Jace Vacation Stop #2 - Niagara Falls!

“Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch . . . !” - Hat tip to an old Three Stooges routine.

We could have done the drive from Beckley, WV to our site in Wilson, NY in a single day, but the drive would have been close to 10 hours with tight local roads at the end of the drive, so prudence kicked in during the planning stages to find a boondocking site in between the two for a free night's stay. Originally it was going to be a Cracker Barrel in North Canton, OH, but a closer view using Google Earth didn't fill me with confidence on the amount of space and ease of egress for that site, so we pushed onward a bit to do some J-Docking at a Flying J in Austinburg, OH.

It was to be our last cheap gas for the rest of the trip (nothing is cheap in New York or the Northeast states) and as with almost all Flying J's, there was a Denny's attached where we could get a good breakfast the next morning. The gas WAS cheap; the Denny's was, shall we say, operating under “flexible” hours. Apparently, the management has a “We'll open when we're ready” policy for every mealtime, and that morning they just weren't ready.

By 2:30 we're pulling into our site for the next 8 days at Daisy Barn Campground in Wilson, NY. It's about a 30 minute drive to all the Niagara Falls attractions, and is situated right on Lake Ontario. A small park containing less than 100 sites, it does contain a community fire pit, a much-needed playground for Jace to work off some energy, and a soon-to-be-opened pool later this year.

Not wanting to waste any time as this was one of our shortest stays with the most attractions nearby, we headed to Niagara Falls the very next day. Just for a little background on this trip, we had asked Jace 2 years ago what he wanted to do on his summer vacation that year. His response to Barbara was that he wanted to see a waterfall. We had already made a few reservations for that trip last year before gas prices spiked into the high $4 per gallon stratosphere, which made that trip – along with the usual costly camping fees in the Northeast – impossible to afford. Fortunately, the parks where we had already paid deposits held them without penalty for as long as it took to get there, so after canceling that trip we didn't lose any money (even though it WAS being held for us in the future).

Anyway, if Jace wanted to see a waterfall, by God, Mimi and Papa were going to take him to see a waterfall!

His first experience was to see the falls from the top. Barbara covered his eyes and shuffled him forward until he could get a good view overlooking the American falls, and I positioned myself with cell phone ready in front of him to capture his reaction. Priceless!

This picture says it all. Worth the trip just for this!

 

After that, we walked around Goat Island to catch various views of both the American and Canadian falls. Jace was suffering a bit of sensory overload by the time we headed back to the car. Our next day, we planned to hit the Maid of the Mist.

Jace at the Canadian side of the falls

 

The Maid of the Mist is the name of the tour, not the boat. The boats on the American side have been upgraded in the past few years to be all-electric, making them both eco-friendly and quieter than past versions. Our particular cruise boat was appropriately named for Nikola Tesla. For 2 adults and 1 child the cost was approximately $80, which got you the boat ride to the bottom of both falls, access to the observation tower and a free and very attractive blue rain poncho.

Of course, the best spot on the boat is the upper level and up front. We got a place about 20 feet away from the front on the top deck. At this time of year, there is very little “mist” and a whole lot of deluge due to this Spring's run-off. The falls are simply roaring right now, and the result is a super-soaker experience that is far beyond what most people get to have! They take you slowly past the American falls where you feel as if you're in a hurricane with horizontal and vertical downpours.

Then they park the boat at the bottom of the Canadian falls for at least 5 minutes, inching the boat closer and closer. Once finished, they use the powerful current to turn the boat on it's axis in about 5 seconds, and then rocket away from the maelstrom. A quick curly-q past the American falls again so that both sides of the boat get a great view, and it's back to the dock.

Barbara and Jace at the base of the Canadian Falls on the Maid of the Mist

 

Two thumbs way, way up from Jace at the

 end of the Maid of the Mist cruise

After docking, there's a short climb to the “Crow's Nest” lookout about 2/3rds of the way up the American falls for Jace and me (Barbara's shoes were too wet and slippery to make the attempt), followed by an elevator ride back up to the Observation Tower and the ubiquitous trip to the souvenir shop where Jace got a magnet and we got our New York Christmas ornament.

Jace at the Crow's Nest, about 2/3rds of the way up against the American Falls

 

Our next visit in the Niagara area was Lockport, NY, site of the last operating lock on the original Erie Canal route. It is also the location of the “Flight of Five” locks constructed back in 1838. As opposed to the current system raising tour boats in two larger steps through metal doors, the original Flight of Five once cycled boats in shorter steps using wooden doors. Pretty impressive to watch the lock in operation as it brings tour boats up from the lower river approximately 50 feet, and raises them high enough to allow the upper deck of the tour boat to rise above eye level. It gives you the chance to talk with the passengers for a few minutes while the lock does it's thing.

A cruise boat entering the lock at Lockport

Barbara and Jace in front of a restored lock boat.

 

Our final destination on this short week was to take Jace to the Cave of the Winds, bringing us underneath Bridal Veil Falls on the American side. We met our good friends Byron and Lynn Hill who were glamping nearby at a state park, and drove the 30 minutes to Goat Island, home of views of both the American and Canadian falls from above, and the entrance to Cave of the Winds. Dropping 175 feet down from ground level, an elevator takes you to an opening in the rock face, where you pick up the ever-present bio-degradable poncho (this time in not-so-stylish yellow) for a stroll along platforms erected each year that allows visitors to experience the waterfall up close and personal. There is no way to say it any clearer – you WILL get soaked on this tour! A couple of places on the decking brings the discharge from Bridal Veil Falls past you, but ultimately the platform brings you to your end goal – The Hurricane Deck!

The bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. Doesn't prepare you for what comes next!

About the midway point up the decking heading to the Hurricane Deck. Getting a feel for the power of the falls!

 

The Hurricane Deck is where you can literally stand below a small portion of the power of Niagara Falls. It's attenuated somewhat by a large boulder that reduces the incredible onslaught of water dropping down that 175 feet, but there's plenty of power remaining to hammer you with the winds generated by it's downward movement and the sheer force and weight of the water hitting you! I was able to stay under it for a couple of minutes while Jace moved in and out in at least five shorter duration's. Barbara was finally able to get a picture of the two of us together while I kept Jace from being swept towards her!

It's not just the water literally hammering you from above. It's the waterfall-generated winds blowing down on you! Welcome to the Hurricane Deck!

 

We had a ball! Every place the poncho didn't cover was dripping wet; our sleeves, our hats (the winds being generated kept blowing the poncho hoods off of our heads!), our pant legs and our footwear. But it was worth it! I'm pretty sure that our Niagara Falls visit with stay with Jace (and us) forever.

But now it's off to our next destination, the White Mountain region of New Hampshire on Lake Ossipee. Unfortunately for me, it's a 600-mile, 12 hour drive day, something I am loathe to do, but unavoidable in this case.

Look for that next installment in about 2 weeks!