It's a vibe

Route

Tuesday, October 13th. We were on the road and headed further upstate at 8:30am. Rhea slept really well in the tent last night, and honestly so did I, which was nice. We started the morning at Ithaca Bakery with a spinach feta croissant. It did not disappoint.

I took my first call from the truck as we drove the western shore of Cayuga Lake, one of the larger Finger Lakes. It was a misty, dreary morning, but the wet, scenic roads still made for a lovely view. I never realized how large the Finger Lakes actually are. Looking out across the lake as we drove north, it is quite the body of water, carved out by glaciers in the last ice age.

We stopped at Taughannock Falls for a quick pic and to stretch Rhea's legs before the rain hit. The falls drop 215 feet, about 33 feet taller than Niagara. We drove through a short spell of driving rain and came out the other side into a beautiful, sunny day.

The country roads are dotted with farm stands selling seasonal goods: pumpkins, squash, and local honey. One even sold Pokémon cards. The roads wind through corn and soy fields, past picturesque red dairy barns and silos. Every time you pass a silage or dairy truck on these narrow roads, a short gale blasts you, rocking the truck and soaking the windshield. These drivers take the roads like nothing, bombing the hills at 60 mph without missing a beat.

By 1pm it was 82 degrees. Windows down, heads out, sunglasses on, and music bumping. It's a vibe. Nothing like flying through country roads on a summer-like day in October.

We detoured to Letchworth State Park, and I'm very glad we did. They call it the Grand Canyon of the East: a gorge split by the Genesee River, which flows south to north and is 550 feet deep at its deepest point. It's a sight to behold. Upper Falls and Middle Falls are by far the best viewpoints in the park. The park exists because William Pryor Letchworth, a Buffalo industrialist, deeded his 1,000-acre estate to New York State in 1906, protecting the gorge from the utility companies.

I didn't fully comprehend until this trip how much of an agricultural producer upstate New York is. Corn and soy fields for miles, dairy cows, even rail cars of feed for cattle. Honestly, it feels like I'm in the Midwest, except there are maple and pine tree forests amongst the mountains.

We made it to Niagara in the late afternoon and snapped a couple of pics at the overlook. Steinbeck and Charley reached Niagara on October 2nd, 1960, and turned back at the Canadian border. We cross into Ontario tomorrow.

Rhea

Rhea got some good laps in around the campground this morning before another day in the truck. She’s really loving the smell of manure from every barn we pass. She gently lifts her head and sniffs the air from the rear window. She would like the country life out here. I have no doubt.

At the north entrance to Letchworth, we lounged on the lawn, took a little nap, and ate some lunch while I got a little work done.

At Niagara, she was a trooper and posed for a few pics. Then she kept pulling me back toward the squirrels we'd seen on the way in. She is a true huntress and wanted nothing more than to snatch a few tasty squirrels for an evening meal. These squirrels didn't fear her at all, and she got close. If she weren't on the leash, I'm sure she would have caught one.

We settled into the tent early, and she was passed out next to me, sleeping like a baby.

Notes

I made my first espresso from the road this afternoon for a little boost: a mini moka pot on the JetBoil burner. It worked wonders. A tasty espresso in under 5 minutes, start to finish.