or not. This little device does a great job … All the time I keep it navigating me so far. And besides one single issue when the info where to go wasn’t really clear - the good old map did help - I have nothing to complain about it’s route suggestions.

Guess there is a "sorry and thanks" necessary when I will be home again and being able to tell my brother about.

Traveling is what I do actually and confessed … one of my absolute favorite things to do.

Now I can not travel all year long, as it is for sure some money issue coming with it. But given the choice I rather do prefer one long and extended trip instead of doing several smaller trips spread over the year.

I need that long time being away from all, freshing and cleaning my mind from all and filling it up with new and exciting memories. Give me a car (or something else to move) an new area and a different new place to discover each day and I will feel happy!

But by that fact, I do know that I’m no easy traveling companion! Being able to drive some less active "traveling" person than me nearly insane. But it is exactly that easy cruising and being in motion all time … taking things easy and enjoying them as they come, which gives me pleasure and finally distance from work and stress.

Honestly, there is just one time looking back,  I’m still sorry and grumpy with myself about me not having slowed down and taking more time enjoying being together with a close friend I was catching up for the first and so far last time.

Instead of slowing down as sensefully I kept the whole family moving with me nearly for a whole week and directly when leaving I got aware about it was wrong.

But hey! I like travelling! I will come back promised and then we will take all time of world to complete what we have started once.

This time I made it up over into Uncle Sam country and I really do like it very much. People are exceptional friendly and landscape is gorgeous. The car is running well and fuel is cheap (at least compared with at home) … Do I need more?

Yeap, give me someting exciting to discover tomorrow.

I think that I here recently talked about me buying a push bike. Now being a sworn in real biker, I have to confess that I’m not really trained to use some. My only memory  about using one last, goes back to a really lovely day trip, I did together with friends while staying with them as part of a vacation trip in 2005.

Ok, every beginning is hard, so was mine. Getting the body warm and out of hibernation and finally getting familiar with the near gear, finding my own rhythm again during the first 10km was a need. While the next 20km weren’t a big deal anymore. Then we had to return because of upcoming rain …. What a pity!

Sure, and I’m honest at this point! Although increasing fuel prices lower the fun using the real bike, the sonorous sound of my with  98PS powered Suzi is more like my taste. But from time to time … doing it yourself … seems not really bad to me anymore.