Road Trip

Yesterday's Destination

7:37

A bit of a change, as we have a combination of morning sleet and snow, enough so that the lawn is dotted with white.  It's 29º and we have a Winter Weather Advisory for icy roads.  What a contrast between this morning's gloom and yesterday's clear skies and sun rising.

Monday was a big day for us, one that turned out well.  We knew it might be the only sunny day of the week and we knew it would be cold.  So what to do?  We decided to drive to the Reinstein Woods, an hour and a half from here and walk the woods, something we had done in late October.  I sweetened up the excursion with the possibility of a stop at Ted's the famous hot dog drive-in, just a couple of miles from the Reinstein Woods.  That was enough for both of us so we said let's do it.

We left after 10:00 and did not arrive at the parking area until 11:30.  We knew it would be a good hike when we realized there were only eight or nine cars in the lot.  We knew it would be in the 20's but cold does not bother us as long as we dress appropriately, in various layers.  And as long as the wind is not a factor like it was a week ago when we went to Niagara Falls, we knew we would be comfortable.  We hiked the perimeter trail, about two and a half miles, through various landscapes, mostly leaf-strewn woods.  Our favorite section was the Beech Trail, highlighted by a dead but still standing beech tree, at least two hundred and fifty years old.  We met probably four or five hikers on our jaunt along with various small ponds, bogs, and woods.  The temperature was in the '20s, just the way we like it.  

About 1:00, we drove to Ted's and waited in line to order for at least ten minutes as others had the same idea, a lunch of hot dogs and onion rings. I ordered the foot long, with pickles, onions and Ted's hot sauce and Evie had a dog and onion rings.  Needless to say we were happy, sitting in a booth, safely distanced, enjoying our hot dogs, 

Grillin And Chillin

On the way home, we got off #Interstate 90 at Exit 58, Irving and Gowanda, to get cheap gas at the Seneca Reservation gas station.  We also stopped and browsed at Stagecoach West, a country-western store with an emphasis on gear for horses, from saddles to reins, to boots, to vests and chaps.  It's a fun place to browse although we rarely end up buying anything.

We arrived home by 4:00 and relaxed for a good hour.  I fell asleep reading and Evie watched some TV until dinner time.  For dinner, Evie took the leftover chicken, stir-fried some mushrooms and broccoli, added a Trader Joe's simmer sauce, made some rice and a salad, and we had dinner.  We watched the Grammys from the previous night, skipping through some of the speeches and vocals. Many of the artists and songs were unfamiliar to both of us, especially pop and rap perhaps because neither are our favorites. We ended the night with Jeopardy and a Hometown we had already seen.  

  

Day Tripping To Buffalo

7:24

Another dreary morning here at the lake, overcast, rainy, and chilly.  It's so unpleasant outside that I have no interest in a paddle, preferring to sit inside with my coffee, computer and radio, listening to the rain on the roof,

Because Sunday was forecast to be a sunny day, we planned a day trip to Buffalo, for two reasons, to hike the Reinstein Woods, in the Buffalo suburb of Depew, then shop at the Trader Joe's on Niagara Falls Blvd in Buffalo.  We were up and at 'em early, kayaking and blogging before 9:00, while Evie was gathering things for our trip and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  We decided to take the backroads to the Reinstein Woods, a mistake because we ended up adding at least a half-hour to our trip.  We picked up #62 in Randolph and took it and its branches up to Interstate 90, then to Reinstein.  We thought it might be crowded because it was a nice day and Sunday and were not wrong as the parking lot was practically full.  

"Dr. Victor Reinstein purchased the land in 1932 for a private nature sanctuary. By 1960, he had planted 30,000 trees and constructed 19 ponds, marshes, and swamps, and added a network of gravel roads. His estate donated the property to the NY Department of Environmental Conservation in 1984"

The Nature Preserve covers 292 acres, with numerous ponds and trails that interconnect.  We stayed mostly on the outer rim, a longer walk and less traffic.  We were surprised at the width of the trails, how well kept they were, and their signage, making it easy to find your way back to the parking area. It is supposedly a birders paradise but we did not see any. We walked for close to an hour and a half, stopping for lunch, a total of close to three miles. The Preserve was not overly impressive as most woods this time of the year look the same,  It would be spectacular, however,  in the autumn and fun to walk in winter snow just not on a weekend.

We then drove 20 minutes to Trader Joe's, waited in line outside for five minutes, as they are careful to keep the numbers inside at a safe distance.  We stocked up on nonnecessities although things we will enjoy, like chocolate, cheese, nuts, granola, and bacon.  We were out in 20 minutes, on our way home, arriving around 3:30, to a clear sky and blue lake making us wonder why we spent three hours or more in the car.  

Driving Home At 3:00

We were whooped from the drive, hiking and shopping, so I spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch, watching football and Evie joined me after putting away our goodies from Trader Joe's.  We were hungry because all we had eaten was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich so Evie starting cooking by 5:30, frying up potatoes, bacon, and eggs, a meal we were looking forward to all day.  Sometimes, breakfast even at dinner time is the best.  We watched the end of the Chiefs victory over Tampa Bay, then CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes before ending the night with a couple of more episodes of The Tunnel.  We were both in bed by 10:30, tired from our day.  

Moon Over Bemus Point