LAKE VERSUS OCEAN

Greetings everyone. Today is a gorgeous day in upstate NY. Sunny, breezy and in the low70's. Very comfortable, though the damp spring has brought alot of small green worms and skinny caterpillars dropping out of the trees. A nuisance to be sure. I'm wondering if they are gypsy moth caterpillars. These are tree destroyers, but I haven't heard about any problems from the news, so it's probably not. Anyway....

The end of the school year is upon us and with that brings vacation season. So here's the question of the day. I hope you'll post a comment with your opinion.

ARE YOU LAKE OR OCEAN, OR BOTH?
For the most part, I think people really do prefer one or the other. Now, I live in upstate New York, very close to famous Lake George. And besides this 32-mile body of summer fun there are a ton of other lakes in the Adirondack Mountains. All of these are within a 1 1/2 hour drive from the Capital District (Albany). Along with that, New York State boasts the Finger Lakes region, Thousand Lakes, and Western New York has access to Lake Erie. Safe to say New York is rife with lakes.

But I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. If you're from Minnesota, you're from the land of 10,000 Lakes. Face it, if you're a fresh water fan, you don't have to travel very far to find a beautiful lake setting to relax and have fun just about anywhere in the country.

Boating, fishing, jet skiing, and camping. And to tell you the truth, I can't stand it. I've never been a fan. I mean, I like the scenery. But I'm not a woodsy-type person. I'm not big on swimming in a lake, and I hate sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground. I realize you don't have to sleep on the ground, but it just isn't for me.

I am an ocean person to be sure. Now, I've never been west if Indiana or Chicago, so I've never been to the Pacific. And truly most of my ocean time has been spent in New England. Cape Cod and Cape Ann/Gloucester is where I've spent the most time. My family and I absolutely love the beach. And sure, you can say that many lake areas have beaches. But c'mon folks, there's no comparison. Ocean beaches are the bomb. The sand is nicer, the ocean breeze is to die for, and the scent of salty ocean air induces relaxation, as does the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. Plus, chances are, if you're visiting a beach, you're staying at a hotel or condo, or resort, so there ain't no sleeping on the ground in a tent, having to hang your damn food in a tree so bears don't wreck your campsite.

Oceans aren't perfect, however. I've found that while the girls, suntans, and warmth are better in Florida, the ocean water is so warm down there that it's hardly refreshing. Realize, please, that I'm coming from the Northeast and am used to cold ocean water. I suppose that if I lived in Florida the water would be perfect. I've found that people in Florida are generally bundled up in sweaters and coats when it's in the 40's, where as people from the Northeast can generally get by with a light jacket. So I guess it's all your environment.

Obviously, some people are in love with both the ocean beaches AND woodsy lakes. Fresh water or salt water, it doesn't matter as long as they are communing with nature. The great outdoors is the thing. We spend so much time indoors working and doing normal rat-race things, that we really need the break that the outdoors give. And in truth, we stay healthy by spending time outdoors (unless you're in a heavy urban area where it's just fumes and noise). But I digress......

SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL?
So tell me America how do you feel? Where do you stand on Lakes versus Oceans? I realize that the majority of the country lives closer to a lake than the coasts, and getting to an ocean is a once a year thing, where the lakes may be an every weekend thing.

Get back to me with your vote and maybe write a little opinion of why you like one over the other. The world awaits your response, America. Let's hear from you.

I vote Ocean...and of course you know, Len Is Right.

I am,
Len Tollerton