Leaving George on the Lake

With the temps turning very fall like, there was no rush to get up early and head for home, so we slept in til 8:30 again. Down to breakfast we said our good byes to the NERds. I figured if we got out of there by 10:30 we would get home at a respectable time and have plenty of time for some visits along the way. First stop was the Petrified Sea Gardens. We had passed these once before, but I noticed the sign had said they were closed. We rode up and down the street and did not see any sign of the gardens, however I did notice some road side signs that looked like information boards you see in the parks so we turned around and stopped for a look see.





Turns out the above was Lester's park and the Landmark is Ritchie's Park, however they are essentially right next to one another. The Landmark place has been closed for quite awhile and any signs of the entrance is long gone.

Next stop was the Canfield Casino and Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. We grabbed the Casino and I started to walk around. There was this statue by Daniel Chester French, who did the Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial sculpture. After all this time I must be learning something because some of these artist’s works are becoming familiar. Fred Olmstead had his touch on the design of the park. He did Central Park. We left the park and headed out. I knew I was leaving without a picture of Spit and Spat, so I turned around and went back for these guys. Also walked over to this sundial for some pictures.

The Casino and Spa


Daniel French Sculpture


Spit and Spat Fountain




The Sundial


Not too far away is Saratoga Spa State Park. A ride down the Avenue of the Pines lead us to Saratoga Spa State Park. The park became an attraction due to the mineral springs in the area and the medical benefits from drinking and bathing in the water. We grabbed some pictures of the mineral bath places







From here we headed south on 9. We had essentially grabbed all the places for the day I had scheduled. MeAsWe said she was hungry and we happened to pass this Fedoro Diner. A quick brake and turn we were in the parking lot. We were told there were only 3 Fodero Diners remaining and I thought this was not correct, but didn’t think it was worth arguing the point. I looked it up and there are more than 3 left, with the Agawam Diner in Rowley, MA one of them. We had a great breakfast accompanied by a classical guitar player, not your typical diner fare.







Back on the road I decided we would not head across Vermont, but slab it home before the temps and sunlight ran out. All in all it was a great weekend. It was more about being with the NERds than the riding this weekend, even thou we got to see some neat sights along the way.

Defiant at Fort Ticonderoga

Today we slept in til about 8:30 and joined the NERds at breakfast downstairs at Wingate. Having slept in, everybody was just finishing and getting ready to take off on various prepared rides. While I felt like we might miss out on something, I wanted to grab some historic sites and be able to stop when and where we wanted, so riding solo has it benefits as well.

After breakfast MeAsWe was not feeling great, so I settled in with the TV set to a motorcycle theme. Paul Sr and Paul Jr we having a bike build off for Cadillac. I watched this for about 2 hours and then a reality prison show came on. I decided that MeAsWe had had enough rest and it was time to go out riding. She rolled off the bed and put her riding clothes on and we headed out for a short ride.

Headed up Route 9N for some of the locations EasyEd had put together as scenic places. Passed this place in Bolton and had too turn around to add to my collection of diners. This is a Worcester Lunch Car diner. You can tell by the barrel roof and porcelin sides.



Stopped for a scenic shot of Lake George



On the list was a must see Mount Defiance that overlooks Fort Ticonderoga. The road up to the mount lived up to its name; however we were more defiant than the road. Actually we had been warned about the road of potholes, but the warnings proved to be worse than the actual ride. From up here one had a beautiful view of the Lake Champlain.



Two cannons placed by the British on the top of this mountain we enough to for the Americans to withdraw from both Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence. I want to know how they got the cannons up there with out being detected.





Fort Ticonderoga was a big disappointment due to the hefty entrance fee of $15. While maybe I understand the need to charge a fee, such a steep one kept us away. I did manage to get a couple of pictures from the barricade.





From here we headed for the infamous Tracey Rd NY County Road 6. The ride on CR7 to CR6 was just as nice. Tracey Rd was washed out in places from hurricane Irene, so we kept our speeds to a conservative pace. This is a short stretch of road, about 7 miles long. Tracey Rd dumps out onto RT 9 and headed back to the Wingate for dinner and called it a day.

Gulping Gallons in New York

Gulping Gallons NY Style is done. Either I really missed planned this trip time wise or we are just getting good at doing this stuff. We were actually in by 6:30pm each day and on the first day we arrived at 4:30pm. The new FJR handled flawlessly, but that was expected. We captured 64 locations out of the planned 67. Four locations were there, but did not have a sign on the building to take a picture of; 1 location that was not planned, but we just happen to ride thru. We traveled 1284 miles and according to the on board computer our average miles per gallon was around 41 mpg. That’s with limited inter-states as well. I think out of the 1300 miles, maybe 250 miles were interstate (mainly the MA pike to get out of MA), the rest two lanes highways and a lot of county and country roads. I did notice on this trip, every time we came across one of those deer signs next 5 miles, I pulled back on throttle. I even thought about how I would take evasive action if one of those critters just happened to pop out of the tall grass / grain lines we found ourselves in. We also picked up 2 BBQ places for the Smoke Chasing 2011 tour and 2 National Historic Landmarks in Auburn, NY.

Day 1 consisted mainly of getting out of MA, via the Mass Pike. Our first stop was Stuyvesant Falls, NY and we made our way up to Queensbury, just out side the Adirondack Park

Stuyvesant Falls


This building just grabbed my eye. Art Deco I believe, in Albany



One of many Post Offices we grabbed. This one is Round Lake, NY



Is it Live or Memorex



Grabbed a bite to eat here and snagged a NY BBQ Joint



Neat Ice Cream tin Signs



Hmmm



Erie Canal Lock



Almost done for the day. One more NY BBQ place.



Last pic of the day




Day 2 began as a drizzly day and we headed to Lake Luzerne. Our first road went straight up a mountainside on a nice twisty road, with quite a few switchbacks. Unfortunately the rain kept the speeds down, but this trip, like our others are not about how fast we can cover the route. Next stop was in the tourist trap of Lake George. LG appears to be a lot like all mountain resort / lakeside towns. Lots of neon, motel signs and other similar sites. All of this seemed on the old side from the 50’s versus new and fresh. Not run down, just that old time comfortable times that I remember as a kid. Schroon Lake was probably the first Adirondack town, with Lake Placid at the top as we headed west and south. It was right around here the skies decided to go from sprizting rain to rain, we toned down our speeds, but not our spirits. Our day ended in Lyons Falls, NY at The Edge motel. MeAsWe guessed that their name was because they were on the edge of town. I asked, it was because they were on the edge of the Adirondack’s.

Alot of the day looked like this.



I find beauty in this photos. Lake George





Not too far from where this begins.



To see this up and personal cost about 14.00 Lake Placid Ski Jumps built for the 1980Olympics.



Lake Placid Middle/High School. During the 1980 Olympics the school was issued a liquor license. It is the only school in the country to have this distinction.



Lake Placid Olympic Building. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980 Olympics




It wasn't until we left the Adirondacks that I finally found the sign I had been looking for



MeAsWe guiding me in for a landing



Day 3 had us heading out on crisp clear morning at 7am heading for Lake Ontario towns and the Finger Lake region. We rode out to the Fingers Lakes last year and I found the roads to be quite straight and boring. This year it was not boring at all. I wouldn’t say they were twisty like the Adirondacks, but more sweeping and rolling hills. We pulled into the Herkimer around 5pm. We rode past the Budget Inn and we both said hmmmm maybe not. We tried the Herkimer Motel, but they wanted a 139 and only had suites available. A call to the Knights Inn in Little Falls found us a more reasonable rate and only 8 miles away. Actually the KI turned out pretty good, since they had a restaurant and bar on site.

I know what I said up there, but his was first thing in the morning so straight not too bad until you get into the swing of things.



A really neat Peace Mural in Watertown NY. The sky kind of makes me think of the 60's



Henderson Harbor, NY. This is the smallest Post Office I have seen and I have seen quite a few.



Into the Finger Lakes region we found this sculpture



I have ate hear once before and had a good meal, so we stopped for lunch. Connie's Diner in Waterloo, NY. Don't forget to stop at the Women's Rights Historical Park right up the street.



In Auburn, NY we stopped at Harriet Tubman's church. Harriet was a major player in the Underground Railroad. This is a National Historic Landmark



In slightly better condition, another Landmark, William Seward House. William was the Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.



I thought this was going to be one really big Neon, but as we got closer it looks as if it was de-neonized. Downtown Auburn, NY



MeAsWe realized that the Knights Inn we were staying at had Little Falls right on their sign, so she went up and got the flag and camera.




Day 4 was the short day. Only a couple of sites to pick up and then 85 miles of Mass Pike to get home. We started out later than the other days, since we should be home easily before 5pm. Coming out of Fly Creek, NY; we passed thru Cooperstown, NY. Of course we had to grab a picture of the Hall of Fame. A lot of today’s ride would be on US 20 as we dart off to towns in ear shot of the route. We passed the Duanesburg Diner, a place we stopped at last year. Arriving in the Albany area, I saw we had routed ourselves right thru the heart of the city. While most times I don’t mind the stop and go. I enjoy seeing the downtown sites and architecture, but ya gotta look up so see the neat stuff. Today I decided we should by pass the city and took the interstate around Albany for our last few stops. As we hung a right on NY 22 I knew we were riding right along the border of MA. Our last official stop was Lebanon Springs Jr Sr High School. No sign on the building so we opted for the Episcopal Church, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Passed thru Pittsfield, Lenox and Lee onto the MA pike, home just around 4pm.


Our stop in Cooperstown



Our last stop Lebanon Springs was a bust, no sign on the school. We picked this up instead as a National Register of Historic Places instead.



On the road back home. Thanks for coming along