CAYUGA LAKE

Monday, June 22nd.

We left Grand Island and fought Niagara Falls and Buffalo traffic for about an hour. Then we were on "old US 20" which pretty much parallels the Turnpike but is a much, much prettier and slower drive. Beautiful farms, lakes, hills and valleys.

So we put in a CD from my friend, Karen Alley (see my Aug 14, 2008 and Sept 11, 2008 blog entries). That beautiful countryside, my wonderful new family joining me on my travels and that incredible hammered dulcimer ringing out created the most wonderful experience I could imagine. For four hours. (No, the CD isn't that long, we just played it over and over.) If you'd like a copy, please email Karen at coralreefs@comcast.net and she'd be very happy to sell you one.

Tom had recommended a couple of State campgrounds in the Finger Lakes region but the ones he suggested didn't have spaces big enough for a 34' trailer. So we made reservations for two nights at Taughannock Falls. Another "inbetween". It was so beautiful that we stayed four nights. Wonderful hikes along the glen to the falls. Great swimming in Cayuga Lake - if you like 64 degree water.

AND our campground fee gave us free access to any other State Park we were willing to drive to. There were several in the area and we went to most of them.

Here are some pictures from Tunghannock





Watkin's Glen





Buttermilk Falls



Robert H. Treman



Cayuga Lake



Different Strokes for Different Folks



Although ONE reason there are no pictures of Carol in the water is because she took all the pictures, the REAL reason is because Carol did not go in the water. What a Wuss.

While in NY, we re-celebrated Emily and Andrew's birthdays. They each received a personal DVD Player to help keep them occupied on the drives. At this moment Emily is in the bedroom watching hers - she DID NOT approve this picture !


Life is Good !

LAST DAYS AT NIAGARA

Saturday looked like another rainy day. We REALLY didn't want to "Walk Behind the Falls" on a cloudy day. Somehow, after the movie, rapids and Maid of the Mist, we KNEW we'd get very wet and we wanted the sun to dry us out.

I went looking on line for free indoor activities and found the Niagara Science Museum. The link will tell you all about Nick Dalacu, a brilliant physicist who has made rejuvenating this part of Niagara Falls, NY with his museum as the centerpiece, his life's passion.

We showed up on Saturday, parked on the sidewalk in front of the building and I went to see if it was open. The door was unlocked. I walked in and started walking around yelling, "Hello. Anybody home?" A voice directed me to a back office. It was Mr. Dalacu, who said, "Welcome. I am humbled that you've come to visit. We're still in the development stage and things aren't labeled very well yet, but let me show you around." And that began a fascinating tour of a fascinating man's collection of incredibly eclectic "stuff".

Fossils





Geodes and mineral samples




Various office machines, scientific instrumemts





On Sunday the weather cleared. And it was Father's Day. Emily gave me a Canadian leaf tie and Andrew gave me a Canada coffee mug. And everyone contributed to a package of maple candy. The real stuff! I remember it as a "not so special" treat back in NY when I was a child. I ate maple cream on my toast most mornings. Has it just gotten outrageously expensive? Or was it just as expensive back then and I didn't appreciate it? Probably a little of both.


We went back to Canada, to Morningstar Mill, a grist mill that a volunteer group has rebuilt and opened as a museum. The grounds also included the mill owner's house, furnished as it was at the turn of the last century.







The "water wheel" in the picture above was added in 1999 because the tourists kept asking, "Where's the water wheel?" The ACTUAL power was generated by the 15" turbine shown in the picture below. This one turbine ran the entire mill. It generated 49 horsepower. A typical water wheel produces 8 horsepower.




Then back to Niagara for our walk behind the falls.





And over to the American side for a visit to Goat Island and a REAL closeup view of the falls from the top.



And a great view of the American side.



AND a view of the really crazy people who took the "Cave of the Winds" walk on the American Side.



Tomorrow we leave for the Finger Lakes.

Life is Good !