Oliver, Saratoga, Springfield Armory

 A weekend spent in Saratoga Springs, visiting grandson Oliver, in college at Skidmore.  We planned to see the total eclipse at Ken's cabin in upper Vermont, but was told the driveway was impassable, so came back home on Sunday, and on a whim stopped at a military arms collection housed at the Springfield Arsenal, one of the most famous manufacturer of weapons for the US military.  

We had a delightful time with Oliver; we met for dinner at Druther's on Friday night, I met him for breakfast at the Country Corner cafe, and then Susan joined us for a tour.

This is the New York State Military Museum, with exhibits throughout US history with 
emphasis on New York state's contributions.  Small,  but very much worth the visit. 

And a quick stop at the Batcheller Mansion, one of the more
extravagant houses in Saratoga, and unfortunately closed for repair.

Back to school for Oliver and homework, and the to dinner at Wheatfields.  Then Sunday AM I met Oliver again for breakfast, Country Corner, and then I took off to visit the Saratoga Battlefield while Susan packed for the trip home. 

On the way to the battlefield, I came across a flock of  Common Mergansers

And then, a rare sighting, a American Kestrel, dining on a Killdeer.
I saw him next to the road, backed up, but he flew across a field and landed
quite a ways away. 

A British canon from the battle. 

"The Assault on the Breyman Redoubt" 
3D diorama at the visitor center.
(The American took the redoubt)

Officer's pistol from the battle

"Brown Bess" standard issue rifle for the British infantry

Looking towards the battlefield.  Susan and I will have to come back and take the tour.

On the way back on the Mass Pike, I saw signs advertising the Springfield Armory Museum, a
National Park site.  The museum holds thousands of weapons from all eras and countries, and the huge collection on exhibit was only 11% of what the museum has in storage. 

Some of the historic weapons produced at the Springfield armory include the M1795 flintlock for the Continental Army, the M1861 for the Union Army; the very famously accurate M1903, of which 265,620 were produced during WW1; The Krag-Jorgensen, present during the Spanish-American war, and considered the smoothest bolt-action rifle ever made; the M1 Garand, developed by John Garand, 
incredibly reliable, and produced in larger numbers than any other rifle in US history: 4.5 million; and finally the M14, produced from 1959-until 1964.

M1795

M1895 Krag-Jorgensen

Susan and our docent and guide, Carl, terrific and insanely knowledgeable
In the case, on the left, a SpringfieldM3, a Garand, and a M14. 

Springfield M3 and a Garand

The Armory also made thousands of the M1911 45 caliber pistol

A soldier loading a experimental Garand, Cal. .276
April 29, 1930

Working on the line, Mrs. P. Recor (mother of 18 children)(!).
April 1942

The original Blanchard Lathe was significant in industrial history, as the first machine able to
reproduce exact duplication of irregular shapes, such as gun stocks. 

Another innovation, cutting M1911 pistol frames from metal stock rather than 
forging them.

The stages of making an M14 stock.  The M14 replace by the M16, with a plastic stock, 
and reportedly hated by US troops in Viet Nam, but much cheaper to make. 

A gunstock on the lathe mentioned earlier

An arial view of the armory

This gentleman joined the army in 1917, and was issued a Springfield M1903 with the serial number one; when he arrived in France, it was taken away from him, and sent to the troops on the front line, and he was issued an Enfield, which he disliked.  Many years later, touring the Armory, he found the serial number one weapon in the collection.

The top weapon was in the arms of a sentry on duty (confederate) when it was struck by lighting!
The sentry survived, and the paper cartridge in the barrel did not explode (shown on the right in the display case). 

In the remarkable collection of machine guns, a early Gatling gun.

The German M42 machine gun, one of the most feared weapons of WW2.  With a rate of fire of
1200 rounds per minute (or 20 per second) it was reported to sound like a zipper. 

The development of the pistol

Beautiful example of a wheelock

An example of the "organ pipe" display of hundreds of M1862 models for union troops,
famously remarked on by Walt Whitman in his condemnation of war.

The mansion of the Armory commandant

A

Monday afternoon, April 8, in Middleboro with Scott, Alex and Carter, watching the 
eclipse, which achieved about 90% coverage. 

Alex filming a train whizzing by.

The extreme moment.

Final Blog: Savegre, Lauraceas Lodge

 The final destination, Savegre, has been, always, an extremely rewarding and beautiful place.  My first choice of all destinations, from the first trip until this one, has been the mountains of Costa Rica, which seem to me to be my natural element.  I am fond of beaches, I love almost all landscapes, but from the time I started to grow up in Western North Carolina, and experienced trails, waterfalls, wildflowers, all that the mountains can show you, all gave me a sense of great wonder, awe, reverence for mountains. 

So Savegre, at 6000' or so, is now a part of who I am.  

And it is with a bit of sadness that I do this last blog, because it may be, in fact, my last connection with Costa Rica.  I can't see myself returning in the future, because my time left has to be with family and especially Susan, who has always supported my traveling, but finds it more and more difficult to go through all it takes to travel a long distance.

And, let's face it, there are a helluvalotta birds in New England I haven't seen, so I still have those to look forward to! (I really, really need a great photo of a Nelson's Sparrow!)(Never mind the Le Conte!)

Here it is, and I hope it shows you the fondness I have for the place. 

My cabin at Lauraceas Lodge.  I had always stayed at Savegre Inn, but Gray and I opted for Lauraceas
and it was a very good choice.  One of the nicest rooms I have stayed in anywhere. 

On our first evening, a Torent Tyrannulet posed for me on a sunlit rock.

The restaurant at the lodge.  Excellent!

Out at 5:30 AM, looking for the required bird of the area, the Resplendent Quetzal.  The area has become a destination for birders from all over the world. 
Here is Gray, the famous Marino, and Neal.

Just down the road from us!

And here he is.  Audubon thought him the most beautiful bird in the world. 
(Confessions, this is not from this trip but from an earlier one;  I did not have a blog-worthy shot)

"Don't worry, we'll find him!"

Black-capped Flycatcher

A Wilson's Warber (finally, a decent photo!)
Probably headed North

Hoffman's Woodpecker

Dark Pewee

A bird becoming rare, the Golden-winged Warbler, again travelling through.

Spot-crowned Woodcreeper

"Where the %$%#$%^& is he?!"

Tufted Flycatcher

Slaty Flower-piercer

Lunch at Lauraceas Lodge

Collared Redstart

Breakfast at Lauraceas

At Anna de Arbol, one of the finest restaurants in Costa Rica

Marino charming everybody.  

And our last afternoon at Savegre, spent at Batsu Gardens, a wonderful area set up 
just for bird photography.  Time to relax, sit in a comfortable chair, and have birds come and pose
for you.  

Flame-colored Tanager

Tennessee Warbler

Gray on the trail above the gardens

Bay-headed Tanager

Black-capped Flycatcher

Acorn Woodpecker

Green-crowned Brilliant

And my favorite of favorites, the Volcano Hummingbird. Barely bigger than a bee, 
and completely fearless.  He was less than yard away, showing no stress at all. 

Last morning in Savegre, a quick visit to the gardens at Savegre Lodge

And, appropriately, (I saw one every visit), the White-throated Mountain Gem, female

On the way back to San Jose.
I believe this Turrialba Volcano

A lunch break with an incredible view.  Neal had become quite sick on his last day of hiking with 
altitude sickness and slept a great deal of the trip.  He rallied at lunch, but it really hit him hard. 

Back at Bougainvillea, and a waiter who remembered me from past trips.

A sad morning, Neal sick in bed, Sally and Gray at breakfast.  It was hard not to have 
a chance for one last good meal together, and I particularly missed saying goodby to Juan Carlos,
our superb driver and guide. 

And one final morning look into Bougainvillea's gardens
Will I ever see them again?

Again, the trip's overwhelming success and rewards were due so much to Sally's planning, attention
to detail (private guides!!), and Sonia Nunez' coming through in every case. 
And what a treasure to have spent the two weeks with three of the most charming, 
erudite, and warmly inviting companions one could hope for. 
I will never forget it.