26th October
I have a great night’s sleep (at last!) and I wake, feeling much refreshed, at 0730. I wander over to Wal-Mart, opposite my motel, to buy some batteries and other consumables - these places are huge even by American standards, and plans to build new ones are often controversial – they affect the economic health of enormous areas when they open…
I’m soon back at the motel, packed and setting off into quite a different day. It’s still overcast, but the cloud is a lot higher and the day warmer and brighter. I continue to head west along route 20. Quite soon the sun breaks through and the clouds begin to clear – the light from the low autumn sun stokes colour from the embers of the fall colours I’d yesterday thought were finished…
I stop for breakfast near Avon, then continue west, as the 20 ends I join Highway 5. Soon I turn north towards Buffalo on the 290, paying the 50¢ toll (same as a car – AGAIN – dammit!) to cross the Grand Island Bridge…
…which takes me (via Grand Island, spookily enough) to…
…Niagara Falls. I pay my $10 parking fee (yep – same as a car) and, rather reluctantly, secure my belongings as best I can (which is not well) on the bike, before setting off on foot to have an explore.
The falls are on the border between the USA & Canada, and the car park I’ve left the bike in is overlooked by a huge border control post. The USA is surrounded by Canada to the north, west and south at this point, as the Niagara River, which forms the border, loops here.
Canada is on the left side of this picture – you’ll notice there are huge numbers of hotels built there (as there are on the US side). The Canadians have the best view of the falls, I should think, although they’re far from boring to look at from this side…
There are two main waterfalls, the American Falls, pictured above, and, a few hundred metres to the west, the Horseshoe Falls…
The Canadians definitely have the best view of the Horseshoe – on this side of the river, we can only look across the ‘U’ – they get to see it all. I’m almost tempted to ride across and see the falls from the far side, but decided that the potential hassle (probably not a factor for a USA or Canadian citizen, but always a potential snag being ‘another thing’) made it unattractive. That and the fact that walking a couple of miles wearing my bike kit (included my heated jacket & trouser liners ) has me sweating like a pig!
Niagara is known as a favourite destination for honeymooners – these limos…
…were a common sight around the place.
The local wildlife is extremely tame, with squirrels…
…and sparrows…
…showing no fear of humans at all.
It’s low season for the park at the moment. During high season, you can buy a ticket on a boat (called Maid of the Mist), which will take you into the mouth of the Horseshoe – the boats are being maintained opposite the tower which provides an observation point, and access, via a lift, to the boats when they’re in use…
After a last look…
…I take my leave, return to my bike to find, thankfully, it has remained unmolested, and start heading south.
For a while, I follow Highway 5, which runs south down the eastern shore of the Niagara. As might be expected with such a plentiful supply of water nearby, the area is heavily industrialised. Sadly, though, much of the area seems to be run down, with large factories closed and derelict…
…or adapted to other uses. After a while I enter the sprawling city of Buffalo, which has some remarkable buildings, like the monumental City Hall…
…and this castle – I don’t know if it’s a prison or what – unfortunately I couldn’t stop to find out – but it covered a city block – anyone know?¹
After a little while, I get onto the 219 and start heading south. It’s a beautiful afternoon and the colours are still bright hereabouts…
I decide to find somewhere to stop for the day – I could do with a shower, after my earlier exertions… I find a room at the Microtel at Springville and settle in for the evening.
A good day.
By the way – anybody know what this car is? If I was sure of immediate employment on my return, I’d think about buying it – just having seen it from the other side of the street – is that beautiful, or what?²
¹ Correctly Identified, by Pierce on ADVRider, as the National Guard Armoury.
² Correctly identified by Dirtdog (ADVRider) as a 1950 Hudson Super Six Club Coupé.
I have a great night’s sleep (at last!) and I wake, feeling much refreshed, at 0730. I wander over to Wal-Mart, opposite my motel, to buy some batteries and other consumables - these places are huge even by American standards, and plans to build new ones are often controversial – they affect the economic health of enormous areas when they open…
I’m soon back at the motel, packed and setting off into quite a different day. It’s still overcast, but the cloud is a lot higher and the day warmer and brighter. I continue to head west along route 20. Quite soon the sun breaks through and the clouds begin to clear – the light from the low autumn sun stokes colour from the embers of the fall colours I’d yesterday thought were finished…
I stop for breakfast near Avon, then continue west, as the 20 ends I join Highway 5. Soon I turn north towards Buffalo on the 290, paying the 50¢ toll (same as a car – AGAIN – dammit!) to cross the Grand Island Bridge…
…which takes me (via Grand Island, spookily enough) to…
…Niagara Falls. I pay my $10 parking fee (yep – same as a car) and, rather reluctantly, secure my belongings as best I can (which is not well) on the bike, before setting off on foot to have an explore.
The falls are on the border between the USA & Canada, and the car park I’ve left the bike in is overlooked by a huge border control post. The USA is surrounded by Canada to the north, west and south at this point, as the Niagara River, which forms the border, loops here.
Canada is on the left side of this picture – you’ll notice there are huge numbers of hotels built there (as there are on the US side). The Canadians have the best view of the falls, I should think, although they’re far from boring to look at from this side…
There are two main waterfalls, the American Falls, pictured above, and, a few hundred metres to the west, the Horseshoe Falls…
The Canadians definitely have the best view of the Horseshoe – on this side of the river, we can only look across the ‘U’ – they get to see it all. I’m almost tempted to ride across and see the falls from the far side, but decided that the potential hassle (probably not a factor for a USA or Canadian citizen, but always a potential snag being ‘another thing’) made it unattractive. That and the fact that walking a couple of miles wearing my bike kit (included my heated jacket & trouser liners ) has me sweating like a pig!
Niagara is known as a favourite destination for honeymooners – these limos…
…were a common sight around the place.
The local wildlife is extremely tame, with squirrels…
…and sparrows…
…showing no fear of humans at all.
It’s low season for the park at the moment. During high season, you can buy a ticket on a boat (called Maid of the Mist), which will take you into the mouth of the Horseshoe – the boats are being maintained opposite the tower which provides an observation point, and access, via a lift, to the boats when they’re in use…
After a last look…
…I take my leave, return to my bike to find, thankfully, it has remained unmolested, and start heading south.
For a while, I follow Highway 5, which runs south down the eastern shore of the Niagara. As might be expected with such a plentiful supply of water nearby, the area is heavily industrialised. Sadly, though, much of the area seems to be run down, with large factories closed and derelict…
…or adapted to other uses. After a while I enter the sprawling city of Buffalo, which has some remarkable buildings, like the monumental City Hall…
…and this castle – I don’t know if it’s a prison or what – unfortunately I couldn’t stop to find out – but it covered a city block – anyone know?¹
After a little while, I get onto the 219 and start heading south. It’s a beautiful afternoon and the colours are still bright hereabouts…
I decide to find somewhere to stop for the day – I could do with a shower, after my earlier exertions… I find a room at the Microtel at Springville and settle in for the evening.
A good day.
By the way – anybody know what this car is? If I was sure of immediate employment on my return, I’d think about buying it – just having seen it from the other side of the street – is that beautiful, or what?²
¹ Correctly Identified, by Pierce on ADVRider, as the National Guard Armoury.
² Correctly identified by Dirtdog (ADVRider) as a 1950 Hudson Super Six Club Coupé.
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