Hudson Day 2: Hyde Park and FDR home and presidential library

We arrived at the Hyde Park Marina which is just a tiny marina for small boats (we qualify).  It has no facilities besides a bathroom and a shower... BUT it is only a few miles from the family home of FDR.  According to Google Maps we could easily ride our e-bikes to it.  The dockmaster saw our funny little bikes, with the 12 inch tires and said "no way" can you climb that hill.  So he took us up up up this hill in his truck.  That was really appreciated.  MAYBE the ebikes would have gotten us there but it was certainly questionable.

First off, we sat and had a heart to heart with Franklin and Eleanor about our current political climate

Then we joined a ranger for the tour of the home... which had been in FDR's family for a couple of generations.  We even saw the room where he was born.  This was actually his mother's home and she ruled here but FDR loved it so that he visited here as much as he could . Eleanor didn't love it too much (two strong women living in the same home was a problem), so they built a cottage about 4 miles down the road for her to have her own retreat.  Interesting marriage for sure.  I've read several books on these two and they sure were fascinating personalities.

View off the back patio... out onto the Hudson in the distance.. way DOWN the hill

Even the barn was ELEGANT

Burial site in the rose garden next to the home

We then toured the presidential library which was designed and built by FDR towards the end of his second term... thinking he would retire then.  Inside we saw many exhibits of all of his challenges but what was especially unique was seeing his actual office where he worked during the rest of his presidency.  He invented the idea of a presidential library and all presidents since him now have them.  The exhibits were fascinating and very well done.  It makes me want to visit other presidential libraries.

Then we gritted our teeth for the death-defying ride down down down the hill... brakes engaged the whole way.  With 12 inch tires, our center of gravity is a bit unusual on these bikes.  At least that is my excuse why I found it a bit too thrilling.  We survived and it will be another memory as an adventure in and of itself.