Over these many months of necessary physical separation, the opportunity to gather when I was able to do so safely with loved ones, or to take opportunities to be outdoors, was a great blessing. Due to the slackening of COVID-19 over the summer, especially in upstate New York, I was able to make trips by car up there and take advantage of outdoor activities. These included visits to my cousin’s pool and visiting (outdoors) with friends in the region, but also travels to more interesting spots, including Ticonderoga, New York. A late summer visit on a glorious September day included sightseeing at two venues. One is expected – the historic Revolutionary War-era Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain at the border of New York and Vermont and its nearby strategic hill Mount Defiance. Click any image below for a larger view.
The other is more unusual, but a great one for the sci-fi fan in me. In the town of Ticonderoga, a dedicated group of Star Trek fans created a wonderful experience for other fans – a full-scale replica of the original Hollywood (Desilu) studios layout of the sets for the Starship Enterprise from the Original Series, the very first Star Trek from the 1960s. Having gone on a day when museums had recently re-opened I was able to get a truly personal tour of these great sets, built as a labor of love. This Star Trek Original Series Set Tour is a great gift to fans, and they frequently host events with Star Trek stars, but the pandemic has really hurt their business – as is the case with so many artistic and creative venues like museums. I was grateful for the opportunity to support them during this difficult year. If they can weather this storm, they have purchased additional adjacent building space to build a scale model of the sets of Star Trek: The Next Generation too! Hopefully the next time I go, they will have more business. Click any image below for a larger view.
Request Dr. DelMonico's professional services for a liturgical, ministerial or leadership consultation, or for an academic or public presentation.