New York #70

I was sorta disappointed when we crossed into NY from PA because I didn’t see tons and tons of people. I mean this is New York, ya know? All I could see was more corn and barns. I thought Kae had made a wrong turn while I was napping and that we were way west back in Iowa or Ohio. It took me a while to realize that we were in western NY, not New York City!! This is rural America at its best – small towns, proud farms, farmers markets and friendly folks. We were on our way due north to kind of the center of the state to stop at an Onan generator service center as we needed the trusty old generator’s 450 hour maintenance. We take real good care of that piece of equipment because it runs the important things like AC and microwave; the things that make my dog house a real home, if you know what I mean! We really did see some very fine rural scenes and we even stopped in Medina, NY to walk along the famous Erie Canal and view some of the churches made from world famous Medina sandstone..









The first campground we picked was full, so we had to drive all the way up to the shores of Lake Ontario to Golden Hill State Park in Barker, NY. I loved this CG because it had bunnies to sniff, lots of trails to hike on and swims in Lake Ontario, plus a really beautiful old lighthouse known as Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse. I couldn’t go in the lighthouse because of some rule about dogs but the Gal Pals took a tour and here’s the story: Built in 1875 to warn ships of the sandbars and shoals at this point, it acquired its name because it is 30 miles east of the Niagara River. In 1885 the kerosene lamp was replaced by an electric light. It was closed in 1958 when it was determined that it was obsolete because of the installation of an automatic revolving light at the site. Forty years later the Friends of Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse had completed the restoration and the light in the tower was returned again. The second story light keepers quarters can now be rented as a vacation cottage experience and seems to do a brisk business.













On our way to the Niagara area we, of course, traveled along the rural back roads soaking up the ambiance of the area and stopping to sniff out interesting sites like the Babcock Farm. This is an outstanding example of cobblestone construction and the barn was particularly packed with good smells and echoes of farm critters past.





After a few days we moved west to Four Mile Creek Campground just a bit north of Niagara Falls State Park. Another great spot for swimming in a Great Lake! By the way, that four of the five I got to float my bones in! How many of you can say that? I loved how the rocks and the trees echoed each other in lines and colors.





The Ladies had been talking about seeing and visiting Niagara Falls for months. I didn’t get it; I mean what good is all that water if you can’t even get down to taste it, smell it or feel it? Even if you could, I understand there is one heck of a current and a killer drop-off to get over, so to speak. I said, ‘”no thanks, I’ll stay on Pod patrol. You Gals go have fun.” Well, boy they did!!


They parked the Pod and this intrepid Protection Pup at the Discovery Center and took the Scenic Trolley over to the Visitors Center. They had purchased this neat packaged deal for only $30 that included five of the best things to see and do in the Niagara area. So here is an explanation and picture tour of each thing: The Visitors Center has a very good film, called “Niagara, Legends of Adventure” which takes you through 12,000 years of myths and adventurous feats in the Gorge, plus the center has great views of the American and Horseshoe Falls from its walkways and terraces.






From the Visitors Center they donned their souvenir blue rain ponchos and boarded the “Maid of the Mist” boat for a ride right into the heart of the torrent area at the base of Horseshoe Falls. Wow! What a wet and wild ride! The sheer power and thunder of this water was nearly overwhelming! One begins to understand why the unfortunate few who have gone over the falls did not survive and what a miracle it has been for the few who did live through the experience. One also appreciates the magnitude of the hydroelectric power that has been and is now produced by this wonder of nature.









Next it was dry off and travel up to the top of the Observation Tower at Prospect Point. The Tower’s deck extends out over the Niagara Gorge for spectacular, unimpeded views.




The Ladies obviously had not gotten wet enough so they donned souvenir yellow ponchos and fashionable, commemorative sandals for the hike up and down the stairways of the Cave of the Winds. This is a face-to-face experience with the rushing waters of American Falls in a really up close and personal sort of way. You actually feel like you will be blown off the boards at Hurricane Deck! They got soaked even though they had rolled up their pants legs and they were still laughing at the end of the walk about the No Smoking sign in the midst of all that mist!









Drying off again and hopping back on the trolley, the ‘Ducksters” came back to the Pod to give me my hugs, dinner and a walk before they visited the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center. Through interactive displays, fossil and rock specimens and a multi-screen presentation, they saw how plant and life evolved and how the rivers and lakes were formed after the last Ice Age some 12,000 years ago. This entire area is composed of shale which was deposited about 435-460 million years ago. It erodes very readily and thus Niagara Falls actually began nearly 7 miles down river from its present location.


The end to an absolutely fabulous day for all of us came when the Gal Pals took the Trolley back to Goat Island and dinner at the Top of the Falls Restaurant, overlooking Horseshoe Falls. New York strip steak and good red wine were on the top of the list as a long awaited celebration of life and their mutual birthdays from a month ago. I for one love it when they celebrate like this because I always get to sample what was on their menu. They call me a ‘Gourmutt’ for a reason!





We spent a few more days in the vicinity just poking and sniffing around. The quietude of these rural areas is in such contrast to the power and majesty of that awesome river just a few miles away. We were very surprised by the natural beauty of New York and decided to make our next destination the Finger Lakes region.