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Presidents Day Weekend Winter Festival

This weekend is the Presidents Day Weekend Winter Festival in Mayville, NY. The highlight of the festival, at least for Bob and me, is the castle made of ice blocks. The first winter festival held in Mayville was in February 1987. Bob and I attended this year’s festival on Saturday. As in past years the festival was held on the grounds of Lakeside Park, located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake.

We parked in a lot off Valley Street ($5.00 donation to park) and walked across NYS Route 394 to the ice castle. We didn’t stop at the ice castle. We walked past the gazebo to the park building, located at the opposite end of the park. During our walk we ran into a friend, Pete F., and his wife, Linda. We said hi to Pete, who then introduced us to Linda. The four of us chatted for a short time, before continuing our separate ways.

We walked into the park building and looked around. Inside the park building we found restrooms and a few vendors. We noticed tables where tickets were being sold for a scavenger hunt and for the beer and wine tent. Leaving the park building, we walked out on the ice-covered Chautauqua Lake.

Linda on ice-covered lake

While on the lake, it was announced a few times that anyone on the ice were on it at their own risk. I read in a local newspaper article that the ice on Chautauqua Lake a few weeks ago was approximately 12- to 18-inches thick and had melted down to a mere 6 inches. There was a square cut into the ice that would be the location of the polar bear plunge later in the day.

Linda on ice-covered lake near opening in ice

Everyone was warned to stay 50 feet away from that opening in the ice.

We stopped at each vendor tent on our way back to the ice castle. There were food tents, a beer and wine tent, a wood carver, at least one game of chance, and a vendor tent.

A bar made out of the ice blocks in the beer and wine tent

Chain saw carver

Some of the prizes in Ball in Bowl game

There were horse-drawn carriage rides available too.

It didn’t take long to make our way back to the ice castle.

Bob took this picture of me in front of the ice castle.

It was 12:30 pm, when we made it back to the ice castle. I wanted to stay for the polar bear plunge, but the plunge wouldn’t happen until 2:00 pm. It was cold. We weren’t hungry, and there wasn’t anything going on at the festival that would hold our attention for 1 1/2 hours. So, we left for home soon after returning to the ice castle. I guess we should have timed our arrival closer to the time of the polar bear plunge. Oh, and fireworks would be set off later in the evening. We didn’t see the fireworks either.

An Unexpected Photo Opportunity

Yesterday evening Bob and I went for a motorcycle ride with our 2 Scoop Cycletherapy friends. We met at the North Warren playground parking lot at 6:00 pm.

the staging area for Thursday night’s ride

It was a nice night for a ride, and we had a good turnout. There were eleven bikes and 18 riders. We rode to Mayville, NY (not a direct route) and stopped at the Lakeside Park. There was a Kiss tribute band performing at the park, which provided an unexpected photo opportunity.

Donna and Scott with “Gene Simmons” from the KISS Tribute Band, Mizzbehavin’

The KISS Tribute Band, Mizzbehavin’, was good. We learned that there is music in the park during the Summer each Thursday night, beginning at 6:30 pm.

Oh, and I captured a group picture of all of us, too, at the Mayville Lakeside Park.

Group Picture

From Mayville we rode to Busti, where we stopped for ice cream at the Busti Victorian Hall. The Victorian Hall serves Perry’s Ice Cream. I tried a new-to-me ice cream flavor – Rocky Mountain Raspberry (white chocolate ice cream, almond raspberry fudge chunks, and raspberry swirls). It was very good; I will order that flavor again. We returned home at 9:30 pm.

An Afternoon Drive

Bob and I went for a drive around Chautauqua Lake yesterday afternoon. We made two stops along the way, both stops in Mayville, NY. We stopped along Chautauqua Lake to check on the construction of an ice castle.

Ice Castle construction in progress

The ice castle construction is progressing well. The warmer temperatures the past couple days do not appear to have caused any deterioration of the construction to date. Temperatures are expected to dip again this evening and stay that way for a while, so the ice castle will again be a highlight of this year’s President’s Day Weekend Winter Festival.

Our last stop in Mayville was at Tops Friendly Markets. We stopped to pick up cat food for Patches. We learned that Tops doesn’t carry the brand of cat food that we buy. All was not lost, though. That stop turned into a photo op. While in the parking lot, I noticed a pretty church across the street.

First Baptist Church

Leaving Tops, we turned right onto Route 430. Soon after leaving Mayville an eagle flew across Route 430, right in front of us! What a pleasant surprise that was! We did turn around to see if we could catch sight of the eagle again (and have an opportunity to take a picture). We had no such luck!

Oh, and I almost forgot. While in Mayville, walking to the ice castle, a snow bike caught our eye.

Perhaps Bob can get a conversion kit for his Kawasaki Voyager.

A Lunch Date, Some Shopping and a Little Sightseeing

Bob worked 5 hours overtime on Saturday morning, July 26th. Soon after coming home from work, we left en route Erie. Bob received a 15% off coupon for The Outback and wanted to go there for lunch. We drove the Nissan, rather than ride the motorcycle, because it was supposed to rain. For lunch we ordered a blooming onion as an appetizer. Bob’s main entree was grilled chicken. I ordered a 6 oz Sirloin steak. Lunch was very good.

After lunch we went to the Five Below store, where we picked up catnip bubbles for our cat. Patches really likes the bubbles! While shopping at the Five Below store, it rained. When we came out of the store, though, the rain had stopped. It was beautiful out. That was the only rain we had during the afternoon and evening.

Before leaving Erie we drove around Presque Isle State Park. We made one stop to go for a hike on the Long Pond Trail. Here is a description of Long Pond Trail that I found upon returning home.

“Long Pond Trail: 1 mile
This trail follows the shoreline of Long Pond, one of the ponds within the lagoon. About halfway along this trail is a boat landing, which is a popular fishing spot and offers a scenic view of the lagoon.”

After walking for quite a while on Long Pond Trail, we turned around and returned to our car. We didn’t see a boat landing. We didn’t even see the pond!

On our way back home we drove through several small NY towns — Ripley, North East, Westfield and Mayville. We made a brief stop in Mayville to admire the view across Chautauqua Lake.

A Lighthouse and a Seagull

Although we have visited Mayville numerous times, this was the first time that we had seen this public dock. We walked out to the farthest reaches of the dock.

Chautauqua Belle

Lighthouse, as seen from public dock

Wednesday Night Ride Around Chautauqua Lake

Bob and I went on a motorcycle ride Wednesday evening (July 9) with friends.

Sixteen people with nine motorcycles and one car met at the North Warren Presbyterian Church parking lot. We were ready to roll at 6:00 pm.

We rode around Chautauqua Lake. Bob prepared this map of our route.

Our first stop was in Mayville NY at the Mayville Lakeside Park.

Mayville Lakeside Park

Scott and Donna at Mayville Lakeside Park

Mandy and Shawn at Mayville Lakeside Park

Mayville Lakeside Park

After admiring the view and a few photographs,we were on our way once again on our ride around Chautauqua Lake. On our Wednesday night rides, we always stop for ice cream. Our ice cream stop was at The Springs in Maple Springs NY, located across from the Midway Amusement Park.

The Springs

It was another wonderful Wednesday night ride. I am looking forward to the next one!

Presidents Day Weekend Winter Festival

This weekend was the Presidents Day Weekend Winter Festival in Mayville, NY. The highlight of the festival, at least for Bob and me, is the castle made of ice blocks. Bob and I attended this year’s festival yesterday afternoon.

As we approached Mayville, traffic slowed down a lot. We were turned away from two parking lots because they were full. We lucked out with the third parking lot. We were one of the last cars admitted into the lot. This parking lot was most convenient, as it was across the street from the ice castle.

As I prepared to take my first picture of the ice castle, I discovered that I did not have a memory card inserted in my camera. I have two memory cards, but I did not have the spare card with me either. I didn’t even have my iPhone with me. I didn’t have any way to take pictures. I felt like crying. We didn’t want to throw away the $5.00 we had paid to park, nor did we want to lose our parking place. Bob to the rescue. He suggested that we walk up the hill to where Route 394 intersects with Route 430. It was likely that I would find an SD card at the drug store or grocery store at the top of the hill. It was a 1-mile hike up the hill. We found an SD card at Rite Aid. I now own three SD cards, two 8GB cards and the new 4GB card. I plan to keep the 4GB inside my camera bag for the next time I forget to insert a memory card in my camera!

In addition to getting an SD card, the walk to Rite Aid and back down to Chautauqua Lake provided another advantage. It was the first time Bob and I navigated that portion of the road on foot. There are several beautiful houses along the way. I took pictures of some of the houses on our walk back to the lake.

Once we reached Chautauqua Lake, I found more photo opportunities.

Snowmobiles

Lighthouse

Airplane

I saw the airplane taxiing across the frozen lake, as we were walking down the hill.

According to an article that I read on GoErie.com, this year’s ice castle is about 15 feet high, 80 feet long and 30 feet deep.

The ice castle was built alongside Chautauqua Belle’s winter dock.

Bob and I at Ice Castle

A lot of snow had to be moved to make room for parking at the Mayville Lakeside Park. There were several giant snow piles located throughout the park.

The snow piles made great slides for the children (and adults)!

Elsewhere in the park we admired wooden sculptures carved by chainsaw.

Wood Sculpture

We also watched a girl use a chainsaw, as she transformed a nondescript block of wood into the shape of an owl.

A wood sculpture of an owl

Yesterday was not the first time we have seen an ice castle at Mayville. If you would like to see photographs I have taken of past year’s ice castles, you may do so by clicking here.

When we departed Mayville, we went by way of Route 430. We stopped at Bob Evans in Jamestown, where we enjoyed delicious fish entrees for dinner.

Moonrise of Super Moon

Bob and I traveled about an hour from home to Mayville, New York, to watch the super moon rise up over Chautauqua Lake.

Moonrise of Super Moon over Chautauqua Lake

Faux Lighthouse with Moonrise

It was well worth the drive!