Nomad Life - Day 189

This morning, I was up at 0615 but was still tired.  Fortunately, I managed to get back to sleep until around 0800 (and felt much better, as a result).  After that, I got ready for my day before heading downstairs.  In the living room, I played with Gipper.  Meanwhile, everyone else was moving very slowly.  Since the previous evening, there had been a lot of "planning" for a brunch that seemed like it would never come.  To her credit, Kelly did ask a lot of people if they wanted to meet up with me - sadly, most people were busy.  With the free time, I worked on eBird and blog entries - later, I started watching episodes of "Murder She Wrote".  Along the way, John made me a "low carb" breakfast sandwich.  That was good because no one else was ready to depart until 1130.  By that point, the plan was to head to Del Rey (Alexandria) and meet Stephanie. We departed from Kelly and John's at 1215.  By then, it was already over 70s degrees and sunny.  We drove (via the HOV lanes on I-495) to Old Town and eventually found a place to park near Rustico, a pizza and sandwich shop that we've often visited over the years.  Stephanie was already there when we arrived (1230) and, once we got seated, I ordered an "Old Virginia" (Old Fashioned) and something called a "Pizzaiolo" (open faced sandwich with spicy Italian sausage, marinara sauce and two sunny side up eggs).  The food was good but also very spicy.  During this time, I also tried some of Stephanie's pepperoni pizza (also good).  As usual, our little group had a great conversation, with lots of news to share since our last gathering.  Meanwhile, it started getting very hot (low 80s!).  Another funny thing that happened was that John kept very entertained by the cars running red lights in the streets right next to our outdoor table.  At 1415, we wrapped up our visit and, after saying goodbye to Stephanie (about 15 minutes later), we drove back to Vienna.  It felt so very warm and I was still tired from my late bedtime - for this reason, I decided to take a nap when we arrived back to Kelly and John's.  This turned out to be a good idea because I was probably in my bed for about two hours (1530 to 1730).  When I woke up again, I got ready to go for a walk.  Before departing Kelly and John's, though, I packed my cross country skis in the car top carrier.  What a disappointing season on the trails this year - I almost never had any good snow opportunities and only logged 9.2 miles...  With the late hour (and remaining heat), I had to think about where I might want to walk.  Frankly, I wasn't in the mood to fight traffic in the DC Metro area... In the end, I left my car parked and just walked around in neighborhoods near Kelly and John's (started at 1820).  As I expanded out from their place, I realized I was actually within about 10 minutes (walking) from the Dunn Loring / Merrifield Metro Station.  There were a lot of interesting activities going on in nearby parks and at local eating/drinking establishments - the restaurants/stores near the Metro station all looked very good.  Surprisingly, I logged about 3.2 miles in the 80 degree temps.  When I reached Kelly and John's home again (1935), I joined them in a delicious (homemade) dinner of rice and Thai seasoned chicken (with green beans).  While eating at their dining room table, we had some more good conversation.  I told them about my upcoming plans and they told me about a trip they were planning.  We finished eating at 2030 and then sat down in their living room to watch a little TV (we saw a "Bible Movie" about Sarah and Hagar).  At 2145, even after my nap, it still felt like time for bed.  Bidding my friends "good evening", I went back to the guest room and did some reading.  I also caught up on emails (updated the Thanksgiving folks) and texts (lots of "thank you" messages from recent get togethers...  Bedtime was at 2300.  This could have been one of the laziest days I've had during my Nomad Life but it was definitely needed!

Nomad Life - Day 188

With a wide-open weekend day, I didn't figure on getting up early.  However, the hotel conditions weren't the best for sleeping and I was awake by 0615 (no alarm set).  Trying to make the most of the situation, I did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo before moving on to blogging and social media updates.  At 0800, I went to "breakfast" (hardly any food and no drinks but coffee) in the Lobby of the Econolodge (Clarks Summit).  I went back to my computer after that and didn't check out of my room until 1030.  By then, it was 38 F and overcast.  I wasn't in the mood to battle traffic on I-81 so decided to take the "scenic route" to the west.  Leaving Clarks Summit, I used Shady Lane Road to reach PA-307 and then followed Country Club Road, along with some unnamed side streets to PA-92.  Along the way, I crossed the Susquehanna River (at towns of Falls & West Falls at 1055) and then followed PA-92 to PA-292.  I passed through the town of Dallas at 1110 and then got on some gravel roads that continued west.  Next, I accessed PA-309 but it was only for minutes - after that, I followed more back roads.  Eventually, I found myself on PA-415 and then made it to the (more substantial and direct) PA-118.  I followed this road into Ricketts Glen State Park (1145) and then continued north on PA-487 so I could do some hiking in the center of the park.  I had to climb a big hill - I learned later that it was called Red Rock Mountain (2449 feet).  During this time, I snacked on some more baked goods that Eileen had packed for me - mmmmm...  At 1155, I reached the Visitor Center (located in Colley Township in Sullivan County) for the State Park - sadly, it was closed.  I spent time looking at paper and wooden sign maps until I figured out what the best trail for me was.  The park had Ice Climbing options!  After a short drive, I parked at the closest trailhead (lots of road closures) and got geared up for a walk in the woods.  From the car, I used the Lake Rose Trail to reach the Lake Rose Parking Lot (closed to cars).  Nearby, there were signs that the Falls Trail was closed (Mud Season?) - there was actual police tape crossing the entry to the trail.  I heard a local lady giving other hikers guidance that the falls were accessible via a different route.  Following this advice, I didn't try to hike on the Falls Trail and, instead, took the Bear Walk Trail.  I was the only person on that trail and I eventually discovered that it only tracked went east.  I wanted to go south, towards the water, so ended up bailing on trail and backtracking on the road for a while.  After a little while, I used a dirt road to return to the Bear Walk Trail.  When I reached the Lake Rose Parking Lot again, I saw a dad and his two sons bypassing the police tape for the Falls Trail.  Hoping to find the scenery I'd been seeking for over an hour, I followed them and soon encountered some pretty waterfalls.  There was no evidence of ice climbing opportunities with the warm temperature but I could imagine the appeal when the water was frozen...  After lingering for a little bit, I backtracked to my car.  By 1325, I'd finished a hike of about 3.7 miles and felt good about my detour through the "wilderness" of north central PA.  Returning to my drive towards Northern Virginia, I used PA-487 to return to PA-118 and then drove west.  I reached Hughesville (Lycoming County) by 1355.  By then, it was 46 F and the sun indicated warmer temperatures ahead.  Using PA-405, I headed to I-180.  This drive went well until Google Maps suggested that I exit on to PA-147.  Soon after that, I crossed the Susquehanna River again (West Branch).  Beyond that, I followed US-15 to US-11 and the town of Shamokin Dam.  I arrived there at 1435 and parked briefly at the Northumberland Boat Club Snyder County.  The river was covered with all kinds of seagulls and my temperature gauge read 49 F.  After my brief pause for birding, I got back on US-15 and followed it to the south.  Initially, there was a LOT of traffic and annoyingly long cycle lights.  Later, it got faster and I felt even better when I transitioned to US-22 (Google Maps' suggestion).  This decision caused me to cross the Susquehanna River for the third time during the day.  Just after that, I got off the four lane highway and took PA-443 into Harrisburg.  Alongside the (mostly one way) road, I noticed an interesting bike path (I figured out later that it was called the Capital Area Greenbelt).  Passing through the northwestern corner of Harrisburg (1530), I crossed the Susquehanna River for the fourth (and final) time.  Shortly after that, I noticed the temps had risen to 58 F and that the scenery looked very familiar.  Within minutes, I understood - I had rejoined US-15 and was following my "normal" route to the DMV...   My friend, Kelly, texted that she and her husband (John) weren't going to get home until almost 1900 so I immediately saw an opportunity to stop for Mass.  A quick web search revealed that I was only three miles from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Mechanicsburg - and they had a Mass scheduled for about 10 minutes later.  I headed over there immediately and joined the packed pews for the 1600 Mass.  The church seemed quite vibrant and had a giant Parish Hall attached to the main sanctuary.  When the service was over (1655), I drove back towards US-15 and, after getting stuck at the lights while driving through Dillsburg, decided to get some dinner at the Arby's there.  While eating my meal (1805 and beyond), I had some strong Deja Vu feelings about the many times I'd been in the area - all those trips to hike the Appalachian Trail in the northeast...  In fact, it was right in this parking lot when I realized my 1998 Ford Explorer had bought the farm.  Once I was done eating (1725), I continued on US-15.  Fortunately, the speeds picked up tremendously as I drove south.  I passed through Emmitsburg (MD) at 1750 and was soon transitioning to I-270.  There was a traffic jam just north of Rockville (due to a cop pulling over an expensive car).  Once I got beyond that, it was mostly smooth sailing to I-495.  There was the normal slow down at the Cabin John Bridge but I made it into Virginia by 1850 and arrived at Kelly & John’s (in Vienna) at 1900.  It seemed like a long time since I'd visited them at home but it was also very familiar.  I also got a bonus this time: Aidan (Kelly's son) arrived a bit later - it was good to see him (all "grown up") after so many years.  For a short time, we hung out in the living room.  Later, though, we walked a short distance to Open Road for drinks (arrived at 2000).  Kelly, John and Aidan bought dinner but I resisted the temptation.  Along the way, we met another one of their friends (another John) and everyone talked about their Trivia Team (they'd all been to a tournament earlier in the day).  Aidan and Kelly departed earlier but John and I stayed at the restaurant until about 2230.  After walking back to John & Kelly's, John and I took Gipper for a walk.  For the rest of the evening, we all visited (with some bourbon) - it was well after midnight before I even thought about bed...  I didn't' note the time but I think I finally settled down to sleep at 0100.  What a great weekend day!

Nomad Life - Day 187

Sadly, my visit with Eileen and Mika in New York's North Country was scheduled to come to an end today.  It's been a good visit, filled with outdoor adventures, fun times with the dog, great conversations and challenging cooking projects.  In anticipation of the proverbial "clock running out", I was awake at  0545 (no alarm needed).  I started teleworking immediately and then met up with Eileen in the living room at 0615.  We spent time together eating breakfast, working on puzzles and relaxing by the woodstove before she got heavily into packing, cleaning and getting ready for work.  Meanwhile, I returned to my computer to log some more hours.  In her usual whirlwind style, Eileen successfully made all her checkpoints and deadlines and we said goodbye at 0815.  The house was very quite after she and Mika were gone...  After that, I kept teleworking for the rest of the morning, taking only short breaks to get ready, clean up areas where I'd been living during the week and packing up my stuff.  Meanwhile, it started snowing outside (at about 1030) and didn't let up at all for several hours.  By the time I wrapped up my work day (1200), I had a little more time to do some "chores" (mostly firewood and kitchen cleanup) before I left Eileen's.  When I started loading the car (1215), temps were sitting at 29 F and it was still snowing heavily.  I had to spend another 10 minutes cleaning off the car before I could even get out of the driveway.  Carefully (and very slowly), I made my way through treacherous wintry conditions and increasing traffic towards the west (on US-11).  I let Eileen know that I'd be passing through Canton on the way and she suggested I stop by to say goodbye again.  With some effort, I made it to the SLU Campus at around 1255.  Eileen and Mika were just crossing a busy streety when I was parking and Mika (with Eileen's permission) raced across the quad to greet me.  That felt good...  The timing worked out good for both of us - she had decided to head home to grab her bags before departing for the airport in Plattsburgh (she was headed to Florida for her Spring Break).  For real this time, I got back on US-11 and drove west to Gouvemeur.  On the way, I passed several cars in ditches and generally snarled traffic.  It was a surprise to get some calls from Eileen during this window but we shared intel on the weather and other things that were happening - that was nice.  Google Maps surprised me again by taking me off the route I've been using since 2014 (US-11 to I-81).  This time, I ended up on CR-52, which took me to NY-22.  In a few places, I got annoyed with slow moving trucks and passed them when I could.  I passed the time with audiobooks. Along the way, I drove through the towns of Oxbow (1400) and Theresa.  After the latter location, I followed Mill Street and Main Street, which became NY-26.  This road took me to NY-411 and, finally, I-81 (1420).  Meanwhile, the snowy roads started to clear and the steady snow turned into rain.  I also watched the temps climb from 33 F in St. Lawrence County and rise to 41 F by Jefferson County.  On the Interstate, there were LOTS of cops.  Even though I didn't need more reasons to slow down, I soon found myself driving through areas of extremely low visibility.  Traffic still moved pretty well until I reached the northern end of Syracuse.  I noticed a (new?) bypass but Google Maps kept me on I-81 until I was stuck in a "20 minute delay" traffic jam (mostly due to construction) in Syracuse (1535).  I saw some opportunities to escape the "You are still on the fastest route" though - I ended up using city streets on the west side of the city until I could access I-690.  After that, it was smooth sailing on I-81 again.  I stopped in Binghamton for gas (Speedway) and lunch/dinner (McDonalds) at 1650 but then made a mistake on my food order.  I was honest with the staff (about how I was trying to observe Lent) and they fixed the problem for me (fish filet sandwich).  While waiting, I made a hotel reservation (actually found a pretty good deal for a reward night).  After all the excitement, I departed (1720) towards the south.  At around that time, I started thinking about how many times during the last two months that I'd returned to a place where I'd been earlier ("figure eights" or "loops").  Meanwhile, I continued south on I-81 and into Pennsylvania (crossed the border at 1740).  The weather turned nasty again and the 25 miles of road construction didn't make the drive any easier.  At times, I was being splashed by cars/trucks in front and on the sides and it made it very hard to see out of the window...  I passed the time with more audiobooks and some of Eileen's delicious homemade desserts (she'd packed me a container).  After battling traffic, the elements and growing fatigue, I arrived at my hotel, the Econolodge (Clarks Summit) by 1815.  Almost immediately, I recognized the building and location - I’ve definitely been here before.  Unfortunately, the quality seems to have dropped off and I had to contend with insects roaming the room, long hairs on my sheets, open construction areas (walls, floors), loud neighbor noise, etc. Since it was rainy outside and I wasn't in the mood to go back outside, I just sucked up the conditions.  Instead of getting annoyed, I spent the rest of the evening watching streaming services and trying to catch up on my blog entries (falling way behind).  I also logged back into my work computer to see if I'd missed anything important since logging off after a half day (used leave for the rest).  A bit later, it a nice treat to get some texts with Eileen (she had made her flight to Florida).  The rest of the evening was filled with reading and prep for the following day.  Finally went to bed at 2215 after covering a lot of driving distance - tomorrow should be more relaxed.  I hope the weather will be better...

Nomad Life - Day 186

This morning, I woke up (feeling very rested) at 0500.  With the extra time, I did some reading and worked on puzzles before starting my telework day.  Eileen had told me that she planned to leave for a women's workout group at 0600 but didn't actually get going until about 0545.  This allowed us about 15 minutes of visiting before she departed.  Like yesterday, I was planning to stay at her home all day.  Unlike the previous day, however, Mika didn't stay home.  Once the whirlwind of dog and human had left the house, I ate breakfast and then returned to work.  After about an hour, I left Eileen's house and drove north (on US-11) to the Subaru Dealership in Potsdam (Barstow Motors).  My intention was to try to get my 96K Maintenance completed during the lull before my drive towards Virginia.  When I arrived (0715), it was clear that the garage was very busy.  For the first time in all the stops I've made at Subaru Dealerships across the country in my Nomad Life travels, there appeared to be no way I'd be getting any service because they said they were booked for over a week in advance.  Fortunately, a manager looked through his schedule and told me he'd try to find a spot for my simple service (oil change and tire rotation).  Eventually, he was able to get me a 1515 appointment but I had already driven back to Eileen's to resume my work day.  Meetings kept me busy until lunch time and then I took the opportunity to go through a box of mail that Eileen had been keeping for me since the Summer time.  With almost six months of various magazines, letters and junk, it took more than an hour for me to sort through everything.  Along the way, I burned most of the sensitive materials but left the empty envelopes for Eileen to use as fire starter (she later decided to recycle the paper at work).  During this same window, I made lunch for myself.  By 1230, I had resumed my work day.  She'd mentioned that it was a possibility, but I was still surprised when Eileen suddenly arrived home at 1330.  For my part, I thought we might have a chance to take a walk or go somewhere fun.  This didn't end up being the case, though - she started making the mini avocado/lime dessert we'd talked about prior to my arrival.  This baking project involved a lot of delicate skills and it soon became clear that she'd be occupied for quite a while.  Sadly, it was hard to even talk to her because she needed to use a food processor and kept getting calls from friends and relatives.  I'd previously toyed with canceling my "pop up" car service, in the hopes that we'd have time to go hiking somewhere.  We discussed this, at length, but never made any decisions.  By about 1445, it was clear that we weren't going anywhere.  Instead, I departed for the Subaru Dealership (1500) and left Eileen to finish the baking.  I dropped off my car at 1515 and, while waiting for the maintenance technicians, walked around in the neighborhood behind the dealership.  Along the way, I located the local hospital and got a "snail's pace" view of Potsdam.  By 1550, I received a call from the service department that indicated my car was ready.  While I was returning to the dealership, I heard from Eileen - she informed me that she'd headed off to provide EMT support at a house fire.  She added that she didn't think she'd be too long...  During this time, I ended up reaching 8.5K of my step count (just over three miles) and had picked up my car (1600).  After returning to Eileen's house, I resumed my telework day.  Not surprisingly, Eileen did not come back quickly...  This allowed me to finish the rest of my hours for the day before she finally got home (1730).  Upon realizing that there wasn't enough time to make dinner with the food in the house, Eileen asked if we could make alternate arrangements.  By then, I was ready with a suggestion and she accepted the first offer - we ended up deciding to get takeout from the Royal India Grill in Potsdam.  I made a phone  order and Eileen continued making the "mini healthy key-lime pies".  We also did some laundry (she had been waiting for more clothes before she ran her own).  At 1815, we departed her house and drove into town to pick up the food.  While she was at Royal India, I went next door to Royal Liquors and got a bottle of cabernet sauvignon (1830).  While driving home, I thought we might stop at Lehman Park but we didn't for some reason (in the end, this meant that my 10K step goal was never reached).  At the house, Eileen wrapped up some of her household tasks and then we sat down to dinner.  The choice of menu items ended being very good - we enjoyed garlic naan, vegetable pakora, Tandoori Chicken Tikka and Lamb Korma (mild spices).  Everything (including the wine) was very good and it was nice to relax with Eileen for another good meal.  And I didn't have to sweat making it myself!  We were done eating at around 2000 and then spent time cleaning up the kitchen.  After that, we sat by the woodstove and had fun working on puzzles and talking.  Outside, it got dark and, as I expected, Eileen started to fall asleep.  As had happened the previous night, she only lasted until about 2100.  I thought we'd be calling it a night but she woke up and, with some kind of second wind, seemed happy to rest with me in the warm living room.  By 2200, we were both ready to retire but I did a little bit of reading and Duolingo before turning off the lights (2215).  Maybe today actually did turn out to be "normal" after all...

Nomad Life - Day 185

After yesterday's amazing day in Canada, it was hard to return to "normal."  My body seemed to be ready for a new day, though and I woke up at 0615 without an alarm.  For some reason, I smelled smoke and guessed that Eileen had woken up earlier to stoke the fire.  Before investigating, though, I sstarted teleworking and only later joined Eileen in the living room - she had, indeed, been working with the woodstove.  We talked for a little while and then both started to get ready for our day.  I resumed teleworking (with a short break for breakfast) and was online until 0730, when both Eileen and I drove our cars to Lehman Park so we could to take Mika for a walk.  Like yesterday, it was cold (low teens) but clear.  Despite the cold, we played frisbee, marveled at all the birds and got some exercise along the Raquette River.  Afterwards (0800), I took Mika back to Eileen's house and she went to work in Canton.  At Eileen's house, I spent the rest of the morning teleworking - with short breaks to play with Mika.  At lunch time, I started doing "chores" for Eileen.  She'd mentioned most of the items in passing, without "assigning" anything to me, but I wanted to help her out to thank her for hosting me this week.  First, I fixed a bathroom door that wouldn't stay in its track.  This required using some leftover nuts and washers from Eileen's garage but I eventually got the door working (mostly) normally.  Next, I rehung a bedroom door (Eileen had removed it so she could get a couch through) - that was much easier.  The following project was something I usually do when I'm visiting - I restocked the firewood near the woodstove.  Eileen's stock of wood has been mostly used due to the cold winter but there were still pockets of logs in various places along the eaves.  I played "Tetris" with the variously shaped logs and managed to fill up the storage area.  Finally, I (re)covered some of the legs of living room chairs with floor protectors (they'd come off and were lying on the floor in the living room). Especially during the firewood task, Mika distracted me with attempts to play with her.  I was not able to resist her charms and we had fun with a deflated soccer ball and some random sticks.  In the end, I skipped lunch (I did eat some snacks) and, feeling every accomplished, I returned to teleworking at 1300.  With my afternoon meetings completed (1415), I decided to take Mika for an excursion.  I'd hoped to walk with her at Irving Park in Potsdam but I could never find a parking spot nearby.  Instead, I drove back to Lehman Park and spent over 45 minutes there.  By then, the weather had gotten much nicer (high 20s, sunny, snow melting) and I had a good time playing frisbee with Mika.  I also kept her walking and guessing about our itinerary.  She turned this whole plan around, though, when she surprised me by going into the water - she was chasing Canadian Geese.  With this action, her Frisbee started floating away (she'd been carrying it)!  Somehow, I managed to snag it with a long stick (I was NOT going in the cold water) and then walked with it for a while, basically playing keep away.  This decision caused her to get interested in the frisbee again and we had a bit more fun.  When we got back in the car (1500), I didn't realize how wet she actually was and drove her all the way home without making sure she was dry.  It was only when we went into the house that I saw the drops of water everywhere.  Mika was very good, though, and let me put her into some towels.  She stayed in that position while I (finally) took a shower and got cleaned up from my busy day.  By 1530, I was in the kitchen, prepping the corned beef brisket we'd hoped to make the previous day.  It was no longer St. Patrick's Day but we both wanted to try the meet.  Since it took nearly three hours to prepare, I got the food started in a covered pot and then returned to teleworking.  I stayed online until Eileen returned home (1630).  By that point, I had some food and wine out sitting for her; this made her happy.  We chatted and snacked on nibbles for about 30 minutes.  Eileen was already itching to go for a walk after staying mostly still all day at work - she encouraged me to return to Lehman Park immediately.  I didn't object and we drove back there (1715) and spent about 30 minutes walking in the park, playing frisbee with Mika and walking on some of the sports fields connected with SUNY Potsdam.  By 1800, we had returned to Eileen's house and the the corned beef was nearby done with the cooking phase.  Eileen boiled some potatoes and prepared some salad.  Meanwhile, we continued drinking the wine while we set up for dinner.  Once it had rested the appropriate amount of time, the corned beef brisket turned out well - I was as surprised as anyone!  Eileen and I had another great conversation while we ate our dinner.  Afterwards, we cleaned up the kitchen and were going to settle down for another movie.  At that point, though, I received a call from Amanda and this distracted us from our conversation.  While I was talking, Eileen went into the living room and promptly fell asleep (2030).  Mika apparently didn't like that she was resting, especially when there were still some waking hours left - she woke Eileen up long enough for her to remember the movie.  Reluctantly (because I knew Eileen would never make it through), I put on "The Majestic".  Within about 30 minutes, though, Eileen had decided to retire to bed.  After that, I stayed up (with Mika) and watched most of the rest of the film.  At 2145, I was ready for bed myself - on the way out of the living room, I checked the fire.  Before calling it an evening, I did some reading and Duolingo.  Bed time was at 2215.  For the first time in many months, I felt like I was a home owner/renter - the "chores" made me feel like I had a stake in a piece of property.  It's not easy but there is some satisfaction in fixing things...

Nomad Life - Day 184

Today I took a rare day-off from my job so I could spend time with Eileen.  We'd made a plan the night before that we'd return to the site of a really nice hike I'd done in November 2024: Gatineau Park.  Anticipating this excursion, I woke up just before 0600 (with no alarm).  Outside, it had snowed and the wind was very strong - brrr!  Eileen headed upstairs to stoke the fire and I joined her a bit later.  Sitting by the woodstove, we read and did puzzles together for about an hour.  Suddenly, she got an emergency call from the EMS (car accident) and had to head out to assist (she took Mika).  Meanwhile, I worked on my blog and relaxed.  I also checked on their website to make sure that the park was dog friendly - I learned that there were some good trails for canines but the rest of the park (especially the groomed areas) were mostly off limits.  Eileen returned shortly after I got this intel and, even with the restrictions, thought the park sounded nice.  She mentioned that she thought it might be fun to stop for dinner at the Harpoon Restaurant in downtown Ottawa (we've made several unsuccessful attempts to eat there over the years).  An alternate plan for the evening meal would be to return home directly to prepare the corned beef I'd bought in order to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (Note: only later did we figure out that was a three hour cooking project...).  With our plan for the day mostly intact, I emptied the back seat of my car, clearing the clutter of my Nomad Life.  In place of these items, both Eileen and I packed up our day-trip items, including skis, snowshoes and micro-spikes.  Before departing St. Lawrence County, we stopped at Lehman Park so we could take Mika for a walk (0900).  It was bitterly cold (low teens) and very windy but we still made a full circuit of the trails.  Next (0920), we went to breakfast at the Airport Diner.  By this point, I was VERY hungry.  I got some breakfast tacos (very good) and wolfed down my meal.  Meanwhile, Eileen had ordered her "regular" breakfast and kept some leftovers.  Just before 1000, we departed Potsdam and drove towards Ogdensburg.  On the way, we stopped for (free) air for my tires in Canton (next to Price Chopper).  It was nice to get the TPMS light to extinguish...  By this point, it was clear and sunny but the freezing temps continued (low teens F).  As we made our way to the Canadian border, Eileen took a call from one of her kids and I took advantage of some low gas prices I'd found online (1100) - the Valero gas station on the outskirts of Ogdensburg was selling fuel for $0.30 cheaper than anything in Potsdam or Canton.  With these errands complete, we were ready to cross the St. Lawrence River.  Just before we headed over the bridge to Canada, the wind noticeably picked up and started spreading snow all over the roads.  This didn't bode well for a drive to the north but we continued anyway.  We paid a toll at the south side of the bridge and crossed over to Ontario.  It was VERY windy and there were serious whitecaps on the water below...  The border crossing went OK and, once we got one of our phones to show the correct routing, we headed north on ON-16 until we could get on ON-416 (four lane road).  During this time, it started getting overcast and light snow started falling.  Fortunately, the traffic was not bad.  Without saying anything, I made a note of several birds I saw (for later recording on eBird).  We soon reached the outskirts of Ottawa and switched to ON-73 (Prince of Wales Drive).  On the way through the city, we passed by the Rideau Canal (closed for the season) and through Chinatown neighborhood.  We ended up on side streets and, just when was telling Eileen that I thought the area looked familiar, we abruptly crossed the Ottawa River at the Portage Bridge.  Suddenly, we were in Gatineau (Quebec).  This was the exact area where I'd walked along the northern side of the river when I was here in November 2024.  I guess I hadn't been paying attention up until then but we were within a mile of the sandwich shop that Eileen had chosen after our earlier conversation about getting some food for a "picnic" in the Park.  I'd been happy with a local New York place called "JRecks" (apparently, a North Country "Subway") but Eileen begged me not to doom us to something so sub-standard (my pun intended).  The end result was that her suggestion won out and we soon rolled up to a non-descript building (I thought it was someone's home) that was actually a "deli" called La Petite Épicerie du Quartier.  We arrived there at about 1215 and, since it wasn't busy, ordered sandwiches (I got the #8, ham and turkey and Eileen got the #12, roast beef).  Both were made on special bread and ended up being quite big.  We also got chips, some baclava and a gift for Heidi (a box of dates).  Altogether, the bill was only $24 US - a very cheap lunch - and I complimented Eileen for her research.  By 1230, we'd wrapped up our order and I suggested we visit the nearby Jacques Cartier Park, not only so we could give Mika a walk but also so we could get views of Parliament Hill and some of the rest of the Ottawa Skyline.  This outing was not to be, though - just then, my personal "concierge" at Viking Cruises called and told me I'd been bumped from the waiting list for the "Wonders of India" Cruise to having a reserved spot!  The trip to India wouldn't take place until late 2027 but I had to act quickly or would likely miss the chance to go.  I've been on this waiting list for more than six months and the whole situation was very welcome news.  I ended up on the call for about 20 minutes - meanwhile, Eileen walked Mika in the cold and wind (along the Ottawa River).  She was back before I'd finished my call but I made sure to start driving north towards the location of the Gatineau Park Visitor Center.  We mostly used city streets because we were so close.  When we arrived (1330), the weather conditions (Jekyll & Hyde all day) had transitioned to bluebird skies.  We felt so lucky!  After putting on our micro-spikes, we went inside the Visitor Center and got maps and guidance for our walk through the woods.  Fortunately, one of the dog-friendly trail systems was located right next to the VC.  So, we started off on our walk through the forest.  By the time we got going, temps were in the mid teens but the wind had died down.  We used a little bridge to access the Sugarbush and started walking in a counterclockwise circle.  There was clearly some fresh snow on all the surfaces (including the sides of the trees) and Eileen called the images "Narnia-like" - I agreed!  There were plenty of birds in the wintry woods (more info for eBird) and we really had a nice time walking.  At one point, we tried to locate a nearby Lean-to/Shelter but couldn't find it without clear blazes or signs.  Instead, we completed a full loop around the trail system and even tried out a spur on the west side.  We were hungry by the end of the loop so returned to the car so we could eat our lunch (1430).  As expected, the food was delicious and very filling.  With the time ticking away, it was clear that we probably shouldn't try to eat in Ottawa - instead, we decided to head back to Potsdam to make dinner.  When Eileen pointed out the time required for the corned beef, she suggested a menu change (I agreed and said we could wait to decide when we got back to the USA).  Right about this point, I figured out that my micro-spikes had broken - they had a good run!  After finishing our lunch, we headed out for another few miles on the trail system; Part 2 of the visit included a completely different side of the trail system, which included road crossings, a waterfall and ice covered stairs.  We ended up on the southwest corner of the trail system when we finished and it required a road walk to reach our car.  Just then, I noticed a place called Cafe Biscotti, located right on Scott Street and just across from the Visitor Center - I suggested we stop for some coffee / hot chocolate and Eileen eagerly agreed.  Dogs weren't allowed inside but we sat on the porch and enjoyed our warming beverages.  After that, we returned to our car.  When we were finished (1520), I realized that we'd done five miles of walking since the early AM (included walk at Lehman Park) - that felt good!  After we were settled in my Subaru again, I plugged Eileen's address into my iPhone so we could return to the US and soon realized that it was going to take us via a completely different route.  Instead of heading through the middle of Ottawa, we headed south and west to the Champlain Bridge - when we crossed the Ottawa River there, we got do see some really pretty islands.  We also passed the Brittanie Conservation Area on our way to getting on ON-416.  Along the way, Eileen was very intently focused on Iditarod News and became very upset when she learned that a dog had died during the competition.  During this time, the traffic slowed us down significantly (rush hour?) but we finally got going.  The rest of the drive in Canada was mostly uneventful and our drive across the St. Lawrence River features much calmer wind and water surface,  We again crossed the border uneventfully.  By that time, Eileen was in full planning mode - she suggested we stop at a nearby Price Chopper (Ogdensburg) and we wandered around the store together until we were able to find all the food for our (revised) dinner plans.  At one point, I ended up in a funny conversation about steak at the meat counter: the Butcher suggested that I wasn't buying enough for myself ("she's going to eat all of it!").  I sheepishly replied that I usually cleaned up the table scraps so there was no need to have more to start the meal...  Eileen also picked up fun stuff (plantain chips, hummus for pretzel chips, etc.) for the rest of my visit.  We departed the grocery store at 1730 and drove back to Eileen's via the reverse route from the morning.  I thought Eileen would want to stop for another dog walk but she suggested we just get to cooking - this was a good idea because it was already 1815 by the time we started the oven.  Eileen got started with a salad and sliced up some Brussel sprouts for grilling.  Meanwhile, she told me to "cook the steak".  Yikes!  Actually, this is the third time this exact situation has happened but the mode of cooking has been different each time: once I grilled, once I used a toaster over and today I was supposed to use a cast iron skillet.  Fortunately, there were good instructions ("Rule of 3s") on the Internet and I managed to avoid destroying the good cut of meat (Ribeye).  Meanwhile, Eileen played ball with Mika in the yard...  When I was willing to take the risk of us eating the food I'd made, we sat down for dinner together.  Surprise - the steak was excellent!  Actually everything was wonderful and we washed it down with some wine/.  Along the way, we had another great conversation, reveling in the good aftereffects of our trip to Canada.  Afterwards, we cleaned up the kitchen and then Eileen suggested that I join her for some exercises in her "workout room."  She's getting ready for another long distance paddling trip and the mix of stretching, yoga and weights was really interesting and different for me.  Through most of the routine, I kept up with Eileen - but she is definitely more toned and limber...  Once we finished with the workout, we watched a horror movie (with a dog) called "Good Boy".  Fortunately, it was really more of a thriller and there wasn't any gratuitous violence or gore.  The film, which Eileen really enjoyed, ended just after 2200 and we relaxed for a bit longer, following the Iditarod updates.  Reluctantly, because the day had been so good, we called it a night at around 2230.  Before going to sleep, though, I caught up on reading - I turned out the lights at 2300.  What a great day in Canada!

Nomad Life - Day 183

Another work begins...  This morning, I was up at 0600 (before alarm) and did a little reading and puzzles before I started my telework day (0615).  I stayed online (with meetings) until noon with one break (for breakfast) in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Watertown / Fort Drum).  Sadly, I didn't find any redeeming qualities in the hotel before I checked out of my room (1200) - it ended up being one of the least friendly places where I've stayed during my entire Nomad Life.  Fortunately, I was headed to a place with the potential for the opposite experience!  As I packed my car, I marveled at the nice weather conditions: 65 F, partly sunny and windy.  On way out of town (Calcium, officially) on US-11, I made my first stop ever at the Main Gate of Fort Drum.  I've often thought about visiting the Post - and once even looked at jobs there.  For about 15 minutes, I explored the northern part of the base, encountering lots of evidence for 10th Mountain Division.  It looked like an interesting place to return to for more exploration but I didn't want to waste my whole day there.  On the way out of the main gate, I tried to get air for my tires but found the pump at the BX was inoperative - dang...  Next, I got back on US-11 and drove towards Potsdam.  Along the way, I passed several Amish Buggies and farm fields with Amish kids playing games in their bright colored shirts and straw hats.  To pass the time, I listened to a new Reacher audiobook.  During this drive, I found it amazing that there was absolutely no snow on the ground at all - Eileen had talked about us doing some cross country skiing while I was visiting but that looked like a bust...  I arrived in Canton by 1330 and stopped for a break at Canton Island Park, where I briefly did some walking and birding.  It was still warm and overcast but now there was a hint of rain in the air.  Continuing east, I thought about stopping a few times for walks and/or food but ended up driving all the way into Potsdam.  Hoping to pick up some items that Eileen had requested (she'd shared some ideas about our cooking during the week while visiting her), I stopped at the Aldi (located just across from the Walmart) on the western edge of town.  As I was walking the aisles in there, I realized it was my first time shopping at an Aldi store.  I must admit that the prices were good, although it appeared that the business model encouraged simple shopping (bulk purchases).  Still, I was successful in picking up some items that were on my list.  Before checking out (1400), I also picked up some snacks for my "lunch" - I ate them quickly as soon as I got to my car.  Next, I drove across the road to Walmart and redeemed about a dozen water bottles in their recycling center.  Hoping to use the resulting coupon for some groceries I needed, I proceeded inside and stocked up my Nomad Life "pantry".  I was done shopping at 1425 and headed towards Eileen's home; I arrived there at 1435.  For the next few hours, I teleworked and was able to close out lots of projects from my Installation trips to Pittsburgh and Buffalo.  Meanwhile, a steady rain began.  I was still working when Eileen called (on her way home from work) at 1645.  She explained that she only had about an hour to eat dinner and seemed disappointed that we had made no plans in advance for food.  Hoping to resolve the scenario, I suggested we meet at the Cactus Grill & Cantina and she agreed.  At 1650, I wrapped up my telework day,  got in my car and drove into Potsdam.  By then, it was raining pretty steadily and I worked hard to find a good parking spot right in front of the restaurant.  This extra time resulted in a situation where Eileen was parking at the exact time I got out of the car.  After warmly greeting each other, we went inside to have a speedy dinner.  In the end, we got some specialty tacos (chicken and steak), rice and beans).  As usual (for some reason), there was a bit of confusion during the ordering process but we eventually got what we wanted.  It was good to visit with Eileen after so many months on the road.  We'd last seen each other in late August 2025 and she doesn't often use social media - as a result, there were a LOT of stories to exchange.  We wrapped up our meal quickly and, when we finished eating (1730), we went back outside to find a raging downpour.  Through this nasty weather, we drove back to Eileen's house and I showed her the groceries I'd bought (along with some bourbon and whiskey I'd brought from Pittsburgh).  We briefly discussed cooking plans for the coming days and I also got a refresher on the maintenance of the wood stove.  Eileen then got ready to go to her EMT class and departed by 1755 without Mika taking with her - I had instructions to make sure that the dog got a good walk.  During this window, the rain had let up a little, fortunately.  With plans for the walk, I got changed.  Mika fallowed me throughout the house, getting very close while I was getting ready - it was clear she knew what was going to happen!  At 1805, I drove Mika down to Hannawa Falls so we could go walking on the Red Sandstone Trail.  Mika was very excited to go with me and behaved very well, as usual.  The Dam was really loud - there was LOT of water flowing over the spillway! We managed to get about a mile of walking (I reached 5K steps for the day) but ran into a roadblock of sorts at the power lines.  There was planking and wires from some kind of construction project.  Disappointed, we turned around and started walking back to the car.  I had a thought of just repeating the route a few times but then the rain resumed and didn't show signs of stopping.  Mika and I made it to the car without too much drenching and then drove back to Eileen's (arrived at 1845).  I spent the rest of the evening relaxing, reading, doing Duolingo exercises, playing with Mika and working on my blog.  I even watched movies after I'd set up Eileen's TV to show the screen of my tablet.  At 2145, Eileen arrived home and we visited for a while in her living room.  She had lots to tell me about her (Advanced) EMT training!  During this discussion, we cracked open one of the whiskey bottles and had an enjoyable discussion.  Some of it was focused on our plans for the following day because we both planned to take leave and have an outdoor adventure with Mika.  Before we knew it, the clock read 2315 and we decided to head to bed.  Before going to sleep, I read and checked on current events - my lights were out completely at 2330.  Very glad to be back in the North Country and with Eileen!

Nomad Life - Day 182

I had another weekend day of mostly cloudless weather in the forecast and was itching to make the most of it!  Due to the dryness in the hotel room (parched), I was wide awake at 0400.  I tried to go back to sleep because I wasn't ready to wake up and ended up sleeping until 0830!.  I had to hurry after that... At 0845, I went to "breakfast" (sparse choices) in the Lobby of the Days Inn (Liverpool/Syracuse).  Beyond that, I felt like there was barely enough time to get ready to leave in time for Mass at a nearby Catholic Church.  The good news was that there weren't many good distractions because the WiFi was still acting (couldn't do Duolingo exercises but managed to read and do puzzles).  When I checked out (1015), I learned that there had been some sort of disturbance near by room during the night (at 0230) - fortunately, I'd slept through that...  Outside, it was overcast and cold (32F).  I'd meant to drive down to the shore of Onondaga Lake but there wasn't time.  Instead, I drove east (on city streets) so I could go to 1030 Mass at St. Daniel’s Syracuse (village of Lyncourt).  There were several features of the service (Latin, kneeling for Eucharist, etc.) that seemed familiar from my many years at Sacred Heart Lebanon.  At 1130, I existed the church and did some map research to plan for my pursuit of North Country Trail miles in the area.  By 1145, I was ready to go - I used NY-298 to reach East Syracuse and then followed several residential streets until I arrived in Canastota (1215).  I stopped briefly to marvel at the Greystone Castle and saw signs for a nearby Boxing Hall of Fame (didn't visit that).  My first NCT stop of the day was at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery on the south end of town.  I found the trailhead there at 1220 and walked through the gravestones (0.1 miles) until I found the place where the trail headed west into the woods.  There was a sign there that said the trail was closed due to flooding so I didn't spent any more time nearby.  Instead, I returned to the center of Canastota (NY-5 and NY-13), following the light blue blazes of the NCT in my car for 1.2 miles, and found a parking lot for the Erie Canal Towpath (1235).  From there, I walked on the NCT for 2.2 miles - all the way to Court Street (on the eastern edge of town) and back.  Overall, this walk yielded 4.5 miles of outdoor activity for the day.  Sadly, the trail markings were very inadequate - I only saw only blue blaze on canal (Montana Bound direction) during the walk.  I was able to do a lot of birding during this part of my day; the highlight of the entire walk was the "Canada Goose Whispering" I did every time I encountered members of a HUGE flock that had perched on the edge of the towpath through the entire section.  Several of the birds were very brave and didn't move but others made a big production about being disturbed...  By 1405, I'd wrapped up my hike and decided to resume the driving portion of my NCT day.  Since a majority of the trail nearby was still following the Canal Towpath, I decided to drive towards Rome (using NY-13 and NY-5).  I stopped for lunch at Wendy’s in Oneida (1425) and ate in the restaurant.  During this time, I made hotel reservations.  When I was finished eating (1450), I got on NY-46 and followed that to NY-365A, which took me to NY-365.  Outside, the temps had risen to 43 F!  Before long, I found myself on NY-26 and had entered the outskirts of Rome.  For the first time during the day, I encountered snow and ice on the ground (although it was quickly melting).  It was also very windy. I followed city streets, past Fort Stanwix, until I reached Mohawk River Trail Parking on Chestnut Street (1525).  My NCT wasn't clear before I arrived but it soon became clear that the trail continued, parallel to the city roads, from that point until it turned north along NY-46.  Thus began a rather frustrating pursuit of the NCT from civilization and into the southwestern edge of Adirondack State Park.  From a paper map (PDF I downloaded before starting the drive), I thought I knew exactly where I needed to go.  So, I set up my car's odometer for the route that was depicted and started following it.  Long story short, I traveled 11.4 miles along highways, through Delta State Park and along Main Street (old state highway) before heading up Carmichael Hill Road.  I passed lots of deer and wild turkeys, climbed a huge hill and ended up getting stymied by camping trailers and standing water by the end of this route.  For reference, the starting point I used (1530) was at the corner of Wright Settlement Road on NY-46 (1530) - I ended up reaching a dead end at the top of Mezzler (or Mesler) Hill Road (1605).  This whole route was where the trail was indicated to be on the paper map but I never saw any blazes during the entire route.  I learned later (researching on an interactive NCT map) that the trail had (at some point) been rerouted to follow the Rome Airport fence line until it intersected Mezzler Road east of the dead end I found.  No matter - I'm going to count the miles I did and move on with my life...  Back to the present: from the dead end, I backtracked to Carmichael Hill Rd and used it to find Bloody Hill Road.  Unfortunately  that was an unplowed section of the (actual) NCT and I didn't dare try to drive through 8-10 inches of snow.  Instead, I continued east to Lewis Road.  Meanwhile, it got very sunny.  I eventually got on Steuben Road (CR-74) and used it to find Latteiman Road.  From that intersection, I drove west to try to intersect the NCT again.  Sadly, this route led to another (unplowed road) dead end.  I gave up by search for any NCT blue blazes at 1630.  Dang...  Hoping to reframe my search to something more achievable, I next drove to Boonville (via CR-74 & NY-12).  There was lots of snow on roads and the wind kept making things worse.  I was VERY careful...  After driving into Boonville itself (1645), I stopped to try to get air for my tires) at a gas station - unsuccessful.  Continuing my search for NCT blazes, I next took Woodgate Dr and Hayes Rd - along the way, I passed several places where I could see the Black River Canal Towpath (later learned that it was the actual NCT).  Before long, I reached Millers Woods Road and found a place where the Canal Towpath ended in the town of Forestport (1700).  From that point, I did another NCT Drive, this time for 8.4 miles in the direction of Vermont.  I started at eastern end of Black River Canal (Forestport) and actually saw some some blazes.  Next, I got on Woodhull Road and drove east.  The "main route" eventually became North Lake Road (CR-73) and, before long, I reached the town of Ohio (Herkimer County).  After that, I entered ADK and continued during until I reached the Stone Dam Trailhead (1725).  Sadly, the lot had not been plowed and the snow on the trail was noticeably deep.  With this "dead end", I wrapped up my NCT explorations for the day - not feeling  entirely successful...  However, I also learned that I'd done some NCT miles in January 2015 that I'd never known I completed.  Back then, I'd driven along NY-28 between the towns of McKeever and Thendara (9 miles) and then another section (on the same day) in the town of Inlet, between South Shore Drive and Limekiln Lake Road (0.8 miles).  I decided to take credit for those miles and add them to today's total.  From that point, i entered "get to the hotel" mode.  First, I backtracked to NY-28 (south) and used it to reach CR-75.  After a little bit of driving, I rejoined NY-12 (north).  I passed through Boonville again and then reached Port Leyden (Lewis County) by 1750.  Along the way, I listened to audiobooks.  Google Maps eventually put me on NY-26 and I used that road to get to NY-3.  As I approached Watertown, my map app took me on a series of side streets that followed fence line for Fort Drum until I was able to get on NY-342.  I arrived at my hotel, the Quality Inn Watertown / Fort Drum (located in Calcium near US-11) at 1850.  After checking into my hotel (least friendly desk clerk on the entire Nomad Life Adventure), I made dinner in my room and (with good Internet for once) worked on my Blog, eBird and (finally) some Duolingo.  Part5 of the evening was dedicated to making plans with Eileen (via text).  After that, I did some reading - I later started watching movies.  Bed time was at 2300.  What an amazing day of highs and lows, outdoor weather shifts and a sense of accomplishment that I might be able to complete a large portion of the (nearly) 5000 miles of the North Country Trail!  NCT Today = 22.6 miles (plus added 9.80 missed miles from 2015) / Grand Total NCT (corrected) = 165.6 miles

Nomad Life - Day 181

With a full weekend day ahead of me, I decided to explore as much of the Finger Lakes region as was possible in 24 hours.  This morning, I woke up at 0530 but then managed to doze for another hour.  After making the decision to wake up, I worked on Duolingo, puzzles and reading before moving on to Blog updates and planning for the coming day.  Meanwhile, there was ice and snow on the cars outside - it was also very windy.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Best Western (Palmyra).  There were lots of LDS "Docents" there, passing out literature, but they left me alone.  Back in my room, I updated my Nomad Life "fans" on social media.  There were still problems with the WiFi so I didn't stay at the hotel very long.  At 1010, I packed up my car and departed Palmyra.  As I'd seen from the window, the conditions were icy and windy (temps right at freezing), with flurries being added to the mix.  From my hotel, I drove south on NY-21 until Google Maps told me to turn east on NY-96.  Realizing I'd miss one of the nearby lakes, I turned around and got back on NY-21 again.  This decision allowed me to reach Canandaigua Lake by 1030.  After exploring the marina and taking a look at an interesting paddle wheel lake boat, I made my way to nearby Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park.  I found several interesting kinds of birds there but there wasn't much in the way of infrastructure.  Wanting to get more out of the day than just a lakeside view, I resumed my drive.  I first used US-20 (it's been interesting to encounter this road so often in my Nomad Life travels! and then got on County Road 5.  Along the way, I passed some hunters - they'd set up elaborate decoy systems to hunt ducks and geese.  Unlike my last encounter with hunters, I didn't see any birds get killed...  Before long, I was on NY-14A and had entered Yates County.  I reached the town of Penn Yan by 1120 and followed signs to Keuka Lake.  I'd hoped to reach the nearby State Park but it soon became obvious that it was going to be much more of a detour than I wanted.  Instead, I followed the edge of the lake on NY-54A until I reached Keuka Park (1130).  From there, I ended up backtracking to Penn Yan and parking at Indian Pines Park (1140), where I did some more birding.  Once I had my fill of Finger Lake #2 for my day, I drove back into the center of town and got on NY-54.  As I was approaching Seneca Lake (from the west), I noticed a sign for Spotted Duck Frozen Custard (1150).  Since it was going to open at 1200, I relaxed in the parking lot until I was able to order two scoops of goodness: Toffee Gingerbread & Seneca Salted Caramel.  After enjoying my "lunch", I continued east to NY-14 and then followed the shoreline of Seneca Lake to the north.  During this time, I passed by a LOT of wineries ("Seneca Wine Trail").  I didn't make any stops, though...  Instead, I reached Geneva (1225) and explored the waterfront there; I also made stops at the Finger Lakes Visitors Center (got tourism brochures) and Seneca Lake State Park.  Before long, I continued east on US-20.  At one point, I passed through the town of Waterloo, which touted itself to be the "Birthplace of Memorial Day".  My main target, however, was the town of Seneca Falls - I arrived there at 1300.  For the next two hours, I immersed myself in the "small town America" feel of the town, which was where the drive for Women's Suffrage began in 1848.  Seneca Falls later served as the inspiration for "Bedford Falls" (of movie fame).  I visited Women's Rights NHS (Visitor Center, Wesleyan Chapel, where the "Declaration of Sentiments" was signed, and the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Home).  Later, I warmed myself with the nostalgia and friendly faces of the "It's A Wonderful Life" Museum (lots of artifacts made by fans, signed by stars of the movie, donated because they looked like items in the movie).  Across the Canal (which I walked along on a paved pathway), I noticed there was a "Women's Hall of Fame".  During my visit, the temps were 39 F and the weather was overcast and windy.  At one point, I crossed a steel bridge that had "It's A Wonderful Life" signage ("George Bailey", "Bedford Falls", etc.) and then paid my respects to a local hero (and Italian immigrant who inspired Frank Capra) who sacrificed his life to save a woman trying to commit suicide.  Before departing the area, I visited one of the Canal Locks - I even was able (signs encouraged it) to walk across the river (dam and lock) there!  Finished with my visit at 1500, I drove towards the east.  Along the way, I passed a gas station with HUGE lines - with the Iran War ongoing, that didn't bode well for my nearly empty gas tank.  Setting aside that concern for a moment, I visited my next Finger Lake (#4): Cayuga Lake.  There was a State Park right where the road ended and I stopped there for some birding (1510).  There were a LOT of birds on the water!  Next, I backtracked to a Casino (Lakeside Entertainment) I'd passed and checked out the Seneca Nation gas station there - unlike the other location, there were no lines.  The price ($3.13) was MUCH cheaper than everywhere else but the 90 Octane Unleaded made me curious.  Oh well - I was able to figure out how to make the pumps work (and helped another lady who was having trouble) and had a full tank of gas by 1520.  Unfortunately, my TPMS was still acting up and there was no free air available at the station. Departing the are, I used NY-89 and US/20 to reach Montezuma NWR - from there, I took NY-326 to the town of Auburn.  My main reason for visiting this area was so I could explore sites connected with the Harriett Tubman NHP.  Using Google Maps (and brochures I found later), I located the Home for the Aged & Indigent Negroes site and, a short distance away, the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.  Noting that Ms. Tubman was buried in the nearby Fort Hill Cemetery, I figured out how to get inside and found another map.  With the latter aid, I located the Harriett Tubman Davis grave (1610); it was located in the northwest section of the cemetery under a large tree.  Her stone was marked with information that indicated she was a Veteran and the inscription said "Servant of God.  Well Done."  There were lots of flowers on her grave (it was located close to her brother's plot).  After getting in my car again, I drove to another part of the cemetery to visit the grave of Captain Myles Keough (Irishman and Catholic), who died with Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn; I didn't realize it at the time but I just missed seeing the burial plot of William Seward (of "Seward's Folly", Alaska Purchase fame), Secretary of State for Lincoln.  By 1620, I'd finished paying my respects to American Heroes and got back on the road.  This time, I used NY-38 and began looking for access points for Owasco Lake.  I was successful and then spent about 30 minutes (1630 to 1700) walking in Emerson Park (Auburn).  It was windy and cold but I found a lot more birds there.  With most of my daily step goal completed, I used residential roads to return to US-20 - this route took me to Skaneateles Lake (arrived at 1720).  I stopped at City Park and then tried to find a place to park.  The meters were initially disconcerting - but then I figured out that no one had been adding any money to them.  So, I left my car in a spot on the Main Street and started exploring Skaneateles.  Unlike the other towns I'd visited today, this place was on the "bougie" side of the spectrum.  There were so many restaurants to choose and there were a lot of high end shopping establishments.  My brain essentially "flipped a coin" when I stopped for dinner at Gilda's, which had a sign about pizza and small plates.  There was only one seat at the bar but it was enough room for me to order food - I got the "Sam's Favorite" pizza and washed it down with a "Cigar City Maduro" beer.  While in the restaurant, I made a reservation for hotel night near Syracuse.  Feeling full from by good meal, I departed Skaneateles at 1825 and took NY-321, NY-5 and NY-695 to reach I-690.  On the way, I passed by Onondaga Lake (Finger Lake #6 for the day) but didn't stop for photos.  After getting off the Interstate at Hiawatha Boulevard, I used Park Street, NY-137 and NY-148 to reach my hotel, the Days Inn (Liverpool/Syracuse), by 1900.  I was able to check quickly but was not impressed by the poor conditions of the room; also the WiFi was no good.  Generally, security seemed suspect so moved big chair in front of the door (the security locks and deadbolt were broken).  For the rest of the evening, I tried to ignore my "Spidey Sense" and watched movies until bedtime (2230).  Feeling very good about my Finger Lakes excursion today!

Buffalo Trip - Day 5

With my Installation Trip to Buffalo completed, it was almost time to resume my Nomad Life.  Today was a transitional day, with some telework to complete and some driving to do.  I was up at 0600 (before alarm) and started teleworking immediately.  At 0745, I took a break for breakfast in Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga). After my meal (0800), I went to the Fitness Center to workout.  First, I rode the stationary bike for 40 minutes (9 miles) and then I walked on the treadmill for 35 minutes (2 miles).  Returning to my room (1005), I changed into swim gear and then went to the pool, where I swam laps for 30 minutes (0.5 miles).  By 1040, I'd completed my active time and returned to my room to resume teleworking.  Fortunately, the hotel had graciously promised that I could stay until 1300 so I took advantage of that fact.  Meanwhile, outside, it started snowing and didn't let up.  By the time I realized how much had fallen, it was clear I'd be dealing with the weather all the way to my next hotel.  One good thing about the overall situation was that the rest of my work day involved driving (I'd been given hours to complete the travel for this trip).  This meant that I didn't have to stay inside (or even online) to complete my work week!  After packing up my car (1315), I departed the area near the Buffalo Niagara Airport and drove towards the northeast.  By this point, the temps were in the low 30s and it was still snowing.  This meant that the roads were messy; fortunately, they were also drivable.  After using some surface streets, I got on NY-5 and followed it (along with additional back roads to NY-77).  Since there were some birding areas along my route (Orleans County), I started exploring in the vicinity of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.  The roads in that area (including West Shelby Road) were not very good but I was able to find some interesting bird species in Shelby (Middleport Township) at around 1350.  After driving through lots of snow and across windswept farm fields, I reached Saltworks Road - from there, I drove carefully through the NWR until I reached NY-77 again (Genesee County).  Immediately after that, I encountered even more birds, including tundra swans and buffleheads (1400).  Next, I continued east and then got on NY-63, which I followed for quite a while.  Along the way, I passed through the town of Batavia (1420).  Right around that time, the snow turned into rain.  A bit later, the sun actually came out for a short time!  During this time, I kept thinking about what my friend, Dave S, had said about the many seasons of Western New York that one can experience in a single day...  Before long (1445), I passed into Wyoming County (Covington Township) and, about five minutes later, I found myself in Livingston County (York Township).  By this point, the precipitation turned to snow flurries again but there wasn't much accumulation on the ground.  At 1500, I reached the town of Geneseo but decided not to tarry long because I wasn't getting closer to my hotel. It was at this point that I realized I'd actually skipped lunch - oh well...  Next, I got on US-20A and drove to where I could access I-390.  After so many miles on back roads, it felt strange to be on the Interstate!  Google Maps wasn't in the mood to keep me there very long, however, and soon directed me on to US-20.  From there, I weaved my way on both sides of I-90 (flowing towards the Northeast).  One really good thing about this travel on back roads was that the precipitation completely stopped.  By the time I started following a highway with clear signage, I realized I was on NY-96 - I used it reach NY-21.  By 1610, I arrived at my hotel, a Best Western on the southern outskirts of Palmyra.  Fortunately, I was able to check in pretty quickly and I thought this would help me get online again quickly.  In the end, though, this was not possible - they had some kind of problem with their WiFi and I had to use my iPhone as a hot spot.  Even with this small obstacle, I still wrapped up my work week (with some email) and turned off my electronic devices.  During this window, I also made dinner for myself in the hotel room microwave - this has been a rare activity over the last several weeks...  While looking on the map for breweries nearby, I suddenly became aware that this town and, in fact, the immediate area near the hotel, were closely connected with the Church of Latter Day Saints - there were all kinds of landmarks, historic for the Mormons, within about 10 miles of Palmyra.  One of the places was called the "Sacred Grove" and was located less than a mile to the west; another site, the Joseph Smith Sr. Farm, was also nearby.  Since the weather had improved by then, I left the hotel and drove over there to explore.  When I arrived, I found it was already closed.  However, the parking lot was open and the grounds seemed to be accessible.  Hoping to avoid a return trip in the morning, I wandered around on the trails in the Sacred Grove. where Joseph Smith Jr. claimed to have had a vision that directed him to re-found the Church.  Stayed in this wooded area for a little while and read several interpretive signs about the events purported to have occurred in the late 1820s.  I also got to see Smith's boyhood log cabin.  The sites didn't have much in the way of security (gates or signs) so I felt pretty good about wandering nearby.  Having never thought about visiting this town, I found it interesting to have stumbled across another Mormon site - in addition to my recent visit to Salt Lake City, I'd previously been (with Nicky in the mid 1990s) to the Joseph Smith Birthplace in (Stafford) Vermont.  Next, I drove north to Palmyra, hoping to visit a place called the Drumlins Brewery.  When I arrived, I saw more LDS sites of interest and check them out before stopping for a beer.  First, though, I checked out part of the Erie Canal Heritage Trail, a Towpath which is also part of the Empire State Trail.  I walked for a short distance on it (the trail converted to road in order to cross the Canal at that point).  After moving my car closer to the downtown area, I wandered around near the Grandin Print Shop, where the Book of Mormon was first printed.  It wasn't open but I saw lots of LDS book stores and gift shops nearby.  Sadly, I also passed the Brewery and found it was closed (for renovations ?).  Since the time was approaching 1800, I thought about trying to find a Lenten Fish Fry at a Catholic Church - unfortunately, I didn't locate a Parish with such an event in the immediate vicinity.  Instead, I drove south on NY-21 until I reached a place called Hill Cumorah, where the LDS Church has built a golden statue to the Angel Moroni on the highest point for miles around.  Again, the buildings were closed but I hiked on the trails anyway.  With minimal effort, I reached the summit and got some good views of the surrounding countryside.  Along the way, there was lots of signage and historical context.  It was in this exact location where Joseph Smith Jr. claimed he was given golden plates (by the Angel Moroni) that revealed the text which was the basis for the Book of Mormon.  The whole concept and fervent belief of the LDS Church members was intriguing and I must admit that I'm glad that I visited this interesting part of the country.  I was done exploring at 1820 and returned to my hotel.  For the rest of the evening, I tried to work on my blog.  This was not easy, because the Internet still sucked.  I gave up on the blog and then tried to do some entries of eBird.  That was more successful (I was able to do basic text-related things.  Because I wanted to catch up on some new episodes on my streaming services, I used my iPhone as a "hotspot" again.  The shows were entertaining but then I turned my attention to Duolingo and reading.  Bed time was at 2245 and I quickly fell asleep.  It's been a great few weeks of traveling for work but I'm glad to have a break for a little while.  More exploring tomorrow!

Buffalo Trip - Day 4

With the on-site work completed yesterday, the trip turned into a work trip along the lines of my normal Nomad Life routine.  Still, I saw this as an opportunity to return to the Buffalo Niagara Airport if they requested it.  Meanwhile, the rest of our Team headed home...  For my part, though, I was up at 0600 (before alarm) and started teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I took a break for breakfast in Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga) and then went to workout in the Fitness Center.  Initially, I rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes (4.4 miles) and then worked out on treadmill (1 mile in less than 20 minutes).  For the first time during my stay, another guest showed up to workout too - that felt strange...  The pool was still closed so I went back in my room.  After that point (0945), I teleworked almost continuously until 1600, with only a short break for lunch in my room (made my own food).  Outside, it was overcast, windy and colder (mid 30s).  By the afternoon, light snow flurries began.  What a far cry from the 70 degree weather I'd just experienced over the weekend!  At 1630, I decided to leave my hotel to go find some more Buffalo Wings.  This time, I checked out another restaurant that had been recommended by the on-site reps at the Airport:  my hotel and drove about five miles so I could try the Buffalo Wings at a place recommended to me by someone who worked at the Buffalo Airport: Bar-Bill North.  I located this establishment in the town of Clarence at 1440 and, after sitting down at the high tables in the bar area, asked the bartender (lady) for advice about what I should order.  She suggested that I get the signature sandwich (small size), which was called "Beef on Weck" (the latter name comes from the seeds on the bun) and an order of 10 wings (half Cajun Honey and half Butter BBQ).  Even though it sounded like a lot of food, I took her advice.  When the food arrived, I realized this would be the first time I actually ate some bone-in wings during the trip.  They were much messier than the boneless variety but the experience was unforgettable.  I very much enjoyed the spices and the beer that I used to wash everything down, a House Lager (produced by the Ellicottville Brewing Company).  With the restaurant filling up while I ate, I patiently made my way through the delicious food until was stuffed (1750).  Afterwards, I drove back to my hotel (arrived at 1805) and spent some more time walking around outside and inside the hotel.  When I was finished, I stopped by the Front Desk and asked for a late checkout.  Back in my room, I worked some more on my blog (almost caught up!) and also made a hotel reservation for the following night.  It's time to head east...  During this whole time, I thought about going swimming (the pool finally reopened) but ultimately decided against it.  Instead, I finished up my 10K worth of steps and then watched movies for the rest of the night.  Bedtime was at 2215.  It's been a great week in Buffalo but I probably need to move on before my belly explodes due to too of their food!

Buffalo Trip - Day 3

For the first time during one of my Installation Trips, we were asked to perform the tasks during daylight hours!  Feeling like this was a rare opportunity to see how the process worked during the day time, I was eagerly awake at 0500 (before alarm).  For once, I held off on teleworking and spent time reading and working puzzles.  At 0645, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga).  When I finished my meal, I returned to my room and packed up for the day.  Outside, it was dark and rainy (temps in the 50s).  Like the day before, Jennings again came by to pick me up (0715) and we drove to the Buffalo Niagara Airport (arrived at 0730).  The rest of the Team arrived shortly after that and we were all cleared to begin working at 0800.  As I'd hoped, the day time work was much easier, with everyone clearly on their game.  It's wonderful what a full night of sleep will do for one's mental clarity...  We had no issues and the work progressed at what seemed to be lightning speed.  I skipped lunch again (just had some light snacks) because we were doing so well.  Things went well and I was very impressed with our Quality Assurance rep and Test Director.  Jennings kept everyone on track and the Team members did their best.  Overall,  I was very happy with what I saw and we returned the system to our customers by1515.  Even better: we don't have to come back tomorrow!  Jennings and I wrapped up a few more items with the on-site reps but, by 1530, we were ready to depart the Airport.  Everything seemed so textbook and perfect!  After Jennings dropped me off at my hotel (1545), I exchanged texts with my high school friend, Dave S.  He had told me he'd be available for dinner as soon as I was available and he was true to his word.  After I teleworked the remaining 30 minutes of my day (1615), I met him in the parking lot (by then, it had stopped raining).  This was probably the first time I'd seen Dave since college (early 1990s) but it seemed like we'd just gotten together the previous weekend.  Dave drove me a short distance to one of his favorite restaurants, the Pizza Plant - it was located in the town of Williamsville.  When we arrived (1630), the place looked rather deserted and Dave was afraid that it might be closed.  Fortunately, they were open and I had a chance to experience the excitement of their exhaustive (exhausting?) menu.  Wow - I didn't know I wanted so many choices!  After some effort, I managed to figure out what to order: a "Goombah Pod" (essentially a calzone version of a burrito).  The food was very good (and filling) but didn't come with any sides.  I remedied this by ordering a special chocolate cookie for the dessert.  To wash everything down, I tried a (local) Pod City beer (Anchors Away).  Meanwhile, Dave and I had a very good conversation - the first in decades.  It was amazing to learn so much about each other's lives - even though we've exchanged Christmas Cards for many years, there wasn't much detail in those.  I was sad to learn about the passing (almost 10 years ago) of his mother (Donna), who was a wonderful female influence in my life after my mom died.  Dave and I also recalled (happily) the good things we'd each brought to each other's lives when we were young.  Such good memories: running, basketball games until after dark, video games, movies, etc.  This was one of those reunions where you are glad to learn that a friend had done very well since you knew them.  The biggest surprise might have been that Dave was one of the cameramen for the Buffalo Sabres - I'd been watching his work during the previous evening!  Around us, the restaurant gradually filled up until it became loud and boisterous.  Fortunately, our walk down memory lane had already reached its peak...  At 1915, Dave took me back to my hotel.  We talked for a bit in the car before saying goodbye (1945).  Very glad I managed to reach Dave and get together!  After reaching my room again, I changed into my workout gear and headed to the Fitness Center (pool still closed).  I logged 20 minutes of biking (4.4 miles) and then walked on treadmill to reach 10K steps.  Once my workout was finished (2045), I worked on my blog, made eBird entries and read.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies.  In the end, I stayed up until about 2230 and then it was lights out for the night.  I went to sleep with good thoughts about the success of our Installation and happy feelings about seeing one of my oldest and best friends.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Buffalo Trip - Day 2

Today, I began another Installation Project, this time at the Buffalo Niagara Airport.  For several weeks, I've been thinking about my friend, Sean E., who passed away in 2020 but had taken this exact Installation Trip back when he worked for me (2014/2015 timeframe).  He is missed but not forgotten... 

The day didn't start the way I'd hoped - I was unexpectedly awake at 0500.  Fortunately, I managed to get back to sleep until 0630 (alarm needed).  Almost immediately, I started teleworking and I stayed online until about 0745 (1.3 hours towards my work day total).  I then went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga).  When my meal was complete, I got ready to depart from the hotel.  At 0830, Jennings (my colleague) picked me up and we drove together to the Airport.  It was a pretty decent day: partly sunny and temps in the 50s.  Beginning at 0845, we were joined by the other members of our Team and I liaised with the on-site representatives to get our equipment unloaded.  The next several hours were filled with inventorying, verifying serial numbers and prepping for our afternoon testing.  During this time, I got to know several new members of the larger Installation pool of resources and liked what I saw/heard.  I think we are going to have a good week!  Along the way, I skipped lunch because we were making good progress.  In fact, our Team did such a good job that we finished as early as I've yet seen (1415).  I waited for Jennings to get finished with his post-work items and then carpooled back to the hotel with him (arrived at 1430 (six more hours towards my work day). As I was headed to my room, I noticed that the pool was closed "until further notice" - I'm very glad I managed to get in some swimming last night...  I worked a bit more in my room (1445 to 1530) and closed out my work day with the last 0.7 hours - I also ate some snacks to help me reach dinnertime. With my work computer turned off, I worked on my blog afterwards and read a bit.  Outside, the weather turned rainy but stayed warm.  At 1630, I was ready to depart the hotel to search for some more local cuisine and beer.  I only had to drive a few miles before I located the Nickel City Brewz Tap Room.  It was located in the town of Depew and I found it to be a "laid back" bar, with corn hole games and probably about 40 beers to choose from.  I ordered a couple of new ones from the list (both very good) but soon got a treat: one of the other patrons had brought in some of his own craft beers  ("I cleaned out my beer fridge") and the bartender included me in the tasting.  What a surprise!  The selections were two new beers and they were both very good.  As we all tried the drinks, the bar developed even more ambiance - there was lots of camaraderie.  People soon realized I was not a local and started giving me recommendations for places I should eat and visit.  Meanwhile, there was a Buffalo Sabers replay (versus Tampa Bay) on the televisions (the bartender told me he'd been at the game and recapped the thrilling action).  I stayed at Nickel City Brewz until 1745 - by then, I was getting quite hungry.  Following the recommendation from a lady I'd met at the Airport office in the morning, I drove to a nearby franchise of the Duff's Famous Wings, which had been made famous by a 2010 visit by President Obama.  I arrived at about 1755 and, at the bar, ordered some of their medium mild (boneless) wings.  The kitchen was a bit slower than I'd hoped (by then, I was VERY hungry) but the food was worth the wait.  The taste was much better than what I'd tried at Anchor Bar the day before.  I'm very glad I followed the directions about ordering, though - "the Medium is spicy".  On the television, I noticed another Buffalo Sabers game - this time, they were playing live (versus the San Jose Sharks).  With the full "Buffalo Foodie Experience" in my grasp, I took my time eating and didn't get done until 1915.  At that point, I drove back to my (nearby) hotel.  It was still rainy and it was almost impossible to see the lines on the road.  When I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express, I walked around the building (inside and outside) to reach 5K steps for the day.  Once in my room (1945), I worked some more on my blog, did some Duolingo exercises and watched movies.  I finally went to bed at 2230.  A great day in Buffalo!

Buffalo Trip - Day 1

Today was the first day of a new Installation Trip - this time, I'll be working in Buffalo!  Through the overnight, I tossed and turned and didn't really feel like I was sleeping well.  There was some kind of smoke (vape) smell and a lot of train noises.  Despite this less-than-stellar sleep, I was awake for good at 0615 and began teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in Lobby of the Clarion Hotel (Dunkirk) - I was the only guest there and it seemed like the "Conference Center" had seen better days...  Back in my room, I had one long meeting and took care of other work documentation that occupied my time until about 1130.  After that, I packed up my car and got ready to depart Dunkirk.  Prior to leaving town, though, I decided to visit Point Gratiot, the location of the (seasonably closed) Dunkirk Lighthouse.  While driving west on NY-5, I was pleased to see that the weather was wonderful again: temps in mid 60s, sunny and breezy.  When I arrived at the grounds of the lighthouse, I walked around nearby and got some good photos of Lake Erie.  Nearby, I encountered signs for the Seaway Trail and War of 1812 Trail.  Since I had a lot more I wanted to do before sunset, I departed the area at 1150 and drove (via NY-5 and US-20) towards Buffalo.  Along the way, I crossed through the territory of the Seneca Nation.  Just beyond that, I got on NY-75 and used it to get back on NY-5.  During this time, traffic was light and I enjoyed more interesting views of the ice floating on Lake Erie.  By 1245, I had entered Downtown Buffalo and, five minutes later, was parked at the (free) lot for the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (in the Allentown District).  I took a tour of the World's Fair Exhibit when I first arrived but then had to wait until 1330 to start a formal tour of the residence.  When I paid for my ticket (to a Foundation that manages the property with the NPS) I got some good discounts.  Not surprisingly (since it was the middle of a work day), I was the only person on the tour.  My guide was excellent and I got some very good history context while playing with the interactive exhibits.  The site memorialized the impromptu (due to the assassination of President McKinley) Inauguration of the 26th President.  There were no photographs or recordings from the historical event but the staff of the site made due with some original and creative techniques.  Even though I could have stayed much longer, I decided to wrap up my visit at 1415.  With permission from the NHS staff, I left my car in the parking area for the NHS and walked a few blocks east so I could eat lunch at the Anchor Bar (home of the original Buffalo Wings).  This place had been widely recommended by anyone who knows Buffalo and I got a single order of (10) boneless wings with medium spice and an order of Pizza Logs.  The wings tasted much more like BBQ, rather than the Buffalo Sauce I'd expected - I guess I needed to do more research on sauce ordering.  I washed everything down with a pint of Anchor Bar IPA and enjoyed the ambiance of the bar.  Finished at 1510, I walked south (into the Downtown) in search of The Banshee Irish Pub, which had been recommended to me (earlier in my Nomad Life travels) when I was exploring The Bourbon Trail.  When I arrived, I asked the bartender about one of the owners/managers, a Coogan from Dublin, but I learned that he wasn't in town.  Dang...  Undeterred, I sat down at the bar (1530) and ordered a Banshee Irish Red Ale.  The Pub was apparently a big time rugby and soccer venue and there was plenty of sports on the TVs.  Around me, I saw lots of Coogan signs and other indications that the owners had a close connection with Dublin and Belfast.  When I was finished, I asked the bartender to pass along my greetings to Neil Coogan and he said he would.  Next, I walked back to my car at the NHS.  I passed through some pretty neighborhoods, statues of American Bison and lots of signs about Buffalo History.  Arriving at my car by 1630, I departed the city and drove towards the northeast so I could reach my hotel, the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga), at the Buffalo Niagara Airport.  I was successfully checked into my room by 1655 and I logged on to my work computer to do a bit more telework.  At 1800, wrapped my my day and joined a Knights of Columbus Monthly Council Meeting on Zoom.  When that ended (1845), I watched some movies and generally relaxed.  I finally got motivated enough to do some exercise and, at 2120, I went to the Fitness Center.  I rode on their stationary bike for 20 minutes (4.5 miles) and then, seeing that no one was in the pool (it was a much longer one than I've seen in most hotels), I hurried back to my room to change into my bathing suit.  This stroke of luck allowed me to get 15 minutes of swimming (0.25 miles) of laps.  Two French Canadians came by while I was there but, after we used some French and hand gestures, they didn't interrupt my laps.  I should note that the water was NOT clean and I wondered if I'd regret this little water excursion... Back in my room (2210), I did some reading before bed (2300).  Very glad my transit day was full of good weather, fortunate encounters, history lessons and good exercise.  I hope the rest of the week is just as good!

Nomad Life - Day 180

Overnight we had to do the annual "Spring Forward" time change - that didn't help me to stay on track for my sleep goals...  In the end, I woke up at (the new) 0730.  Even though time had literally ticked away, I still spent part of the morning with reading, Duolingo and puzzles.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Microtel (Beaver Falls).  For the rest of the morning, I worked on my blog and eBird entries and then checked out of my at 1210.  The conditions outside were good again (55 F, sunny) and I was excited to get another day of hiking.  First, I drove through Darlington and got on PA-168.  Like the previous two days, I was following a map (prepared by the Wampum Chapter of the NCT Association) that I'd found at one of the trailheads.  This helped me to locate a new trailhead in the Beaver Dam area (PA-168 at the crossing of I-76) - I was parked there at 1225.  From my car, I hiked back to the east (North Dakota Bound), following the North Fork of the Little Beaver Creek.  In this area, I was very impressed to cross 15 brand new bridges that had recently been built across every single tributary creek by the Wampum Chapter.  Another nice feature was a brand new Lean-To (shelter) that must have just been placed on the site.  Everything in this area of the NCT is so new and shiny!  Today's 2.5 mile section of NCT actually tracked all the way back to the Trailhead I'd found on Friday (Scott Wallace Road).  Most of the trail was dry but I found places where creek water had pooled.  There were plenty of birds and some deer in this section and I very much enjoyed the walk through more of the State Game Lands.  After backtracking, I was done with my hike at 1415 (5 miles).  What a afternoon on the trail!  Hoping to get some more miles of the NCT in my car, I left the trailhead and drove (via farm roads) to the northeast.  Before long, I reached I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway).  By that point, I was on Edwards Road and had reached the 2.5 mile mark on my odometer as the NCT headed out across a huge farm field nearby.  Looking at my map, I realized I'd be unable to access the NCT again for a while so I gave up and drove (via Darlington Road and PA-18) to the outskirts of the town of Wampum.  I found the trailhead (a bridge that crossed PA-18) and then followed the blue blazes (by car) into "downtown" Wampum.  At 1435, I arrived at a pretty little Trail Town area, with lots of signs and banners related to the NCT's passage through the area.  After admiring the work (yet again) of the Wampum Chapter of the NCT Association, I crossed the Beaver River (from the PA-18 Trailhead, I'd logged 0.5 miles of NCT in my car).  The NCT faded into the trees along the river for a short time but then reappeared near the boat launch on River Road - I followed it 0.3 more miles until it headed into the woods.  Like before, the map I was following showed a long distance of NCT in the forest so I decided to try to intercept it again in the near just to the west of McConnells Mill State Park.  The route to reach my target included some more driving on PA-168 and watching for blue blazes on other local roads.  Eventually, I found the NCT coming out of the woods at the intersection of Snake Run Road and Sankey Hill Road.  In my car, I followed the latter road to the east (Vermont Bound) until I reached Old Pittsburgh Road.  I passed through the town of Energy (they had a nice NCT sign at their local church) and got caught behind a farm tractor.  Eventually, I reached the western side of McConnells Mill State Park and completed my NCT drive at the Hell’s Hollow Trailhead by 1520 (4.6 miles of NCT driving).  I got out of my car and explored the busy trailhead but decided against another hike.  Instead, I drove on some back roads through the State Park.  This section was very hilly and there was also a lot of evidence of mining and blasting.  The houses nearby were also very pretty.  Before long, I got on US-422 and was soon able to locate Alpha Pass, which was in the northeast corner of McConnells Mill State Park (1540).  From there, I started following Johnson Road and, later, Burnside Road to reach the boundary of Moraine State Park.  Along the way, I crossed I-79.  At 1550, I reached the NCT Trailhead at West Park Road (2 more miles of NCT driven).  Feeling like it was fortuitous that I'd reached an easy northbound Interstate, I decided to suspend my NCT scramble for the day.  Before leaving the area, though, I drove across US-422 reach McDaniel's Launch (State Park boat ramp).  I wasn't actually looking for it but I found the NCT there (1555).  Feeling good about my day outdoors, I departed for New York State.  Using US-422, I made my way on to I-79.  With the wide open road in my windshield, I passed the time with some audiobooks.  At 1640, I stopped for a late lunch (or early dinner) at a Dairy Queen in the town of Meadville.  Not wanting to make a mess in my car, I ate in the restaurant.  During this break, I made reservations for lodging in the town of Dunkirk (on Lake Erie).  This activity caused me some fits (because I have to stay inside the GSA Per Diem Rates) but I managed to make a reservation on Booking.com (Choice Hotel site was much more expensive for some reason). Back on I-79, I drove north until I reached the suburbs of Erie and then changed to I-90.  At 1800, I crossed the border into New York and, a short time later, I got off the Interstate (avoiding the toll) at an exit that boasted access to the "Chautauqua Wine Trail".  It seems like this was another name for NY-5 because I passed through a LOT of wineries during the next 30 minutes. After passing through Westfield (1810), I saw signs for the town of Portland, where the cartoonist creator of the "Marmaduke” strip once lived.  I also passed by Lake Erie State Park, which gave me a jolt of Deja Vu (was I here in 1978 with my mom?).  By 1830, I'd reached my hotel, the Clarion Hotel Conference Center on Lake Erie in Dunkirk.  As I'd hoped, the place had a harbor front view - beyond the building, it was possible to see some amazing angles of the partially frozen Lake Erie.  There were LOTS of piles of ice.  After getting settled in my room, I went walking along the edge of the Dunkirk Harbor and did some birding (1905).  Once back inside the hotel (1930), I watched movies until bed time (2300).  Overall, today was a great day of outdoor time, State Park touring and change of State.  I'll be headed to Buffalo in the morning!  NCT Today = 12.5 miles / Grand Total NCT = 133.2 miles