Antique Boat Museum

Clayton, NY - 

Not all the wood boats were in the museum, lots of them around this area,.
We followed this one into town.

All sizes and shapes - but all were glossy

This one was almost the length of the display area - hard to tell from the
angle of the pic

Russ misses his boat - but he sure doesn't miss all the varnishing.  There is such an
elegant, classy look to these though.

This one is in the refinish shop - a 2 year project.

Lots of beautifully constructed canoes on display - some with intricate
designs either in wood or painted on.  (That's Russ)

Even this birch bark canoe had a unique painted design (that's not Russ)

Here's an idea that just didn't take off - must be one-of-a-kind.

Tall Ship in the harbor - just visiting.

Baseball Hall of Fame

Only spending a week at each location makes for more exploring and fewer lazy days.  Also makes for more pics to choose from for the blog and it can get away from me FAST!

Cooperstown - in case you didn't know where the Baseball Hall of Fame is.

This is THE ball that started it all - the professionals that is.
Looks a little ratty after all these years.

Babe Ruth's locker.  So many greats featured here, it is the Hall of Fame after all.
Just couldn't put exhibits up for them all.

Jackie Robinson - he had to put up with a lot of negativity but
he did it with class. 

Ted William's scientific analysis of what his batting average would be
depending on where the ball was in the strike zone.

Start with the Dodgers since we cheered for them in our
California years.

We were fickle - cheered for the Cards in our Missouri years.

My basic Colorado upbringing impels me to include the Rockies
even though I really don't keep up with them - but then I really don't
keep up with the Dodgers or Cardinals any more (her speaking).

What can you say about Hank Aaron - his record speaks for itself.

Christy Mathewson - Ty Cobb - Honus Wagner
Babe Ruth - Walter Perry Johnson
Well, I recognized 2 names!

Sounds like advice for everyday life!

Erie Canal

Another beautiful day for our canal cruise.  This is the current fee schedule.  This isn't just a tourist attraction.

The rock house on the right had to be moved to accomodate the canal - must have been quite a job.

This stone structure is used now as an educational facility for the Erie Canal history

Young couple who wanted to have a traditional English wedding. He
had the chapel built first and then the house.

Example of so many of the houses along the canal and even through the countryside.
I have no idea what the triangles are in the foreground.

Lift Bridge -

Upside down railroad bridge - had something to do with height above the canal.

A Bum Boat - these went out to inspect the walls & locks.  They also lit
the kerosene lights along the canal.

The lock gates opening - wonder if they have a boat hook at the bottom.
There's a lock on the Okeechobee that has one - I know because I dropped it
when we locked through!

We were probably all singing "15 Miles on the Erie Canal".  Do you know it?
Russ had never heard of it before.  15 miles was considered the maximum
distance the horses or mules or even dogs could tolerate in a day.

Niagara Falls

No, we weren't there when Nick Wallenda took his evening stroll.  The t-shirts & hats were on sale and maybe we should have picked one up.  They hadn't strung the cable either...how many morons would have tried their luck? Managed to do the whole thing in one long beautiful day.

Truly a beautiful sight

Looking straight down on the falls walk by Maid of the Mist boat excursion

Maid of the Mist boat gives a little perspective to how big these falls are.

As beautiful as these falls are from above, being below them is a real thrill. The roar and the mist.
There's a reason we all looked like "Blue Man Group".

Horseshoe Falls - drops on the lens attest to how wet & misty it is on the boat.
Could have sworn we were in the middle of a torrential downpour.

The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls

Russ walked up under the falls after our Maid of the Mist ride.  Guess he figured he was already soaked.
Someone had to document it....that would be me!

Maid of the Mist trafficing in Smurfs.

Cave of the Winds - below American and Bridal Veil falls.  Now we all have yellow slickers on.

Those aren't souvineers in that bag...it's our shoes.  They provide the slickers and the shoes. Actually didn't get as wet here as we did on the Maid of the Mist.

Bridal Veil Falls -

Russ - American & Bridal Veil Falls

Football Hall of Fame

Going to update in installments today - so check them all out. I'll try to get them all done today. If not....watch for them in the near future.
Football Hall of Fame
Niagara Falls
Erie Canal
Baseball Hall of Fame
Antique Boat Museum

Football Hall of Fame - we've come a long way baby.

The most interesting face mask - they had to anchor the bottom of it in their teeth when they ran so it wouldn't flop around.

Broncos are our team so I concentrated on his displays.

Here's our guy even if he did trade Tebow

Won't be seeing this again

The BLING!  All of the rings were gaudy, and some were huge (guess they were made for huge hands) but truthfully, this Bronco one was the best.  It just happened to be our team. The one following showed 2 bronco logos, but it wasn't as pretty.

The pickleball court (hidden in the trees) at Kenesee Park.  Lots of green commons and people to play pickleball with, Olin, Bob & Julie

We're back....

Here it is June...already having trouble remembering what's been happening.  Lucky I keep a journal. This will be the Readers Digest condensed post...comes from too long between posts.

We lost our Mother to alzheimers years ago.  On Good Friday she died.  My sisters and I are scattering her ashes in the Colorado mountains with our Father's.

Lewis Lake in Kansas - a Corp of Engineers Park

Daniel and his girlfriend Ashley (the oldest grandson)

Nick blowing up a hot water bottle.  He's part of Team X-Treme, an international Christian group who do physical feats as part of their witnessing.

Travis, Savannah and Nick - Savannah was not one of the feats of strength.

Karina, Nick, Savannah, Travis and Scott

Lake Carlyle, the largest man-made lake in Illinois.  This time of year there aren't many traveling so lots of room to ourselves.

Stopped for fish and chips during our scenic drive along the Ohio River.

Horses pulling a barge on the canal in Metamora, Ill.

Metamora - a scenic little town in Ill. Cute little shops - mostly antiques, a railroad and a mill.

Lookie what we found on a scenic drive in Ohio!  Yep, they still have these painted on barns.

Pole Day at Indy!  They were still qualifying too, and trying to get pictures of the cars zooming through turn one at speeds around 250 mph was interesting.

Parnelli Jones being honored today.  He's been around a long, long time.

The Go-Daddy car, a big favorite of the crowd.  Can't even imagine what the crowd and the noise are like on raceday.

We spent 3 days at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Oh.  So many planes, so much history.  Happy stories, sad stories.  This is the plane that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki. 

Russ' favorite plane - the P51 Mustang. 

Planes from one extreme to the other - New technology.........

.....old technology

One of my favorites - the Hanoi Taxi.  This is the plane that brought returning POW's home.