Sunday, August 28, 2022
After breakfast, we drove less than two miles to the Van Riper Conservation Area and parked in the trailhead parking lot. After a gently-descending hike through hardwood forests for about 0.5 mile, we arrived at the shoreline of Lake Cayuga. We found a bench on a rocky beach where we sat to behold the lake view and watched a fisherman slowly drift by in his boat. We returned to the car via a another more direct, but less scenic, route.
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| Trail Head Sign |
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| Our Private View of Cayuga Lake |
After our morning hike, we drove about 20 minutes to the town of Seneca Falls, widely regarded as Frank Capra’s inspiration for Bedford Falls in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” We took awhile locating the movie’s museum which was in a temporary location due to an ongoing expansion project. Only five props from the movie are known to still exist: two pairs of Violet’s earrings (on display in the museum), Ernie’s taxi, George Bailey’s car, and Sam’s Dusenberg. Nevertheless, the museum displayed similar or identical items to those used in the movie. It also featured photos and posters from the movie and tracked the careers of many of the actors and actresses. Our nostalgic tour brought back fond memories from this perpetual Christmas-time classic.
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| Temporary Location of the “It’s a Wonderful Life Museum |
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| Entrance Display |
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| Museum Displays |
After our museum tour, we walked around the charming hamlet of Seneca Falls and along the Seneca River/Cayuga-Seneca Canal. From a boardwalk along the waterway, we had a nice view of the Bridge Street Bridge that was Frank Capra’s inspiration for the Bedford Falls bridge where Clarence saves George’s life. We then toured the Seneca Falls Welcome Center before crossing the street and enjoying beer and lunch at Parker’s Grill and Tap House.
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The Bridge Street Bridge in Seneca Falls was Frank Capra’s Inspiration
for the Site of George Bailey’s Crisis |
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| We were Welcomed and Informed Here |
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| “No Man is a Failure who has Friends” – Clarence Odbody |
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| The Inviting Entrance to Parker’s Grill & Tap House |
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| Good Food, Good Beer and Good Atmosphere |
After lunch, we drove along the canal about four miles west to the town of Waterloo and parked at the trail head for the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail. We unpacked our bikes and before starting the trail, pedaled to Lock 4. The lock was filling with water though the only boat in it was a one-man kayak. We turned around to begin the 7-mile ride along the canal from Waterloo to Geneva on the northern end of Seneca Lake.
The well-maintained trail traversed through forest with occasional openings allowing nice canal views. We crossed many wooden bridges where small creeks entered the canal. Near Geneva, in order to cross a major highway, the trail made a tricky descent via a squared-off spiral ramp, passed under the highway bridge and then ascended to reassume its level route. Near Geneva, the trail entered Seneca Lake State Park and paralleled the coast of the north tip of Seneca Lake before ending at the city’s Welcome Center. During this section of the trail, we encountered many folks squeezing their final enjoyment out of summer which was rapidly ending for many school children and their parents. The lake’s coast was lined with boats moored in its shallow water with people swimming, grooving to music, and relaxing on deck and on the grassy shore. We disembiked at the Welcome Center and went inside to cool off in the air-conditioning while enjoying views of the lake through its large windows. After rehydrating and lingering in the attractive park for awhile, we retraced our pedals along the trail back to Waterloo. We noted that the return trip was easier and that we had been climbing a very gradual gradient on the outbound leg.
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| Lock 4 of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal |
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| One of Many Wooden Bridges on the Trail |
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| A Tricky Highway Undercrossing along the Bike Trail |
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| Geneva Welcome Center |
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| At the Geneva Welcome Center |
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| Seneca Lake State Park
After our bike ride, and some confusing rounds of texting among parties, we ended up at Liquid State Brewing Company on Lake Cayuga. We enjoyed good beer there and some time with Cathy and Pat at a shaded outdoor table with a nice view of Cayuga Lake. In the meantime, Nancy and John who had driven up from Newfield, had checked in at their cabin near both the brewery and our campground. We dispersed from Liquid State around 4:30 pm to have time to shower and change clothes for dinner.
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| Happy Hour! |
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| Enjoying Fellowship, Beer & a View of Lake Cayuga with Cathy and Pat |
Promptly at 6 pm, our three parties convened in the parking lot of Dano’s Heuriger on Seneca, a traditional Viennese Winery Restaurant. After being seated at our table, the young waitress promptly poured water on the table in front of me and into my lap. After this kerfuffle was settled (and my pants were starting to dry out), we enjoyed a wonderful Austrian meal. Although the service was slow, the food was terrific and we left satiated with leftovers for the RV fridge.
I'm thirsty after seeing that Guinness glass! Did it actually have a delicious Guinness stout in it?
Yes, of course! – John