July 20, 2023 We set the alarm for 7 AM, but didn’t need it because we both woke up on our own at 6:00. How crazy is that? The skies were blue and it was a pleasant 69 degrees and sunny! We were on the road at 9 AM for a 262-mile drive to Watkins Glen. It was mostly interstate today on I-87, I-88, and I-86 with the last 14 miles on Highway 14 to Watkins Glen. Bob had a Co-op Board meeting at 9:30, so he tried to attend by phone and Zoom as we were driving. We crossed the Hudson River which was at a pretty high level. There are still flood warnings out for some areas in New York with more rain expected tomorrow. The weather has been crazy all over the country this summer.
Traffic was light on I-87–a three lane highway. We went around the capital city of Albany, NY on the highway bypass. We crossed over the Mohawk River on this beautiful bridge. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson River just north of Albany.
I-88 was designated a “scenic highway” for 117 miles with lots of green space and forested hillside vistas. The skies were free of smoke and haze today in the Mohawk Valley Region so we could see for miles.
Down in the valley, I-86 paralleled the Susquehanna River for many miles. We crisscrossed the river maybe 6 or 7 times.
We saw these signs along the highway on our drive today. In NY, if you get caught texting 3 times, you lose your license. They have these special Text Stops to give you the opportunity to stop and do your texting.
You might ask yourself, “Why did they leave this one, lone tree standing on the hillside?” That’s because it is a cell tower disguised as a tree.
Highway 14 took us through a few small towns like Montour Falls which had a waterfall right along the side the road, but we couldn’t stop to see it. So, tomorrow we’ll go back for a better look. Once we got into Watkins Glen, traffic was crazy.
Watkins Glen State Park is located right in town, so there were people everywhere. We’ve been to the park before, but we plan to make another visit during our stay here.
The town of Watkins Glen is located at the southern tip of Lake Seneca, one of the bigger Finger Lakes. Our campground is right across from the lake and within walking distance. We arrived in Clute Memorial Park and Campground around 2:00 after a very easy, enjoyable drive today.
We checked in at the Office and were given site #F14 in the back by the ball field.
We got set up and relaxed in the AC. It was a warm, humid 86 degrees when we arrived.
Bob made his delicious bourbon-glazed salmon for dinner and took Auggie for his evening walk today. He wanted to give me a chance to finish my blog and still enjoy a movie after dinner. Tomorrow we’ll do some exploring in the area. We’re here for 3 nights.