Fifty Shades of Green As the Algae Bloom Takes Over

6:20

We miss Evie!

Fleurs in Evie's Garde 

Woodlawn from Long Point 

It's too early, 6:16 and a cold 47 degrees outside, as I sit here with sweats and socks on for the first time in months.  The cool air is invigorating, I have to admit, as are the beautiful clear, comfortable days we have had recently at the lake, harbingers of the fall to come.

Yesterday, around 9:00,  I took a long kayak ride, off to Tom's Point, the across to Bemus, and then I paddled back along Lake Drive to the tip of Long Point and home to Woodlawn.  The lake, unfortunately, was green with algae my entire paddle, some areas worst then others.  It was not very desirable for swimmers, but I did see skiers out as well as wake boards.  And later in the morning, when I took a bike rode around Bemus and Long Point, there were lots of boats docked off of Long Point Bay, in their usual spot, to avoid the wind.  I really enjoyed my bike ride and I am pushing myself some, to see if I can get better at climbing hills, my Achilles heel so to speak.  It was a perfect day for a bike ride, lots of people riding on Lake Drive.

Most of the afternoon, I relaxed and read, since little of interest was on TV.  I do miss not having the Olympics to turn to if bored with what I was reading.  The lake got much busier in the afternoon, quite a contrast to the morning when I felt like the solitary boater on the lake.  It was almost too cool to sit out on the dock, but with a fleece, I was warm enough.

For dinner, the Mc Clure's picked up the Leonards, our next door neighbors and me, and we drove off to the Rod and Gun Club for the prime rib special.  Crowded as usual, we didn't get there till 7:00.  We sat in the lounge, had a pitcher of Labatts for $5.50 and were called to the dining room within twenty minutes.  We did not need menus as all four of us ordered the Queen's cut, with salad and potato for 11.95, the best bargain on the lake.  Everyone loved their meal, with only Joyce taking home a doggie bag.  It was a good night, lots of interesting conversation about the 'old Jamestown', though we missed our leader, Evie.  And no one gambled, as we realized when we left.  I wonder why?The dining room  thinned out quite a bit by 9:00 when the band began and we left after a couple of numbers.  It was a good way to end the day.

And the Fog Moves In

6:25

Up at 6:20 to a very cool morning, 50 degrees, some mist on the quiet lake.  I just realized there have been few fishing tournaments this summer, hardly a Saturday morning when I was awakened by bass boats roaring off to the sweet spot.  It's now 7:30 and the fog has come in, obscuring Long Point, the sun, though it's a clear morning.  It looks like a spectacular day, the kind we love, sunny and cool, perfect for a hike, ride, or just enjoying the outdoors.

Not much going on here at the lake, in fact, the only thing I remember about yesterday is kayaking early, then going to Ron and Linda's for dinner, grilled chicken and vegetables, and cutting the lawn.  Other than that, I just hung out in the house, reading some, roasting some eggplant for an eggplant and tomato pasta, and putting away the camping gear.  I am not sure why I am so apathetic, but I don't feel like doing much.  It's similar to the first couple of days of vacation, where you are antsy, and have not quite yet found your routine.  So I am slowly getting used to being alone and by the time I do, probably on Monday, Evie will return.  Not that I am complaining, it is just that it's more difficult as you get older to acclimate to change, even a simple one like being on your own for a week.

I am going to push myself today, to kayak, ride a bike, perhaps go on a tour of Jamestown with Ron and Linda if I don't go on a long hike.  And tonight, it's off to the Rod and Gun Club for a 'roast beef' dinner, living it up!

Steady Rain and Gray, Gray, Gray

6:20

It's 6:30 and I am back from my camping experience.  Because of the forecast of rain, I decided to leave Letchworth yesterday (Thursday) afternoon rather then spend the night and leave the next morning.  I arrived home in the early evening, after stopping briefly in the towns of Arcade and Ellicottville.   Right now, it's raining steadily, 66 degrees, as I sit on my front porch.  A bird's neck just passed by the shoreline, a heron looking for food, and a single boat is fishing off of Long Point, a serious angler.  I cannot remember when I last sat on the porch, early morning, to a nice steady rain.

Camper Setting Up Direct TV

My Pathetic campsite

Genesee River Gorge

Silver Lake outlet

Biking/Hiking/Cross country skiing trail

Yesterday, Thursday, I awoke at about 6:15, to sunlight on my tent walls, then the sound of crows.  I seem to be the only person up, at least around me I can see little action.  I went to bed around 10:00, tried to read but was too tired, so went to sleep.  It was not the most comfortable of nights, a not so soft mattress, no pillow (I forgot a pillow and a towel), so I tossed and turned much of the night till about 2:00, when I heard the lid come off my cooler, just outside the tent.  At first,  I thought it was some kids getting a beer but then realized it was probably a raccoon, who smelled the kielbasa and sure enough it was gone.  I then tried to go back to sleep but two guys, mostly drunk, were talking loud enough so I found it difficult to be get to sleep. 

I am sitting here drinking coffee, after I boiled water on my single burner camp stove; it works fine and in a bit, I ‘ll have a bagel with cream cheese, banana, then be on my way to my first hike or bike ride, not sure which.

By the way, the 14,000 acres of park began with a bequest from a Mr. William Letchworth of 1000 acres, land which included all three of the falls.  I cannot imagine owning the land surrounding three falls. 

It’s now 9:46 and I just returned from a bike ride, Hike #18. Kisil Point.  I was able to get on it just out side my camping site, by the 100’s, and rode my bike for perhaps the first mile, along a ridge, safe enough as you have plenty of room on each side, though it is a point, with a three or four hundred foot drop, on one side to the Genesee River, on the other to the Silver Lake Outlet.  After about a mile, there was a precipitous drop, of about 50 yards, so I left my bike and hiked the last half mile out to the point.  Once you navigated the drop, the path was level again.  At the tip, there was a rough path which might have gone all the way done to the river bed, but it looked dangerous, as if formed by a rivulet of water.  I went down about twenty yards and that was enough.  I hiked and rode back to the starting point but the trail continued on to the Main Road.  So I took it and it was fairly rough, lots of tree roots, in fact much of the trail was crisscrossed by the roots of trees.  I had to get off my bike in spots, walk it, especially some of the downward paths.  I made it finally back to the Main Road, rode back to the Camping Center, then another mile into my camp site. 

This trail would be excellent cross country skiing up to the point where I got off my bike.  And because of the trees, your views are obscured on both sides of the rivers.  It would be amazing in the late fall, early winter when all the leaves have fallen. 

After relaxing, I am off about 20 miles to the other side of the river, to hike Trail # 10, called Big Bend, just off of  Cabins E.

It’s now  1:40 and I am back from my drive and hikes.  I did drive to the south end, then into the park on the east side of the Gorge, following the road till it ended  at Cabins E.  I then hiked on what I thought was #10 Big Bend, but it ended up being a service road, I think, but it did allow me to get down to the floor of the Gorge and stick my hand in the water.  Just up a ways on the west side was Lee’s Landing where they had twenty kayaks and canoes.  I then went back to the original trail , mostly a road and stopped after about a mile as the bugs were beginning to get ferocious despite putting on repellent two or three times.   By this time, I had been hiking close to two hours anyways, and after my bike ride, I was getting tired. So I headed back towards the campground, stopping at Wolf’s Creek, where the gorge trail begins/ends starting back at the Upper Falls.  It’s about seven miles total and I had walked parts, not all of it yesterday, and did some more today, taking a lunch.

They are forecasting rain tonight and tomorrow, and since I have to leave my 11:00 and am pretty tired, I think I’ll pack up in awhile, head home, mostly to sleep in a nice comfortable bed.  If I stayed around, I might hike somewhere this evening but right now I don’t feel like it. 

First Morning at Letchworth State Park

Middle Falls

Upper Falls

Gorge and Genesee River

Four to Five Hundred Foot Drops

It’s just 6:00 in the evening, the sun is peaking though the pines as I sit in my beach chair, outside my tent, beer and kielbasa nearby.  I am in the Letchworth State Park, as I mentioned, close to two and a half hours from Woodlawn.  I got here about 1:30, taking my time,  going back roads, getting off of #86 at Randolph, up through Little Valley, Ellicottville, then # 242 to Arcade, where I took #39 almost to Castile, then to the park.  I was not sure where to enter, as they have three or four entrances.  I paid eight dollars to enter for the day but got it back when I signed to camp for two days.  The campground was about ten miles from the entrance.  It cost me 41 dollars for two nights and I  got to pick out my spot, among the pines and other campers, not far from the WC.  It’s a very pleasant place to camp, with a store as well, laundry facilities, so you could stay here for a while and be comfortable.  It took me about 35 minutes to set up the tent, get things in order and feel at home.

I then spent the next three hours driving around the park, getting my bearings, as it’s 17 miles long, the west side following the gorge created by the Genesee River.  At the south end, I walked for about an hour along the seven miles gorge path,  to both the Upper and Middle Falls, spectacular water falls, though you cannot get very close to them.  I checked on kayaking but no one could tell me much other than I would have to carry my kayak in and out unless I found someone else to paddle with, so I pretty much have given up the idea.  There’s no way I can carry my kayak out and up a hill to the car.  There were lots of people doing the same thing as me, driving to the various sights, not too many people hiking or riding bikes although within the campground, lots of people have bikes. The west side is the most crowded, with cars stopping at the various vantage points, taking pictures of the gorge, the river, and moving on.  

The Place to Stay, Glen Iris Inn

Glen Iris Inn Garden

I don’t much like this stopping in a car, taking a short hike, looking at the falls, taking a few pictures and moving on, though I guess I had to do it to get some idea of the topography.   Tomorrow, I am going to figure out a couple of hikes, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, where I will walk two or three mile loops each time.  I am going to try to get on the other side of the river, the east side, as it looks as though there are more hikes along that side.  This side is mostly along the rim of the gorge, with great views, but not a lot of hiking trails. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm with a chance of showers in the evening, just what I need on my first foray in the wild! It will be interesting to see how I sleep tonight, how early I get up, and what I will do if I get up at my usual time, 6:00.  Start hiking, read, or just go back to sleep? I am going off for a short bike ride, then out of the park to a bar/restaurant one of the workers mentioned is decent.

It’s now about 9:00 and I am sitting outside my tent, in the dark, listening to crickets and the conversations from neighboring tents.  I took a brief walk around our loop of campsites and lots of people have fires going, some in tents, some in big, comfortable RV’s, the good life I suppose.  I drove about eight miles, out through the north Mt. Morris gate and ate at a strange place.  It looked like an annex to a motel next door, and when I walked in, no one was in the place, not even the bar.  I sat down, ordered a beer, a chicken quesadilla, and by the time I left, the bar was full.  I picked a good place.  It’s now pitch black, Xmas lights only are visible on some trailers.  I did look more carefully at  the map and have some hikes planned for tomorrow, perhaps a bike ride as well.  Let’s see if I can read in my tent, or just enjoy the outside, sitting here, in the blackness of night. 

Early Rising Alas

6:13

I woke around 5:00 for some reason, could not get back to sleep, so I got up around 5:20 to a strangely darken house, no sun yet, and it reminds me of what's to come, the sun rising later and later, setting earlier and earlier as we move towards fall and winter.  It's warm enough, 62 degrees, overcast outside with fog, as the sky is now dark gray, and it is just after 6:00.

Yesterday was a disjointed day, dentist in the morning, taking Evie to the airport in the early afternoon, then shopping at Walden Galleria Mall in Buffalo later in the afternoon, before heading back to the lake.  Our drive to the airport was marked by heavy rain but by the time we arrived, it had cleared.  I went inside with Evie, saw her off, taking all of 15 minutes but they charged me four bucks (it used to be free if less than a half hour) to park.  The mall was a real trip since I have not been in one in so long. I was amazed at the amount of people on a Monday, no school yet, and the number of shops, restaurants, and variety of shops, many names I have never heard of.  It was also strange to not want anything, to not even be tempted, except at Dick's, where I picked up a few lures, found the Little Cleo, the killer lure according to a fisherman.  I also had an appointment at the Apple store with the Genius bar.  The store was also packed, with at least 26 apple helpers (I counted them), running around helping people, selling computers.  I waited about 20 minutes, as they were behind, then had about a 20  minute session with a genius.  He put my computer through a diagnostic, found nothing really wrong, cleaned it up a bit, then sent me on my way.  As we were working, an obnoxious, obviously wealthy and busy women, plopped down next to us, grabbed a couple of connectors, and sat there, drumming her fingers, waiting for us to finish.  I kept my cool, said nothing, but prolonged the session a bit with small talk.  It was a busy place, unusually so according to the sales people.  My one slip was buying a cup of french fries at Five Guys; I could not pass them up, sat there, ate the entire cup with ketchup, for dinner.  Light and healthy they are not.  

I got home around 7:30, ate some left over potato salad and hot dogs, and watched the beginning of Louie CK.a series about the life of a comedian on Netflix.  I think I could like it; he has my type of black humor.  

Today, I head off for two days to camp at Letchworth State Park,  the "Grand Canyon of the East," seventeen miles long, along the Genesee River, about 60 miles south of Buffalo, about two hours from here.  I have been preparing for this simple camping trip for days, thinking about what I need.  Even though I will be gone for only two days, I still have to take everything that I would need if I were gone for a month.  Beth and Rami lent me their camping gear, so  I have a tent and sleeping pad and bags.  I am going prepared, bringing my kayak (they have Level 1 kayaking), my bike, hiking boots,  and my fishing rod, ready for anything.  It is supposed to be sunny, highs in the low 80's, so I hope to spend a good amount of time on the water.  I have a small stove, but plan on doing little cooking, eating dinner out somewhere nearby, having peanut butter and honey for lunch, bagels for breakfast, simple things like that.  I have books, a good chair, and a reading light, so I am ready for two days without technology, no Internet, no telephone, no TV, no NPR.  How will I survive.  We camped in Europe every summer for seven years when we lived in Istanbul, so I have camped before but not since 1977.  The impetus for this was reading a book by a friend of mine from Istanbul, Tom Hanrahan, who wrote a Guide book about the public lands in Maine.  He talked eloquently about being alone in the woods, how it's the closest thing to God he can think of, so I am off to find him.  I do love hiking in the woods, want to see what it's like to be alone, sort of, with no technology, just me and the natural world.  There no doubt will be other campers, as I will be staying in a campground but still, I can be as isolated as I wish. 

See you in a couple of days.  

Sunny Morning on an Empty (of people) Lake

6:51

Up later than usual, 6:45, 59 degrees outside, with a forecast of rain, perhaps, along with some sun.  It was supposed to rain last night, now the rain has been pushed back a day or so it seems.

Today, I take Evie to the Buffalo airport, as she flies west to visit her sister, Laura, in Las Vegas for a week.  The weather there sounds, like every where, record setting warm, in the 100's almost every day, quite a change from the cool, fall like 70's we have been having here.

With the kids gone, it seems like I have nothing to write about and wonder how I have kept up this blog for almost two years without them.  So here it goes, about yesterday.  The major event of the day was a long boat ride, slow and easy, with a lunch, down the west side of the lake to Mayville, then back the east side from Dewittville to Maple Springs, to Woodlawn, about two hours on a wonderfully clear day, sky and lake blue, a nice breeze, so that you needed a fleece if we went any faster then a crawl.  We had heard that the north end of the lake was filled with weeds and once we got to Mayville, we had to turn around as they were on the surface practically out to the middle of the lake.  I wonder what people who live along Sea Lion Drive do about boating, as the weeds would make it hard to enjoy the water.

We then read on the dock the rest of the afternoon, or got things ready for today's trip for Evie.  We did not swim as the lake still seemed to have an algae bloom though it seemed to come and go in front of our dock.  We had sundowners on our front porch, then went inside for a dinner of chicken Parmesan, from Saturday night, and watched a couple more episodes of Political Animals, a new mini series on USA network that follows very closely the political lives of Hillary and Bill.  Sigourney Weaver plays Elaine Barrish, the ex philandering President's wife, who decides to run for President.   Sound familiar?  It's filled with cliches, the gay son, the philandering husband, the young female reporter, the wonks, not much new but we must have liked it well enough to keep watching it though I admit to falling asleep during last night's second episode.

Off to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, then some last minute shopping, then about 1:00, we head to the airport.  After I drop off Evie, I have a genius appointment at the Apple store at the mall to go over some quirks on my Air Mac.  I will probably stop at Dick's as well, and pick up some fishing gear, always the optimist that I will find that perfect lure, this time Little Cleo.  And tomorrow, I am going camping for a couple of days so I will find something, I am sure, that  I will need.  Perhaps a generator so I can watch TV, use my phone and Mac in my tent, a real camper.

Happy Birthday To Our Nine Year Old Granddaughter, Marisa Albarran