Following the Seaway Trail

Sunday, September 8, 2013


Friday morning we made a quick trip back to the tire place to have the torque checked, as they requested. Everything was fine. The new tires ride well and feel safer. Big treads! Then we ventured into downtown Burlington. For years I have wanted to visit The City Market, Burlington's co-op. I love the opportunity to visit other co-ops, plus I had some items I can't find elsewhere, and was hungry for them! (Bubbie's, bulk nuts, bulk teas, etc.!) We also thought we'd eat lunch in one of Burlington's great restaurants.

Leaves are starting to change

Our campsite on Grand Island

Looking across Lake Champlain to the Green Mountains

Interesting flowers at the State Park

The best repair shop ever - They had a kitchen and made me corned beef hash and eggs while I waited for my oil change. This Freightliner dealer also had the most expensive oil change ever!

We finally made it downtown. There was nowhere in either their parking lot, or on the streets that we could park, so we drove back out of town. All of the downtown streets were under construction. No good food, no lunch out... We found a Hannaford grocery store way out of town and replenished the perishables. The day before, we found a great farm stand and I overbought produce, as I tend to do when I find really good stuff. At least I had that much.


By then we were both ready to leave Vermont. We've visited there often in recent years, we had considered moving there, so we didn't feel the need to stay longer. We drove north almost to Canada and crossed the bridge over Lake Champlain to Rouses Point, New York. Then we drove west and skirted the Canadian border again.

Crossing the north end of Lake Champlain

By the time we reached Hoganburg and the Mohawk reservation we were ready to stop. The Allstays app that we use on the smartphone to find campgrounds, said there was free parking in the lot of the Akwasasne Mohawk Casino. There may have been a way to park in the lot all night, but they had a paved RV area with hook-ups for $25, so we went into the casino to sign up. After 5 nights of dry camping, we were ready to “treat” ourselves to hook-ups! Years ago we stayed in a casino campground in Mississippi, and they gave us all sorts of freebies and discounts for their buffets, so we thought we might get something. Nada! Oh well, we had a safe spot for the night, security cameras everywhere. But, no wifi! That was a surprise. Maybe there is a way for people to cheat with it. Who knows.

Big casino in the middle of nowhere!

Scenic campsite

Amish on the Mohawk res near the casino

After a night of glorified “Wally World” (WalMart) camping, (blacktop, glaring lights), we left in the gloom. Looked like we would get rain later. We continued until we reached the St. Lawrence and drove south along it until we reached Clayton, near the entry into Lake Ontario. By this time it was raining. After passing several crowded private parks, and one closed state park, we drove into Cedar Point State Park. The woman at the counter was surprised that we didn't have a reservation. What?! It's after Labor Day. We are into the slow season. Well, this campground was almost full! She offered us six sites to chose from. We took the least muddy and signed up for two nights.



We relaxed for the afternoon, Greg watched tennis (Even the Watertown tv station carried the US Open and over the air digital tv gives a great picture). I organized food and planned menus, and I tried to re-group. We have just had the summer of a lifetime! We kept up a busy pace and saw a great deal. Now that we are back in the States we are experiencing a bit of a let-down, like post vacation blues. I have been hoping for some quiet time to process everything, and get some creative work done. I know myself well enough to know that I am overdue for “me time”. That was the plan in Vermont, but it didn't happen. So we are now in a nice campground, and a lot of the campers cleared out today, so maybe we can have some peace and quiet for a few days here. We are due back in Maryland soon and have lots to accomplish there, so we need to be rested and ready.



We wound up spending four nights total at Cedar Point. The rain cleared out and we decided to take the only site left out by the river for the last two nights. We had a view of the water, and several times a day and night, large ocean going ships sailed by. That part of the campground was full, but quiet, with mostly New Yorkers who come there every year at this time. The heat and humidity ramped up after a big thunderstorm rolled through early, in the morning, but we were able to sit outside and watch the river because, there were no biting insects! Greg got in a long bike ride, so he was happy!

Late season spider

30 miles on the bike was enough on a hot humid afternoon.

Our neighbors taught this guy to come onto their table and help himself to peanuts. He posed for us and was disappointed.

After four nights we left and continued driving south along the St. Lawrence and then west where it joins Lake Ontario. We didn't really have a plan, just that we needed someplace with wifi to catch up after not having it for four days. West of Oswego, we found a small private park off the beaten track near Port Bay and the town of Wolcott. Time to regroup with internet access so we could research our options. Greg decided he had a Bucket List item to do, riding his bike along the Erie Canal.



Yesterday morning we unhooked before the rain started and drove towards Rochester. We needed a post office, a food store, and a Bank of America. Bingo! All three were close to each other in Webster east of Rochester. And, the food store was a Wegman's! I spent too much, like I always do at Wegman's, but we enjoyed ourselves finding items we hadn't seen in months in Canada, and had a good Indian meal from the hot bar.



By 3 PM we were ensconced in Red Rock Ponds RV Park in Holley, on the Erie Canal. We had traveled through downtown Rochester and saw the old Kodak complex. There seem to be some buildings occupied, but there are a lot of old, deteriorating, unused industrial buildings, right downtown.



The park we are in for three nights will give Greg a chance to bike both towards Rochester, and to Lockport, his family's old hometown. Today he rode toward Rochester in the rain and drizzle. We are hoping for some better weather tomorrow so he can attempt the roundtrip to Lockport. I got to have fun doing laundry!