Day 4

Day 4:  Parkersburg, WV to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada - 419 Miles

This morning we all woke up early (for us), Rudy was up and dressed by 7:30am.  Mom and I were wondering what the rush was, but were satisfied to get ourselves moving and go meet him downstairs for breakfast.   Having had finished eating and the with the car loaded we were on the road by 8:30 heading towards Pittsburgh, PA.

We stopped for a few min off of Grandview Dr. and took in the view of the city.

While there we found a monument dedicated to US Veterans and with Rudy having served with the Air Force during the Korean conflict and the Navy during Vietnam, asked me to take his photo with it which I gladly obliged.

We continued north along the interstate until we arrived Erie, PA where we exited and took a little tour along the waterfront.   We ended up not stopping even taking any pictures but what a neat city that truly makes you appreciate where you come from.   The size and just enormity of the mills and silos and warehouses that are just sitting disused actually leaves you with an emotional response.    The grit of the men and women from the early late 1800s~early 1900s I know I would not have survived.   Here is someones else's blog on the history of Erie, PA.

Crossing over into New York, on our way to Niagara Falls, ON was uneventful and to be frank it was a bit boring.   The big road turned into a toll road which was disappointing as it was an interstate with no warning and no way to get off or go around.

Upon arriving Buffalo, NY we again did our thing of finding "Main Street" and driving in the city and looking at the architecture and finding historical markers.    Buffalo has a great military park with some old Ships which made Dad reminisce on his days in the Navy on CV-9 and ARL-24 as well as the Pentagon (which he hated so much he volunteered to return to Vietnam).    We make it across the Peace Bridge and arrive our hotel which Rudy quickly assumes the position of 'best seat in the house'.

Flat Stanley also took a look!

Mom and I went down to the falls and left him in the room to 'supervise' as we would be doing quite a bit of walking.   The falls were beautiful and scary at the same time.  The thunder that emits from it is intense and the temperature difference is about 20 degrees from the hill the hotel is on down to the guard rails next to the falls.   But we both loved the experience.

When nightfall came the Niagara Falls authority turns on some lights and lights up both the US Falls and the Canada Falls with colored flood lights that change colors over time.   I sat at the hotel window and watched this for entirely too long.

Well that is all for Day 4 tomorrow we will are going to try to get to Maine.   Good night from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.