Gypsy & The Navigator

Motoring On To Maine

Leaving Vermont we continued our trek east.

Lots of ups and downs as we weaved our way on the small state routes.  We were happy that the Navigator had more than one gear.

Our time in New Hampshire consisted of driving across the state with a quick stop for lunch.  Like Vermont there were a lot of small towns and it was heavily forested.

Mid afternoon and we were parked in Augusta West Kampground near Augusta, Maine. 

Most of the RV's parked lakeside have boats, kayaks or canoes.

A walk around the park showed the creativity of some of the long termers.

 What a nice way for our first day in Maine to end.

The next day we spent in Augusta.

Augusta is the captial of Maine.  Although they do not call the building the capitol.  They call it the State House.  Maine's first capital was the city of Portland but it was considered too far south so in 1827 Augusta was proclaimed the new capital.

The State House building was completed in 1831.  Additions were completed in 1890 and 1910.  The figure on top of the dome is said to be the figure of wisdom however according to a 1927 article on the subject, “This classic figure of a woman with right arm rigidly upraised, close to the head, with torch in hand, is not a copy of some other figure, but is Mr. Noble’s (the designer) conception of Augusta (the city), holding a pine torch, which represents the State.”

The State Seal has a pine tree with a moose lying at the foot of it on the bank of a lake or the sea; on the left side of the shield is a farmer resting on a scythe; on the right side, a seaman, resting on an anchor covering all the important things in Maine.  The motto is Dirigo that means "I direct or I lead."

Maine is the first state to see the sun every day.

 

The interior is not glamourous.  It is crisp and clean and makes you feel that it is there for work to be done.

We got the impression that the State House says that Maine is a hard-working down to earth state.

They have lovely portraits of many historical figures like this one of George Washington that was painted in 1836.

The rotunda has beauty in its simplicity. 

The House of Representatives Chamber is on the 3rd floor.   Again, beautiful in it's simplicity.  The Senate is in the other wing and a gentleman there gave us a tour of the portraits of historical figures including a portrait of Abraham Lincoln that is one of three that artist Albion Harris did of the the president standing.

A little Maine trivia.....Maine is the only state that borders only one other state, Maine only has one area code, there are no venomous spiders in Maine,  Maine has the 3rd worst cell coverage in the U.S., and LOBSTAH...Maine is the largest lobster producer.  We enjoyed our Maine State House visit.

 

Walt asked the security guards at the State House where the best place for lunch was and they recommended The Red Barn.

 

We were greeted at the door by Laura Benedict who is the owner now, it has been in her family since 1977.  When she heard that we were full time RV'ing she confided that she told her financial planner that she didn't want to die rich so last week she had gone online and ordered a 30 foot travel trailer that she, her family and her employees can use.  The restaurant is open year round but she figures that in November when business slows down she can head south for some warmth.

After sharing Seafood Stew, a Lobster Roll and haddock, shrimp, clams & scallops we know why The Red Barn is Augusta's favorite place to eat.   Walt has always questioned why I like lobster so much but after a few samples of the east coast lobster he is coming around to my way of thinking. 

After lunch we did some exploring of Augusta.  It is full of historic buildings.  This is the old City Hall.

This is old Fort Western.  Built in 1754 as a British Colonial Outpost and claims some infamous characters as guests such as Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr.

The Kennebec River runs through town and the riverside is lovely.

This elegant building along the river is the old Federal Building. 

I took a walk through Viles Arboretum.
 

Walt didn't go.  He stayed in the car with his maps plotting out our next route.

So much goldenrod in the east.  The old wives tale says that if it suddenly appeared growing outside your front door, good luck would soon be coming your way.  Darn, never did find it growing outside my front door.

The arboretum covers 224 acres and has 6 miles of paths.  In 1982 a private non-profit corporation was formed to manage the facility. 

My favorite was the Hosta garden.  I had them on my shady narrow side yard in my house in Wheatland, CA and they flourished as long as they got plenty of water.

Though mainly know for their leaves solid in color or variegated in different combinations of blue, green, white, chartreuse, gold, and yellow they do have small blooms. 

The day was quite warm and somewhat humid so the walk in the shade was a treat.

The entire time I was there I only saw one other person.  A volunteer doing some mowing.  

I loved this natural branch arch along the trail.  Augusta is lucky to have this pretty area right in town.

The trails can be used in the winter too.

Walt and I have always loved blue spruce trees.  They had a huge specimen with that gorgeous blue color. 

A last view of the State House through the trees and our visit in Augusta was complete.  We are moving on to Bar Harbor and have been warned that internet and cell service is spotty so not sure when another post will be out. 

Vermont Back Roads...The Great Corn Maze...And An Eclipse

Some things seem to be better in Vermont.  The intense colors of the flowers.

The beauty of the back roads.

Temperatures in the 70's.

Windows down.

Good company.

Interesting characters. (If you zoom in you will see the Michelin Man behind the boat.)

Old barns. 

New barns.

Stunning houses and yards.

Cows.......the starting place for Walt's new favorite dessert.  A Creemee..........Maple syrup soft serve ice cream. 

This might be Walt's mantra....Money can't buy happiness but it can buy cows and cows make milk and milk makes ice cream and ice cream makes you happy. 

 

Steep roofs so the snow can slide off. 

Oh yes, I love the Vermont back roads.  Doesn't get much better than this.

Hard to believe with this small hand made sign that it is pointing to you to one of the big Vermont attractions.

The sign improved the closer we got.

Pretty snazzy when you arrive. 

 

This family owned farm has been churning out corn mazes for 19 years.

The maze is open August, September and October and attracts over 8,000 people a year to the farm and that includes people from all over the world.  We added 2 from Arizona following 2 from Texas the lady taking tickets told us.

The maze covers 24 acres and there are more than 3 miles of paths. The maze is in the shape of bears this year but you need an aerial view to see it.  They have photos of it in the snack bar.

There are two ways to do the maze.  The Big Maze or The Scenic Maze.

The Big Maze gives no clues, you walk for 2 plus hours with no opportunity to sit down and some people either due to frustration or time constraints have to be helped out.  This warning on their signs and website made me laugh....... "Unfortunately, 90% of teenagers 13 - 20 give up in less than 20 minutes
and have little interest in really solving the maze.
All teens must have adult supervision at all times." 

Hmmmm.....Short attention span?  No cell service?  

 We chose to do the Scenic Maze.  It takes about 40 minutes of walking and if you follow the directions you zip right through. 

The corn is about 10 feet tall and is so thick that even though you hear others you can't see them unless you actually meet on the path.

You do get to get a view over the top.

 A boat and a sea of corn.

That is a lot of corn.

Beware of the wildlife.

Corn feet......not corns on feet.

More wildlife.

Walt rang the Little Bell of Success.  The Big Maze gets the Big Bell of Success.

I stood under the I Did It sign.

  

Then we found a bench to enjoy the view.

Trees trees and not a one alike. 

We were bid farewell by Billy goat Gruff. 

We took the long way back.

An altogether older-fashioned and more primitive New England is better than I ever dreamed. 

Where else can you find scenes like this? 

Unlike Oregon Vermont did not seem to have much excitement about the eclipse. There was no preparation for the eclipse from us.  

No glasses, no pin hole in a cereal box.  

Just a few over the shoulder photos.  I have to admit I was a little disappointed because my expectation was that it would get a little darker and cast some shadows on the ground but it didn't seem to.  I hope that everyone that was actually in the path got spectacular views.  

Maine is calling and we must go.

 

Vermont.........The Green Mountain State

Leaving Saratoga we continued our north and east journey on the back roads into Vermont.

As we have traveled to states that are new to us I have had preconceived notions of what that state would be like.  

Like my idea that Iowa was flat as a pancake with corn fields as far as you could see.  Yes, there are corn fields but they are on hills, in valleys, and among the trees.

Or my idea that New York would be sophisticated and urbane.  Nope, upper New York is pretty rustic in most places.

But my idea of Vermont was spot on.

Old barns.

Forested mountains.

Small lakes ringed by vacation cabins.

Winding roads lined by wildflowers.

Ponds layered with water lilies.

Covered bridges.

Small farms.

It is amazingly like I thought it would be but better.  And the area we are staying in is called the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It does feel regal.  

The Capital of Vermont is in Montpelier.

The population of Montpelier is less than 8,000 making it the least populous state capital in the U.S.

The dome is topped by a statue named "Agriculture" that is based on an ancient Roman goddess of agriculture.

Unknown to us the day we chose to visit the Capitol was closed due to it being the Vermont holiday honoring Bennington Battle Day. It was an American victory over British forces in the American Revolution War.  So no inside photos. 

We still had a good time exploring outside. 

The grounds were very colorful and well groomed.

Montpelier downtown is full of old but well cared for buildings. Narrow streets and none on a grid.  So interesting here.....everything has a history.   Almost all buildings are old......not just a few years old but some are 100 to 200 and here and there 300.    Interesting little fact.....Vermont does not have any buildings taller than 124 feet.

The Martin bridge was built about 1890 by Herman F. Townsend, a prominent local bridgewright. It is one of the few surviving 19th century bridges in the state that was originally built on a private road, and is the nearby town of Marshfield's only surviving historic covered bridge.  

Even the deserted spots have subtle beauty.

Vermont is the biggest producer of Maple Syrup.

We visited the Goodrich Maple Farm and learned a bit about the process of making Maple Syrup.  The farm has been in the Goodrich family since the 1830's.

Contrary to my thought that they just tap into the maple tree, hang a bucket below to catch the sap and bingo it is maple syrup I learned it is a labor intensive process taking place in a very short period of time.  Days with temperatures just above the freezing mark and frosty cold nights make the sap run. They currently tap 44,000 maple trees in the area surrounding the sugarhouse.  On average, it takes over 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup because so much is water.  After collecting the sap it is put through a reverse osmosis process to remove some of the water.  Then it is put through an evaporator where it boils until the sap thickens and the sugar caramelizes.  Finally it is filtered, adjusted for density and graded for flavor and color.  All of this processing takes place within a few weeks of very long days for the farmers. Walt and I agreed we liked grade 3 the best and came home with a big jug of syrup and a container of maple cream.  

When I planned this stop on our journey the only notes I made was "Capitol & maple syrup" now every day I find more things I want to see, places I want to go and people I want to know.  We stopped into a small craft shop at Jones Pond and I was fascinated by the talent displayed there.  I talked with the owner and she does the weaving and some of the quilting but said that she has over 20 other artists that display in her shop from people right in the area.  Keep in mind this is the 2nd least populous state in the U.S. Art must be in the genes in Vermont.

I have found my perfect teeny tiny house. 

Swoon!  Until the snow flies.  This area gets about 6 feet a year. 

One morning after a day and night of rainfall I told Walt I had a place I wanted to see.  The air was wet....the clouds hung low.

Another back road with small towns and pristine houses and yards.

I always try to avoid power lines in my photos.  Here that is impossible.  The power lines are old and very low.  Matter of fact there are places that signs are put up saying "Watch for low power lines." 

 

Even the trees were moody heavy with dew.

What we found around every corner was prettier than the last.

There are flower gardens everywhere.

We have arrived.

It has been said that the village of Peacham is the most photographed town in New England.

 

The population is around 700.

It truly is a picture postcard place.

Unbeknownst to us the Peacham Acoustic Music Festival was in progress.  It has been an annual event for the past 7 years.

Lots of music being made.

Interesting food. We had a 1/2 crab and 1/2 lobster roll to share.  Yum!

Vermont crafts.

This is the Ashbel Goodenough Blacksmith Shop - a 19th-century blacksmith shop which has been restored by the Peacham Historical Association.

It has a working wooden forge.

Peacham Congregational Church is the Olde Meeting House in the Village. It is one of the oldest and most photographed churches in Vermont.

 

A real community with unabashed authenticity.

What a perfect day to add to our New England experience.

 

 

Every Racing Fan Should Come To Saratoga

Leaving the Finger Lakes we took the winding State Route roads to Saratoga Springs, NY.

Between Google Maps and Walt using a paper map we managed to wander our way through the lushly green countryside to our destination.  The Navigator purred along happy that someone finally found what had been causing his distaste for rain. Now watch, our entire remainder of this east coast trip will be dry as a bone.

Little tiny towns, narrow roads through those towns, lots of farms and lots of green made up our trip.

Arrived at Saratoga RV Park and again nestled up to the woods.  This park wasn't as nice......no grass at our site and not as well taken care of.........no internet but cable TV worked.  It is interesting that almost all the parks that we have been able to find in the east are "Family Parks."  That means they pride themselves on having things for the kids to do which is great but then other things seem to be neglected.  But, we have been lucky and have had some GREAT places to stay and often we are out and about and do not spend much time in the park. 

We were very impressed with bustling downtown Saratoga Springs.

 

The picturesque town has lovely old homes and beautiful parks.

Here is the destination I had in mind for our stopover in Saratoga.  

The Saratoga Race Course.  We have watched races here many times on TV.  How exciting to be here in person.

It felt like a party.

 Many people dress up for their attendance at the races. Opened in 1863 Saratoga is the 4th oldest racetrack in the United States.

There are three separate tracks in the main course at Saratoga Race Course.  The outer dirt track and 2 inner turf tracks.

Saratoga Race Course is home to several of the most important races in North America.

We got to see so many gorgeous thoroughbred horses. 

Our picks didn't make or break the bank. 

Their screen is amazing.  As long as you know your horses assigned color you can track it's position even when they are out of sight on the other side of the track.  And there is live feed too.

Lots of exciting races but only one challenge of the day and results held in that one.

There is a strict dress code at Saratoga depending upon where you sit.   If you pay your $5 and sit in the grandstand it is informal attire. Shirts and shoes required.  If you pay $8 up to $28 per their website:

• Clubhouse: No short shorts, cut-offs, tank tops or abbreviated wear.
• Luxury Suites: No abbreviated wear and no tank tops for Gentlemen.
• Box Seats: No jeans, shorts or abbreviated wear permitted. Gentlemen-suits or sports jackets required (ties are not required). Ladies- dresses, skirts or slack outfits.
• At The Rail Pavilion, The Porch, Club Terrace & Carousel Restaurant: Gentlemen - No tank tops; no short shorts, cut-offs or abbreviated wear. Proper attire at management's discretion.
• Turf Terrace: Neat Casual Attire. Gentlemen - collared shirts required. No shorts, t-shirts or jeans. Management at the racetrack reserves the right to use discretion of neat casual attire.

I loved the tradition of it and had a great time seeing all the hats and dresses.  

In hindsight knowing what we know now we would have booked a longer stay at Saratoga.  There was so much we didn't have time for with only one full day available.  There is a Racing Hall of Fame, the Park with the geysers that the famed mineral waters come from, a possible soak in those waters and at least another day at the track.  We probably would have dressed up some and gotten a birds eye view instead of an eye level view.  We would have gotten to eat in their sit down restaurants instead of the snack bar and maybe rubbed shoulders with some important people.  We wouldn't have sprung for the limo that so many people take to the track or stayed to eat at Siro's but that $165 seafood tower did look like it would be luscious. 

Despite the short stay we will have fond memories of getting to see the races at Saratoga.

 

More Finger Lakes And A Happy Navigator

Our campground is near Cayuga Lake and the nearest village is Ovid.

In the village park at Ovid is the Seneca County Courthouse Complex.......also known as The Three Bears.

Built in the Greek Revival style the local folk have referred to these buildings for years as the Papa Bear (the largest one), the Mama Bear (the middle one) and the Baby Bear (the smallest one).

The Papa Bear and the Baby Bear were constructed in 1845.  The Papa Bear was the Courthouse and the Baby Bear was the County Clerk's Office. 

In 1859 it was decided a larger county clerk’s building was needed. This new building — known as the Mama Bear — was built in between the two brick buildings.  It seems they haven't been actively used since the 60's & 70's.  Though there is supposed to be a Preservation Group the buildings are in quite a state of disrepair.  Too bad because that there is no other set of three adjacent public buildings intact of the Greek-Revival style of architecture and they are listed on the National Registrar of Public Places.

Mr. Kitty had an adventure.  Apparently the screen door was not fully closed one night and he decided to venture out.  This is totally unlike him.  Usually he sits at the door and looks out but if it gets opened he heads back away from it.  But, this night he overcame his fear of going outside.  Walt noticed the door open and we found he wasn't inside so we went out and saw him but he headed into the dark dark woods.  We got flashlights but of course couldn't see him.  Finally we decided that we couldn't just wander around in the dark and went back in.  My earliest memories are of cats and I know what a homing device they have in their heads so I felt he would find GypsyII.  But, I was worried about the possible critters he could encounter. Early the next morning Walt heard a noise outside and there he was......sitting on the steps, anxious to come in and the first order of business was heading to the food bowl.  So glad that map in his head worked.

We took a drive to Watkins Glen.  The Nascar races were the week-end prior to our visit at Watkins Glen International.

It is a huge venue.

There are multiple grandstands for the different kind of events.

At the end of the month the Indy Car Grand Prix will be here.  My favorite driver, Helio Castroneves, will be there.  Hmmm, can we hang around?  We parked up on a hill and were able to see glimpses of three different Indy Cars running the track.  Trying out the track I would guess.  The sounds of those powerful engines zipping around the track was pretty fun to hear. 

From the track we went to Watkins Glen State Park.

The centerpiece of the park is a 400 foot deep Gorge that has been cut into the rock by Glen Creek.

 The park has 3 trails.  2 run along the rim and the 3rd goes down into the gorge.

 Beautiful foliage everywhere.  Trees, bushes, ferns, and flowers.

We walked a portion of the Gorge Trail.

 If you walk the entire trail you will see 19 waterfalls and climb 800 steps.

What we saw was spellbinding.  It is gorgeous down there.

The trail was pretty full of people but there was plenty of opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

There are tunnels cut through the rock for the trail.   They were actually cut in the early 1900's.  

Oh what beauty! 

I marvel everyday of how much water we are seeing.  It is everywhere.

A final climb up to the Suspension Bridge left me amazed at the gorgeous nature here.  While we were there the dealership called and said the Navigator was done.  Happy happy joy joy.  

Dropping off the rental car and picking up the now cured Navigator brought our visit to the Finger Lakes of New York to a close. Moving on east.  

The Finger Lakes Of New York

Putting Niagara Falls in the rear view mirror was a little complicated.  We had had lots of rain and EVERYTHING was wet.  The Navigator has protested for the last two years when it gets wet underneath by doing crazy shift choices.  Whenever we have had it in for anything else Walt has brought this up but no one seemed to know why because there was no code showing in the computer about it. 

But this time one gear and only one gear at a time was chosen.  That gear could be random depending upon turning the engine off.  4th was chosen and Walt hunkered down and away we went.  As long as we had a running start at a hill we were good to go. With a wing and a prayer we made it to Sned-Acres Family Campground in the Finger Lakes area near Ovid, NY.

Sometimes we get a welcome and today there were two.  This fellow and a loaf of Friendship Bread from the park.

We unhooked and settled in. Nice spot nestled up to the woods.  Of course with the bright blue sky and dry ground the Navigator was shifting just fine.  Is he asking to go back to dry old Arizona?

Not to be deterred Walt went into town to see about getting the Navigator into the garage.  And guess what while he was out!  An afternoon rain shower and here we go again.  One gear only.  

The local dealership is small and busy and couldn't get him in for several days but they recommended another about 30 miles away and even called and made an appointment for us.

That appointment was a day away and of course the sun came out and dried up all the rain.

No exploring day can be wasted.  It was dry and the Navigator was happy.  The Finger Lakes of New York is all about the water and the wine.

There are waterfalls around every corner.  This is Taughannock Falls. 

It drops down 215 feet and the plunging water and the rocky cliffs offer spectacular views.

It is 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls.  It is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. 

 We drove into Ithaca, home to Cornell University.

A quick drive through the huge campus showed some interesting buildings and made me curious about how on earth students get to classes in the winter.  The campus is built on hills with very steep streets. If they are snow covered and slick I imagine it would be like a demolition derby.  

Right in Ithica is Ithica Falls. 

With a drop of 150ft and width of 175ft, Ithaca Falls is pretty impressive.  

What a nice thing to have this right in town.  Saw several people coming down with "to go" lunches apparently on their lunch hour from work. 

Lots of pretty wildflowers here.  They even have a Wildflower Festival in the spring.

Eleven pristine lakes spread like fingers across central New York make up the Finger Lakes area.  We are camped near Lake Cayuga.

Most well known are the area’s wine trails.  This area is the east coast equivalent of the Napa Valley. 

 

 Mile after mile of grape vines and wineries. 

And Ice Cream Shops.  We have never seen so many.  Finally found out that Ithica claims to be the birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae.

It was the morning of our appointment for the Navigator.  We are sure this time that the computer would be giving "The State of the Machine" speech because the shifting issue was so severe this time. 

The dealership was in Canandaigua right on Canandaigua Lake.  First order of business was to ask how them how to say Canandaigua.    It is Can uhn day gwuh.  

First we sat in the waiting room to get an initial update.  Yes, the computer was making a speech.  The problem was it was showing so many garbled codes they would have to get in and see the reason.  

 

We took a walk around the Lake and had some lunch.

Then it was back to the waiting room to hear the diagnosis.

Finally, it has been figured out.  The wiring harness underneath had started to fray probably years ago.  It would cause the computer not to give correct information when the wires would get wet. Over time it had gotten worse and worse and they said now it was absolutely fried.  YAY!  But, they didn't have one in stock so it would have to be overnighted so the work couldn't be completed that day.

We rented a car and at 40 mpg we did some exploring in the area near Canandaigua even though it was getting late in the day.   We drove up to the top of the Hill Cumorah.  A beautiful place.

Stopped for awhile at the Visitor Center.

Drove by the Martin Harris farm.  The house has been replaced with a Lake Stone home.

Stopped by the Palmyra Temple that was completed in 2000.  We were there just as the sun seemed to bathe everything in a glare so I was unable to get good photos.

Back to GypsyII for the night.  

 

Niagara Falls Has Beauty And The Sound And The Fury.......Part 2

The color of the water coming over the falls and in the river is always so pretty.

The vibrant color of the water flowing over the Niagara Falls is caused by minute particles of dissolved salts and very finely ground rock generated by the erosive force of the Niagara River itself.  Isn't it amazing what nature does?

 There are three little islands with bridges in between that can be explored.

They are called Three Sisters Islands. 

The islands are named for the daughters of General Parkhurst Whitney of Niagara Falls. General Whitney was one of the more prominent early settlers of Niagara Falls, New York.

Their names are straight out of a Jane Austen book. Celinda, Angelina, and Asenath.  Beautiful little islands just like their names.

We wanted to see the falls from the Canadian side.

 The original plan was to drive across the bridge.

But after spending two days on the U.S. side and watching the very slow movement of vehicles and after reading about some RVer's problems because of their vehicles or RV's being loaded with gear that required searches we decided to walk over the Rainbow Bridge.

Many others had the same idea.  But the line moved pretty fast and the views couldn't be beat.

Handed over our passports, answered a few short questions, had our passports handed back and we were in.

The town of Niagara Falls in the U.S. is dingy, dilapidated, dirty and full of tourists.  We drove through it several times in hopes of finding its redeeming qualities but never did so we were delighted to see that Canada had pulled out all the stops to make their side pleasing to the eye.

We spent awhile walking around and enjoyed the area.

We found the touristy street.

A little bit like a carnival.  Games, haunted houses, wax museum, and all the usual suspects.

Of course a Ripley's Believe it or Not.

This proves there is a sucker born every minute.  Put $2 in the can, sit in the chair and let whom I suppose is Elvis drop the beads over your head.  $4 and he will fill up your neck.  Quite honestly he missed more than he made.  I have been working on my costume and will be looking for a venue.  I have a lot of necklaces left over from Mardi Gras.  I might even do it for put a $ in the can & I'll fill you up for $3. 

After a nice dinner that seemed to be pretty exorbitant but when it translated from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars it wasn't so bad we went to see more of the falls. 

You pretty much face them head on from the Canada side.

We got to see one of those famous rainbows.  Much better in real life.......the photo doesn't do it justice. 

The clouds were starting to get pink.

And pinker.

Spent some time watching people zip line.  They had squeals of delight unlike the screams of terror that would come from me.

Light is fading. Soon it will be dark.

The lights are on on the commercial street.

It is starting.........this is what I have been waiting for.

Every evening beginning at dusk, Niagara Falls is illuminated in an array of colors.

Special lights to make this light show are housed in the Illumination Tower, next to Queen Victoria Place; on the roof of Table Rock Centre, at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls; and deep in the Niagara Gorge, across from the American Falls.

The ‘Illumination of the Falls’ has been financed and operated by The Niagara Falls Illumination Board since 1925.

While the debate goes on about which side is better to view the falls from there isn't any question about where it is better to see the lights.  Definitely Canada.

We put our two quarters in the turnstile and headed back to the U.S.

A spectacular way to end our visit to Niagara Falls.

 

Niagara Falls Has Beauty And The Sound And The Fury

Leaving Holmes County I was feeling downhearted but excited at the thought of seeing Niagara Falls.  We checked into our spot at Niagara County Camping Resort and as to the good about all I can say is Location, Location, Location. 

New Yorkers like to mow lawns too.

Funny thing.  The first thing that caught my eye while we were heading to the falls was the Canadian skyline. 

Then it was the Rainbow Bridge and the Niagara River.  

 

Our first stop was at the Discovery Center to try and orient ourselves so we could see the best way to explore.

A very nice lady took the time to explain options and we came up with a plan.

We are going to remain parked in the Discovery Center lot.  Parking is free.  We will ride the trolley at $3 a piece and see the overall park for our first day out.  The trolley is crowded.  Shades of what is to come.

Yes, the park is crowded.  But, nothing can detract from the views of the amazing falls.  This is American Falls.  You are up close and personal at the overlook.

Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S. It was established in 1885.

Niagara Falls State Park covers over 400 acres, with close to 140 acres of that under water.

These are the rapids before the American Falls drop off. You don't want to get caught in them.......only a few seconds and you are over the brink.  

Four of the five Great Lakes drain into the Niagara River, (Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie) before emptying into Lake Ontario.

 

The only stop we got off the trolley for this first day was American Falls.  The plan was laid for the next day.

Before our next trip to the falls we went to see the Erie Canal. Built in 1852. Originally, it ran about 363 miles  from  Albany, on the Hudson River, to  Buffalo, at Lake Erie.  It was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. 

Canal boats were pulled by horses and mules on the towpath  You can see the towpath on the right.

Since the 1990s, the canal system has been used primarily by recreational traffic, although a small but growing amount of cargo traffic still uses it.  This bridge doesn't open for boat traffic.......it just rises up like an elevator. 

 

Day 2 came.

What color crayons could possibly match this beauty? 

The first item was to ride the Maid of the Mist.  Long lines and crowds everywhere.

Multi-Cultural crowd out on the Observation Deck.  I remember when we used to go to to touristy spots and I would get excited to hear another language and try and guess what it was.  Now it seems I long to hear English at touristy spots. 

There she is.....Maid of the Mist.  So happy that they have an elevator to take us down.

We were given a rain poncho before we boarded the boat.  We really needed it.

Glad I had gone out on the Observation Deck before I had this view. And I actually stood at the rail.  Conquering that fear of heights little by little.

We climbed up on the top deck as close to the front as possible.  The boat ride starts out in a quiet part of the Niagara River.

Soon we are at the base of American Falls.   The American Falls are 180 feet high and 1,100 feet long.

75,750 gallons of water per second flows over the American and Bridal Veil Falls.  The rock formations at the base are huge. Being close you can feel the power and the sound is a roar.

Bridal Veil Falls is the smallest of the falls only separated from the American Falls by the small Luna Island.  You can take a tour to the Cave of the Winds which takes you close to the base of Bridal Veil Falls but I chose not to go after reading reviews about steep and slippery stairs.  With the crowds I am afraid I would have been holding people up. 

Moving on to Horseshoe Falls or as they are often referred to as Canadian Falls.

681,750 gallons of water per second flow over the Horseshoe Falls.  Considerably more than over the American and Bridal Veil. Horseshoe Falls are 170 feet high. The brink of the falls is approximately 2,500 feet from one side to the other.

Our passage is taking us into the basin of Horseshoe Falls.  Time to put the camera away. We are getting soaked.  I can hardly believe the magnitude and magnificence of the Falls thundering down practically on top of us. No wonder Niagara Falls is the largest source of electric power in the world.

You can do the same type of tour from the Canadian side on the Hornblower.

That was a great trip.  

After the boat trip we continued our hop on hop off trolley ride.

One of the viewpoints puts you eye level with the Horseshoe Falls drop off.

It is a long way down there.

Stay tuned for the finish of our Niagara Falls adventure.

 

Thank You Holmes County For Your Part In Our Journey

One of the things we have enjoyed most in Holmes County is driving out on the back roads, or “off the beaten path”.

You never know what you might see.

Sometimes we just wander and sometimes Walt uses maps.  He loves maps and every new place we go one of the first things he does is get a local map.

There are many small saw mills.  We stopped and watched this machine.  It lifts the log and positions it and the saw drops down to make same length cuts.   Pretty efficient.

Driving the back roads of Holmes County seems to take us back to a simpler time.  Walt says he can remember farming with the same type of equipment the Amish use when he was a little boy.

Walt laughs at me because I think the sheafs look like little characters that could be in Star Wars.

I will miss these back road experiences.

One afternoon found us at the Smucker's Store in Orrville.

It was from the fruit of Johnny Appleseed's trees that Orrville, Ohio, resident Jerome Monroe Smucker first pressed cider at a mill he opened in 1897. Later, he also prepared apple butter, which he sold from the back of a horse-drawn wagon. Each crock bore a hand-signed seal as his personal guarantee of quality.   From there the brand began.  The store has a room with the history of the company and how it has grown.

What a fun store.  A little sample of all the brands they now own and lots of kitchen stuff.  We had been given a 15% off coupon and their prices were good so we bought a few things.  Walt discovered a new favorite.  Cashew butter.

New Salt & Pepper shakers for me.  Nice way to spend an afternoon.

We will miss the delicious fresh produce.

We stopped at an Amish farm and bought tomatoes.  4 for $1.  Corn on the cob 4 for $1.  Cucumber 3 for $1.  Yes, this will be missed.

The time had come to leave Holmes County.  It was really difficult for me.  Have you ever felt like you have left something unfinished?  That is the feeling I had.  What had I missed that I should have done?  What had I missed that I should have seen? Who had I missed that I should have met?  

What roller coaster road had we not driven?  What homemade goods have we missed?

Complicating the unfinished feeling was the knowledge that we will probably never return.  

The beauty and grandeur of rolling hills, trees and farmland make this area one of our favorites.

Some places stay long on your mind.  This will be one of them for me.

I have left feeling unsettled, unfinished.  This chapter will be one that won't be completed.

 

 

The Pro Football Hall Of Fame

The Navigator had developed a cough.  That is the only way to describe it.......we would be driving along and all of a sudden it sounded like the engine coughed.

The Ford Dealership in Millersburg was recommended to us so Walt made an appointment.

The appointment day came and we had a loaner car so we decided to drive to Canton.

Walt found all the beautiful back roads to get there.

Clothes drying on lines are everywhere.  I love the smell of line dried fabric but I can't help think of the work involved on laundry day without a washing machine. 

Not long and we were in Canton.

This was our destination.  They were preparing for the induction coming up in just a few days and the parking lot was full of tents and construction. We had to wind around very crowded streets and park WAY up on a hill.  They did have a shuttle to take us to the front door but once in they charged us $10 to park plus admission.  Seemed weird to me.

Nice to see Kurt Warner being inducted this year.

My first question was "Why is it in Canton, OH?"  First the NFL was founded in Canton in 1920 (at that time it was known as the American Professional Football Association); second, the now-defunct Canton Bulldogs were a successful NFL team based in Canton during the first few  years of the league.

It is a pretty impressive place.  There are displays of the history of football. 

Beautiful arrangements of memorabilia of the legends of football.

Lots of interactive exhibits.

Walt got to relive his playing days.........getting suited up for the game.  Not sure his equipment was as good as this.

We used to watch Steve Young and the 49er's at their training camp in Rocklin, CA that was just across the road from our house.  And he came to church with us on Sundays.

Who remembers the Joe Namath panty hose commercial?  I had a football crush on him........now I wonder why I thought he was so cute. 

There are bust sculptures of all the inductees.  Jim Taylor is one of Walt's all time favorites. 

Yes, the bling was pretty interesting to me.   They have all the Super Bowl Rings.  

Walt and I loved the movie they have in a theatre that turns (we didn't really figure out why other than it puts you out on the right side to exit).  It is highlights and backstory of the 2016 New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl game.  It was exciting even if you already know how it is going to end.  Huge screens and thundering sound puts you in the middle of it. 

We enjoyed our visit and learned more about the game and the players.  We came away saying it was great BUT not as great as the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL.

After a nice day in Canton it was time to head back and get the diagnosis on the Navigator's health.

The prognosis was good.   A tune up and no more cough!  A little set back of the pocketbook but we are happy to keep on rollin'.

I guess not to be outdone by the Navigator's cough I woke up the next morning in pain.  It went from the left shoulder to the rib cage in both the front and back.  It wasn't a sharp stabbing pain.  Just continual that didn't go away and I seemed to be in a fog so Walt took me to the Pomerene Hospital Emergency room that just happened to be across the street from where the Navigator got cured.  

With those symptoms they think heart or blood clot.  To make it worse my blood pressure was over 200.  They admitted me to the hospital and I was given an extensive battery of tests.  I was poked, prodded, and hooked up to things I don't even know what they were.  Most were not bad but one of the tests where they were putting a dye into my IV for a test the IV failed and the dye didn't go into the vein it went just under the skin.  I had a Popeye arm for awhile and it hurt quite a bit. 

All of the tests came back negative for a heart issue or blood clot.  Whew! The pain gradually subsided ( no pain meds to make sure nothing was masked) and the blood pressure came down to almost normal numbers.  I have never had any blood pressure issue so this came as a total shock to me.  The Dr.'s couldn't give specifics as to what happened to me but stated that the pain could have been from arthritis in the rib cage.  This does seem to make sense since I have arthritis in many other spots.  I know I am such a wimp that the pain could have caused me enough stress to shoot that blood pressure sky high. 

Since they determined there was no danger I was released the next day.  I was unhappy that this happened but if it had to happen it couldn't have been in a better place.  Everyone was so kind and very efficient.  Many expressed how they love the facility and their co-workers. I was never left guessing what the next step would be.  Communication was clear and concise.  I was asked to monitor my blood pressure for the next few weeks and convey the pattern to my primary care physician in Gilbert.  So far it has remained down.  Not as low as in the past but in acceptable level. 


How blessed I am to be back on the back roads and feeling well.  Happy to know there are a few more days in Holmes County.