Cornell, Niagara Falls and PA Coal Country (2012)
In July I moved to a new house. My housemate has a VStar 650 and recently mentioned riding up to NY for his friend's annual Oktoberfest party in Rochester, NY. Beer? Riding? Fall? YES!
Here he is geared up and stoked to get out on the road on a Friday morning instead of slaving another day at the office. Don't worry about the 5 hours of sleep you got because you were working :eek1:huh
Cruising down 270
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Shortly after taking 270 we swing up 15 through the MD farm country bordering the Catoctin Mountains. Eventually this puts us out near Harrisburg, PA
We ride up the East side of the river and spot the Statue of Liberty on an old bridge support in the middle of the river.
Bridges near Sunbury, PA along the Susquehana
A sign posted said "Following Distance Two Dots". They should have this all over the place! Great idea.
Does not apply to the Amish though...
We took a lunch break in Williamsport, PA at the Bullfrog Brewery (seen in an earlier RR) for a chicken sandwich and a bbw sandwich
I had the Edgar
Good thing we parked beside the porta-potty!
Lycoming Creek Rd beside 15
We arrived in Ithaca just as it began sprinkling. Our first stop was the old Mechanical Engineering building where he checked in on some of his old professors and fellow grad/doc students. This is the Atrium
His bike took a nap outside the "Red Barn" - a hangout for all the grad students.
My bike just soaked in the colors:
$1 Sarnac!?
Afterward we hit up a delicious Thai restaurant
The night finished with us relaxing at the Alpha Gamma Science Co-Op - a 13 man group home just off campus. It had amazing architecture inside and a storied past - once holding 30 men in an open bay upstairs.
SATURDAY:
The following morning we woke up to the sound of rain on the roof. Time to go riding :huh
We took a turn through campus
Picked up a side cover he left at the garage and had a friend pick up, then made our way to the Farmer's Market:
There was Cuban, Cambodian, Japanese and a whole other host of assorted dishes available
Brussel Sprouts
Justin's headlight mount had broken loose inside so I took care of the problem...
WORKING - you can see Ithaca along the lake behind him
Two Goats Brewery along Seneca Lake.
Finger Lakes Distillery
Football is clearly king
There is good business in shuttling drunk folks around the fingerlakes with all the wineries and breweries. This guy had the coolest rig and was his own mechanic.
I'll stick to being relatively sober and riding my dirt submarine
We rode along Lake Shore Dr down by the water. The road was gravel for a bit and Justin complimented himself for not falling over. :thumb
Seneca Lake
Most of the small towns in northern NY look like this for the mainstreet
Sunflowers not saying hello to the sun.
Windows called...they want their hill back!
The pumpkin patch was packed. Hayride was full!
We cruised into the Oktoberfest gathering and everyone waved. His friend's family were wonderful hosts and there were tons of wurst, potato salads, chips, Bier - etc. We partied late into the night :super
Then I called it a night. I was the only one camping but despire the temps being in the low 40's, I was comfortable and warm all night thanks to my Kelty Lightyear Down bag and a sleeping bag liner
These were on the dining room table as we played Asshole :huh
SUNDAY
I woke up , said goodbye to my hosts and roomate and set off for Lake Ontario
And on toward the lake, I stopped at a crossroad and snapped this shot. Never heard of it :deal
Lake Ontario
This bridge appeared on my GPS but after conferring with Google Earth, it was clear this swing bridge was not in operation until later in the winter.
Cruising along the lake near Rochester
Hey that's me!
Unedited. I Swear.
Apples anyone?
I took one off the ground. Shoot me.
I checked out my RoadsideAmerica App which suggested the Shoe Tree in Lydonville, NY
Some of these have been there a while...
Moving on to the next destination: The ONLY tunnel under the Erie Canal.
An old barn.
I stopped above the Erie Canal just as the locomotive was crossing the bridge. Interesting considering the train was the ultimate downfall of the railroad.
The old lock on the left and the wider one on the right:
Approaching Niagara Falls, I came up along the power facilities to the south.
Don't mind if I do!
View looking North from the bridge to Canada
The large hotels dotting the Canadian side of the falls:
Maid of the Mist
And the only reason I went to Canada:... TIM HORTONS :clap
On my return trip across the bridge:
Waiting in line. Please let me back into my country :D
This Ice Cream shop was a giant soft serve.
There must have been 5 helicopters in the air the whole time I was riding around Niagara.
The fall colors were beautiful on this section of highway
I spotted this on the Canadian side. Interesting.
I set my path toward Buffalo and it began to rain.
Doin' my thang
The bridge to Canada from Buffalo
Some big building in Buffalo. Rainy, cold...I couldn't be bothered to go find out what it was.
Then a stop at Duff's, where I was told I could find a REAL buffalo wild wing. I don't know, wasn't crazy impressed - tasted like a bath of Franks with some butter and garlic. Good but probably not my fav wing.
After Buffalo I set out for the Allegheney National Forest. It rained the whole way and became colder as the elevation rose.
A coworker is from Bradford so I figured I'd snap a shot while passing through.
After Bradford I rode until the edge of the NF and turned onto 150 then some other side forest roads.
After a few miles I found a small fire ring along a creek. This would do for the night! Time to set up camp.
It poured rain all evening so I just got in my sleeping bag and fell asleep around 7 or 8.
MONDAY:
When I woke up around 7:30, it was in the low 30's, damp but not raining. I really did not want to get out of my warm sleeping bag and put on damp/wet gear but such is life on a bike. Off I go!
Lots of industry in this part of the state.
Elk Warning outside the Elk State Forest
I then stopped in at Rose's Diner for some breakfast. The small establishment with a full parking lot told me this was THE palce within 20 miles for breakfast.
I was right! $4.95 Special: One Banana Pancake, 2 Eggs, 2 Bacon strips. YES PLEASE!
Crusing off some mountain descending to warmer temps.
Just following the GPS set at "Shortest Route, No Highways" puts me on a number of out-there roads.
Paper Mill
I stopped at a stop sign and spotted a yardsale out front of this house. In the back I noticed a couple deer strung up and took a snapshot. It was only after I got home that I realized they were sharks, rabbits and kangaroo! :eek1 :huh
I know what I'm calling my ranch!
Then more of this the rest of the way home on 70 to 270.
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