Niagara Falls - Vermillion Journey Day 3

Up promptly and breakfast of bacon, egg, sausage and pancakes with maple syrup and cream eaten we left the Jeep in the hotel car park and set off and were down by the falls before 10:00. Fantastic, still quiet and able to move around and get great views all over. We looked from the top of the falls taking in the daylight view of the American Falls from the top and last night’s viewpoints we were impressed. This was nothing.
We paid our $12 (£6) each for the most extraordinary ride. The lift took us the 200ft down from the viewing platform to where we boarded the Maid of the Mist. Still early so there was lots of room to move on the boat which set off close to the American Falls and then across into the middle of the maelstrom that is Horseshoe Falls. I cannot find words to describe the sensation of sitting steaming against the current in the heart of the spray and noise of the falls. Very difficult to get pictures as the camera is soaked the second it comes from under the blue poncho issued as we went on board. Best £6 I have ever spent. Everyone laughing , in awe, smiling.. having fun. “Awesome” is an appropriate word.
After the Maid, we walked up and over Goat Island to the top of the Horseshoe. The whole place is gorgeous (not a pun on gorges) and here looking down was a complete brilliant rainbow in the mist.
Words cannot describe the falls so I will move on, as we did. Mainly back on the toll road (I90) though we left for a while near Erie just to go through old country near the lake rather than spend all our time on a motorway.
We stopped for the evening just off Highway 2 and the beautiful little lakeside town of Vermilion. It is like a little Venice in that the waterways weave through out and we sat for a while with a Subway watching the boats go by. The little beach just down the road was a spot to watch the setting sun over Lake Erie before returning to the Holiday Inn Express to catch up on blogging ;o).

Statistics: Miles today: 266 miles; Miles so far: 830; Fuel added so far: 33 gals; States: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio; Time Zone: Eastern (UK-5)

Ludlow to Niagara Falls Journey Day 2

Now a day behind we needed to get some miles under our belts today so after breakfast at the Comfort Inn we hit the road. Ludlow was full of light coloured washboard houses but we didn’t stop to photograph as we knew we must get on.
Through to Albany, the traffic density on the I90 Toll is still familiar to the UK, something like the M6 between Manchester and Birmingham but at a quieter time. We were thrown by the tolls in Massachusetts (MA) because they don’t follow the ticket but at 25c then 80c for large distances we weren’t bothered. We make good time, now getting used to the 65mph cruise control for everyone.
The land on this section is rolling hills covered in deciduous forest. I am tempted to say it’s all very European but it could be that I am learning that much is the same all over the planet earth.
Once across state lines into New York State (NY), the tolls start to make sense and we eventually paid $8 for a couple of hundred miles as we left at Rochester to take the coast road along Lake Ontario.
Dinner had been at Burger King at services on the motorway and we had chosen salads with chicken as we feel permanently full with just sitting in the Jeep. They were massive and now we’re stuffed again.
NW of Rochester the Parkway was evidently built to be a coastal link around to the falls but was never finished. We followed a lovely sweeping carriageway with little traffic through fertile land to Hamlin State Park were we pulled off into the park (like a UK National Trust site) and parked next to Lake Ontario. This whole area obviously gets a lot of rain as everywhere so far has acres of lush green grass and here it sweeps down to the shore of the lake which disappears to the horizon like a sea. It is odd as it feels that the air should be salty but this is fresh water. The sun is beginning to lower and we have a pleasant amble along the shore before returning to the Jeep. On the way out we see two beavers by the bushes but both were too quick for the camera to come out.
Heading west again we past fields of fruit and maize, the area is clearly run down, probably due to the I90 further south taking all traffic but it is gorgeous. People lazily lounging on the steps of the houses. In one field, a farmer is turning his hay with and ancient piece of machinery drawn by two horses.
Olcott, a pleasant little seaside town was the signal to turn south along the largely decrepit other end of the Parkway to Niagara where we arrived about 8:30. As we were now very tired (more that 400 miles today) we decided to suffer the cost and try to get a room in Niagara itself and after a few attempts got a room at Days Inn ($180 not inc breakfast) which was close enough for us to walk to the falls. We dropped bags and headed down to the falls which are lit up at night. We were surprised to find access to view point free at night and enjoyed watching the falls cycle through varied colours with the bright lights of Toronto over on the Canadian side. At 10:00 pm fireworks burst over the river from the Canadian side after which we drifted back happily to the room.
This timing of arrival was pure chance but a delight. Though we did miss anywhere to buy food by the time we headed back so ended up finishing the remains of that pizza!

Statistics: Miles today: 413 miles; Miles so far: 564; Fuel added so far: 18 gals; States: Massachusetts, New York; Time Zone: Eastern (UK-5)

Boston-Ludlow Journey Day 1

Loaded up with sunscreen and took a 10 minute ride on the “T” subway into Boston and followed much of the Freedom Trail walking tour. A gorgeous hot bright day which enhanced the feel of the centre which has a great variation of architecture from high sky reflecting glass towers to low brick colonial buildings. It clearly rains a lot as extensive grassed areas are all lush and green. We weren’t captivated by the history particularly but it was a great way to get a feeling of Boston which is a beautiful city.
The Quincy Market hall is rightly famed for its selection of takeaway foods and a teriyaki chicken with rice and vegetables made an most enjoyable dinner sat people watching under the shade of a tree. We didn’t bother going north of the river to the mound. We had already diverted from the trail so many times, partly due to poor signage but largely due not paying attention and spurring off to look up another road. We headed down to the original Cheers exterior before leaving; we felt we had to after so many Friday evenings watching it in our early married years. Across the parks and back to the T, we soon got back to the hotel and the Jeep.
To start our coast to coast journey it was essential to go to the coast and we departed from our original intent of going north after seeing the state of Boston daytime traffic and headed down toward Plymouth Rock (Mayflower, Pilgrim Fathers and all that). Still sussing out the Tom-Tom (Now named Mabel incidentally), we took forever to get out of the southern reaches of Boston and began to realise how slow progress across this huge country, nee continent, could be.
Close to Plymouth, we saw a sign for Grays Beach and headed down to a delightful little spot where we could walk down to the sea. Low tide and a little muddy but we paddled in the Atlantic before heading off. So far, every American we have dealt with has be genuinely lovely and friendly (other than the cop) and we had a Dave Gorman moment as a 72 year old sitting in a car with an ice pack on her shoulder as us where we were from. She was delighted it was England but as we were not from London said that in that case she would not ask us to say “North and South”. She asked us our names and introduced herself as Elizabeth, actually Canadian but had lived in MA for 25 years and now suffered from everything ending in “itus” but was pleased to be able to walk as cancer should have killed her by now. She was great!
Headed north, now realising Mabel had to be told fastest route if we wanted to get onto Interstates and headed up and onto the I90 Toll road to get some miles in. Cruise control at 65mph is the order of the day. Getting late so pulled off at exit 7 having seen a sign for Comfort Inns and got the last room in the place, which is a suite with 4 rooms, King size bed, Jacuzzi and full kitchen for 70GBP – it was worth it. Take-away pizza from down the road in front of the TV.

Statistics: Miles today: 151 miles; Miles so far: 151; Fuel added so far: nil gals; States: Massachusetts ; Time Zone: Eastern (UK-5)

Travel Day

Flights out with BA from Manchester via London Heathrow excellent. Good food and timed well. Landed at Boston on time and out of US immigration and Customs within an hour. Straight onto Alamo car rental bus and no queues.

Now 3:00 a.m. body clock, let myself get upgraded during a conversation about 2nd drivers and now have a huge gold Jeep Cherokee. Bit concerned whether it's actually right for us and it's going to drink gas but hell, it's supposed to be an adventure.

Fun and games finding the hotel. Tom-Tom took us an elongated route which involved many long under passes so no GPS signal and I think a few turns were missed as a result. Announced we were at our destination with no sign of Holiday Inn Express. Went around block twice; reprogrammed address - same again. Finally headed over to a Retail Park to get self together in car park and could see hotel. Asked a cop sitting in his car how to get over there (reasonable question - chaotic interweaving roads) and he looked at us as if daft. "You can see it - there." Anyway, 10 mins later we were in and all OK.

Morning TV cultural gem: Schools nominated on Best Party School and Most Sober School

The Final Count Down

After 3 weeks of studying Google Maps, a Rand McNally Atlas, reading blogs and travel books and interrogating people, we are close to a go. Tickets and 1st accomodation booked and outline route decided.

Tasks: Set up blog ; tell people about it ; maintain it...mm? oh well we'll give it a go.