The Stelzle's Trailer Travels: July 31-August 3: NEW YORK

It was Scott's turn to relive some memories and visit family in New York. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and set up in the Branches of Niagara Campground (very nice!) on Grand Island where we would spend four nights until we head out for the grand expedition to the cabin in Canada. (The trip to the cabin with Scott's sister Sharon and family, is the main reason for this trek across the United States.) Scott couldn't wait another minute to get a Super Mighty from Mighty Taco, so we headed out for the first of a few visits. We got back in time for Jake to enjoy the Wagon Ride and the Tiki Pool Party at the campground. On Sunday morning we headed out early to visit Scott's old neighborhood and important places from his past. We drove by their house on Clearview Drive and we went to the cemetery in Clarence where his dad was buried, among many other places he pointed out. Jake loved seeing where his dad grew up. It was a whirlwind of memories, and a lot of Scott saying "it looks so much smaller than I remember." A long-time friend of Scott's, Brett Summer and his family, came out to the campground to visit. Brett was in our wedding (and Scott in his) and is was super fun to see him and his wife Jenny and their two boys, Lucas and Jacob (daughter Abby was away at Darien Lake). The Gorzynski's also arrived and we then had 6 boys raring to go swimming, fishing and all-around carousing.

Monday was a BIG DAY! Scott's sister Sue and her husband Les and Mark (Jake's cousin) drove in from Rochester to go to Niagara Falls with us. Alan's dad, Andre joined us too. After (another) visit to Mighty Taco, we headed to the Maid of the Mist and had a blast on the boat. Yes, we got soaked. Afterwards we hiked through the park checking out Goat Island and Three Sisters Islands and seeing the Falls from various spots. Then, the grand finale of the day, was dinner at Duffs. Duffs is super famous for Buffalo Wings and rightfully so. They are totally worth the long wait to get into the divy place! It's been around for decades and has always been the place to go for wings, along with the Anchor Bar in Buffalo.

We spent our last day in the area visiting a few more of Scott and Sharon's places that they loved to go when they were kids. We drove to the Canadian side of the Falls, stopping at various picnic spots they used to frequent in the family station wagon. We went to Niagara on the Lake, where the kids swam in Lake Ontario. When we got back, it was time to get serious about getting ready for the cabin. So, now ready to go early in the morning, the real adventure begins. Scott has not been to the cabin since he was in middle school, but has been wanting to go back for years. Sharon and Alan were engaged the last time they went to the cabin and that was about 17 years ago. So, we are heading on about a 10 hour drive north into Ontario. The cabin can only be reached by boat, so we will be dropping off the Shasta in the town of Sudbury, where we will pick it up and start heading back west into Minnesota next week. I have no idea what we are getting into....sounds pretty rustic!!!