Erie, PA to Cooperstown, NY

It was fun to stay in Erie, PA last night since we were just here in July. It actually felt familiar and we knew where to find a restaurant for dinner and where to find a motel. That was nice after spending all week looking for places to stay and places to eat and trying to figure out how to get around in unfamiliar towns.

Even though it rained last night, it was already warm when we left this morning and the day was hot. Where is that fall weather we were expecting? It's a good thing we brought along a few warm weather pieces of clothing. I haven't had to go below the top layer in my suitcase. It appears that fall will be arriving in New England later this week as the temperatures in Bar Harbor are supposed to drop into the high 50's and low 60's. At least then the long sleeved shirts will come out of hiding.

In the summer of 1969 Judi and her family traveled across the USA and one of the stops was Niagara Falls. Interestingly enough, the American side of the Falls was 'turned' off. They were actually doing repairs on the falling rock to keep the Falls from becoming a cascade. So, today when we went to Niagara Falls, it was new to both of us. Doug had never been and I had never seen the American Falls falling.

Niagara Falls is spectacular. The volume of water is incredible. Mist shrouds the bottom of the falls and drenches even those viewing from the top. Rainbows appear in the mist. The sound becomes part of the subconscious as it is a constant roar. All the senses are involved in being at Niagara Falls. The roar of the water, the wet mist on hair and skin, the views of constantly rushing water, the smell of wet rock and even the taste of mist on the tongue. It was an incredible experience.

There was no real destination once we left the Falls other than getting closer to Massachusetts where we are staying Wednesday night. When we first began to plan and dream of this trip, the Baseball Hall of Fame was on our list of things to do. Somewhere amongst all the planning, the idea of visiting here was lost. But when we examined the map and saw Cooperstown in the exact area we planned on stopping for the night, we were on the phone making reservations. Tomorrow morning we will visit the Hall of Fame before heading on to Sturbridge. After some of the places we have already been and the way things are commercialized, it was a pleasant surprise to drive into Cooperstown and find it a quaint village. We are looking forward to exploring the town and the Hall of Fame tomorrow.