Gorgeous Gorges and the Museum of the Earth

The day after my abbreviated hike up Watkins Glen and the visits to Prejean Winery and Montour, I decided it was time to visit Ithaca.

The distance from the tip of Lake Seneca to the tip of Lake Cayuga is about 20 miles. Twenty bouncy, twisty turny miles. My first stop was The Museum of the Earth. This is a must visit museum for all geology and paleontology nerds.

I am probably more a fan than a nerd, as I find I can never remember any of the names or the correct sequence of ages, but this is a wonderful museum.

There are great videos that explain things and wonderful interpretive signage.

And then, there are the FOSSILS!

I was particularly excited to see this fossil of burrows of unknown animals. It confirmed for me that the rock I saw in Cattaraugus Creek was, indeed, a fossil.

In spite of the erosion from being in a creek bed, you can tell that it is the same kind of fossil.

And, here is some of that salt that U.S. Salt must be mining.

I like how they have a whale skeleton hanging in the lobby. It drives home the fact that the earth is continuing to create and destroy. If they had left this skeleton, perhaps it would have become a fossil a few million years hence. Or not.

I always look in the gift shop, even if I really can’t buy anything more hefty that a postcard. What a thrill to find a book written by a friend!

After the museum, I consulted Siri for a recommendation for a place for lunch. I decided on the Lincoln Street Diner.

It was a friendly neighborhood eatery. I selected the Ziffy Omelet. I only include this here because eating it reminded me of digging for fossils.

Potatoes, onions, peppers, ham, bacon and cheese.

Sufficiently nourished, I set out to see Ithaca’s gorgeous gorges.

First, Buttermilk Falls. I remember visiting that way back when, but probably mostly because of the delicious name.

Next stop, Robert Treman State Park.

Now, I do remember being here before. In the right season, this is a wonderful swimming hole. But, it’s after Labor Day, and they opened the dam and let out the water.

I was chatting with people I asked to take my picture. They confirmed that the dam had just been opened and that they had been swimming there a few days earlier. Rats! I missed it.

Oddly enough, these folks were from Kenmore – and I was wearing my Kenmoron shirt!

Mom and Dad were here on their honeymoon. I imagine the water is flowing with greater vigor, as they were here in June of 1954. According to the records I dug up, that month was wetter than average.

My last park of the day around Lake Cayuga was Taughannock Falls State Park. This is also a park I remember. Dad took Craig and me on a hike to the Candy Glen.

Well, how else do you get kids to set off on a hike? I remember it so clearly! He directed our attention to another spot and then dropped a candy bar and let us discover it. I do believe it was a Butterfinger.

But, I have got to say, all the signs warning and prohibiting just about brought out the rebel in me. I don’t think it helps that the signs are written in ALL CAPS!

If the area is unguarded, who is going to stop me from swimming?

And finally, the falls.

Seriously?! They couldn’t miss one last opportunity for a sign?

Actually, it was a lovely stroll with a falls at the end. No candy bars required to get me to walk.

There were little falls along the way, too.

There were signs warning agains swimming and wading and getting off the trail. *sigh* I just didn’t bother taking a photo.

There were cracks in the bed of the river. They had some excellent interpretive signs that explained that they were caused by the pressure when the Allegheny Mountains were lifted up.

There were interesting birds and wildlife scampering about. A bird fancier might light to identify this one for me. I was thinking heron.

Even though the day was dull and dreary, you could see the trees starting to change colors.

And then it was time to head for home – Watkins Glen.

After all, home is where you park it.