camping

Heading East Through the Finger Lakes

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

We are heading east towards Steve’s next race. Our journey took us through New York’s Finger Lakes region where we spent a few days exploring. We based ourselves in Hector, NY, on the shores of Seneca Lake, at the new-ish Finger Lakes RV Resort. How can you go wrong with two wineries within walking distance of the campground? And deals at each for campers?

Poppy loves wineries!
Sign at the campground
Pretty sunset over Seneca Lake

Our first adventure was a hike through Watkins Glen State Park, where the stream descends 400 feet past 200 foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along the gorge.

Watkins Glen Gorge
Heading up the gorge
One of many stone bridges
Can you see me?

We hiked the gorge trail in both directions for a total of about 3 miles. Going early in the day, midweek, made this much more enjoyable than fighting the crowds that descend upon this paradise on the weekends.

Incredible views
Easy hiking
Trail follows the stream

Not far from our campground is the town of Ithaca, the home to ivy league Cornell University. We took the afternoon to explore the campus and its beautiful historic buildings. Sage Chapel and Uris library, known as the Harry Potter library, were definitely highlights. Tuition here is about $71,000 a year and the acceptance rate is below 8%. Kind of a different vibe from our alma maters.

Sage Chapel
Tiffany glass windows
Uris library
Uris library
Cornell students studying
Beautiful historic buildings on Cornell’s campus

On another day in the Finger Lakes we experienced rain, which was a great opportunity to hit up the nearby Corning Museum of Glass. Besides being the home to Corning dishes, the company now makes fiber optic and cable technologies and developed Gorilla Glass, used in iPhones. We learned a lot while being wowed by the world’s largest collection of glass art.

Beautiful glass art
Steve’s favorite
Glass blower
Learning about glass

From the Finger Lakes we continued west with a stop in Oneonta for lunch at Brooks House of BBQ on the recommendation of our friend and neighbor Norb Tornes. Steve devoured the chicken plus the sides, and afterwards, we checked out the giant charcoal pit where the magic happens.

Steve’s chicken
BBQing chickens
Leaves are beginning to change

We continue to enjoy visiting Harvest Host locations for overnight stays along the road. On this route we stopped in Rexford, NY at Bowmans Orchard for the night. Bowmans claims to be the home to the Macintosh apple.

Poppy meeting the goats

The house where the MacIntosh family lived still stands on the property and dates back to the 1700s. We even got to chat with Jackie Bowman, the current resident of the house and one of several Bowmans that live on the property. Unfortunately it was raining, so the u-pick was closed. We still enjoyed the stop and bought some yummy apples.

Shepherd House
Historic stuff
Bummer!
With Jackie Bowman
It’s fall y’all!

Heading eastward!

Niagara Falls Iconic Attractions

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

We finally made it to one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Niagara Falls has been on our list and now it has a ✔️ next to it. We left Traverse City after a wonderful summer and crossed into Canada at Port Huron. From there we ventured across southern Ontario and camped at a KOA on the Canadian side of the falls. 

Map showing the route from Traverse City, Michigan, to Niagara Falls, Ontario, with marked locations.
Our route
A man stands in front of the Niagara Falls KOA sign, accompanied by two small dogs. The backdrop features a landscaped area with a rock formation and a small waterfall.
Niagara Falls KOA

They say you have to see the falls from both sides, so we did. Early on our first day we crossed back into the USA and set out to explore Niagara Falls State Park, the country’s oldest state park. From the park we were able to access our top priorities: Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds. 

A person stands beside a stone monument for Niagara Falls State Park, featuring an emblem with a depiction of a waterfall and the text 'EST. 1885'.
Oldest State Park

Maid of the Mist

The iconic Maid of the Mist first launched in 1846 to operate as ferry across the Niagara River for stagecoaches and carriages.

Logo of Maid of the Mist, featuring a ferry and waterfall design, with the text 'Maid of the Mist' and 'Est. 1846' against a blue background.
Maid of the Mist
A person stands on a walkway near Niagara Falls, wearing a green vest and holding a blue rain slicker, with trees and the falls in the background.
Waiting to board
The 'Maid of the Mist' boat filled with passengers in blue rain ponchos, navigating the waters near Niagara Falls, surrounded by lush greenery.
Our ride

Now the all-electric vessels shuttles over 1.5 million visitors each year to the base of Horseshoe Falls. We donned the signature blue rain slicker and still got pretty damp. The mist from the falls is no joke. 

Panoramic view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the cascading water and mist rising from the Falls, with a rocky shoreline in the foreground.
American Falls
A man and a woman wearing blue ponchos stand in front of Niagara Falls, with mist and cascading water visible in the background.
Ready to experience the mist
View of Niagara Falls from a distance, showing the cascading water and the surrounding greenery.
Horseshoe Falls
Two people wearing blue rain ponchos smiling in front of Niagara Falls, with water cascading in the background.
We weren’t ready!!
A man wearing a red baseball cap and a blue rain slicker smiles, with a blurred background of greenery and water, likely near Niagara Falls.
Mr. Outdoors
A scenic view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush greenery under a cloudy sky.
View of Niagara Falls with a boat navigating near the base, surrounded by mist and rocky cliffs.

Cave of the Winds

After our experience on the water, we walked across the park and onto Goat Island. Here we found the next attraction: Cave of the Winds.

A man standing beside a railing along a path, with vibrant fall foliage in the background and a 'Please Stop' sign nearby.
Goat Island in the Fall
A man standing next to a yellow sign for Cave of the Winds, with a stone wall in the background.
Steve and his friend

The original cave behind Bridal Veil Falls was discovered in 1834 but was destroyed in a 1954 rockfall. Now you go through a tunnel and elevator and walk on a boardwalk that takes you right up to the base of Bridal Veil Falls. 

A person wearing a yellow rain poncho stands smiling on a wooden walkway near Niagara Falls, with mist and greenery in the background.
Ready!
Two individuals wearing yellow rain ponchos stand in front of the rushing waters of Niagara Falls, with mist and rocky terrain visible in the background.
Still not too wet
A person wearing a yellow rain poncho stands on a wooden deck with a view of a large waterfall in the background, surrounded by mist.
Getting damp

Honestly we were not prepared for how wet you get on this attraction and the flimsy yellow slickers didn’t help much. Still, we loved climbing the wooden stairs up to the Hurricane Deck which is the closest you can get to any of Niagara’s three waterfalls, with powerful winds and water crashing around you. Our shoes were sopping when we finished but the exhilaration was worth it!

Visitors wearing yellow ponchos on the Hurricane Deck at Niagara Falls, surrounded by mist and water from the falls.
Steve on the Hurricane Deck
Video from the Hurricane Deck

Skylon Tower

On the Canadian side you get a direct view of the falls as opposed to a side view from the US. We opted to view the natural wonder from above.

Skylon Tower was built in 1965 and shows its age. Still, the revolving restaurant at the top provides some of the best views as well as a great deal on an early bird fixed-price dinner.

Aerial view of Niagara Falls showcasing the cascading water and surrounding greenery, with urban buildings in the background.
American Falls from above
A woman with blonde hair poses thoughtfully while gazing out from inside Skylon Tower, with a view of Niagara Falls and a cityscape in the background.
Considering the views
Aerial view of the Niagara River, featuring a bridge, lush greenery, and a shadow of Skylon Tower cast over the landscape.
View toward USA with the Tower’s shadow

While enjoying a three course meal featuring prime rib for Steve and salmon for me, we slowly rotated roughly 52 stories above the falls. As you can see we got some great photos! We highly recommend seeing the falls from Skylon whether you have dinner (make reservations early) or just head up to the observation deck. 

A man enjoying a glass of red wine while sitting at a table inside Skylon Tower, overlooking Niagara Falls with a scenic view of the waterfalls and surrounding landscape.
Dinner and wine above the falls
Aerial view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the powerful flow of water cascading over the edge and a boat navigating through the mist at the base of the falls.
Horseshoe Falls

There’s a ton more to do in this area including wine tasting around Niagara-on-the-Lake. But we have a few more stops to make before Steve’s next race.

New River Gorge National Park

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

New River Gorge National Park is America’s newest national park, established in 2021. However, the river is not new at all. In fact, it’s one of the oldest rivers on the planet. We spent three days exploring the area and learning about this beautiful area of West Virginia. 

New River Gorge Bridge
The Gorge

We based ourselves right outside the park boundaries at The Outpost, a cool RV, music, adventure hub. In a short hike we were able to reach the famed New River Gorge bridge. 

Home Sweet Home
Bob’s Site at The Outpost
Music Stage
Tent Platforms
Hike from The Outpost

The park’s visitor center offers great views of the bridge and a fun hike down to see the bridge up close. 

Visitors Center
Gorge Overlook
Walking the Visitor Center boardwalk
The bridge is huge
First views

Waterfalls are a major draw to New River Gorge area. Throughout our time here we couldn’t avoid the beautiful cascades. They even have an official waterfall trail. 

So. Many. Waterfalls.

While the area abounds with natural beauty, it wasn’t always this way. For over 80 years, railroads carried coal out of the area to fuel the Industrial Revolution. Over 50 coal communities were linked by rail in the New River Gorge. Today, the town of Thurmond is one of the few towns that still exists and is preserved by the National Park Service.

Bridge to Thurmond
Thurmond Station
Falls on the way to Thurmond

We explored the town’s structures including the old coal tower that fed the rail cars that carried the coal out of the gorge. 

Coal Towe
Thurmond’s industrial history
Downtown Thurmond
Coal Tower

The Endless Wall Trail is one of the park’s most popular. After about a mile we reached the Diamond Point Overlook where we watched whitewater kayakers and rafters way below. And what views!! 

Trailhead. Bob’s ready!
Views forever
Bob made it!
On the edge
Bridge views from the wall
Climbers love this area
Endless Wall

New River Gorge National Park is worth it for the winding country roads and sweeping views. With this we crossed one more national park off our map and it was a good one!

Country roads
New River Bridge