Eastward Bound... To Rotterdam, New York

Today we retrace our drive from West to East on a beautiful, sunny day.

We follow signs to
the U.S.A.

Our last glimpse of the

 American & Canadian

 Falls.

Damn the window glare!

Eric wends our way into
the RV Lane.






After answering a few questions, Eric and I return to the U.S. in New York State.

We head east, across the bridge

that takes us over the

Niagara River.

The Marina is full
of boats....

This must be a very
popular stretch of
river.

Eric takes the left lane

East to Albany.

We will pay the toll on the
Thruway (I-90 East) to save
about three hours drive time
to Rotterdam.










I just wish that our windshield was clean for this drive.

I take pictures

of farms.

The Finger Lakes Wine
Region is a great
vacation area.






The Finger Lakes is a beautiful area with many, many wineries and at least one Meadery to explore.

Driving east through the

Mohawk Valley...

A shot of the Mohawk 
River.

68 miles to Albany

My guess is that it's

about 45 miles to the

Rotterdam Exit.

Military Vehicles driving west.

My hunch is that they are 

driving to Fort Drum,

near Watertown.

The remains of the

Beechnut Plant in

Canajoharie

Unfortunately, Beechnut refuses to pay for EPA ordered asbestos removal, leaving the site unusable for the foreseeable future.

Green plants are sprouting
in farmers' fields.

The Capital -  Saratoga

Region...

We are so close...

 I'm happy to catch this photo of a farm in Schoharie.

This is our exit....

Welcome to Rotterdam.

We are almost home.

We wave at a motorhome headed west on U.S. Route 7.

Jerry's street is just a few blocks away...

The 3rd International Rally Comes to an End... The Hitch Up Breakfast in Niagara Falls

The Third International Escapees Rally in Niagara Falls, Canada is coming to an end....





Sandy & Randy admire the

spread that includes Croissants, 

Bagels, Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit,

Hard Boiled Eggs, Coffee....

The Continental Breakfast is an informal affair that starts at 8:30 am and ends.... 

around 10:00 am.

Carol & John are among

the first wave of diners.

Helene & Sandy share their
upcoming travel plans.

Evie is in the background...

Carol, Laurelyn & Doug

enjoy their breakfast.

Evie, Gail & John pose for
their last photo at this
gathering.

The wind picks up...

Helene, Gerald, Dennis

& Shirley

Friday evening's Potluck Dinner included the Chapter 41's Mystery Bag Game.  Each of these items was in an individual bag.  Players can feel, stroke and caress each item to gather information for their guesses as to each bag's contents.  The items are revealed...

Walkie Talkie, Stud Finder, Wooden
Clothes Pin, Small Bell, Heart
Shaped Ornament, Sea Shell,
Brush from a Gun Cleaning Kit,
Squished Cookie Cutter, Bottle
Opener, Large Paper Clip, Paint
Can Opener, Fishing Weight,
Rifle Shell, Caster, Small Scoop,
Small Ladle, Red Bag Clip,
Oven Timer


Between Eric and me, we were unable to identify the non electric stud finder, second item on the left in the top row and the heart shaped ornament.   Eric added a lot of details to the description of each item, and we won a bottle of wine for our combined efforts.

After we finished our meal, Escapees hugged and wished each other safe travels...  It's time to hitch up and hit the road.

A Late Lunch at George's Greek Village in Saint Catharines, Canada

 John, Carol, Eric and I are in the mood for Greek Food...






... & we chose George's
Greek Village for lunch.

One of the dining rooms

The Bar

Some tables are adjacent

to the patio.

George's Patio overlooks
the Queenston Street
Drawbridge.

Our table overlooks

the draw bridge 

The Cedarglen moves past

George's Greek Village.

The Queen Elizabeth Way

is in the background.

The drawbridge is up.

There she goes...

The drawbridge closes.

The Cedarglen is on its

way to Lock 3.

Eric & I share Dolmades,
Stuffed Grape Leaves, served
warm, with Lemon Sauce.






This is the first time Eric and I have eaten warm Grape Leaves with Lemon Sauce.... Delicious!

Eric & I chose the Gyro

with Greek Salad.

We agreed that the spices used in the Gyro made it THE best Gyro we've ever eaten.

The Saint Catharines Museum at the Welland Canal in Ontario, Canada

Saint Catharines Museum

shares the Niagara Region's

history with visitors.

I admire the antique car
in the lobby.

This 1905 Oldsmobile
Touring Run About was
built here.

What's that?   It's a stone Imp.

This Imp is a replica of 

the Imp at the Lincoln

Cathedral in Lincolnshire,

England.

Imps are minor mythical creatures that crave the spotlight.  To get attention, they play practical jokes and perform small acts of magic.  Because they are small, Imps and their actions often go unnoticed. Visitors are encouraged to look for Imps as they tour the museum.

Lock 3 of the Welland Canal is the setting for the Saint Catharines Museum.  Its history is linked with the area's economic growth.  

William Hamilton Merritt,

businessman & politician

was the major force behind

the building of the Welland

Canal.

As a businessman, Merritt wanted to sell his products to more customers and knew that many others would see the benefit of the canal which would connect the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

Construction of the Welland

Canal was a major public

works project that increased

trade throughout the region.

A model of the John A. France.







Christened on August 26, 1960, the ship is 722.5 feet long and has one million feet of cargo space. That's a lot of ship, and cargo traversing the Great Lakes and the Welland Canal.

The Freedom Seekers

Exhibit depicts Canada's

history of slavery &

its Black citizens.

Heading North was not enough when fleeing slavery.  Escaped slaves needed to go to places where they could live freely, without fear of recapture and return to their owners.  Crossing into Canada guaranteed that escapees were not subject to American laws.  

Escaped slave, Harriet Tubman,

shepherded hundreds of runaways

on their journeys North

to Freedom.

During the Civil War Harriet served as a nurse in the Carolinas and Florida, tending the injured and ill.  She also served as a scout and spy for Colonel James Montgomery and the Second Carolina Volunteers.

After the war, she lived in Auburn, New York and supported the home she established for aged Negroes with  with royalties from her biography.

Frederick Douglass escaped

slavery in 1838 & became a

world renowned Abolitionist.

His oratory, biographies and work as a newspaper editor advanced the cause of freedom for enslaved Americans.  His books, speeches and newspapers made their way north to Canada.

Through the 1700s and 1800s numerous Negro Settlements were established in Ontario, Canada where they faced segregation and discrimination.  Saint Catherines was the setting for the Militia Day Riot in 1852.  Black troops were singled out for praise following a Drill Inspection.  White soldiers were offended.  Insults were hurled.  An angry crowd burned the Colored Village.  Residents were partially compensated for their losses by the government.

Also manufactured in Saint

Catharines....  this 1912

Rio Motor Car.

There's an Imp!

Will I see a mischievous

act, or a little magic?

I continue to tour the Saint Catharines Museum and patiently wait for mischief, magic....

Gideon Sunback's creation of the

Zipper manufacturing machine

led to the construction of the

Lightning Lightning Fastening

Plant in Saint Catharines in 1937.

Canadians fought, &

died in the trenches

during World War I.

Saint Catharines Museum
remembers the area's
servicemen  & women,
& remembers the fallen.










Canadians love sports....  Hockey, Curling and....

Lacrosse, an ancient First

Nations game, brings people

together in tough competition.

Women's Lacrosse is
highly competitive.







I turned a corner, and didn't find an Imp.  I was surprised and pleased to find a A Christmas Story movie display.  This film has become a holiday classic and is shown continuously on some TV stations in December.

Victoria School in Saint Catharines

was the location where Flick got

 his tongue stuck to the flagpole.

There are more exhibits to peruse while looking for Imps.  As for mischief and magic, it was a quiet day.