Watkins Glen, and The Gorge Trail - May 28-29, 2026

Thursday/Friday, May 28/29, 2026 - At the beginning of April, Wendy became aware (Instagram?) of a trail with "19 waterfalls in a one-mile-stretch". It is The Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park. I got it on our calendars to visit, and that is these 2 days (841 miles total):

I drove to Boston for my Thursday Men's Breakfast, and came home to make sandwiches - we left Manchester about 11:30. We checked into the Radisson Hotel Corning at 6:30

At a friend's recommendation we had a great dinner at Three Birds Restaurant:

Up and at 'em the next morning. After breakfast at the hotel, we were up at Watkins Glen State Park at 9:45. I have actually hiked this trail before, back on October 11, 2015, (and you can read that blog here), but I'm SO HAPPY Wendy gets to do it:

From the lower entrance (the "Main Entrance"), it is about 1.5 miles up The Gorge Trail to get to the "Upper Entrance". Not hard, but a lot of steps:

Although one waterfall was in a "closed area" at the beginning of the Trail, the rest was WONDERFUL:

"Rainbow Falls" is a lot of fun, with the waterfall going right over you:

Sometimes the best shots are looking behind you:

For the last 1/2 mile, the gorge opens up a little, and the river is calmer. The water is cool, but not too cold:

The last big push up The Steps, up to the Upper Entrance:

We took the "North Rim Trail" to get back down to the bottom:

We wound up hiking 3.31 miles in 1 hour 52 minutes:

I took a picture of the Watkins Glen Post Office:

We headed 20 miles south to Horseheads, NY and got lunch at Jersey Mike's. Up onto I-84 East, which got me home by 7:30 PM. WOW - Thank You God for this wonderful 2-day-adventure!

Before I get to The Music, over these 2 days Wendy read a few hours from a book we are making our way through: Dennis Lehane - The Given Day, 2008. To quote AI: "The Given Day" is an epic 2008 historical novel by Dennis Lehane, set in Boston around World War I, exploring the lives of two families—one white (the Coughlins) and one black (the Laurence family)—amidst social and political turmoil, including the 1919 Boston Police Strike. :

Music for these days:

The Doors - The Soft Parade, 1969 4th album, last heard (on a Road Trip) 8/21/2019:

various - Whatever - The 90's Pop & Culture Box (7 cds), 2005 album, last heard (on a Road Trip) 7/21/2024 - I like The Energy!

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, 1995 double-album, last heard (on a Road Trip) 9/10/2025:

George Winston - Plains, 1999 album, last heard (on a Road Trip) 9/08/2023 - nice way to finish thei Road Trip:

Past entries of this blog are available on the website https://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

Scotland Trip 2026 - Epilogue

Friday, January 30, 2026 - I was just going to leave it saying "And then we went home", but a lot of stuff happened on our way home! Up and at 'em. A nice breakfast in the hotel, and we left about 8 AM. The Map for Day 4 in Scotland:

Not really "Rush Hour", but the roads were full with people getting the day started. We saw a Very Cool Horse Statue on the way to The Airport:

Returned the car, and caught the shuttle bus over to the terminal. Very nice bus map:

Airport are Airports, all around The World. The best way to manage them is with a lot of time and (at least) a little patience. After a while, we were on our flight to Iceland:

Bye-Bye Scotland:

Hello Iceland:

We had a lay-over, then had to walk across the tarmac to board our new plane:

It would be GREAT to visit those other places in Iceland, as soon as I figure out HOW TO PRONOUNCE THEM:

The video-screen showed "stuff about Iceland" - my favorite is the 3rd:

A few hours later, we were flying over Greenland:

Fun seeing Cape Ann out the window:

Roast Beef sandwiches on the way home. Thank You God for this wonderful Scotland adventure (and getting us Home safe and sound)!

Past entries of this blog are available on the website https://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

Scotland Trip 2026 - Blog 3-of-3

Thursday, January 29, 2026 - Up and at 'em. A nice breakfast in the hotel, and we left about 9 AM. The Map for Day 3 in Scotland:

There are stone walls underneath all that moss:

Wide-open countryside:

By 10:30 we were at Arbroath Abbey. No art associated with this place (that I am aware of), but still a Very Cool Place:

Continuing north, over the River North Esk:

Driving north along the Scottish Coast, on the wrong side of the road. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing

We reached Dunnottar Castle a little before noon (we did not go ALL THE WAY OUT on this stormy and windy day). Having said that, it was Very Cool:

30 minutes later, we were up in Aberdeen:

Of course - it being half-past NOON - our first priority (after parking the car) was Finding Lunch! The car park exited into an indoor mall, with a sandwich shop RIGHT THERE - Thank You God. Then it was out on the street for a block to the Aberdeen Art Gallery:

Claude Monet - "La Falaise à Fécamp", 1881 oil:

J.M.W. Turner - "Bellinzona from the Road to Locarno", 1843 watercolour:

We then journeyed 20 minutes up the road to the Abedeen Treasure Hub - Museum Centre:

Two weeks ago I exchanged emails with Fern Bulfin, the Collection Information Officer, to see if we could see 4 Turner watercolours (which were "Not On Display"). She very generously/graciously offered a 1:30 time slot on Thursday!!!

J.M.W. Turner - "Interior of Ely Cathedral - North Transept and Chancel", 1797 watercolour:

J.M.W. Turner - "Baccharach on the Rhine", c. 1820 watercolour:

J.M.W. Turner - "Canal Scene with Shipping", 1800-1824 watercolour:

J.M.W. Turner - "Caerlaverock Castle", c. 1832 watercolour:

I don't have the engraving - yet. The engraving appears in 'Scott's Poetical Works' (Cadell), 1834:

They sure have quite a range of architectural styles in Aberdeen:

We drove a little east, to the University of Aberdeen area, first seeing The Cathedral Church of St. Machar:

We then walked 1/2 mile down the street:

and visited King's College Chapel:

Back outside, and back to our car:

That was a FUN hike:

We left Aberdeen, and drove southwest to Dundee and The McManus (their Art Museum):

They have a David Roberts (that I knew about) ["Edinburgh Town and Castle", 1831 oil] and a watercolour by J.M.W. Turner (that I did not know about) ["River Scene, Le Havre", c. 1832 watercolour]:

We said goodbye to Dundee at 5 PM:

Back to The Hotel, and dinner at 6:30. Thank You God for this wonderful Scotland adventure (and driving safely on VERY NARROW ROADS)!

For listening, I just kept the car radio on "Smooth Scotland" - the Bee Gee's seem to be in play-list-rotation:

Past entries of this blog are available on the website https://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/