Road Trip :: Upstate New York

 Upstate New York is beautiful country.  Rolling hills - green pastures - farms - old industry that has seen busier days long ago -

We stopped at a town along the Erie Canal and met up with the Stansfields - Keith, Kathy, Dylan and Kaitlin (Laura in spirit!) - who graciously drove 4 hours south to meet us from Belleville Canada.  Oh, we love spending time with these guys - we are so lucky to have family like them. A road-tripping family of their own... we happily seem to meet them nearly every time we embark on one! :)

look at that!  her ponytail curled into one long single curl!

Erie Canal

Jake swimming - his favorite thing:

 

don't ya just love new yorkers?

We stopped at the outlets for shopping and lunch!

Ironically, it poured rain when we got to the Finger Lakes region... where our cabin sat deliciously facing the pond.  [cabin on the left is ours] It did lighten up enough for a paddle boat ride and a fire!

Funny story - we had so many encounters with water during this trip... and Ainsley developed an imaginary friend Whale.  Every few days, she would assume the most adorable affected pout, and sigh, and say how sad she was because of her poor whale.  Whale was bitten by a fish, you see. And now the fish was stuck on him and he wouldn't get off.  Sigh.

Said whale joined us for many of our travels - turning up in the car, at the picnic table, off the side of the ferry, in the pond, and even inside of a little boat. (that's some whale!)  I wonder if he was a travel companion only or if he'll show up in D.C..... (btw in case you were concerned, the fish did get off the whale and  he is happy now.)

Jake on duty

frogs!



don't get any ideas, little bruiser



A MAJOR highlight:  Niagara Falls!





We donned these attractive blue ponchos to board the Maid of the Mist -- a boat that took us right through the spray of the falls.  The photos do not do this justice. It was breathtaking.

lovin my man's scruff!

as if that wasn't enough excitement -- the KOA at Niagara had a waterslide!

 

bit scary

all better!

nice koa!

Finally, we couldn't be this close to Buffalo, NY - home of the hot wing (this is how buffalo wings got their name) - without going to their birthplace... Anchor Bar.  This total dive bar north of the city is fantastic.  I highly recommend it!  Especially to wing lovers like our family.  Old motorcycles hang from the ceiling, photos and news articles line the walls, often there is live music (none tonight, so ains took the stage, of course, amid minimal applause and a few looks from the staff). 

verdict?  SUPERB!