We left Niagara Falls area and headed southeast toward the Finger Lakes Region. We stayed at Back Achers Camprgound located in a secluded area on the west side of Seneca Lake conveniently located on the Finger Lakes Wine Trail.
Back Achers is the only private campground Facility located on beautiful Seneca Lake with private lake frontage. The campground is old yet fairly maintained. There are a few seasonal renters from May 15th – October 15th. The lake was not far from our campsite. The next day we walked about 100 feet straight towards the trees and then the road dropped down about 100 feet to the water’s edge.
It was a hot summer’s day of 88 degrees and I could feel the humidity building. It was around 3:30 p.m. and Scott went right in for a swim. I made it in about three feet and stopped because I couldn’t see my feet. Boy, I sure did miss the crystal-clear blue water of the Great Lakes.
The next day, we took a drive south to Robert H. Treman State Park in Ithaca. GPS got us lost. We met a couple who said we could follow them to the park. There is a vehicle use fee ($9 for our car) to enter the park. Stopping at the Visitor Center, we got a park map and took the Gorge Trail via the Red Pine Trail to Lucifer Falls.
In total, we walked 4.96 miles and gained 775’ elevation. Our plan was to first stop at Watkins Glen State Park, the most well known park in the Finger Lakes. I had been there before with my daughter and her best friend, and was happy to check it out again. The parking lot was full, so we continued on the Lucifer Falls. Our intention was to stop back at Watkins Glen on our way back from Lucifer, but we were too tired. We did stop at a local Mennonite farm stand to load up on vegetables and to buy flowers for our PA friends. Their prices were very reasonable.
The next day was the beginning of Labor Day Weekend. The weather had been perfect and the forecast looked good. Our next stop was Pennsylvania to visit with our friends for the long weekend. Since they were leaving Labor Day Monday to babysit their grandson, we took it upon ourselves to get tested for Covid – just to play it safe. Well, Scott tested positive with absolutely NO SYMPTOMS! Instead of spending three days with them followed by a week by my brother’s home in Barnegat, NJ, we got to quarantine for 10 days. We found out weeks later that the batch of tests of which we purchased from CVS were giving out false-positives. We will never really know for sure.
Next stop Warwick, NY, our quarantine location.
Shifting Sands Travels 