I had grand plans of driving Earl and me to Saratoga Springs for the evening. Rest and relaxation has been the name of the game today and quite frankly, when it came time for us to head east we decided that we weren’t up to driving quite that far. So instead we headed west and ended up in Syracuse.
Along the way we did some exploring around the shores of Oneida Lake. Oneida Lake is home to Sylvan Beach, which we visited back on the 4th of July. This time we snooped around the southern shore and gawked at the various camps that are twice the size of our current home. It’s amazing to see what some people consider “roughing it”. There’s only one butler instead of a whole team of them, I guess.
After Oneida Lake we wandered around the northern suburbs of Syracuse before heading towards the city and stopping at Onondaga Lake Park along the way. This park is beautiful and a haven for anyone interested in outdoor exercise. The recreational trails are top-notch. There are also various activities held at Long Branch Park; today it was some sort of Scottish Festival.
Unfortunately, Onondaga Lake is one of the most polluted lakes in the world. Many efforts are underway to clean it up, but it is not safe to swim in it or eat fish from it. However, wildlife seems to be able to do their thing alright so perhaps the efforts to clean the lake are starting to be successful.
Earl and I walked nearly three miles along the walking trails. I stopped to take a number of photos along the way.
This guy (or girl, I can’t really tell) was kind enough to stop and pose. Notice the smile.
Earl and I also took our customary self-portrait as we walked. I think this is one of our better ones.
Flickr Link.
I also took a picture of these powerlines, which crossed the lot we parked in, which is also adjacent to the New York State Thruway. I have been fascinated by powerlines since I was a small child and courtesy of our travels over the years have noticed this particular style of pylon/tower to be only in Upstate New York. These lines were relocated in the mid 1950s with the building of the New York State Thruway, and these pylons/towers are newer than the ones further down the line. I am such a geek.
Flickr Link.
Earl and I felt very connected to everything around us today. We both needed the relative downtime and the opportunity to just relax. After our walk, we headed over to the new Quaker Steak and Lube, where we ate lots of food but I remained beer-free for the evening.
All in all, a great day.
There are more pictures from our little excursion available on Flickr.
