The next morning there was still no one to pay for our site. Thanks New York! Off we went to see the Thousand Islands at Alexandria Bay. This town was also crowded, parking was an issue until I saw a space right next to the river. We got out to snap pics of Boldt Castle across the water and chatted with a couple scuba divers preparing to dive. I found a piece of sea glass in the river. The magnificent multi-section bridge to Canada is here and we ended up underneath it, on the water’s edge again. There we found bird lovers had erected a tall pole holding a platform upon which an osprey was nesting. A very intimidating bird! Great pictures!
At Clayton NY we found the Antique Boat Museum but passed on touring it. We had a picnic lunch in Cape Vincent on the river’s edge in a park which faced Wolfe Island, in Canada. My husband kept asking: “this is a river?” It is very wide indeed! Wolfe is the largest of the 1000 Islands and is itself 48 square miles and home to over 1400 people.
We took the long scenic drive out to Tibbetts Point Lighthouse (circa 1827) which was so serene. A pleasant spot of lilacs, spirea, and orange poppies, and historic buildings of course! Many homes along the road had docks or decks out over the crystal clear river water. I could live there, for sure. But I don’t have millions of dollars, so I just enjoyed the setting.
Sackets Harbor is rich with history from the War of 1812. Enjoyed soaking it in at the battlefield site and fort.
Before it got too late I pulled into Westcott Beach State Park, just as the gate personal were quitting for the day and waving everyone through. Okay, so we got a site not on the beach but in the trees this time. After getting the tent up, we drove over to the sandy beach and I had a nice swim in the warm, clean water. At sunset I walked on the shore of Lake Ontario to take photos, and witnessed sea gulls absolutely vandalize a camper’s table which was loaded with snacks and other food. The gulls had a feast! I bet these foolish campers never again leave food out like that!
Next morning I had a nice hot shower in the nice accommodations. When we left I prepared to pay... and still nobody to collect a fee! Well, thanks again NYS!!
To satisfy my curiosity, I drove into Southwick Beach State Park campground, south of Henderson and was very impressed. The lady at a beachside camp site said you have to reserve the site within the first couple hours it is open for reservation or you probably will miss out. Yikes! Popular spot! There are some rare dunes here also. Very nice park! On my bucket list!
Clean waters of the St Lawrence River
At Clayton NY we found the Antique Boat Museum but passed on touring it. We had a picnic lunch in Cape Vincent on the river’s edge in a park which faced Wolfe Island, in Canada. My husband kept asking: “this is a river?” It is very wide indeed! Wolfe is the largest of the 1000 Islands and is itself 48 square miles and home to over 1400 people.
We took the long scenic drive out to Tibbetts Point Lighthouse (circa 1827) which was so serene. A pleasant spot of lilacs, spirea, and orange poppies, and historic buildings of course! Many homes along the road had docks or decks out over the crystal clear river water. I could live there, for sure. But I don’t have millions of dollars, so I just enjoyed the setting.
Sackets Harbor is rich with history from the War of 1812. Enjoyed soaking it in at the battlefield site and fort.
Before it got too late I pulled into Westcott Beach State Park, just as the gate personal were quitting for the day and waving everyone through. Okay, so we got a site not on the beach but in the trees this time. After getting the tent up, we drove over to the sandy beach and I had a nice swim in the warm, clean water. At sunset I walked on the shore of Lake Ontario to take photos, and witnessed sea gulls absolutely vandalize a camper’s table which was loaded with snacks and other food. The gulls had a feast! I bet these foolish campers never again leave food out like that!
Sunset at Westcott Beach
Next morning I had a nice hot shower in the nice accommodations. When we left I prepared to pay... and still nobody to collect a fee! Well, thanks again NYS!!
To satisfy my curiosity, I drove into Southwick Beach State Park campground, south of Henderson and was very impressed. The lady at a beachside camp site said you have to reserve the site within the first couple hours it is open for reservation or you probably will miss out. Yikes! Popular spot! There are some rare dunes here also. Very nice park! On my bucket list!
Upon exiting the park I saw a turtle trying to make its way across the road, so I stopped to video it and keep a few more cars from driving over it as it lumbered into a swamp on the other side. I like to think I helped, but it has probably made this trip many times without me!
Further along the lake near Pulaski we paused at the Salmon River, or Heh-hah-wa-gah which means “where swim the sweet fish” in an Iroquois tongue. Then through Fair Haven where that Beach State Park was not going to let me in without a fee! Onto Sterling NY where the little red schoolhouse was not open for tours but was charming just the same. Then Sodus Point where one can easily understand the lake side homes being very threatened by high water levels on the lake, yet they persist. In the attractive little village of Pultneyville I admired the old, old homes and the historic markers - War of 1812 again — at the shore. I’ve always envied the quiet life these residents seem to have. There are some places in New York I could see myself living! (Maybe notwithstanding the taxes there!)
Back to Monroe County NY and a couple days to recuperate from the adventure. (This usually means I needed to do laundry!)
On June 13, my sister and her husband ferried us out to Mendon Ponds Park, a Monroe County park, since I had never been there. A glacial era kettle pond there called Devil’s Bathtub is also distinct in that it is a meromictic lake. Only one in a thousand lakes have been discovered to have layers of water that do not mix - the definition of meromictic. This results in a rare habitat. A trek down a steep bank brings you to this pond where rare carnivorous plants live but none got me!
The next day we took a drive out to the far western reaches of the local area and Checked out Brockport (where I attended the fall semester of 1975), Bergen, and Leroy. We circled back and met my cousin at Costco in Rochester. We spent the rest of the day with her and had a nice dinner out.
On June 16, I again pitched my tent at my brother’s. With my sister and her husband and my brother, we all had a little picnic in his backyard.
Further along the lake near Pulaski we paused at the Salmon River, or Heh-hah-wa-gah which means “where swim the sweet fish” in an Iroquois tongue. Then through Fair Haven where that Beach State Park was not going to let me in without a fee! Onto Sterling NY where the little red schoolhouse was not open for tours but was charming just the same. Then Sodus Point where one can easily understand the lake side homes being very threatened by high water levels on the lake, yet they persist. In the attractive little village of Pultneyville I admired the old, old homes and the historic markers - War of 1812 again — at the shore. I’ve always envied the quiet life these residents seem to have. There are some places in New York I could see myself living! (Maybe notwithstanding the taxes there!)
Back to Monroe County NY and a couple days to recuperate from the adventure. (This usually means I needed to do laundry!)
On June 13, my sister and her husband ferried us out to Mendon Ponds Park, a Monroe County park, since I had never been there. A glacial era kettle pond there called Devil’s Bathtub is also distinct in that it is a meromictic lake. Only one in a thousand lakes have been discovered to have layers of water that do not mix - the definition of meromictic. This results in a rare habitat. A trek down a steep bank brings you to this pond where rare carnivorous plants live but none got me!
Me and the meromictic Devil's Bathtub
The next day we took a drive out to the far western reaches of the local area and Checked out Brockport (where I attended the fall semester of 1975), Bergen, and Leroy. We circled back and met my cousin at Costco in Rochester. We spent the rest of the day with her and had a nice dinner out.
On June 16, I again pitched my tent at my brother’s. With my sister and her husband and my brother, we all had a little picnic in his backyard.
The next day was hot but my husband and I hit the road toward Canandaigua and explored the east side of the lake, heading east across the landscape strewn with vineyards. The Finger Lake region is a prime country for wine grape growing. We stopped for pictures at the 1874 Overackers Corners schoolhouse, just the typical little red brick one room schoolhouse of your imagination. It remained in use until 1938. We drove home up part of the western shore of the long and magnificent Keuka Lake was just too inviting on the 90+ degree day so we stopped at Red Jacket Beach Park, in Penn Yan. I went for my first swim in a Finger Lake!
We drove home up part of the western shore of the long and magnificent Seneca Lake, the longest Finger Lake and deepest lake whole within New York State. Over 600 Feet deep!
June 19 we again headed west. I did not really think we were going all the way to Niagara. I was just enjoying the scenery. In Cuylerville, along a pleasant creek, I learned more gruesome Revolutionary War history than I really wanted to learn. Here is the massive old Burr Oak tree, also known as the Torture Tree, where Seneca Indians (Allies of the British) slowly and painfully killed two American Colonial soldiers employing the tree in their process. The vigorous tree is one of the oldest in the state. The American Revolution was 240 years ago and the tree is at least 275 years old. Impressive!
Warsaw NY does indeed have a winding steep hill going straight into the center of town, so I no longer have to visualize why there have been dramatic accidents and large trucks are banned. So across Oatka Creek and up the other side of the valley we went.
Soon we crossed the Lake Erie watershed line at a high point where many, many windmills were spinning. The Orangeville Wind Park is controversial. The nearby residents complain. Apparently some are sensitive to the low frequency vibration of the blades. Hmm.
Traffic in the Buffalo metro area was a bear, so I took a break by visiting a Depew NY Walmart and buying a nice Buffalo Bills t-shirt. Eventually we got to “The Falls” where I learned they take credit/debit cards for the parking meters now. We headed down to the Niagara River which was most foamy and white-watery! Fred sat on a bench in the shade by the torrent and I headed to the brink of the Falls for pictures. Such a worthy sight to see! I briefly thought of Sam Patch, the daredevil who survived jumping into the falls in 1829. I passed his grave every day on my way to school. He was buried in the Charlotte Cemetery because he did not survive jumping into the High Falls on the Genesee River later that same year.
After buying a large number of postcards (of course), I headed to Lockport. I discovered the widest bridge in North America! It spans the Erie Canal near the famous locks. I tried to get some interesting pictures and made a little video.
Warsaw NY does indeed have a winding steep hill going straight into the center of town, so I no longer have to visualize why there have been dramatic accidents and large trucks are banned. So across Oatka Creek and up the other side of the valley we went.
Soon we crossed the Lake Erie watershed line at a high point where many, many windmills were spinning. The Orangeville Wind Park is controversial. The nearby residents complain. Apparently some are sensitive to the low frequency vibration of the blades. Hmm.
Traffic in the Buffalo metro area was a bear, so I took a break by visiting a Depew NY Walmart and buying a nice Buffalo Bills t-shirt. Eventually we got to “The Falls” where I learned they take credit/debit cards for the parking meters now. We headed down to the Niagara River which was most foamy and white-watery! Fred sat on a bench in the shade by the torrent and I headed to the brink of the Falls for pictures. Such a worthy sight to see! I briefly thought of Sam Patch, the daredevil who survived jumping into the falls in 1829. I passed his grave every day on my way to school. He was buried in the Charlotte Cemetery because he did not survive jumping into the High Falls on the Genesee River later that same year.
Niagara River
After buying a large number of postcards (of course), I headed to Lockport. I discovered the widest bridge in North America! It spans the Erie Canal near the famous locks. I tried to get some interesting pictures and made a little video.
Before getting back to my brother’s we also checked out the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge near Alabama. We had dinner at a local restaurant near Batavia Downs that was totally forgettable. My brother said he’s had good food there but I must have come on an off day. Awful! And I am pretty easy to please. On the road these local eateries are usually good bets but that meal, meh, would have been happier with Burger King.
The next day I just had to go to Canandaigua and tour the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum. Built in 1816 by the former US Postmaster General Gideon Granger. The home is a fine example of Federalist style. The carriage collection is outstanding too. I could spend hours there, soaking in all that history. A personable docent gave me a private tour, since they weren’t very busy that day. I was thrilled! I truly am a history nut.
The next day I just had to go to Canandaigua and tour the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum. Built in 1816 by the former US Postmaster General Gideon Granger. The home is a fine example of Federalist style. The carriage collection is outstanding too. I could spend hours there, soaking in all that history. A personable docent gave me a private tour, since they weren’t very busy that day. I was thrilled! I truly am a history nut.
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