A Wet And Cloudy Morning Walk At Niagara Falls And A Smokey And Rainy Drive Home.

I slept well after my first visit to the unbelievably beautiful Niagara Falls.  It was cloudy when I awoke the next morning.  However, the view of the Falls from my window was still mesmerizing. I sat with my coffee and just stared at the beauty below me.  I watched as the waters of the Niagara River  flowed over the edge of the cliffs. I could have sat there all day, but I had another long drive ahead of me,  the  last one of my trip. 

So I finished up my coffee and began another walk back down to the Falls. 

I peered up at my  room  on the 1th floor of the Niagara Falls Marriott Hotel and Spa. that provided me with the impressive views of the falls that are not  forever etched in my mind .  It had rained overnight and the streets and paths in the park above the Niagara River were wet.

I walked through the park on the bluff above the  Niagara River enjoying the overlooks with views of the majestic falls below. 

Unlike the previous afternoon the paths were empty. 

I was one of  a handful of people  walking in the park  behind  the casino, and down the now deserted Murray street. 

Like my first view of the impressive falls  I was  again was awestruck by the beauty of the “American ” Falls, 

I was the only person walking on the trail above the rushing Niagara River. It was a very reflective walk.

I stopped  a number of times and took in the beauty of the Falls. I was the only one on the trail As I approached the “Canadian” Falls  where I saw a few maintenance workers cleaning up the trail.

I walked above the Falls, an d watched the waters cascading over the cliff.

I was no longer  alone. There were three Chinese women tourists also enjoying the view  without the crowds. 

The sight and sound of the water rushing over the cliffs  was just amazing. . I was fortunate to see Victoria Falls in Africa  and I can honestly say I  found Niagara Falls to be even  more  beauty and impressive. 

I remained at the falls for about a half hour and still no other tourists showed up. I loved being there alone but I had a long drive home so I had to walk back to my hotel. 

On the way I again walked along the main street,. before returning to the park, and my hotel. 

In the park I saw enjoyed the sight of the flowers and,

a few birds including this American robin. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my morning hike. Niagara Falls Ontario June 8 2023. \

I returned to my hotel by 8 a.m. My  was to be on the road  8;30. However, when one travels, things don’t always go as planned. I showered packed and called the valet for my Jeep  at 8:20 a.m.  I wanted to avoid the morning rush. .  They said it will be out front at 8:30 a.m. Well it wasn’t. I waited 15 minutes and called . I was told they had it out front at 8:30 a.m. I told them it wasn’t there and a little argument ensued. I went to the manager and they said the person who went for my Jeep  hadn’t returned. In a few minutes he came walking back and said the Jeep won’t start. Well to make a long story short, they finally determined the battery died and they recharged it.  The man who parked was a nice guy the staff were jerks. Well  it   was now 9:30 a.m. and  I was finally on the road after my hour delay. 

I drove back into the United States and through the backroads of New York. It was a  pretty drive through  rural forest and farmland.  However, I  again encountered the smoke from the wildfires burning in Quebec that was plaguing the East Coast. I could smell the smoke inside my Jeep. And it got worse when a smoky rain began to fall. 

I drove for about two hours, passing though a few small towns. I was  hungry and decided to eat in the quaint town  of Bath,  New York.  I loved this town so typical of small town America. The mains street had a park with flags and statues. 

I found a charming little restaurant , Stephanie’s Family Restaurant  located on the main street. The pleasant waitress  knew everyone in the busy restaurant by name. I had a great breakfast and soon was on the road again. I love to travel.

I was back in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , my home State, and  on the familiar roads. I drove past Mansfield University, where my nephew is enrolled in college.  i knew the next two hours of my journey home. 

I arrived in West Hazleton a little later then planned. I stopped at my  Law Office, went grocery shopping and was home at 5 p.m. I made my traditional homecoming   meal , hot peppers and eggs. It was another great adventure. and, . God willing I will have many more.  And you are all welcome to join me again, unless I return to Niagara Falls with a  a new wife, then it would be up to her to invite you along. , Nah,  I am pretty sure will love to have you along,  , or she won’t be my wife. This is why I am not married. lol but   hope springs eternal.   I thank you all again for following  on my trip and please keep  logging in and follow and share my local nature hikes. 

The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back. – Wendy Wunder

fskokoski@gmail.com

This is my first post