First stop, Green Lake State Park outside of Syracuse, New York. As a card-carrying, born in the City of New York Citizen, I must confess I did not know much about this region of the state. This park had two meromictic lakes. Yep, this is your trivia for Jeopardy. Meromictic means that these lakes have no mixing of top and bottom waters which means that they are really pretty! A turquoise that will make you stop in wonder. Okay, it has a more scientific meaning but you have Wikipedia access. The main reason to stop was to visit some friends, Val and Emil. Here's a helpful hint when chatting with me at a party. If you say, " you should drop by", chances are I will. The good news is I now have a traveling home so no need to ready the guest room. This is really a warning to California and Northwest friends. Next year we will be in your hood, stopping by.
Pretty, right?
From there we headed to the Finger Lakes. WOW!!! Waterfalls and gorges galore! And a Wine Trail. So many small vineyards and tasting rooms. Our accommodations were on Seneca Lake in a state park that once was a Naval Training Facility then an Air Force Training Facility. So in addition to beautiful walking and biking trails, we were able to visit the museum and learn a bit of history. Since we had only a few days, we selected the top tourist sites. Watkins Glen State Park is a must see. You can walk behind a waterfall!
Seneca Lake
One of many incredible views at Watkins Glen
We also hiked Enfield Glen in Robert H. Treman State Park. This is a wild and rugged area but well worth the effort. There is also a swimming area under one of the waterfalls. Luckily, after the hike, diving into the cold water was no problem for me.
After a few days, we packed up the Jauchmobile and headed Southwest to fulfill an oft talked about destination, Fallingwater, perhaps Frank Lloyd Wrights most famous design. Because John's nickname is Mapman, he plotted a course that used back roads the entire trip. Our goal is to see as much of the USA as possible, and while the Interstates are wonderful, two lane roads through small towns can be so scenic, as was this drive.
Fallingwater is located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. Another WOW!!! What a beautiful area this is. An outdoor adventurers dream. Lots of hiking, biking, kayaking and white water rafting happening here. We indulged in some biking one day along a picturesque trail, but day one was all about the home Mr. Wright designed in the 1930's that hangs over a 30 foot waterfall. It did not disappoint. There are many interesting facts about the construction and design that give you insight into our famous architect. The fact that the Kaufmans', who hired Mr. Wright to design their summer home, were surprised by the location, speaks volumes about the man.
A view from the site the owners thought the house should be built
You could dangle your feet in the water while drinking your morning coffee
A view from the bike path
After three full days, it was time to say good bye and turn the Jauchmobile towards the Northwest and the final leg of our journey.
Bye for now
Enjoy.
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