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A Saturday Drive

I wasn’t going to publish a blog post about yesterday’s activities, as I had posted pictures and video on Facebook. I have several blog followers, though, who are not on Facebook or not my friend on Facebook. So, I decided to publish a blog post after all.

We decided to go for a drive late yesterday morning.

I wanted to go to Chadwick Bay in Dunkirk NY. I had hoped to see some waterfowl. I didn’t see any waterfowl and only a couple seagulls. The waterfowl and seagulls were probably taking cover somewhere, as the wind was howling.

Lake Erie was churning from windy conditions.
I took this video from inside our car.
If I stepped outside, I would have gotten wet!

From Dunkirk we drove to Gowanda NY because I wanted to find the waterfall that a friend had apprised me of in October. In October I shared a photograph of Buttermilk Falls in Ithaca NY on Facebook, and my friend commented that she “got a pic of this [waterfall] in Sept. Its beautiful.” She realized a short time later that “this isnt the falls I was thinking of, we stopped at the one very near the Gowanda Harley shop and there are no sign[s] or picnic tables but Harley staff told us it was called Buttermilk Falls.” We found the waterfall!

According to this article, this waterfall is known by several names in addition to Buttermilk Falls. The waterfall has been called Buttermilk Cascade, Waterman Cascade and Schoolmarm Falls. The waterfall is estimated to be 70 ft. tall. When there is a high flow, the waterfall can widen significantly and become pretty frothy. This is probably why the waterfall has been called Buttermilk Falls or Buttermilk Cascade. The Waterman Falls name most likely comes from the fact that a small tributary to Waterman Brook is the source of water for the waterfall. The Schoolmarm Falls name comes from the legend that a child, trapped atop the falls, was rescued by a schoolmarm, at the cost of her own life. No credible source can be found for this story.

Leaving the waterfall, we returned to Gowanda and ate lunch at a bar called “The Wicked Glen”. Bob ordered an 8 oz burger with tavern chips.

I ordered a tuna melt with macaroni salad.

The service was good, and both meals were delicious. We would definitely return to The Wicked Glen to eat.

We were back home by 4:00 pm. It felt so good to see something other than the four walls of our house.

Hollywood Happening 2014

Bob and I rode to Gowanda NY late morning, May 31st, to check out this year’s Hollywood Happening motorcycle event. This year marks the 16th annual Hollywood Happening. This 3-day motorcycle event benefits the ongoing restoration efforts to Gowanda’s historic Hollywood Theater. Hollywood Happening is publicized as a weekend full of good times, good music, good food, good drink and special events.

We rode to Gowanda via Dunkirk and Silver Creek. We made two stops along the way. Our first stop was at a pull off along Route 5 just before Silver Creek, NY.

Our motorcycle with Lake Erie in the background

Our second stop was for lunch at Aunt Millie’s Family Restaurant, where we enjoyed Cobb Salad (Bob) and BBQ Chicken Finger and French fry lunches. We shared a slice of homemade peanut butter pie for dessert.

Upon reaching Gowanda and after parking the motorcycle, we proceeded to the Main Stage behind the theater. A local rock band, Turbulence, was performing.

Turbulence

We listened to three songs. The band was good, especially as it performed the Beatles song “Come Together”.

We checked out the merchandise for sale tents.

Bob had his boots shined at one merchandise tent.
The boots looked almost new, after the shine.

We were walking up Main Street, when I heard someone call out to me. It was our friend, Susan, who called out as she and Dave arrived on their motorcycle. We watched a few minutes of a BMX Bike Show and walked the streets of Gowanda with Susan and Dave, admiring the many motorcycles.

This is one of several photographs that I took of the BXM bike show.

There were many motorcycles to admire.

Our friends Susan and Dave

Susan took a picture of Bob and me on Main Street too.

Bob and I left Gowanda around 4:00 pm, returning home around 6:00 pm. Susan and Dave stayed behind to check out the merchandise tents. They also hoped to visit with a friend who lives in the area.

A Motorcycle Ride with Friends

We went on a motorcycle ride on Saturday (June 5th) with our friends, Dave and Susan. We decided to go for a motorcycle ride, even though it looked like rain.

We departed Warren around 11:00 AM. Our first stop was in Dayton, NY (a small town approximately 40 miles south of Buffalo), at The Masters Plan Cafe. The cafe is not yet open. I was told that Angie Mardino purchased a former bar with three acres of land in April 2006, when it came up for auction. Angie’s vision is to create a 1950s/1960s style restaurant with an old fashioned ice cream parlor. Each ice cream will be named after something from the Bible. We stopped at The Masters Plan Cafe because Dave and Susan know Angie and have participated in some fund raising events. We talked about the condition of the building when Angie purchased it, what renovations have been done and what still needs to be done.

Our next stop was in Gowanda, NY, which was only 5 miles up the road from The Masters Plan Cafe. We parked on Main Street. We immediately remarked on how few motorcycles were parked along Main Street. We later realized that motorcyclists were participating in the Moose Riders’ 3rd annual Charity Ride. We walked up and down Main Street, looking at the motorcycles and checking out a few vendors. The only purchase made was by Dave. He bought a 2010 Hollywood Happening tee shirt.

Dave and Bob (and their motorcycles)
at Hollywood Happening in Gowanda, NY

We left Gowanda, en route Dunkirk, NY. We drove through Silver Creek and along Lake Erie. Once in Dunkirk we stopped at Tim Horton. Dave, Susan and I ordered bagels and cream cheese; Bob ordered a cookie. Bob, Dave and Susan drank coffee with their bagel/cookie; I drank hot chocolate with my bagel. Thank you, Dave and Susan, for paying for our snack!

We left Dunkirk, en route Bemus Point. We passed through Barcelona, Westfield and Mayville.

Westfield, NY: Lincoln-Bedell Statue

This statue depicts a meeting between President Lincoln and Grace Bedell. In October 1860, eleven-year-old Grace sent Abraham Lincoln a letter urging him to grow a beard to improve his appearance. President Lincoln later met Grace.

Susan and Dave in Westfield, NY
at intersection of Rt. 20 and Rt. 394
where the Lincoln-Bedell statue is located

We boarded a ferry in Stow, which took us to Bemus Point. The captain of the Stow-Bemus Point ferry is Randall Burt, whom Bob and I first met in February 2003 at the Mayville Ice Castle. Randall and I are Facebook friends. I was aware that he operated the ferry, but I didn’t know if he would be running the ferry on Saturday. I was pleased to discover that he was operating the ferry that day.

Bob, Dave and Susan waiting for ferry in Stow, NY

The ferry draws closer
Don’t you love the license plates — “Roars” and “Go Mad”?

Dave and Captain Randall Burt

Motorcycles on ferry
(Susan took this picture.)

Susan and I relaxing, while on the short ferry crossing.
(Dave took this picture.)

We stopped in Bemus Point for ice cream. After eating our ice cream, we rode home. I am happy that we decided to go for a motorcycle ride, even though it looked like it might rain. We rode approximately 145 miles and nary a drop of rain fell on us! We had a GREAT day with our friends and hope to ride with Susan and Dave again one day soon.

Hollywood Happening

Yesterday, Bob and I attended the 11th annual Hollywood Happening (formerly called the Harley Happening). This 3-day motorcycle event, which is held in Gowanda, New York, benefits the ongoing restoration efforts to Gowanda’s historic Hollywood Theater. Hollywood Happening is publicized as a weekend full of good times, good music, good food, good drink and special events.

We arrived just in time (1:00PM) to catch the start of one of the special events, the Pogo Dudes show. The Pogo Dudes jump up and down on pogo sticks. The show was awesome!

I like the shadows in this photograph!

Yes, that is really fire.

After watching the Pogo Dudes’ performance, we headed over to the Main Stage and listened to No Excuses, an acoustic rock band. The band rocked; we enjoyed their music.

Of course we checked out several of the hundreds of motorcycles that were parked on Main Street.

Bob, on Main Street with his motorcycle

Bob liked the paint job on this motorcycle. He said that the paint colors reminded him of his bedroom when he was a child.