The little black coupe is on the road again traveling with John and Judy G. The A is smiling, Bob is singing and Pat is saying turn on the air. It is so soupy that Bob said, “If you were trying to fly an airplane out here, you would have to wait until winter.” We were hoping for cooler temps today. Well we ended up needing a defroster and a heater. Most of the day was spent trying to drive through an incredible rain storm. There was so much lightning that it was scary to fuel the car. John was out front in his yellow pickup and we were the tail gunners with our flashing lights on so no one would run into us. The visibility was awful. Of course this didn’t keep us from stopping for home made ice cream. Sheets of water were racing across the road. In one spot even the toads were moving to higher ground and trying to cross the highway.Since traveling was so slow we had to stop in several very interesting antique shops. It is good to be on the road again but it is only day one of our return trip. Everyone has checked in and made it safely to their place of lodging for the night. No pictures today.
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Well, we are on the way home at last. Left this morning with Ted & Susan Kafer and Will, Karla & Chris Lancaster. We ran into rain about 2 hours out. Rained HARD most of the day. We left at 8:25 am and pulled into Rome, NY at 2:15. We planned to go to the Erie Canal Village, but they had raised their prices and most everything was shut down because of the rain. So off we went exploring on our own. First we found the restored 1930s Gas Station. It looks better than our
pictures. We then went to Fort Stanwix, which is a Revolutionary War fort built to defend the portage trading routes (These became the basis for the Erie Canal 50 years later). We had a great time even in the rain. We then located a part of the original Erie Canal, but decided not to put our toes in it.
We are no longer the Scouts as it seems we have become the tail gunners. Tomorrow promises to be drier and should be great fun in Niagara Falls. Actually, we plan to ride the Maid of the Mist boat, so perhaps drier doesn't apply.
Till later,
Susan and Dave
Day One of Our Return
We got up at 4AM to repack the pickup for the departure from Mansfield. Over night, the rain, thunder, and lightning had abated, giving us an opportunity for a dry start in early morning’s first light. We quietly left the Holiday Inn and picked up Bob & Patti at their hotel. Will was up, but his brood wasn’t, so in true touring form, we left him behind, heading for Highway 90, west, or “Mass Pike” as the signs read. It was a little foggy to begin with, then a little drizzly, then a little rainy as we ran through the Berkshires. Soon it began to rain in earnest as we slipped over the Hudson River and dipped into the historic Hudson Valley. Everything’s so green there because it RAINS a lot there. Soon the fog and rain had formed an unholy alliance, cutting the visibility to less than fifty yards.
It was precipitating so hard we stopped in a little town called Sharon Springs, located the worst little restaurant in town (called “The Cat’s Eyeball” or something) and confidently ordered food…big mistake. The restaurant featured local newspaper clippings touting the “rebirth of Sharon Springs” and “Sharon Springs Growing by Leaps and Bounds”. The news articles were dated and the food abysmal. But the rain had let up a bit, and we took off again, assuring each other that we were driving out of this weather system. Actually we were driving deeper into it. When we refused to believe it could rain harder…it started to rain harder…much harder. How can it be foggy and raining at the same bleeping time?
We stopped for ice cream on the orders of Bob, and ran into the store for another quick break. It started to rain even harder. Now, our pickup was leaking from places I didn’t even think had holes. We left before the Model A’s were washed away in the parking lot and headed for Canastota, where we had reservations for the night. After 300 miles and an ocean of rain, we were ready to light. So the lady at the motel tells Bob, the lock on their room door doesn’t work and every time he wants to go in the room, he has to get the clerk to let him in. Bob, for some reason gets a little testy about this arrangement, and before you know it, we’re out of there, searching for room at the inn somewhere else. We inspected a few room-by-the-hour establishments, but Patti passed on the experience, and then we learned that there was a PGA event in Oneida, filling all the legitimate hotels in a ten mile radius.
The damp travelers decided to press on to Syracuse, where we finally found a Super 8 to take us in. Completely unpacked the pickup and took smoking rooms at 7 AM. Exhausted, the four of us walked over to a Ruby Tuesday for dinner, only to find that a party of fifty was getting fed first. At least it didn’t rain on us as we walked back to the smoky rooms we bought for the night.
Dave & Susan and Ted & Susan got in an hour earlier than us, encountered very little rain, and for all I know got free accommodations for the night. Jack & Don are out there somewhere, unaccounted for, at this time. And the Lancasters are somewhere around here, not reporting.
Long, damp day…but we had ice cream…
Syracuse, New York, July 22, ‘06
John & Judy and Bob & Patti and scattered A’s in upstate New York
We said goodbye to Tom today. May he rest in peace.
Janet
OK. We are already to leave tomorrow morning at 7am. We will keep in touch with you. You guys had a very wet day and we are having a very HOT day.I think it went well into the 100's today.See you soon.Well be Cool with our A.C.
We went to Plymouth this Am then drove through more rain, It nearly stoped traffic on the way to Boston (which made us worry about you guys). Talked to our neighbors today before leaving it was 110 degrees here in Gilroy.Glad to hear you got out of the rain it delayed our flight from Boston, then our through plane changed to a conection in Chicago with more delays, so we just got home. It is 1:00 AM here so 4:00 am there a 22 hour trip. We had a great time and visit with all. Vicki is very happy to have won best of show in fashons and 1st place in the Adult division of the Hubley races,SCVC keeps bringing home the awards. Its a good thing Bob put in the 3rd light it really shows up when we were following you. I think we all should get one. drive carefull. We came back out to say good bye to John and Judy but you had left. I"m tired good night Glenn & Vicki
Hi from Glenn & Vicki I talked to George Fontaine today If I understood corectly Lancasters won a Gymkahana award and we also won one, GO SCVC, Keep an eye on the weather channel.Looking foward to your next report.
Today around noon,I talked to Bob and Shirley-It seems that Bob had some problems with his (non-stock) fuel pump--They were just coming into Reno--I sugested they stay the night in Fallon--stay out of the Casinos and no "Honkie tonks"--get up early and be on the road to see what I bet will be a great sunrise--Shirly said I sounded like her Dad??Bill R.
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