I usually like to relate stories of our "local" adventures, but we had such a great time on this trip that I just have to share some of it with you! It all started about 4 months ago when I asked Ethan where he’d like go for his birthday. I should know better. Last year we headed up to Pulaski with the intent to try out our new waders and attempt to scare some fish in the Salmon River. We had a relaxing ride northward, stopping in Oswego at Ontario Orchards Farm Market to browse a bit, then headed up 104B through Texas and picked up Route 3 just north of Mexico. Our destination for the night was Carnsie’s Irish Wigwam in Sandy Pond; their dinners are always a treat, and lodging is very reasonable. After spending the night on one of the hardest beds I’ve ever slept on we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and got ready to go fishing. The Weather Channel changed our minds – quickly. It was the morning of the Great March Blizzard; Rochester was getting pounded and the storm was heading east rapidly. Discretion being the better part of valor, we pointed the truck toward home, stopped at a couple of DEC access areas, looked longingly at the people fishing, and headed out. Conditions continued to degrade, and arriving in Oswego we really had to think about continuing. The roads were unplowed and it was snowing like there was no tomorrow. After discussing the situation over lunch at Admiral Woolseys, we continued on, assuming that if we didn’t get home NOW, we probably wouldn’t in the foreseeable future. The reports on the radio were absolutely terrifying. Conditions worsened, and as we crossed the Sodus Bay Bridge thick fists of ice clung to our wipers rendering them almost useless. Ethan reached out the window and did the old "catch the wiper and clap it against the windshield trick", except the wind caught the wiper and it went sailing into Kingdom Come. Fighting the wind and snow, my intrepid partner extricated the wiper from the passenger side and installed it on the driver’s side. We inched our way to Lessord’s…visibility was near zero now… thankfully they were still open (Bless them; those folks are 1^st class!) and outfitted us with two nice new wipers. It turned out that we were the last vehicle to successfully make it down our street that afternoon…some of you have had the privilege to experience the exhilaration of punching through the snowdrifts on our "almost-road"…they’re almost as much fun and challenge as the mud! (Ask our friend Wilma about the ice some time!) It was such a relief to be home. The cats just looked at us as if to say "Are you guys crazy?? Get the wood stove fired up and make it quick!".

As much as we like a good adventure, leaving our home for more than just a few days is always a concern. We’re truly fortunate to have folks that take such good care of things while we’re away. Sue’s Creature Comforts was going to provide in-home care for our "girls", feed the birds and our guest Canada Goose that had taken up residence in our garden. Our little neighborhood buddies, Lucas and Tyler (and mom Colleen) were lined up to feed the fish and keep a general eye on things. And, as always, many thanks to the Wayne County Sheriffs for providing a watchful presence while we’re away; we are kind of "off the beaten path".

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We’ve had great success booking trips through Canadian travel companies, and our buddies at Tausch provide a lot of options. The flights leave from Toronto, and the prices are hard to beat with the exchange rate. Our flight was scheduled to leave in the afternoon on Sunday, so we decided to stay in Niagara Falls, Ontario the night before. We set out on Saturday morning (this time we left Babboo in charge). The good news is that the weather was great for driving; the bad news is that Ethan was fighting off the flu...just what you want when you have to spend time in the car. We opted for the "quick" route to Canada…490 west out of Rochester to the Thruway to 190 to Niagara Falls. After trading driving responsibility a couple of times (I have a tough time driving over high bridges), we arrived at The Old Stone Inn. We’ve had dinner there a number of times (we LOVE to celebrate New Years Eve in Niagara Falls...another story!); their accommodations are very comfortable, elegant, and quiet.

Next time…arrival at an island full of flowers and warm evening breezes!