Maiden in the Mist

257 Miles

Although chilly, today was a gorgeous day for riding.  We left our Hollywood Motel early and stopped for breakfast a short bit later.  As we usually breakfast in our motel, the breakfast 'out' was a small treat in what turns out to be a weeklong celebration of C-zuki's birthday. We continued along the Lake Erie coast through three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.  Rhododendrons love this particular area of the country as they grow large, are plentiful and have generous large colorful blossoms.

By the time we reached Niagara Falls we had warmed up quite a bit and shed some of our layers.  We kept our raingear with us in anticipation of the Maiden in the Mist voyage.  It did not disappoint us.  Wearing blue ponchos courtesy of the park, and looking like a boatful of blue smurfs, we cruised by the American falls, by Bridal Veil falls, and then close to the Horseshoe falls.  The mist is created from the pounding water falling to the pool below, and the spray was hard, as if it was raining. It was truly a wonderful sight to see.  There were numerous international visitors to the falls, and of course, Canada is just a quick walk across the Rainbow Bridge to the other side of the Niagara River.

We had a leisurely lunch in an older hotel, Red Coach Inn in the City of Niagara Falls, where we were waited on by a friendly young man from Romania and a young woman from Russia who were participating in an exchange program. It must be an interesting city to be working in but a very different 'American' experience from what a visitor would have in Nashville.

We then proceeded on our journey, making it just past Rochester.  It is an early stop for today and probably a longer haul for tomorrow as we dodge those prevalent NY state troopers and head for Massachusetts.