At 10 the next morning we had to be at Lock 34/35 in Lockport, NY for our tour of the Erie Canal. We got there late because we spent some extra time working on our blog at Starbucks but we made it just in time for the 11 a.m. tour. I've been very excited for this and couldn't wait for the tour to start. We started with a walking tour and our guide explained how the locks worked so boats could pass. He then brought us down the street a bit where we entered a man made cave alongside the canal that provided water power for some nearby factories. When we reached the end of the walking tour we got in a boat and went a little deeper into the cave. Our tour guide was so much fun and we got to learn about how the cave was made, why it is no longer in use and so much more.
Next up on our New York tour was Rochester, NY and we drove alongside the Erie Canal to get there. I thought we would have seen some neat towns and such but there really wasn't much to see. A couple of hours later, we arrived in Rochester.
It was raining a bit when we arrived so we weren't sure how long we wanted to stay. Fortunately, the rain died down and we got to check out High Falls and a few other areas around the historical district. When we were satisfied with the city we left to grab one of the famous garbage plates from Nick Tahou Hots.
Next up on our journey was a small but great state park, Chimney Bluffs. What made Chimney Bluffs so unique was the effect erosion had from rain, snow, and wind on this cliff. It's tough to describe but it was as if a Stegosaurus was living underneath the ground. Standing at the edge, it felt as if the cliff's edge would fall down from under you (with good reason). We spent a good amount of time staring out onto Lake Ontario from the cliff's edge and when we finished we hiked our way back down to the car. Right down the street was a winery that we decided to try last minute. Wines were too sweet, enough said. Off to Syracuse!
(The decor in our hotel room was so nice, they put it up twice!)
On the way there we realized the last day of the state fair was that day! It was already pretty late, so it wouldn't have been worth it to go but as we drove through Syracuse we loved the architecture and we figured we would enjoy the day there anyway. After grabbing a hotel we then realized that the brewery we wanted to eat dinner at was closed :/ but not to worry this was where the original Dinosaur BBQ is located and we decided to eat there. We had the best ribs of our lives there. I never understood the true meaning of it cut like butter until i bit into their ribs and pulled pork. (Laura: if Larry ever tells you his favorite food is your meatballs or shepherd's pie.. DON'T believe him! I think I saw a tear well up in his eye as he ate the last bite of the ribs..) Everything, except the cornbread, was superb and I can't wait to try the one in the city. After we were done eating, a guy started to perform at the restaurant and we didn't "think twice," about staying and listening. :)
