Fair breezes and few flies to my big puppy!
Friday, May 01, 2020
Yukon Jack
I regret to report that AM Yukon Jack passed to the great green pastures of eternity yesterday. He was 34. "Jack" was a 14.3 hand Grey Arabian gelding of mostly *Raffles (English) breeding. I got him from his breeder, Al Marah Arabians in Tucson, Arizona in 1990. He was saddle trained in Duncan, Arizona and lightly ridden during his lifetime because of an accidental hock injury sustained as a colt on a ranch near Williams, Arizona. His most striking feature was the bloody shoulder on his left side which is said to denote particular bravery in the animal, from a Bedouin legend. He put up with me for 30 years, so I guess he was brave. His coat was always soft as puppy hair.
Fair breezes and few flies to my big puppy!
Fair breezes and few flies to my big puppy!
50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Final Segment, Part 9
Our next adventure was June 21st, the first day of summer we traveled to Geneva, past Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Beautiful campus!), down the eastern shore of Seneca Lake this time. We viewed many historic sites marked by the blue and yellow NYS signs. We saw places where Iroquois villages once stood. We continued south to Sampson State Park. Once a US Naval Training Station, this large park has hundreds of camping sites, a military museum, and a lovely little beach. Visiting the museum someday is on my bucket list!
Before reaching the southern end of the lake on Route 414 there is a magnificent roadside waterfalls at Hector. We parked just after the bridge and walked carefully back to view it along with several other waterfalls admirers. We all survived the close quarters with zooming traffic. The upper cascade is about 50 feet of layered splashing and on the lower side (after the creek passes under the bridge) there is another 100 foot drop but it is on private land and not accessible, but is an interesting view. Absolutely delightful stop!
Traffic is slow through Watkins Glen, but we made our way to Montour Falls to see three more fabulous waterfalls. First on the edge of town is Aunt Sarah’s Falls right on Route 14. It drops 90 feet in a slate gorge so I had to snag a souvenir piece of slate. In the middle of town is Shequaga Falls which is an impressive 165 foot cascade that was lovely that day but has been known to look like Niagara after heavy rains. A quiet pleasant park fronts the falls which is different from the traffic dodging one does at Hector Falls and Aunt Sarah’s. Finally in a secluded glen, with limited parking at the end of a dead end street, on the edge of town is Deckertown Falls. The trail was very slippery with mud and the thought crossed my mind that if I didn’t fall into the creek, it was still going to be tough to get back, even though the trail isn’t very far from where I parked. However I made it back unscathed after enjoying this sparkling gem. Not a high falls but dual cascades. Peaceful, very peaceful.
Before reaching the southern end of the lake on Route 414 there is a magnificent roadside waterfalls at Hector. We parked just after the bridge and walked carefully back to view it along with several other waterfalls admirers. We all survived the close quarters with zooming traffic. The upper cascade is about 50 feet of layered splashing and on the lower side (after the creek passes under the bridge) there is another 100 foot drop but it is on private land and not accessible, but is an interesting view. Absolutely delightful stop!
Hector Falls
There are many more waterfalls in the vicinity. It would be a fun day to explore them all. Additionally in Watkins Glen State Park where there are 19 waterfalls along the amazing trails there. But we didn’t even attempt that due to my husband’s mobility issues.
The drive up out of Watkins Glen is a steep road with great lake views. There was a motel with rooms and a swimming pool that had a stunning view of the beautiful blue Seneca Lake. Along Route 14 are many, many vineyards and wineries, but the Climbing Bines Hop Farm and Brewery caught my eye so we stopped. I took a few pictures, had a couple sips. It was excellent! I’m sure it even rivals the breweries in Germany! The hops are certainly fresh!
On my last day in Monroe County, I visited my cousin in Webster again. We had a nice dinner out.
Left out of my story was the two times I swam in Lake Ontario. The first swim was long before any of the local folks would attempt it. The water was cool, but I thought it was certainly tolerable. Also I must mention the hospitality of my brother and sister who wined and dined us. We very much enjoyed sitting on the patio at the lake where in addition to the company and the lovely water, there were boats, and geese — many, many Canada Geese, and ducks, and Mute Swans! And we often sat on my brother’s deck in the woods watching the deer, the bluebirds, and those neighbor’s turkeys. Then there were the fish fries. Rochester Fish Fries are legendary. Nothing, anywhere else tastes like it. I ate fish every Friday. It was a requirement of mine!
On June 25 we took leave of NY and finally found our way to Rome PA and stayed with husband’s son. He again got to go fishing, this time with his grandsons. Unfortunately we had to cut short the visit due to some agitation from husband's ex-wife who has still not accepted that he left her in 1986. Talk about long grudges!
We managed to see husband’s sister in Owego NY and pop in to see his brother in Litchfield PA before we set off home in the afternoon of June 26th. I stopped in Troy PA to see the house we’d rented the upstairs apartment in in 1986-87. The house was gone! It was no paradise but they paved it over and put up a parking lot! (Apologies to Joni Mitchell and the song “Big Yellow Taxi”.) A few miles later I made a valiant attempt to locate the home we rented near Roseville PA. I could not find it! I lived there for about a year! (1987-1988) How could I miss it? Unfortunately the “Map” feature on my phone only works when you have a cell phone connection. And in the Pennsylvania backcountry, this is barely ever available. I gave up. We got to Altoona and hit the sack for $76 in another Super 8 inn. My aggregate motel spending as part of the Super 8 parent company “club” has entitled me to a free night or a discount at one of their resorts.
The drive up out of Watkins Glen is a steep road with great lake views. There was a motel with rooms and a swimming pool that had a stunning view of the beautiful blue Seneca Lake. Along Route 14 are many, many vineyards and wineries, but the Climbing Bines Hop Farm and Brewery caught my eye so we stopped. I took a few pictures, had a couple sips. It was excellent! I’m sure it even rivals the breweries in Germany! The hops are certainly fresh!
On my last day in Monroe County, I visited my cousin in Webster again. We had a nice dinner out.
Left out of my story was the two times I swam in Lake Ontario. The first swim was long before any of the local folks would attempt it. The water was cool, but I thought it was certainly tolerable. Also I must mention the hospitality of my brother and sister who wined and dined us. We very much enjoyed sitting on the patio at the lake where in addition to the company and the lovely water, there were boats, and geese — many, many Canada Geese, and ducks, and Mute Swans! And we often sat on my brother’s deck in the woods watching the deer, the bluebirds, and those neighbor’s turkeys. Then there were the fish fries. Rochester Fish Fries are legendary. Nothing, anywhere else tastes like it. I ate fish every Friday. It was a requirement of mine!
On June 25 we took leave of NY and finally found our way to Rome PA and stayed with husband’s son. He again got to go fishing, this time with his grandsons. Unfortunately we had to cut short the visit due to some agitation from husband's ex-wife who has still not accepted that he left her in 1986. Talk about long grudges!
We managed to see husband’s sister in Owego NY and pop in to see his brother in Litchfield PA before we set off home in the afternoon of June 26th. I stopped in Troy PA to see the house we’d rented the upstairs apartment in in 1986-87. The house was gone! It was no paradise but they paved it over and put up a parking lot! (Apologies to Joni Mitchell and the song “Big Yellow Taxi”.) A few miles later I made a valiant attempt to locate the home we rented near Roseville PA. I could not find it! I lived there for about a year! (1987-1988) How could I miss it? Unfortunately the “Map” feature on my phone only works when you have a cell phone connection. And in the Pennsylvania backcountry, this is barely ever available. I gave up. We got to Altoona and hit the sack for $76 in another Super 8 inn. My aggregate motel spending as part of the Super 8 parent company “club” has entitled me to a free night or a discount at one of their resorts.
The next day we drove through the scenic Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia. Into Kentucky we were the 6th car in line stopped for a spin out. We just emerged from a heavy downpour on Interstate 64. I got out of the car and spoke to a couple of friendly men also out surveying the wreck. It did not appear to be a fatal, thank God. A Kentucky local spoke to me and asked rhetorically: I wasn’t from around there? No... and then he told me it would be best if I didn’t walk in the grass in the median in case there were chiggers in the grass. I hopped out of the grass forthwith. It’s good to get local knowledge! Thank you sir!
South of Lexington the homes and farms are so beautiful it made my horse-loving heart just ache. On the fairly new Cumberland Highway we flew as the daylight faded and we entered Tennessee. In Nashville I was in the wrong lane and we headed downtown so got a look at it before I managed to swing back toward Memphis. And somewhere between those two cities I stopped for gas late at night and found Elvis Presley postcards! Yay! In the night we crossed the mighty Mississippi River. Someday I’d like to see this river in the daylight! I always seem to time our crossing in the middle of the night! Maybe in 2019...
By the time we got to Little Rock, Arkansas the sun was rising again. The Arkansas River was wide and amazing along the highway. Next stop was for breakfast at a Waffle House in Clarksville, Arkansas and I did not see any trains. (“Last Train to Clarksville” The Monkees, 1966... oh my, I am really showing my age!) I really liked the people in the Waffle House. When has it ever happened that a song comes on the restaurant radio and nearly all the patrons and staff join in singing the words? It happened in Clarksville!! Plus the countryside between there and Fort Smith was Ozark beautiful. I really want to see more of this area someday.
Eastern Oklahoma is a lot of Indian country. Another unique flavor of America. In Oklahoma City I needed to stop to buy ice for our ice chest and I certainly got off at the wrong exit for that, but eventually found some. And then I saw a Hobby Lobby in a shopping center and had to go see that too. I had heard good things about the store but had never visited one. Loved it!
South of Lexington the homes and farms are so beautiful it made my horse-loving heart just ache. On the fairly new Cumberland Highway we flew as the daylight faded and we entered Tennessee. In Nashville I was in the wrong lane and we headed downtown so got a look at it before I managed to swing back toward Memphis. And somewhere between those two cities I stopped for gas late at night and found Elvis Presley postcards! Yay! In the night we crossed the mighty Mississippi River. Someday I’d like to see this river in the daylight! I always seem to time our crossing in the middle of the night! Maybe in 2019...
By the time we got to Little Rock, Arkansas the sun was rising again. The Arkansas River was wide and amazing along the highway. Next stop was for breakfast at a Waffle House in Clarksville, Arkansas and I did not see any trains. (“Last Train to Clarksville” The Monkees, 1966... oh my, I am really showing my age!) I really liked the people in the Waffle House. When has it ever happened that a song comes on the restaurant radio and nearly all the patrons and staff join in singing the words? It happened in Clarksville!! Plus the countryside between there and Fort Smith was Ozark beautiful. I really want to see more of this area someday.
Eastern Oklahoma is a lot of Indian country. Another unique flavor of America. In Oklahoma City I needed to stop to buy ice for our ice chest and I certainly got off at the wrong exit for that, but eventually found some. And then I saw a Hobby Lobby in a shopping center and had to go see that too. I had heard good things about the store but had never visited one. Loved it!
In Western Oklahoma we again stopped, this time at an “Indian Trading Post” to do our tourist thing. Bought more postcards! Then it was westward on to Amarillo. I tried to talk to my brother on the phone as we entered Texas because I was seeing hundreds of wind mills. I could SEE the cell tower. But my phone kept dropping the call. Must have been the turbine blades slicing the air, eh?
Decided to call it a day in Amarillo and I found another Super 8. We got in the room and I was so disappointed. It was the worst accommodation of our trip. Not really clean, not a good smell, no pool. I went and got chicken take-out for us at a local chicken place, not a franchise. I expected it to be tasty. It was disgusting. I wasn’t going to take it back, if I could even find the joint again. Very disappointing. The city is bisected by the interstate highway, making travel from the south side to the north probelmatic. In the morning, in the cramped Super 8 lobby, the included breakfast featured a waffle in the shape of the state of Texas! At least something positive!
Traffic near Albuquerque was the last traffic I saw. We got to Socorro, New Mexico and turned into the western hills, then into the mountains and the rain came. Five hours later we turned into our driveway and the temperature was almost cold! A monsoon storm had also swept our home area. What great luck to have cool temperatures to unload the car!
Such a trip! 50 days. 8932 miles total, more if you count the times we rode with others. Overwhelmingly a good time. Hundreds of photos and videos.
Decided to call it a day in Amarillo and I found another Super 8. We got in the room and I was so disappointed. It was the worst accommodation of our trip. Not really clean, not a good smell, no pool. I went and got chicken take-out for us at a local chicken place, not a franchise. I expected it to be tasty. It was disgusting. I wasn’t going to take it back, if I could even find the joint again. Very disappointing. The city is bisected by the interstate highway, making travel from the south side to the north probelmatic. In the morning, in the cramped Super 8 lobby, the included breakfast featured a waffle in the shape of the state of Texas! At least something positive!
Traffic near Albuquerque was the last traffic I saw. We got to Socorro, New Mexico and turned into the western hills, then into the mountains and the rain came. Five hours later we turned into our driveway and the temperature was almost cold! A monsoon storm had also swept our home area. What great luck to have cool temperatures to unload the car!
Such a trip! 50 days. 8932 miles total, more if you count the times we rode with others. Overwhelmingly a good time. Hundreds of photos and videos.
I love to travel.
THE END
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