New York

Niagara Falls

The Falls at Night

It is now August 14^th. Our first stop in New York was Niagara Falls. We had forgotten that we had been there only ten years ago, but we enjoyed our stop-over, nonetheless. It is amazing to watch, hear and feel the power of the water as it cascades over the rocks and to think about the (crazy) people who ventured over the falls on purpose. We walked along the US side and considered driving over to Canada but were deterred by the thought of long lines at the border crossing when we returned. However, both daytime and nighttime views from various vantage points were spectacular. After one afternoon and evening we had had enough of all the people, so we left in the morning and headed to our next stopping point – Finger Lakes.

White Springs Winery

We found a Harvest Host winery (White Springs) along Seneca Lake, near Geneva NY, to spend our first night and another one (Seneca Shores Winery) for our second night. The cost for the night was free, but, of course, we bought their wine so everyone benefited. Our primary purpose in stopping here was to visit the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls (and to visit a variety of wineries, naturally). Seneca Falls is well known for the Women’s Rights Convention held there in 1848 for the present day National Women’s Rights Historic Park, which we had visited a few years ago. The National Women’s Hall of Fame is not as widely known, but should be. It commemorates trailblazing American women from Anne Hutchinson to Oprah Winfrey who are honored for their accomplishments. The tiny museum is packed with plaques containing the biographies of these amazing women who impacted the social, economic, political, scientific, and cultural landscape of America. If only I had a few million dollars (or hundreds of millions) and carte blanche to transform this museum into something much more powerful. The women were superstars in their fields and are deserving of a museum befitting their achievements.

Baseball Hall of Fame

This became so much more apparent when we stopped next at Cooperstown to see the HUGE and ELABORATE Baseball Hall of Fame. Not to take away from the achievements of these men (and the few women they condescended to talk about in one corner of the museum – A League of their own), but it was all a bit too much for me. Rabid baseball fans, however, loved it, I’m sure! I was mostly interested in the Dodgers, the information on the breaking of the color barrier, and some of the historical information (the movie was great). Again, this stop was at my insistence and we learned for the second or third time that the idea of it was greater than the reality! And, of course, I was still thinking about how the women should have been honored in just as magnificent a museum as these sports stars.

John Brown, Abolitionist

White Face Mtn.

On we traveled after a night at the Fly Creek Cider Mill (another Harvest Host) parking lot. We spent the next five days in the Adirondack Mountains where we had a terrific time – hiking, visiting local museums (including John Brown’s house and museum) and learning that even 4,000 ft mountains can be imposing! We even rented some canoes for an hour to soak in the flavor of the riverways that make up much of the area between the mountains. 

Our last stop in New York, before heading into Vermont, was Fort Ticonderoga, where we experienced a  bit of American History. This fort was originally called Fort Carillon, built by the French in the 18^th century at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain. It was important during the French and Indian wars and again during colonial conflicts between Britain and France. It was captured by the Green Mountain Boys (Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, remember?) early in the American Revolution, but lost again to the British a year later. It fell into ruin in the 19^th century but was restored by private owners last century. We particularly enjoyed the Fife and Drum demonstration and the authentic dress and activities at the fort.

Fife and Drums, Ft Ticonderoga

Our week in New York ended as we crossed Lake Champlain and headed into Vermont. However, we’ll return to New York in late October when we travel through the Hudson River Valley.