Day 26 of ALAA, Wed, June 8th, 2011-From Erie, PA to Rochester, NY



Most of us are accustomed to seeing Horshoe Falls but this is American Falls from the U. S. side




The Old Guy at Horseshoe Falls on the American side at Niagara Falls. I don't think I ever mentioned this bright-colored construction vest in the blog. It was worn anytime I wasn't wearing my brightly-colored jacket.



Horshoe Falls From the U. S. Side of Niagara Falls

Hard to Believe but I Took This Picture of the Maid of the mist and the Rainbow with my iPhone. (I guess it goes to show that even a blind bird finds a worm from time to time!)

Here are some pics of Niagara Falls. I'd been to the falls on the Canada side in the past but this was my first trip to the U. S. side. Even as a patriotic American, I have to admit that the views are better on the Canada side of the falls! From the Canada side, you look right into Horseshoe Falls and directly at American Falls. Of all the pictures I took at the falls, my favorite is the one with the rainbow caused by the mist with the Maid of the Mist in the background. No, I did NOT pay the $65 to ride the Maid of the Mist down almost under Horseshoe Falls!


The parking lot at the falls was very full so I took advantage of being on a motorcycle and parked in a questionable space. Well, as you can imagine, I got caught! A New York Highway Patrol officer drove up to my questionable parking space as I was preparing to leave and I thought I was going to get a ticket for parking there near the entrance. Well, I started talkin' wif a sooooouuuuttthhherrn draaaaawl and told him about A Lap Around America so he let me go without getting a parking ticket!


Okay, an update on the bike: technically, the Honda didn't fail. A small clip on the top of the battery broke in two pieces and the electrical connection was broken. I bought a roadside service agreement before I left home and used it to get the bike taken to a Honda dealer in Rochester. They found the problem and installed a new battery in 30 minutes. Hip-Hip-Hooray! So I've been through Rochester, had my first Iced Frappichino there (it was way too hot for a latte!), rode 20-25 miles East of Rochester, and then back to Rochester!


A couple of observations about this part of our great USA: Buffalo is another one of those rust-belt cities that are surrounded by the evidence of dead or dying industries. I rode near Ford's former River Rouge plant in Detroit. If my memory serves me (?), it was once the largest, most comprehensive manufacturing facility in the world-iron ore came in one end of this massive factory and finished Fords went out the other end. Today? Closed and rusting! The exception to this is Erie, PA. I rode through a lot of Erie from BRC's house and Erie impressed me with its cleanliness and the cute factor-many of the homes were built in the post-war 40's and 50's and are very well cared for. It was surprising to see miles and miles of vineyards and wineries between Erie and Buffalo along the South shore of Lake Erie. It's not Napa or Sonoma counties but I guess it works.


Another surprising thing is how many American cars and motorcycles I've seen between Wisconsin and here-these folks support their local Detroit car companies and Harley-Davidson! Seeing a vehicle built in Asia or Europe is definitely not common in this part of the U. S. Niagara Falls from the American side is impressive and powerful but without the clear views from the Canadian side.