Finger Lakes: Part 2 (Gorgeous gorges)

After lunch, we cruised down Rt 45A to Watkins Glen State Park. From the pictures I've seen, I wouldn't have guessed that it was so touristy - the parking lot was packed (and the parking system was as sophisticated as a downtown garage or amusement park), there was a huge gift shop, and shutterbugs with their fancy gear were abound. We got a map, surveyed the vastness of the park, and planned our route.

I read somewhere that there were 832 or some stone steps to climb to get to the top of the gorge trail. We did a few dozen, then skipped right on to hiking up the steep foresty trail. It was about 500 feet to the top, and we took about an hour or so. I was panting like a dog and thought I was going to die from breathlessness. Nothing like that to make me acutely aware of how out of shape I am. E was my intrepid leader and cheered me on like a personal trainer. (At one point, he joked about waving a flag around and calling, "Chan Brothers! This way!" Lol.) The greenery was so lush and vivid, it was surreal. The tall trees were enchanting, and the gorges and glens were fascinating. Nature is a wonder.

  
  





I entrusted E entirely with the map, and he did good. He deciphered the map expertly, which wasn't easy because of the stringy mess of trails that overlapped and criss-crossed one another. Hubby led us over bridges, up and down steps, along stone corridors, under waterfalls, through the woods... Quite an adventure. We took a whole bunch of pictures and learned a few tricks on my camera. At around six, after spending pretty much the whole afternoon meandering around the park, we made it back to the parking lot and took off for dinner.

Glenora Wine Cellars looked good on its website, but was stunning in person. It was perched right next to Seneca Lake; it was an inn, a fancy restaurant, and a winery all in one. The winery's tasting room overlooked the lake and its verdant grounds. We tried a number of good wines; the wine list featured local varietals, barrel fermented whites, fruit wines, and really tasty spumante. I was disappointed that their Gerwurz wasn't available for sampling, but at less than 1.5% RS, I think it could be a little drier than I'm looking for. Still, I was pleased to find a good Riesling, and that made up for it.

We purchased our first goodies of the trip, and was about to head to dinner when we got sidetracked by an ice-cream van by the winery, offering novel wine-inspired flavors. A little dessert before dinner never hurt anyone, so I got half a scoop of vanilla with grapes, and E got some chocolate and sherry combination. Brown bags of booze in one hand and ice-cream in the other, we staggered towards the lake and plopped down on the grass.



Hubby enjoying his ice-cream next to a giant barrel, taking in Seneca Lake on Glenora's field

Dinner at Veraisons (owned by Glenora) was fabulous. For starters, we had a little wheel of baked brie en croute covered with fruit compote, made from fruits grown by local farmers. It was so darn good! There was a low-key wedding going on in the next room, and what a perfect evening it was for it. Patrons ranged from tourists in shorts and sneakers, to smartly dressed couples in jacket 'n tie and cocktail dresses.

We took our time with dinner and by the time we headed back, night had fallen. Out in Penn Yan, away from city lights, the stars shimmered brightly in spite of a big moon. Burney came out to greet us when we arrived, and after commenting on how beautiful the night sky was, he brought out his stargazing kit from the garage. Mighty telescope! It was huge, and Burney had all sorts of nifty accessories for it. We all huddled around in our sweaters (it was chilly) and listened as Burney explained the constellations and stars of note. Summer Triangle, Jupiter and 4 moons, nebulas, Albireo, Hercules... We saved the moon for last, because it was so bright. E attempted to take a picture of it through the telescope - it turned out not too shabby. (Moon picture: Click here) Hubby, the little boy scout, asked a million questions. This was his first star party, and he was utterly fascinated. I think I know what his new hobby is going to be...

Just before heading inside, we spotted a moon dog. Ice clouds? Moon dog? I had no idea what they were until then, and felt foolish for not knowing. This picture kinda looks like what we saw - little sliver of rainbow off to the corner. We thanked Burney for the very informative evening, and retreated to our room with our laptops. On to another day...