Again with the excessive amounts of driving. In terms of distance, not
our record (which remains strong at 1,479 on the last day of the Western
Canada trip, but we bumped into eight or so places that I took pictures
at (and another few that I didn't bother), had a Subway sandwich, and
got to see lots of red and orange leaves.
The update will be a day late, since our wireless software isn't detecting
any network connections to "borrow," the wireless network
card doesn't have any signal, and I have too much pride tonight to try
dial-up.
The pictures are going to seem a bit dark. Sorry. The weather today
was mostly overcast from 7am until dusk (maybe later, but the dark makes
it tough to see the cloud coverage). We didn't get rained on, but we
managed to get drizzled upon for at least half of the day, off and on,
as we essentially covered the entire top half of New York state.
Tubby is up, dressed, and alert. I've tried (unsuccessfully) to
dial out to the 'net, but am not getting too far this morning. Out
the window, reasonable
darkness.
6:42am
We left the room via the lobby to check-out, and arrived at our
white (but getting dirtier) motor coach.
7:29am
We arrived in Darien.
Twice. The first time, honestly, I was surprised to see the sign.
Then, we saw a much better sign on another road. Then we saw a Six
Flags, for Darien Lakes, and I found myself very surprised we found
a theme park a solid 30+ miles from anything resembling a big city.
8:03am
When you're really hungry and it's hot outside, you should get a
really big ice
cream cone. Fortunately, it's cold but they're closed, so it works
out all around.
8:14am
While puttering along in Le Roy, we passed a marker. It seems, quite
by accident, we just passed a little bit of Jell-O
history. And if I was Pearle, I'd probably consider waiting for
more than a few months from the time our factory opened to the time
we'd sold our the wife's invention, particularly for only $450. (Sure,
money was worth more then than now, but still... $450 wasn't THAT
much, maybe a house or so.)
8:36am
Hello Rochester.
And that's all I've got to say about that.
9:06am
Yes, that
said what we thought it said. So we had to go back to ensure a
picture was taken.
9:28am
Stopping at Wegmans in Fairport, we purchased yet more soda for
Tubby. Since I didn't have to stand in line, I just tried checking
out the assistant manager type person, Marissa, who had lovely hair.
10:18am
Touching down in Waterloo,
I found no mention of Abba, Mama Mia, or anything Swedish
(well, beyond a bag of stale Swedish at the Sunoco convenience store).
But it was still a fun little town to bounce around.
11:18am
Syracusewas
the next on our travel path. It wasn't one of those towns I was able
to get all hot and bothered about, honestly. But at the same time,
I did snap a picture of the Kodak building, and was struck with the
irony of taking a digital photo of the building that represents a
large history of modern (non-digital) photography.
11:32am
If you're going to go to the trouble of making sandbags, you should
make
'em fun for kids and adults alike.
11:46am
Avoid this one if you're keen on animals or against hunting. Otherwise,
a
photo of something you rarely see whilst driving in commute traffic
in Los Angeles.
12:03pm
Yeah, I got your fall colors right
here, ya smart alec.
12:33pm
We rolled into Watertown,
looked around, and had lunch.
12:38pm
While still in Watertown, this Canadian-branded billboard
made us smile. Much like the one we saw
yesterday for the same product, but that one was in Buffalo.
2:26pm
Across from where we stopped for a wake-up soda, we found what Tubby
claimed is the
smallest bed-and-breakfast known to man. (But we can all agree
his experience is significantly limited.) To make up for it, we stopped
at a parking area and snapped this
little crick.
3:13pm
Lots and lots of driving later, we hit Tupper
Lake, which came to us as a suggestion from Jon, a co-worker of
Tubby's. (And in the greater scheme of things, a peer of Tubby a year
ago, and who now has three people working under him, compared to Tubby,
who's only got a pair of slippers working under him.) A reflection
of the lake on the far end isn't too bad to
look at, either.
4:11pm
At a bridge over a stream gushing through the Cotton Reservoir (and
the town is apparently South Cotton), we scooped up a few pictures
of the water
running, and the north
and south
banks of the river, complete with their colors flying.
4:29pm
Passing through Potsdam
proved it possible to produce phrases partial to "p" words.
5:14pm
With darkness threatening to fall, if not collapse completely, we
got in and out of Malone
in a reasonable amount of time. But only after Travis took his time
in serving those three diners in front of us before making our incredibly
easy, foot long sandwich on white with only turkey and cheese, and
nothing else. (But it's worth two coupons, although I again forgot
to get mine.)
5:22pm
Tubby suggested we continue with the original plan and end in Rouses
Point, even if it meant arriving in the dark. We agreed.
6:44pm
As expected, we arrived in the dark and fed the car a well-deserved
seven gallons of fuel ($2.15 a gallon here).
6:48pm
The task of rummaging around for the hotel. We knew it was on Lake
Street, and when the street became a left-or-right turn (or else you'd
be in the lake), we knew we were in the right place. A quick drive
to the south took us from town, and one to the north led us to the
U.S.-Cananda border checkpoint, so we aimed for the middle and found
The Anchorage, a motel-bar combination outfit.
7:01pm
We checked in by a very helpful, and left-handed, hostess-clerk
(she's working the front door for the combined motel office and restaurant
hostess). Given to non-smoking double rooms, we were handed the key
to room 46, and headed over.
7:05pm
As rooms go, it's no Marriott or Radisson, but conversely, it's
also a third of the price of the Radisson, which seemed to appeal
to Tubby is all sorts of ways.
7:06pm
Being helpful, I also pointed out the fact that across the street
is the lake, and beyond that, the eastern horizon. Being lazy, I told
Tubby he could be the one to rise before sunrise and take a photo
or three whilst I slept in.
7:09pm
After a quick trip to the reasonably-priced soda machine ($1.25
for a 20-ounce bottle), I sat down to begin the updates...
10:57pm
... and finished them in what, to me, was a reasonable time. For
anyone else, an insane period.
11:01pm
I guess no connection to the world can have its perks, although
I still prefer to be wired given the choice, but it's out of my little
span of control to fix.
11:12pm
The upside of being cut off the 'net -- this is now the earliest
night to bed yet. Nighty-night.
