Before heading north today, we spent some time this morning exploring the the area around New Holland/Lebanon in the heart of Amish/Mennonite country. Its gorgeous! Beautiful homes, neat and tidy farms, silos in every direction. Mostly corn crops but there was some other stuff we couldn't identify. Soy Beans, Squash, Tobacco? Beautiful old stone barns, brick houses. The New Holland equipment factory is right next door to our motel. Lots of new construction going on; looks busy and vibrant!
We stopped at a place called Oregon Farms, on the "Oregon Pike". We thought it was one of those Amish craft markets, but instead we found this wonderful grocery store with all kinds of local produce, and a busy family restaurant, kids play area, petting zoo and ice cream stand. And a Porsche rally! We bought a small Shoe Fly Pie for later!
Winding around back country roads, we finally found our way to I-81 heading north to Scranton and Binghamton. The next two hours were not pleasant. The road is in terrible condition. thump, thump thump, bump! We're going through central PA, places like Frackville and Pottsville. Its like a third world country! Old gas stations with no diesel, filthy rest rooms, none of the fancy new C-stores you see anywhere else. We picked up I-88 in Binghamton heading to Oneonta - that road is only marginally better. but at east it feels like we're back into civilization! We remember when that road was built in the 1970s. Then it occurred to us that was 40 years ago!
We arrived in Oneonta right on schedule, just in time for dinner at Brook's! Before we did that, we drove around town, checking out the old haunts to see what was new. We went down to the old neighborhood to see our house, which we built in 1975. (We lived there until 1999) It looks terrible! The trees are all overgrown, two trees in the front yard are actually dead! The little trees that we planted are now too big! As we drove around town what occurred to me was how bad all the city streets are. If I was a visitor, I would have a lousy impression. We drove around Hartwick's campus - what a mess. the whole place is under construction! We have no desire to move back to New York! The only really new thing downtown ins the Catskill Performing Arts Center. Across the street, the old Oneonta Sales building is still there! What a blight!
After the tour we headed out to Brooks Bar-B-Q. For the uninitiated, Brooks chicken is an institution all over central New York. People come for miles for Brooks chicken. We came all the way from Idaho! We had "the usual" and were not disappointed.
After dinner we checked out what's new over on "Southside". - found the usual mish-mash of commercial enterprises. Never did like that part of town!
We headed up I-88 to our hotel in Albany. It really is a beautiful ride, in spite of the crappy road. The Susquehanna and Schoharie valleys are spectacular (when the weather's good!)
Note: our hotel tonight, a Quality Inn, is our second FREE night from Choice hotels!
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| Tobacco? |
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| Our Oneonta house - that tree was 3 feet tall when I planted it! |
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| Notice the rainbow! How fitting! |
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| That's it! |
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| Crab tree in the front yard looks dead, too. That was a house warming gift in 1975! |
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| the old Wilbur Mansion looks pretty good! |
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| Downtown Oneonta |
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| My old bank - Oneonta Federal Savings...may it rest in peace |
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Hartwick under construction
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