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Click here to Return to Tom and Huck Page A Highland Fling & Rockin' in Panama A visit to Panama Rocks Scenic Park NYS Gazetteer Pages 57, 43, 42, 41, 39 (Panama Rocks is quadrant D7 on pg 39)
Pipe Bands at the Celtic Gathering Ethan at Table Rock, Panama Rocks Park
Whew! It’s nice to be home after our whirlwind 10 day road trip to Kansas, halfway across our splendid United States earlier this month. There are lots of stories to share about our 2800 mile journey...places like the most beautiful open range area we’ve ever seen in the Flint Hills area just north of Wichita, KS; the Olsen Family Compound in Arkansas City, KS where we procured our “new” 1941 John Deere Model H; The Ranch Restaurant in Sedan, KS; the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY; Wofford’s Nursery in Paris, TN; not to mention Graceland, where Elvis is truly alive. But I figured while there’s still some summer family vacation time left (or maybe plan for one of the early fall school breaks) I’d share a not-so-new adventure with you to some spots close to home and make a great day or overnight trip. We picked up a brochure a while back that was a keeper; there were pictures of easy-walking paths winding around towering, unbelievable rock formations under a stunning canopy of lush foliage that provided a haven from the summer sun: oak, maple, ash, birch, hemlock, locust, elm, poplar. Panama Rocks Scenic Park is just outside of Jamestown, New York in the village of Panama on Route 33, and it was obvious that it had to go on the agenda. We discovered that there was a really cool event to take in on the way to our Panama Rocks destination: The High Banks Celtic Gathering and Scottish Games in Letchworth State Park. This is an annual event, and if you’ve never been, it’s a must do next summer; keep an eye on their website for info: http://www.feadanor.org/highbanks/index.shtml. We arrived just in time for the massed pipe bands spectacle; a dozen+ bagpipe bands sporting their individual clan tartans proudly marched on to an enormous field then performed intricate marching maneuvers while the hundreds of pipers and drummers joined together. Big goose bumps. There were other band and solo events, highland dancers, border collie sheep herding demonstrations, and “heavy athletic” competitions where men and women athletes from across the US and Canada showcased their strength and flexibility. The Clachneart or “Stone of Strength” is a predecessor to our modern shot-put competition. A stone weighing 16 to 28 pounds is “put” from the shoulder using one hand. Then there was the Hammer Throw, where the competitor has one foot secured to the ground, winds up, spins, and launches a 16 to 22 pound hammer. Duck!!! They don’t always go where planned! The Sheaf Toss features hurling a 16 pound burlap bag stuffed with straw over a high horizontal bar, using a pitchfork. Then there’s the Caber Toss - the highlight of Scottish games. The caber’s a log that’s just about 20 feet long and weighs a little over 100 pounds. Contestants pick these things up, adjust their folded hands underneath the base of it, run, and lob the thing as far as they can. I can only imagine the back pain... There were all kinds of vendors and of course, food, food, food. Fish and Chips, Scottish Meat Pies and Forfar Bridies - a meat filled pastry that was very popular. We decided to pass on the Haggis...ewe don't even want to know what's in it. Baaaaddddd stuff!!! (At least my sheep would think so...) We took a leisurely drive through Letchworth, stopping to watch some eagles soar high above the canyon; I always seem to forget how beautiful that park is. It’s another great family vacation-day destination. We wandered south on route 19A to 19, following the winding Genesee River then picked up route 17 west through Olean and Salamanca, paralleling and crossing the Allegheny River many times before reaching our destination of Jamestown. After finding a place to stay for the night, the next agenda item was (of course!) food. We discovered La Scala restaurant through some tourism brochures at our motel; it was within ½ mile and the food - seafood, pasta, freshly baked breads - was incredible. A highly-recommended place to eat! We visited Panama Rocks the next day, and it was an unexpected, incredible treat. The entrance looks like you’re pulling into a private home; actually you are. Current owners Craig and Sandra Weston have owned the properly since 1979 and continue to make improvements. This private park has been open to the public in various capacities since the late 1800’s, and the history is fascinating. Geologically speaking, the whole thing started about 300 million years ago with the area being part of an inland sea. Time and God’s hand crafted this incredible forest of monumental rock formations and people have enjoyed them “formally” since the 1800’s. According to the owners, in the 1800’s outlaws used to hide their loot in the maze and counterfeiters “used the rock area to mint and conceal their spurious coin.” After visiting the office and signing waivers for possible injury you head into a maze of quartz-conglomerate boulders forming towers, ravines, and caves. The one mile path is well-maintained and an easy walk, and offers innumerable opportunities to get “off the beaten path” to explore crevices, passageways, and mossy dens. You’re provided with a map of the trail noting some of the significant rock formations. Names like “Fat Man’s Miser,” “Crow’s Foot,” “Devil’s Den,” “Wigwam,” “Ice Cave Crevice,” and “Tower of Babel” are apt descriptions of these incredible rock formations. You can spend a half hour or a half day exploring this wonder of nature. Kids have a great time darting in and out of the crevasses, and they actually do allow rappelling...with the caveat that climbers don’t disturb the natural environment, like moss-covered cliffs. The best part of Panama Rocks Scenic Park is the warm, friendly welcome that you receive from the owners. No question is too trivial and you’re encouraged to spend as much time as you’d like. There’s a picnic area under the shade trees that absolutely invites you to sit down for a while and enjoy the peace and serenity of this wonder of nature. Take high-speed film or a video cam that works in low-light situations. There’s lots of great info on the park, photos, and a fascinating write up on its history at www.panamarocks.com. If you’re really into spending a day rockin’ out, I later discovered that Rock City Park is right on the way. It’s on Route 16 just south of Olean. It’s described as “the eighth wonder of the world” where you can climb through “a city of gigantic rocks, soaring several stories high, surrounded by the panoramic view of the Enchanted Mountains.” There are a couple of web sites with info: http://rin.buffalo.edu/c_catt/comm/park-rec/park/alleT_rock.html and http://www.oleaninfo.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=20. There’s also Little Rock City Park, located off Route 219 about midway between Ellicottville and Salamanca (http://www.enchantedmountains.info/park_slideshows/lrc_index.asp) We’ve added these to our ever-growing list of places to explore. We wandered home by way of Chautauqua Lake, stopping at Bemus Point for a stroll and an ice cream cone, and discovered the historic Hotel Lenhart, built in 1880, with its wrap-around veranda filled with multi-colored rocking chairs where you can view the sunsets over Chautauqua Lake, just across the street. It too has been added to our list of places to stay. We opted to take the Bemus Point and Stow Ferry across the lake to continue our wander home. It’s a motor-driven cable ferry that has been running since 1811, and features a plank deck that’s been in place since 1920. Next stop was Mayville, at the northern end of Chautauqua Lake for lunch at the Watermark Restaurant, and it was awesome. They specialize in seafood, and the catch of the day was fresh Walleye. You can only imagine how good it was....we’ll be returning there! The Chautauqua Lake area is a great destination, and just north along Lake Erie’s shore are miles and miles of some of the prettiest vineyards and wineries around. It’s hard to beat our great state!
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