July 8-9 (revised) - Orange County Choppers, West Point, NYC

8-9 July (revised)

8 July
Today we toured West Point Military Academy on a bus tour.  Quite a historic and very beautiful place.  West Point is the Army Military Academy, and we were told since it is the summertime, the cadets are involved with military training.  Their college classes will resume this fall.

Display of cannons used to defend West Point

Cadet's Chapel - amazing architecture, built by immigrants who were given a fast track to citizenship if they completed ahead of schedule.  

Beautiful stained glass

Hymnals and bibles meticulously aligned.

Largest pipe organ in the world, with 23,511 individual pipes

Encampment area from the days of Gen Washington

The Hudson River.  West Point gets it's name from the bend in the river at this site.

A very heavy chain was connected across the Hudson to prevent British ships from passing.  Knowing that it was there, the British abandoned efforts to travel through here.

Beautiful battle monument, dedicated in 1897 by Civil War veterans who paid for the monument through their pay and by donation. The names of 2,230 officers and soldiers of the Regular Army are inscribed on the monument. 

The end of a cannon.

 We have a whole lot more pictures of West Point.  This was a very interesting tour of a beautiful facility.

Later in the day we drove up to Newburgh NY and toured the Orange County Choppers facility.  They build custom chopper motorcycles made popular on a TV show.

Orange County Choppers building with the OCC logo

Paul Sr, on the left, is the star of the TV show, gave us a "Howdy" as we entered the shop with our tour guide.

Our tour guide showing us one of the concept drawing their artist makes before they go into production.  This one was made for someone very rich, in the Mideast.

Shop area

Shop area

They have some very expensive shop equipment.

Amazing creations, all custom made.

POW-MIA bike.  The detail is beyond description.

One of the custom items made with their equipment.  A Star Trek hood ornament.  This cost so much the customer could not afford it once it was done.

OCC's showroom and retail area is incredible.  They have many of their custom motorcycles on display along with souvenirs, tee shirts, etc.  They also have a lounge and restaurant there too.

9 July (will post pictures later)
Today we got up early, and Took the dog to West Point 's kennel and horse farm for a couple nights and then caught a train into NYC.  We switched to a subway in Grand Central Terminal and headed for Wall Street.  We visited the Sights of the 9-11 attacks, the reflecting pools, the museam, the One World Observatory.  We had lunch there then took a subway to 42d street and saw Times Square, Rockafeller Center, the Broadway Theatre area and other highlights.  Disappointing visibility, over cast.  Then we hoofed it back to Grand Central and are heDed back.

Tomorrow we head back into the City to Queens for a New York Mets game