geno's blog: Places in Between

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Places in Between - #1 of 5

We flew into Buffalo where we started our 5 week adventure.

The following 5 blog entries - Places in Between - chronicle areas we traveled through between the places highlighted in the previous section.

The beautiful stretch of the Erie Canal where it meets the Niagara River

Gateway to the Erie Canal

Entering Canada in Niagara Falls

Stopping by a Buddhist Monastery leaving Niagara City

Gondola crossing "Whirlpool" in the Niagara River Gorge, several miles downstream from the Falls

The "Niagara Whirlpool", a bay created by a big turn in the Niagara River

We followed the Great Lakes Seaway Trail along the southern shores of Lake Ontario

A beautiful stretch of the Seaway Trail

Arriving at Lake Ontario where the Niagara River flows into the lake

Visiting Fort Niagara, the oldest continuously occupied military site in North America. It was originally built in 1678 to protect the interests of France in No. America.

The Fort is situated on a strategic site at the confluence of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario

The French Castle built in 1726

Docents gave a good presentation of Fort's history

The Fort was expanded to its present size in 1755 due to increased tensions between the French and British colonial interests. The Fort played a significant part in the French-Indian War, and fell to the British in 1759.

Through the American Revolutionary War, the Fort remained in British hands. It was ceded to American forces in 1796, but later retaken by the British in the War of 1812.

The British relinquished the Fort to the US in 1814 upon the signing of the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812.

The Fort has remained under US control ever since.

Lighthouse next to Fort Niagara

Hwy 18-F, a nice highway with good shoulder follows the southern shore of Lake Ontario

A beautiful stretch of Hwy 18-F through some boutique neighborhoods

An evening stroll on the Lewiston waterfront

Fisherman lands a 37" pike

Separated at birth . . . see next pic of Tom

Upstate NY is primarily farmland

My first fried haddock, a common whitefish served throughout New England

Camping at Lakeside Beach State Park on the shores of Lake Ontario

At Brockport, we cross over the Erie Canal

Coleen's, a great diner in Brockport

Coleen runs the cafe single-handed and whips out a mean breakfast scramble

Downtown Brockport (above and below), neat college town

I get a kick out of Americana food history and talked the lads into stopping off at the Jello Museum in the village of LeRoy.

A few years ago, I visited the Spam Museum in Austin, MN. Now I can check off the Jello Museum :-)

Museum houses memorabilia related to everything Jello

There's always room for Jello

At the Genosee County RV Park in LeRoy where we camped, a custom trike confab was taking place. Here's a few of the really cool trikes . . .

We stop at Bob's namesake cafe for breakfast

More evidence of farm country in up-state NY

As we proceed east to the Finger Lakes, we begin to encounter bigger hills. Note the width of shoulders. This was very common in up-state NY, making cycling safe and enjoyable.