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Finger Lakes Wineries (Part XII)

By on November 7, 2023 in The Pearl
“Age is just a number. It’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine.” -Joan Collins

We have our favorite wineries we love to visit, but we do make an effort to try a few new ones each year. Here are the ones we made it to in 2023. Some were better than others and a few we might even visit again.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

Finger Lakes Wineries (Part XII)

By on November 7, 2023 in The Pearl
“Age is just a number. It’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine.” -Joan Collins

We have our favorite wineries we love to visit, but we do make an effort to try a few new ones each year. Here are the ones we made it to in 2023. Some were better than others and a few we might even visit again.

Cayuga Ridge Estate – As one of the oldest wineries in the Finger Lakes Cayuga Ridge invites you to tour and taste their bounty. Through the practice of sustainable vineyard cultivation they attain consistent grape quality and optimal fruit production. The wines of Cayuga Ridge Estate are straightforward and honest in their presentation.

Our picnic didn’t come with a lake view, but the wine and the food was very good. We had their 2020 Dry Riesling. It was a summer Riesling, light and zippy, comparable to a sauvignon blanc.

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard – the vineyard is a pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. It was founded in 1979 by German-born winemaker Hermann J. Wiemer, the estate has gained national and international attention for the quality of its wines and the soundness of its growing practices. Located on the western slope of Seneca Lake and housed in a 19th century scissor-truss barn.

We celebrated the Captain’s birthday at the vineyard and enjoyed their Riesling Dry. It’s their signature wine. Sourced from each of their three distinct vineyard sites It has layers of citrus, stone, and tropical fruit with a clean mineral finish.

Miles Wine Cellars – the winery is located in a Greek revival mansion that overlooks Seneca Lake, the home was originally built in 1802, and has a haunting history. Strange happenings such as slamming doors, footsteps, and unexplained sounds have manifested on the property for years. The first grapes were planted in the spring of 1979. When the grapes began producing, the grapes were sold to neighboring wineries. Their first vintage was in 1997 and it was bottled in 1998.

This was actually our second visit to this Miles Wine Cellars. Our first visit was back in 2012. This time we took our runabout up the lake from our rental and enjoyed a beautiful picnic on their lawn. It was extra special because we were joined by our family. We enjoyed a bottle of their Dry Riesling that was loaded with lemon and lime zest with finishes of fresh pear and apple. Our second bottle Ghost a light, semi-dry Chardonnay blend that was light, crisp and refreshing.

Our view of the lake from the lawn of Miles Wine Cellars.

Hillick & Hobbs – After years of searching around the Finger Lakes to fulfill the dream of creating site-specific estate riesling, Paul Hobbs concentrated his efforts on Seneca Lake and found a property with similar attributes to those found in the famed Mosel region in Germany. This winery is situated on the southeastern banks of the lake. They only produce a dry riesling each year and we could choose between three years. 

We enjoyed a bottle of their 2020 Dry Riesling. That season was warm and dry; however, cool lake breezes contribute to the estate’s ability to slowly ripen the fruit. The result was a Riesling with early spring bloom aromas and lush stone fruit flavors.

Silver Springs Winery – Following a 700-year history of traditional winemaking, the Zuccarino family opened its winery’s doors in June 2004. Silver Springs Winery is a deeply rooted winery, maintaining a rich history for full-bodied, handcrafted reds and refreshingly fruity, rich aromatic white wines. They are located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. It was our least favorite winery of the year. They seemed overpriced and we were not impressed with the wine we tried.

We tried their Dry Riesling “Pink Stripe. It’s a complex wine with a nose of apricot, honeydew, honeysuckle, hints of white peach, and finishes with a citrus tangerine and grapefruit crisp snappy twang. Definitely nice but not our favorite.

You can read about other wineries we’ve visited in the Finger Lake area at the following links.

October Updates

By on November 5, 2023 in The Pearl
“Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go. Growth requires release…it’s what the trees do.” -Ka’ala
We’ve had a busy October and I’ve done a lot of posts, but as usual there are memories I wanted to document. This blog has become less about cruising and boats and more of a journal of our lives. A way to remember where and what we’ve done each year.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

October Updates

By on October 31, 2023 in The Pearl

“Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go. Growth requires release…it’s what the trees do.” -Ka’alaWe’ve had a busy October and I’ve done a lot of posts, but as usual there are memories I wanted to document. This blog has become less about cru…

Oct. 27 – Pine Creek Rail Trail

By on October 30, 2023 in The Pearl
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
We spent the day riding along the Pine Creek Rail Trail. The trail is 62 miles long, extending from the Wellsboro, PA area to the Jersey Shore, PA area. Since we only had one day to explore the trail we did the northern 19 miles through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. There are more than 2,000 miles of rail trails in Pennsylvania, but none are more beautiful than the Pine Creek Rail Trail. It’s one of Pennsylvania’s most scenic treasures.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

Oct. 27 – Pine Creek Rail Trail

By on October 30, 2023 in The Pearl
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
We spent the day riding along the Pine Creek Rail Trail. The trail is 62 miles long, extending from the Wellsboro, PA area to the Jersey Shore, PA area. Since we only had one day to explore the trail we did the northern 19 miles through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. There are more than 2,000 miles of rail trails in Pennsylvania, but none are more beautiful than the Pine Creek Rail Trail. It’s one of Pennsylvania’s most scenic treasures.

We started our adventure at the Big Meadows access point just north of Ansonia. We made arrangements with the Pine Creek Outfitters to move our car from here to the Rattlesnake Rock access while we were on the trail. This way we would have our car waiting for us when we arrived. A mile past where we started is the Darling Run access from this point to Blackwell there are no intersecting roads. This 16 mile section is the most secluded and pristine part of the Pine Creek Gorge; this area is also known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. The canyon stretches for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1500 feet.  

The Pine Creek Rail Trail follows the path of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway that opened in 1883. It later became a part of the New York Central Railroad and operated until 1988. The first section of the rail trail was opened in 1996. USA Today cites the Pine Creek Rail Trail as one of the 10 great places to take a bike tour in the world.

About an hour into our ride we took a break from our bikes to hike up Turkey Path. The first half of the trail is a series of stairs and boardwalks that pass by three beautiful waterfalls. The trail continues its climbs to the rim of the canyon. A total of 800′ in 1.1 miles. The bike ride was a piece of cake compared to this trail, but the rewards were worth the effort…the views from the top were amazing.

The confluence of Marsh Creek and Pine Creek just past where we started the trail.

Darling Run Access to the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

Views along the trail.

We saw three eagles while we rode along the trail. There is an eagle in the tree to the left. Just as I was taking this picture he flew right past me. 

Cabins and swing bridge along Pine Creek.

The waterfalls along Turkey Path.

The Turkey Path Trail to the rim of the canyon.

The viewing platform at Leonard Harrison State Park.

Looking south along the PA Grand Canyon.

Looking west along the PA Grand Canyon.

Looking north along the PA Grand Canyon.

A close up of the trail we come on from Ansonia.

The house we could see from the rim overview.

The trail was a great place to spend a warm beautiful fall day. We truly enjoyed seeing all the fall colors even though they were past their peak.

Fly fishing in Pine Creek is very popular. Stan spent a day fishing on this creek the first summer we were in Ithaca.

The small village of Blackwell. It’s the first entry or exit point south of Darling Run.

Miller’s Store offers a nice place to rest and have a snack along the trail.

Rattlesnake Rock…the end of the trail for us. It was nice to see the car was waiting for us.  

This is a map of the trail. The green line shows the part of the rail trail we did today. I also marked where the Turkey Path trail begins.

PA Cover Bridges (Part III)

By on October 27, 2023 in The Pearl
“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” —Dr. Seuss
We’ve been chasing covered bridges since Kyle and his family moved to Pennsylvania in 2016. Pennsylvania is one of the leading states with the remaining number of covered bridges. At one point in time, it’s estimated that Pennsylvania had more than 1,500 covered bridges. Today there are 209 that can be found throughout the state and a total of 900 in the US. The first covered bridge in the United States was built over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 1805.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

PA Cover Bridges (Part III)

By on October 27, 2023 in The Pearl
“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” —Dr. Seuss
We’ve been chasing covered bridges since Kyle and his family moved to Pennsylvania in 2016. Pennsylvania is one of the leading states with the remaining number of covered bridges. At one point in time, it’s estimated that Pennsylvania had more than 1,500 covered bridges. Today there are 209 that can be found throughout the state and a total of 900 in the US. The first covered bridge in the United States was built over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 1805.
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof and siding, which creates an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structure from the weather, extending the life of the bridge from roughly 20 years to 100 years. But there are other explanations for covering the bridges. The spans were built to resemble barns so farm animals would feel more at home and not stampede as they were driven across the streams and rivers. Other explanations were to keep snow and rain off the bridge to keep the oiled planks of the roadbed from becoming dangerously slippery, to cover up unsightly trusses, to provide shelter to travelers caught in a storm and to provide a place to court your lady and secretly give her a kiss (the “Kissing Bridges”). The roof also strengthened the entire structure.

The Hassenplug Covered Bridge is located in Mifflinburg built in 1825. It’s the oldest existing covered bridge in Pennsylvania and believed to be the second-oldest covered bridge in the United States. The bridge is 80′ long and 16′ wide. 

The Millmont Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Union County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1855 and spans the Penns Creek. The bridge is also known as the Red Bridge or the Glen Iron Covered Bridge. It is 131′ long and 14′ wide.
The Hays Covered Bridge is located in Union County and was built in 1882. It spans Buffalo Creek and is 63′ long, 16′ wide.
The Rishel Covered Bridge is located in Northumberland County. It is a single span bridge built in 1830. It crosses the Chillisquaque Creek and  is 94′ long.
The Sam Wagner (Gottleib Brown) Covered Bridge was built in 1881. It spans the Chilisquaque Creek in Pottsgrove and is a single span bridge that is 85′ long.

See other Pennsylvania Covered Bridges that we’ve discovered at the following sites.

PA Covered Bridges (Part I)

Oct. 24 – Buffalo Valley Rail Trail

By on October 26, 2023 in The Pearl
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” ―Albert Einstein
The weather has finally cleared up and we’ve been able to get out and do a little exploring. This area of Pennsylvania is predominately farmland…beautiful farmland with picture perfect farms. Today we rode our bikes along the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. The trail runs 9.5 miles between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg. The trail transects the heart of Union County’s Buffalo Valley, showcasing the rich agricultural heritage and working farms along with the quaint small towns. The trail follows the route of a railroad that once ran from Montandon to Bellefonte in Centre County, crossing through Union County. The rail line was a key part of the valley’s transportation network from 1853 until 1982. The rail trail opened in 2011.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

Oct. 24 – Buffalo Valley Rail Trail

By on October 26, 2023 in The Pearl
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” ―Albert Einstein
The weather has finally cleared up and we’ve been able to get out and do a little exploring. This area of Pennsylvania is predominately farmland…beautiful farmland with picture perfect farms. Today we rode our bikes along the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. The trail runs 9.5 miles between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg. The trail transects the heart of Union County’s Buffalo Valley, showcasing the rich agricultural heritage and working farms along with the quaint small towns. The trail follows the route of a railroad that once ran from Montandon to Bellefonte in Centre County, crossing through Union County. The rail line was a key part of the valley’s transportation network from 1853 until 1982. The rail trail opened in 2011.

Part of the trail.

Some of the farmland near the little town of Vicksburg, about halfway between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg.

The trail ends in Muffinburg right past the Rusty Rail Brewery. We had been to lunch here the day before and decided we deserved a beer before we headed back…9 miles. What a perfect place for this wonderful brewery.

The Vicksburg Buggy Shop.

Just a few of the beautiful trees we saw.