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Published: October 10th 2008
As we drove through Pennsylvania near lake Erie, we saw miles of grapes for the first time. This is a new area for wineries in the last 20 years or so.
There were many dairy cows in pastures. There were also rolls of hay, but they were much smaller than the rolls we've been seeing. They're at least a quarter of the size. Occasionally, we can see Lake Erie, but the woodlands are very thick even in the center divider. Rich saw some wild turkeys.
Entering into New York state, we were on the New York State Thruway. At Buffalo, the toll part ended for awhile. It cost $10.70 there. We asked the toll person about the amount of traffic with the rise in fuel prices. She said, there has been less traffic and that toll-takers are being cut back. Then the Thruway began again. We passed an exit for Niagara Falls and one for the Erie Canal. We did the whole tourist deal for both of those five years ago when we visited Seth. On the Thruway, there are Service Islands so you don't have to get off. Diesel was $4.40.There are hints and teases of color along the way and we're starting to get excited. We left the Thruway to find our campspot near Lake Conesus, a Finger Lake. (It cost $44.34.) The campground was dumpy and the spots were hard to get into and hard to get the trailer level. While Nancy was out giving Rich directions, gigantic walnuts were dropping all around. None hit her. We finally decided to get our money back and find another place. On the way through the countryside, we saw a sign that said, "We repair deer damage." Rich said it must be damage from a "slow doe". There were soybeans in the fields! There was a lot of Timothy hay and fields and fields of wonderful looking clover. Nancy spotted her least favorite farm product - calves in small pens being raised for veal. We went through a cute little town called Avon and another cute little town called Caledonia. They had old houses and big trees. The curbstones are all cut stone, not concrete. The second campground we tried was very nice and had wonderful showers.
Then we drove into Rochester, where Nancy grew up until she was almost thirteen. We met her good friend Terry (who painted the picture of us that's in our entry). Nancy and Terry had a lovely visit, remembering old friends and old times. Then Terry said there were some things in town she wanted us to see, so we piled the dog and ourselves into her car and she gave us a grand tour for about two hours. She is very active in the art happenings in town so we saw some of the new areas that have been revitalized. She took us by the museum where Nancy's dad worked, past the University, past Nancy's old house and old school, downtown, past Susan B. Anthony's house, and just all over. It was a great tour and a great conversation along the way! Thanks, Terry.
We went to sleep with many memories.
If you want a better look at any of our photos, you can click on the picture to enlarge the look.
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Phil Guthe
non-member comment
Hello!
Terrye helped me get connected to your blog so I was able to see what you've been up to. How great! I thought the old screwal in Rochester had been torn down? Janet says she wants to return to Rochester just to walk the school route and back like we used to did back in the day. Off to screwal, home for lunch, back to screwal then home again at the end of the day. I remember it being a mile and uphill each way. In the winter when the snow was piled 6 - 8 feet high, I held a baked potato wrapped in foil to keep my hands warm on the way to scoo, then ate the potato for a snack. I have memories, too!