Twists, turns and can't see straight!

This morning we left Lackawana Station, our beloved hotel in the middle of downtown Scranton. They always treat us well so it hard not to want to visit again and again...here are a couple of pics that really show how they left the building almost exactly as it was and "created" this open dining room and banquet area around it.

This first pic shows what used to be the exit to the train tracks complete with clock.....the area at the back is now used for larger banquets. You can see a peek of the stain glass that was original to the train station. Other pics and links in blog from 2011.

This next pic shows where the restaurant is located. This morning they had a group function so they used bamboo trees to separate the two areas...beautiful terrazzo floor with tile inlay...all original! You can see more of the stain glass as well as the beautiful fixtures which are also original!

 

 

Below is the front entrance, you just turn right to the ticket office which is now the front desk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed out after breakfast to Route 30 to re-run the roads around the Pepacton Reservoir from our 2011 trip as well. Route to get there was awesome! Lots of twists and turns but we had to be careful as this area was also hit hard with a lot of washouts from the rainstorms a month or more ago. Some of the roads have just been repaired. Route 30 was just as exciting as when we last visited but not at all what we remembered lol.

As we continued on past the reservoir we came upon the little community of Margeritaville. We were so excited that we had to pull over and take my picture...lol. All I can say is two things. We stopped in Margaretville for lunch and I had to pee REALLY bad! Lunch was fabulous with a real honest to goodness Italian salami sandwich on rye...mmmmmm with a salad. As we left town, we could see things much clearer.... (:

We headed out stopping for gas, meeting up with a couple of guys from Nashville Tennessee riding Victory Visions...Ken, an engineer was born and raised near Deals Gap. He said that in his younger days that road was not nice and pretty beat up. They described it as "THAT annoying road they had to go through to get anywhere". He and Victor were riding the roads until Ken's wife could join them in Manchester in a couple of days...really great guys!

We headed for Sarasota Springs for the night, ready to explore this quaint city however we were disappointed to find out that the track season just opened AND BonJovi playing tonight had taken up most of the rooms...Hilton graciously offered us a huge discount from $459 for the night to $299 with CAA...I think not...so we headed north and found a beautiful roadside motel at a much better and more reasonable rate....beautiful little property!

Tomorrow's forecast for rain so it could be New Hampshire or Maine depending on how that works out....TTFN

 

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On the Road Again?

Ok so let me start with...we didn't stop at Austin Dam (apparently off the road and not worth detour to see concrete slabs) and we missed Marie "Antoinetteville" altogether....more on those.

So we started the morning with a 7km run to make sure we are keeping up with our clinic...and friends. It was humid but certainly nothing like the last week. A great stretch, start packing, fire alarm, shower and we are "on the road again".

The plan today is Route 6 touted as being one of the 6 most scenic roads in North America by National Geographic...well if they say it is, then that is where we are headed. Lucky for us, Route 6 takes us to Scranton, PA which we are VERY familiar with (check out blog from 2011). Not to mention the Lackawana Station Hotel and Kildaire Pub across the street are a couple of our favorite spots...just sayin'.....

So what about the rest of the day......?

We took off, as I said after run and fire alarm, stopping for air (tires) and brunch at the Barrel House Tavern at Lantz Corner (Routes 770 and 6). Awesome breakfast of 3 egg omelet with peppers, onion, mushroom, ham and cheese as well as home made hash browns and rye bread for a mere $5.49...yup and it was delish!

The waitress and other customers at the "Barrel House" advised against the stop in Austin...we were ok with that! The stop at Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, however was a must. The 5 mile ride up to the lookout was to say the very least, the most beautiful piece of road I had ever ridden...much like the Blue Ridge Parkway but better. We finally reached the summit of the West Rim and the view was spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So for the other venus we did not stop at....check them out on line...stories are very interesting even if the sites do not have much there.

A stop in Scranton,PA gave us an evening at one of our fav hotels and pubs...strange that we would have a fav of either in a place like Scranton...there is not much else here. Kimdaire's however is awesome...

So with the bikes parked in the Rockstar lot, we bid you another good night....no decision yet on the next direction we take but thankfully the weather is not as hot and being totally co-operative....

Good-night and sleep tight...

 

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Adventures in the Enchanted Forest

We arrived yesterday from Watkins Glen with the thought of just riding through the Allegheny National Forest as we were heading east. After a full day of riding in the hottest most humid day yet, we didn't have any opportunity to explore at all.

After supper at Togis (16 oz T-bone with salad and sweet bar, and eggplant parm for $14.99 OMG I ate all my salad but couldn't finish the steak even with Larry's help) we came back to the hotel to decide on the next days direction...a call from the front desk changed those plans.

Another gentleman riding a Goldwing staying at the hotel asked if we could come down to chat about roads around here. He and the desk clerk told us about a train trestle bridge that is now a park where you can walk out on the tracks that are left. Most of the tracks were taken out by a tornado in 1993. Everything was left as is, and the remaining trestle upgraded and opened to walk out on - complete with glass floor...and yes I stepped on the glass floor! It was amazing to walk out on and even more amazing was the evidence of the power of Mother Nature. This is the Kinzua (pronounced Kinzu) Skywalk.

 

When you walked out onto this train track trestle you could see forever...it used to span this valley and was built in the late 1800's and took 120 men 97 days from start to finish. It was the tallest bridge in the US standing 24 feet higher than the Brooklyn Bridge in NY.

When you walk out to the end you can look down at the bottom of the gorge....way, way down!

And the tracks are still there as well. Not only the original ones but you will see a larger, wider set all the way up to the end of the trestle that remains today........and you can look down between them as well lol!

 

Then we were off to the Kinzua Dam. The dam is on the Allegheny Reservoir on the other side of the forest. There was not much to explore but we love dams dammit!

Tomorrow we leave Bradford, PA and are heading east on 6. We hear there is the Austin Dam (or what used to be the Austin Dam) to see as well as a castle built for Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution to aid her escape from France (need to confirm this piece of history) as well as a place that is called Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon....who knows....what I do know is that we got a great deal of rain early this morning and tonight which means we now have much better temperatures to travel .....thank you to whatever God made THAT possible (:

 

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A Single Journey...

Today began with a thousand steps...literally!

Up early this morning, we made appointments for oil changes for the bikes (and a new rear tire for me) at Lanes Yamaha. Located not even a full km from where we are staying. Since the appointment was at 2pm, we thought we would take off to Watkins Glen State Park to see the waterfalls which should leave us enough time....should.

After breakfast we headed downtown to the park and entered a tropical paradise in the middle of downtown WG which is not much bigger than Sussex.

Welcome to Watkins Glen State Park....

 

 

So now for the funny part of the journey....

We walked in halfway and then had to leave for the bike appointment. After the thunderstorm and the bikes were ready we went back and walked the whole way in and back (missed the last shuttle), so we walked 1.5 miles and approx 600 stair steps in 41 degree temp (not including humidity)....then we went back and walked 3 miles, 1372 stair steps in 30 degree temp (not including humidity). Can't begin to tell you how many pics lol.

Lane family at the Yamaha Shop were awesome. When we dropped off the bikes they gave us a ride up over the hill. We walked down to pick them up a couple of hours later....thunder was rolling all around us and I do mean all around...it was constant. No lighting though that we could see, which is very strange. We no sooner got to the shop when the skies opened up. We had a great chat until the rain stopped. Wonderful family business.

A wonderful supper at Jerlando's Italian Restaurant (real home made mozzarella) rounded out the day. Still planning on direction for tomorrow but looks like we are headed for the enchanted forest known as the Allegheny.

A couple of glasses of wine when we returned from supper and now it is off to bed...TTFN

 

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Best laid plans.......

Remember the two days of camping at Watkins Glen? Ya, not happening....temperature at 9:30 tonight was 93...and that doesn't even include the humidity....not putting together my "Easy Bake Oven" just to get my muffin cooked. Uh uh...instead we found a great little B and B or "Manor" with an outdoor pool and fabulous view of Seneca Lake. It is also close to Yamaha dealer so it looks like we may get the oil changed here..we'll know tomorrow.

It has been extremely hot...several stops for rest and water. Today we covered less miles but they were the hardest miles!

Had supper at the Wildflower downtown and then off to the laundromat. Clothes were starting to get a little ripe!

Off to bed. Promise pics for tomorrow!

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Day 5 - We're in ROME!

I know...sounds crazy huh...lol. Rome, New York is our stop for the day! Another hot one but great roads and even nicer small towns. Stopped in Old Forge which was a quaint little spot in the Adirondack Mountains! Visited the Old Forge Hardware store...only thing I couldn't find was the soup....(you know the saying..everything from soup to nuts!). This place had EVERYTHING! Dad would have loved this store and so would Mom! Another stop for some "real" iced coffee (just like their iced tea) and we were off again. Tomorrow it is Watkins Glen for some camping, hiking the falls and if time and place permit, a wine tour....woot woot!

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Unplanned Vacation Part Deux

Already on Day 4 and haven't posted anything yet.....well...here it goes!

Day 1: late getting away but we had Bangor or beyond in our sights and we made it. Long day 457 kms. Nothing of special note as it really wasn't a full vacation day but did see some familiar sites along the way.

Day 2: nice hot ride...rode up Mount Washington again, this time no fog at the top...and you could see all the way....DOWN!....ride down was not as nervy as the ride up lol. Arrived at the Black Swan B & B - 478 kms. B &B was really cool. Our room was in the carriage house...lots of dark wood, house had tons of stained glass! Beautiful property!

 

Day 3: started with a 6 km run (yes we are doing our best to stay on track!), followed by a much needed shower given that it was already almost 30 at 7:30 am! Went to the main house for breakfast...wow...blueberry French Toast casserole with cream cheese...delicious! Packed up and headed out to New Hampshire Speedway for the 301 Sprint Race..first time to a NASCAR Race but won't be last. Holy frig those guys motor! And loud...I think that's where LOUDen got their name. It was so much easier to get in and out than I thought it would be! Got back to B and B...enjoyed a few Coors and off to bed! Long hot day!

Day 4. Another great breakfast before we leave...my fav eggs bennie! We head out across the Green Mountains heading to New York State. First part of the ride was a little rough with the heat (33 while riding but 39 when stopped). Once we got on the 30/11 it was MUCH nicer. Roads were great and it was a cooler 30 in the shade...and yes you could really feel the difference! Stopped in Manchester for the night and had a great supper at the Perfect Wife Restaurant/Other Woman Tavern..owners definitely have a sense of humour lol....meal was fabulous, lots of vegetarian options so we stuck to that with a crab cake app...yummmmmmm. We walked up and back which was also nice except no sidewalks on the back roads lol.

 

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