Farther Below, Lake Ontario

...takes in what Lake Erie can send her*

This past weekend went from plans for low key drive in Pennsylvania’s northern hinterlands to winding up here on Friday night:

Brian and I in front of the falls corresponding to our citizenships

We overshot Pennsylvania and ended up in Canada by way of U.S. Route 219, onto I-190, and the QEW! New York State DOT, I’d like to take a moment to call you out on the short stretch of I-86 that is co-signed with U.S. 219 near Salamanca—RESURFACE NOW! It’s impossible to comfortably drive the speed limit here, I couldn’t have been happier to leave the Interstate for the relative comfort of the two-lane road.

Arriving in Niagara Falls just after dark we went big for dinner, eating at Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse. It was a solid choice because we needed fuel to power through the rest of the weekend. If you’ve never been, Brazilian steakhouses are a buffet of meat, staffed by servers who walk around the restaurant with meat (and sometimes pineapple!) on swords. They visit your table and offer you whatever meat is on the sword. It’s basically amazing.

As we finished eating we were perfectly situated to enjoy the fireworks. We had no idea they had fireworks every Friday night, but it made a great night even better. After dinner we made it down to the falls, which they illuminate at night. We didn’t know it until the next day, but the amount of water going over the falls was actually substantially less than one would see during the daytime.

By way of Clifton Hill, which is shamelessly jam-packed with tourist traps (I counted no fewer than three wax museums), we returned to the hotel we’d booked on short notice. Clifton Hill looked more colorful and enticing than the Las Vegas strip! Chris, used to more the low-key tourist traps in Alberta and British Columbia, seemed surprised with how American it felt.

We got up early to make the first sailing of the Maid of the Mist. Tightly crammed onto the boat we quickly understood why they distribute ponchos to all passengers. It was almost a challenge to keep my eyes open amid the splash and mist from the falls enveloping the boat. But the sights are spectacular.

The Canadian Falls as seen up close on the Maid of the Mist

Afterward we enjoyed the tour of the Sir Adam Beck II hydroelectricity generating plant. It is to supply Beck I and Beck II (as well as the Robert Moses hydro plant on the American side) with water to generate power that at night a significant quantity of water is diverted from Niagara Falls. After a quick stop at the Floral Clock and lunch at an A&W in a dead mall near Fort Erie (I required a poutine fix), we made for the border.

We took our time tracing U.S. Route 62 south from Buffalo to Warren, PA—except for the first few miles where a lack of signage sent us the wrong way on Route 62 and to the wrong side of Buffalo. After figuring out our mistake it was not long until we were among farm fields and sweet hamlets. At one point we even stopped to photograph the most perfect double rainbow near the state line with Pennsylvania.

In Warren we stopped to photograph the exterior of Warren State Hospital. Still an active psychiatric facility, matters were complicated when patients were outside when we arrived, but a very understanding guard let us know the patients would be inside in about 20 minutes and we could return then. When we returned the guard was waiting and he brought us a booklet that had a very detailed history of the buildings at the hospital and written by a gentleman who had worked there for over three decades. The guard kindly answered our questions and it was so obvious this place was his pride and joy. We were so thankful he was kind enough to talk to us. We left with far more than just photographs.

After about an hour we neared DuBois and were hungry. None of us intimately familiar with DuBois and all of us wishing to eat in a restaurant, Chris found Luigi’s on UrbanSpoon. We weren’t sure what to expect, but when we walked in we were so glad we came. Despite being underdressed we were warmly welcomed and seated. Our waitress was wonderfully sweet and was an excellent guide to the best food for our mood. I think Chris and I will make a special trip back just to enjoy their delicious food and warm hospitality.

Only an hour away from State College the drive suddenly seemed to last forever. We made tracks for our beds as soon as we got home. After sleeping in just a little bit the three of us grabbed breakfast before Brian headed out. For what seemed like the first time all weekend Chris and I finally had a chance to sit down and be still.

Sylvester and I catching up on some much needed rest!

*Wrong Great Lake, but we were singing the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald all weekend!