Travelog for: Fridoline

We went to Franklin Township today to go to the movies.





It is 60 kilometers away, so why did we go that far just to see a movie?

Because we went to visit Spac's step-brother, Baby Beau Bear, and see the movie with him!  That's Beau on the left next to Spac.




They were excited to see each other and to see the movie "Ted", in which a Teddy bear comes to life. It was a very funny movie because the Teddy bear grows up and becomes a foul-mouthed troublemaker.


After the movie, we went to Starbucks for some icy coffee beverages.









It was nice to see Beau again and go to the movies with him. He will be coming on our next adventure, too!

Phish tour continues!

We had such fun last month seeing Phish with Spac in June, so we are very excited to see four more shows in two different locations.  Plus, Columbus and I get to go to two more U.S. states! AND, we got to be there while our new Toy Voyager friend experienced his very first Phish show.

The first two shows are on Long Island.  Columbus and I are very familiar with Long Island because Spac takes us there with him to see his family.

Today, we are going to the southern shore of the island to Jones Beach. There is an ampitheater there and that is where Phish will be playing.

It took a long time to drive there - but we are used to the tough drive through New York City.

Finally, we arrived!  There is the ampitheater behind us.

From left to right, that's Major Trevor Bananas, me, Spac, Terence, Puppy Graham, Columbus and Nibbly.





It was such a beautiful evening and there was still some time before the show, so we decided to go down to the beach for a while. This was Maj. Bananas' first time at the Atlantic Ocean!





Spac played some songs for us on his guitar while we enjoyed the warm sand and cool water.





New Jersey beaches are nice, but they are more known for their fun activities and boardwalks.  Long Island beaches, however, are very special in a different way. 

Most other U.S. beaches face east, which means the sun is in front of you in the morning, but behind you in the afternoon and evening.  But Long Island beaches like Jones Beach face south, which means the sun starts on your left and moves across the sky to your right. It is never behind you!



It was nearing showtime, so we started heading back to the ampitheater.  We thought this seahorse on the sidewalk would make for a nice group photo.





Time to go inside!






Our seats were around the middle of the theater.  It is a good view, but it is too bad we can not move up close like we did in Atlantic City!





And the concert is underway.  Our fourth Phish show! 







Phish is very new to us, but Spac told us it was quite a special show because they played a song they had not performed in more than 20 years!



We had a fun time dancing and meeting new people who asked why we two bears were at a Phish show taking lots of photos. 


At the end of the show, Phish played the Rolling Stones song "Shine a Light" and when they sang, "May the good Lord shine a light on you", the lights were REALLY bright, shining on the audience.





What a fun night.  I can not wait to do it again tomorrow!!

It's Day Five of my Phish tour!

We stayed the night with Spac's family, who live out on Long Island.  It made the trip to Jones Beach much easier for the second day.



Back at Jones Beach Ampitheater!





We were in the top section for this show, but the view and the sound were still great!







After the show was over, there was a lot of traffic getting out of the venue, so we took the opportunity to take a picture of us with that tower you see in the background.  That tower is sort of the symbol of Jones Beach.





We finally made it back to New Jersey, safe and sound.  What an awesome two days of shows.  I can't believe we're going to do two more!

It's a big weekend for us Toy Voyagers, but it's also going to be a very special weekend for our host, Spac the Bear.

It's big for us because we get to go to two more Phish shows and visit another new state! 

It's extra special for Spac because we'll be retracing the steps that led to his birth eight years ago. You see, he was born while his human was on Phish tour back in 2004. During that tour, Phish played at a venue in upstate New York called the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, or SPAC, as the people call it. The human and his female counterpart had such a great time at SPAC (and had such fun saying it, because it does sound funny), that when they visited the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory the next day and brought their new bear into the world, the female had the idea to name him that funny name. The male loved it. And so, Spac the Bear was born.

So it's a weekend of Phish and joining Spac on his homecoming in Vermont.

But first, we had to get there. It is a long drive to Saratoga Springs. We crossed the northern New Jersey border into New York State.







After an hour or so, we passed Saugerties, where Woodstock '94 and '99 were held.





Finally, after around three hours, we made it to Saratoga Springs! 





We took a group shot in the car before we split up. Spac, Major Bananas, Columbus and I went in to the SPAC venue for the show while Graham, Baby Beau Bear, Wheatley (the happy toast), Terence and Nibbly, stayed in the parking lot to hang out and tailgate.





I don't know what that building is but it looked really nice. And along with the pool, it made for a great photo.





So great, in fact, that this total stranger wanted to get in the picture with us!





It's so funny to see my friend's name everywhere!







We had such a great time at the show, but we didn't take a lot of pictures tonight.  Tomorrow is our last night of Phish tour, so we'll definitely take more, then!

Breakfast at America's Diner, Denny's!







Let's see what's on the menu!





So much from which to choose!





We ate pancakes and eggs and hash browns. Yum!





Back to SPAC for the last show of our Phish tour!





We weren't very close to the stage, but we were near one of the screens and sound was good there, too!





We danced so much and had such fun, we forgot to take more pictures again!


When the show was over, it was time to meet up with the rest of the gang and go back to the hotel in Glens Falls. We have a big day tomorrow. 


I can't believe that a month ago I had never seen Phish, and now I have seen them seven times! Maybe they will come and play in Germany again sometime. Spac told me that in 1997 they played in Cologne, only about 83km from my hometown of Essen. It is time for them to come back!

Phish tour was done, but one adventure still remained.

Today, we went to the state of Vermont to visit the Vermont Teddy Bear factory and the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory!

Spac and Graham were born in Vermont, but none of us other Toy Voyagers had ever been there, so we were very excited to see another new state.


We drove for a long time through upstate New York, along the eastern border, where the Hudson River continues all the way up to Lake George. There, we took this photo together. So scenic!



From left to right, that's me, Major Bananas, Puppy Graham, Baby Beau, Spac, Terence, Columbus, and Nibbly.



Farther north, we came upon Lake Champlain, which actually has a connection to Phish and Ben & Jerry's - all profits from the sale of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food ice cream are donated to help keep the lake clean. Phish originated in Vermont, so the lake is dear to them.

It is quite a pretty lake.





We crossed this bridge over the lake and we were finally in Vermont!











Finally, we made it to the Vermont Teddy Bear factory, the place our host and friend Spac, was born!





What a colorful building!






Look at all the different bears that are born here!







Though the company's very high quality bears are each sewn, assembled and stuffed individually and with great care, people can also come here and buy one of these pre-sewn skins and have them stuffed to their liking. That's how Spac was born. So many kinds and colors from which to choose!





A big shrubbery bear!





I know the Toy Voyagers rule is that we are supposed to be in every photo, so if you would like to see pictures of the factory floor and of Spac's surgery (he got a stuffing infusion and a head re-shaping), click here:


http://s1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee519/SpacTheBear/VT%20Teddy%20Bear%20Factory/



Before long, it was time to say goodbye to the Vermont Teddy Bear factory. We wished we could have stayed longer...





...We still had another stop to make at the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory!









Getting ready to take the tour.





This is where the ice cream gets made!





This was our tour guide. She was funny and very nice. Spac asked her whether the guys in Phish actually came here to help develop their flavor and she said they really did!





And this is the "Flavor Lab" where new flavors get created and tested.





At the end of the tour we were given samples of that day's batch of ice cream. Yum!





On the wall in the hallway were posters of the all-time most popular Ben & Jerry's flavors. Phish Food was number five!





They had some old Ben & Jerry's advertisements, promotional items and news articles on display.





On our way out we saw the "Cowmobile". I wish we could have taken a ride in that!





It was getting late and we had a six hour drive from northern Vermont to New Jersey ahead of us, so we hopped back into the car and drove through the Green Mountain State.





But Spac had one more surprise for us before going home. Instead of going west from Vermont back into New York, he drove directly south and took us to the Massachusetts border. Another new U.S. state for us Toy Voyagers!!





And as the sun set and we drove into the night, we were all happy that we took part in such a grand adventure together.

We've received some sad news. My new friends Graham and Terence fear they have lost someone dear to them - a fellow Toy Voyager from Arizona named Travis.

Travis is a "Digi", born in Arizona of Cox Communications, and a cousin to Terence. He is also Graham's first travel buddy. They met in California while staying with Pink and Gray Bunny, then traveled together back here to Graham's home to stay with Spac before going to Travis' home with Bart K. in Arizona.

Travis went on a trip to Europe this year and somewhere in Munster, Germany, became lost. His host there said she would send him home, but he never came.

We all tried to console Graham and Terence in their sadness.





At least we have Travis' travelog, still here on the Toy Voyagers site, by which to remember him.

Today we said goodbye to Graham. He is going to visit his friends in Arizona and they are taking him to see the Grand Canyon! It will be nice for him to be with them, especially as they mourn the loss of their friend and brother, Travis.  He calls them his "Arizona family."

Goodbye Graham.  It was nice getting to know you.  I will be with my next host, in Oklahoma, by the time you back.  I had a lot of fun with you on our Phish tour and trips to Rhode Island and Vermont.





We packed Graham up in his box and wished him well on his journey.





Then we brought him to the post office.





Saying goodbye to my new friends is difficult, and since my time here in New Jersey is coming to an end, I am going to have to do a lot more of it.


But I am very happy that, just like Graham, there are some great new adventures in my future!

The time has come for Columbus and I to leave New Jersey and our friend and host, Spac the Bear. We had such a great time with him these past six months. We had so many wonderful adventures! 





But now we must say goodbye.

Goodbye Major Bananas. We had fun on our Vermont trip, didn't we? I shall miss you.





So long, Terence. It was great getting to know you as you settled in to your new home here in New Jersey.





Bye Nibbly! You're a good little bunny! It was fun spending time with you!





Spac and Columbus...farewell, friends. I shall miss you both very much.  It was great fun going to concerts and taking trips in the car, on the bus, and on the train with you. I shall never forget our good times and I will remember you both always.





Time to get into our travel envelopes. Safe travels Columbus, my buddy! Have fun in Utah! I'm Oklahoma-bound!

I arrived in Oklahoma City! My new host is very crafty <3

I arrived here in Oklahoma a while ago, but didn't get a chance to upload photos until now. I got a very warm welcome <3

So today, I tried some Sweet & Salty kettle korn popcorn on the way to Dallas Texas. It was so tastey! It wasn't too sweet and just enough salt. I ate almost the whole bag!

When we got into Dallas, we stopped to eat at a place called Tilted Kilt. The girls where these skimpy Scottish style outfits. They were so pretty and I was blushing the whole time!

We went to the Sky Commodore's Autumn Masquerade Ball! It is a Steampunk ball. The line to get inside took 45 minutes! It was a huge line. We didn't expect it to be a packed as it was. We got to see Marquis Of Vaudeville and steam Powered Giraffe perform. A group called the Circus Freaks were performing out in the crowd all night too. The Ball was held at the Dallas Flight Museum. We got to see a bunch of really cool airplane stuff! It was only one night, but it was so much fun!

Then on the way home the next morning, we stopped by a small diner called Original Market Diner. Even though the diner was packed, it only took 15 minutes to get a seat. The food was SO GOOD! My hosts wish they had one in Oklahoma. They had some cute decore that was my size!

I helped Toki finish building and decorating her house today!

I went to the local Steampunk convention called Octopodicon. It was fun!

My host found me some new clothes! How do like my new shirt?

I helped put up Halloween decorations on Toki's house. It looks pretty good! I also tried on some Halloween hats but they were all too big for me. Then I went out to a Japanese Sushi place called Sushi GO GO! It was really good!