T&C Posted August 21 Posted August 21 The eternal flame is pretty low key and easy to check out... not far from the stadium either. 2 Quote
SoTier Posted August 21 Author Posted August 21 (edited) 1 hour ago, Augie said: I’m curious about the Thousand Island area. We vacationed there as a kid and it made an impression on me. We stayed at an old resort on the Canadian side with golf for the adults and ping pong with lemonade for the kids. It’s funny what sticks in your mind, but I remember the exposed pipes in the old-time hotel bath. I also remember my dad hit something in the rented boat and they were going to charge him $200 for the prop they were just going to bang straight again, but since we bought it we took that prop home and kept it on the mantle for a while. I might like to look into that for before the 2026 home opener with the wife. Any suggestions? Is it worth it? Where do you base yourself? What to see and do? Clayton and Alexandria Bay are the two main tourist centers for the Thousand Islands on the US side. If you go, take one of the boat tours around the islands. Definitely see Boldt Castle which was a summer house on one of the islands built in the form of a medieval castle. When I last visited it, it was largely an abandoned hulk stripped of its former glory since restoration had started only a few years before. One of the few areas that was still recognizable was the bowling alley in the basement. Over the last 40+ years, much of the Castle and its grounds have been restored. (Boldt Castle) If you go, keep in mind that it's definitely not a day trip from Buffalo. The I-90/I-81 route is the fastest at more than 3 1/2 hours one way plus there are a lot of interesting attractions, so plan accordingly. Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario is a living history museum. Many of its buildings were rescued from parts of the St Lawrence River valley during the building of the St Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s (Upper Canada Village). Nearby to Morrisburg are the locks at Massena, NY. Closer to Alexandra Bay is Ogdensburg which is the home of the Frederic Remington Museum. Remington was a noted American painter, illustrator, and sculptor of the American West in the last quarter of the 19th century (Federic Remington Museum). Edited August 21 by SoTier 1 Quote
US Egg Posted August 21 Posted August 21 Rock City Park, just south of Olean, is a nice day trip. It’s a bit of an adventure thing, massive formations with trails through and up on them. It has interesting history and is cheap. Their website sux, but there’s lots of positive Google reviews. Olean is a college town, it’s nice there with plenty of dining options to round out the day. 1 Quote
Augie Posted August 21 Posted August 21 6 hours ago, T&C said: The eternal flame is pretty low key and easy to check out... not far from the stadium either. That’s actually very cool, and I had never heard of it before. Thx Quote
Roundybout Posted August 21 Posted August 21 Little Rock City in Little Valley. My wife and I first hiked it a few years ago. We were actually aiming for Boyce Hill State Park and we had stopped for coffee at a little cafe in Colden IIRC. The waitress advised us to skip Boyce Hill because it was black fly season. She then gave us a little printout of directions to Little Rock City. It's a really cool hike among big boulders and thick woods, and it's not as well-known as Rock City. It's pretty out there and requires you to drive down an unmarked "seasonal" highway. Bring bug spray. 6 hours ago, T&C said: The eternal flame is pretty low key and easy to check out... not far from the stadium either. Bring a grill lighter! It blows out more often than you think. Impress out-of-towners with your knowledge. 1 Quote
BillsPride12 Posted August 21 Posted August 21 1 hour ago, US Egg said: Rock City Park, just south of Olean, is a nice day trip. It’s a bit of an adventure thing, massive formations with trails through and up on them. It has interesting history and is cheap. Their website sux, but there’s lots of positive Google reviews. Olean is a college town, it’s nice there with plenty of dining options to round out the day. If your making that trip make a stop in Olean and go to the Beef N Barrel you won't regret it 🤤 1 Quote
SoTier Posted August 21 Author Posted August 21 2 hours ago, US Egg said: Rock City Park, just south of Olean, is a nice day trip. It’s a bit of an adventure thing, massive formations with trails through and up on them. It has interesting history and is cheap. Their website sux, but there’s lots of positive Google reviews. Olean is a college town, it’s nice there with plenty of dining options to round out the day. There are three exposed areas of large boulders within a few miles of I-86. From east to west, there's Rock City Park near Olean, Thunder Rocks in Allegany State Park near Salamanca, and Panama Rocks near the little village of Panama. Panama Rocks is privately owned. 1 Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 22 Posted August 22 (edited) 3 hours ago, Augie said: That’s actually very cool, and I had never heard of it before. Thx It's not bad... Better at certain times of the year. I have a theory on how Father Baker knew there was natural gas under the Basilica in Lackawanna. He kept on drilling and praying until he hit gas... The Basilica generates its own natural gas to this day... Anyway... My theory is he knew of the "Eternal Flame" atop the ridge/escarpment. But let's give credit to prayer and hitting the gas field under WNY...😉 ...You can actually see the top of the Basilica and Bills FieldHouse from the toboggan hill @ Chestnut Ridge. Edited August 22 by ExiledInIllinois 2 Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 22 Posted August 22 (edited) 20 minutes ago, SoTier said: There are three exposed areas of large boulders within a few miles of I-86. From east to west, there's Rock City Park near Olean, Thunder Rocks in Allegany State Park near Salamanca, and Panama Rocks near the little village of Panama. Panama Rocks is privately owned. My mother inlaw was born in Mt.Morris and moved to Olean as a baby... She always talks about "Rock City." Here's a day trip we did in early 1970s after Kinzua Dam (mentioned) opened. The fish hatchery there: https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/allegheny https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_National_Fish_Hatchery SideNote: On a Sunday with my father's 1973 Chevy Impala wagon... It was 1975 and it dropped it's gas tank losing a tank band... Brother sitting in back: "Hey Dad! There's sparks flying behind car!" Dad: "Shut up, there's no sparks!" LoL... Anyway... Back in day, not even gas stations were open on Sunday in Northwestern PA... We found rope somewhere and got home... Still remember eating cold "city chicken" on side of road as he rigged tank up. Edited August 22 by ExiledInIllinois 1 Quote
SoTier Posted August 22 Author Posted August 22 (edited) 1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said: My mother inlaw was born in Mt.Morris and moved to Olean as a baby... She always talks about "Rock City." Here's a day trip we did in early 1970s after Kinzua Dam (mentioned) opened. The fish hatchery there: https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/allegheny https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_National_Fish_Hatchery SideNote: On a Sunday with my father's 1973 Chevy Impala wagon... It was 1975 and it dropped it's gas tank losing a tank band... Brother sitting in back: "Hey Dad! There's sparks flying behind car!" Dad: "Shut up, there's no sparks!" LoL... Anyway... Back in day, not even gas stations were open on Sunday in Northwestern PA... We found rope somewhere and got home... Still remember eating cold "city chicken" on side of road as he rigged tank up. Even today, northwestern/north central PA east of I-79 and north of I-80 is sketchy for services like gas stations, restaurants, and cell service if you're off the interstates. Frequently, what appear to be villages or cities on maps frequently turn out to be a half dozen houses, a wooden church, and a volunteer fire department at the intersection of a gravel road crossing a paved road. Edited August 22 by SoTier 1 Quote
US Egg Posted August 22 Posted August 22 2 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said: You can actually see the top of the Basilica and Bills FieldHouse from the toboggan hill @ Chestnut Ridge. The dome of the Basilica will standout even more soon, they’re replacing the original with copper. They also did a revamping of the basement and now have a small, but thorough, historical museum honoring Father Baker. Between the Basilica and very nearby and updated Botanical Gardens, it’s a nice afternoon jaunt for locals to take in. 1 1 Quote
Mike in Horseheads Posted August 22 Posted August 22 5 hours ago, SoTier said: Even today, northwestern/north central PA east of I-79 and north of I-80 is sketchy for services like gas stations, restaurants, and cell service if you're off the interstates. Frequently, what appear to be villages or cities on maps frequently turn out to be a half dozen houses, a wooden church, and a volunteer fire department at the intersection of a gravel road crossing a paved road. Route 6 is not that bad. It has filling stations and places to eat. Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 22 Posted August 22 (edited) Just across the border in Pennsyltucky: Zippo lighter museum & store... Plant... In Bradford... https://zippo.com/pages/zippo-case-museum-flagship-store Edited August 22 by ExiledInIllinois Quote
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