On board the boat headed to church Having left Canada in late July, we made a couple of stops in New England before arriving in upstate New York on the first of August. We were already a couple of days late for our grandson’s birthday, who lives in Massena. After our time with him, we moved south into the Adirondacks for about a week before heading to Rochester for visits with friends, family, and our dentist. By mid-month, we were on our way further west to Erie PA where we would turn due south as we traveled slowly back to Jacksonville.
| Mt. Washington’s Cog Railway It had been decades since we rode the Cog railway up to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. But we were passing close by on our way west, so it made sense to take the trip again. The weather was not nearly as nice as the first time when we could see to the Atlantic Ocean, but we didn’t realize then how rare that visibility is. We still enjoyed our trip up and back powered by the railway’s newer biodiesel engines. | |
| | Ben and Jerry’s Tour – Waterbury VT Another must stop on our route through New England was Ben and Jerry’s. Our travels along route 2 brought us nearby to the factory’s door. We bought tickets for an afternoon tour a few days before. When we arrived about an hour early, we had time to explore the Flavor Graveyard and have a few scoops before joining our tour. |
Ferry from Grand Island to Plattsburgh across Lake Champlain Into New York
Leaving Ben and Jerry’s, we were about an hour from Burlington and the nearby Grand Island ferry across Lake Champlain to NY. We lined up for our 3rd ferry in the past 7 days and took the short ride across. Our stop for the night was Cumberland Bay State Park on Lake Champlain, which was just off the ferry dock. The next day we arrived in Massena to visit with Jayden for his birthday.
Leaving Ben and Jerry’s, we were about an hour from Burlington and the nearby Grand Island ferry across Lake Champlain to NY. We lined up for our 3rd ferry in the past 7 days and took the short ride across. Our stop for the night was Cumberland Bay State Park on Lake Champlain, which was just off the ferry dock. The next day we arrived in Massena to visit with Jayden for his birthday.
A mini birthday celebration with Jayden
| While in Massena, we once again stayed at Robert Moses State Park on the north side of the St. Lawrence Seaway lock. Since our last visit, a new Visitor Center had been completed, so we had to make a stop again to watch the boats pass through and see the new exhibits. | |
| | Whiteface Mountain and Saranac Lake Our week in the Adirondacks began with a trip up Little Whiteface on the Cloudsplitter Gondola as we made our way to Saranac Lake. For this trip up the mountain, the weather cooperated for a spectacular view of the surrounding high peaks. |
| During our stay at Saranac Lake, we spent the night at a Harvest Host location, The Belvedere Restaurant. It had some great food (especially the eggplant poutine), and arriving on a Tuesday, we got to try their “experimental menu” items for free. While in town, we learned of the resort town’s history as a retreat for those seeking a “rest cure” for tuberculosis. | |
| | Lake Placid – From John Brown to the Olympics From Saranac Lake, we moved south to Lake Placid, staying at a campground hosted by the Fire Department. Our first stop was actually within site of the Olympic ski jump, but had nothing to do with the Olympics. It was the John Brown Farm State Historic Site, where John Brown is buried. The farm’s buildings have been restored and the exhibits helped us understand why he came to this area and how his stay here led to his raid on Harper’s Ferry. |
| A visit to Lake Placid isn’t complete without some exploration of its Olympic history. We visited the Olympic Center to see some budding skaters practicing, some hockey players finishing a game and then toured the Olympic Museum. | |
Sunset over the marsh by our van in Tupper Lake Tupper Lake – Wild and Welcoming
Our last stop on our swing through the Adirondacks would be Tupper Lake. Arriving on a Friday night, we planned to meet up with Dave’s cousin Lois who would be arriving late Sunday. In the meantime, we found plenty to do.
Our first stop in Tupper Lake was The Wild Center, an award winning Science Center dedicated to the natural history and exploration of the Adirondacks unique and varied ecosystems. We were treated to a visit there by Lois’ and enjoyed the variety and novelty of the exhibits.
Our last stop on our swing through the Adirondacks would be Tupper Lake. Arriving on a Friday night, we planned to meet up with Dave’s cousin Lois who would be arriving late Sunday. In the meantime, we found plenty to do.
Our first stop in Tupper Lake was The Wild Center, an award winning Science Center dedicated to the natural history and exploration of the Adirondacks unique and varied ecosystems. We were treated to a visit there by Lois’ and enjoyed the variety and novelty of the exhibits.
| On Sunday, we attended a unique church situated on an island in Upper Saranac Lake. The Island Chapel was accessed by boat, with 2 departures from a nearby public dock before the service started at 10. | |
| | Although we caught the 2nd ferry back to the dock, we managed to get a ride to our van giving us just enough time to make the noon Adirondack RR excursion train from Tupper Lake south to Sabattis and back. This was a shorter trip on the same railroad line that had taken us from Utica to Tupper Lake 3 years ago. This day’s excursion was much shorter. Just a couple of hours long. |
Cousin Lois and Dave on her boat in the pond near her Tupper Lake cottage. When we caught up with Lois on Monday morning, she was eager to take us on a boat ride on her recently-acquired pontoon boat. We enjoyed a couple of hours on the water, but by mid-afternoon, we needed to say our goodbyes.
Cheri and Butch met us as we made our way to Rochester To Rochester
As we made our way to Rochester from Tupper Lake, we would be passing close to Butch and Cheri (friends from Nomads projects) who were staying at Bass Lake. We met for supper near our campsite at Selkirk Shores State Park on the eastern end of Lake Ontario.
As we made our way to Rochester from Tupper Lake, we would be passing close to Butch and Cheri (friends from Nomads projects) who were staying at Bass Lake. We met for supper near our campsite at Selkirk Shores State Park on the eastern end of Lake Ontario.
Of course, with our time in Rochester, we needed to take in some of our food favorites, such as Abbotts and Lugias for ice cream. We also packed some Zweigles white hots in our freezer for down the road.
We met Vicki and Ron for dinner on one night while in Rochester. With the van making our travels more agile, we stayed at a number of different places while in Rochester. From a Boondockers Welcome home in Penfield to Webster Park to Hamlin Beach. We managed to get dentist appointments at the last minute thanks to some cancellations, and connected with friends: Vicki and Ron, Carol and Ron, and Sandy – before moving on in our slow return south.
