Traveling East just South of Lake Ontario

We left on Friday morning to head north. We traveled on Route 15A north starting in Hemlock, NY. Do you think Hemlock New York was named after the poison or the tree? The more familiar species is Conium maculatum, Hemlock or Poison Hemlock, is a weed known almost worldwide for its toxicity to many domestic animals and to human beings. It produces a large number of seeds that allows the plant to form thick stands and reproduces easily. The Eastern Hemlock Spruce is long-lived and has no off-season. It is a slow-growing long-lived tree which unlike many conifers grows well in shade. Hemlock may take 250 to 300 years to reach maturity and may live for 800 years or more. The woods that surround Hemlock Lake, does not help make decision any easier, as the area is still mostly untouched by man! Route 15A is also known as Plank Road. It was made from planks before the turn of the century.

File:Lima NY hist dist 2.JPG (wikimedia commons)

The next town we hit was Lima, it boasts itself as the Crossroads of Western New York. It is famous for it's annual Crossroads Festival, especially the bed races! The Stanley's Exchange Building still stands at the four corners. Daniel Stanley owned the exchange or bank and several other businesses on the block, as well as some farms. We was referred to as the Banker Gentleman. Lima has been called many names:  Brick School House Corner, Mighell's Gore and Charleston.  But whatever the name, Lima is a community where neighbors reach out because they care. Dyer Straights, despite the pun in the name (based on the name of the owners), is a driving range and pickle all courts on 15A that offer facilities suitable for a range of skill levels. Never heard of pickleball, it is a combination of tennis, hand ball and table tennis. Google it!

Rush New York Water Reservoir

Just outside of Rush, if you look through the trees to the west, you can see a water reservoir. Here is how the water flows to this reservoir. Hemlock and Canadice, two pristine Finger Lakes located about 30 miles south of Rochester, are the primary source of drinking water for the City of Rochester. The water from these lakes is treated at the Hemlock Lake Filtration Plant before an 18 mile conveyance to Rush Reservoir, located in a non-public, countryside setting. From there, water is transmitted another 12 miles to the Highland Reservoir and Cobbs Hill Reservoir, both historic landmarks located in public parks within the city. So the lake that is named after poison or trees is the source of water for a city, where is Dr Evil when you need him! Just as you enter Henrietta, you see the Dome Arena. It is the former home to the Monroe County Fair. Long story, but if you want to learn more, Google Monroe County Fair Collapse. Sad, sad day for a large county fair. Makes me proud to be a part of such a solid fair board at the Hemlock "Little Worlds" Fair. Also in Henrietta is the Richardson farm.

Richardson Barn stands today amid thriving businesses

The barn still stands it was an Underground Railroad stop. The former Underground Railroad Station owner Dave Richardson was known by blacks for his booming voice, 250 lb., 6 ft. frame. This site is part of the Rochester-Monroe County Freedom Trail. The Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end of the 18th century until the end of the Civil War, comprised hundreds of secret hideaways along a trail through 29 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Several thousand former slaves used the trail to secure their freedom by traveling to northern states and to Canada. We skirted downtown Rochester by taking a few side streets to see old neighborhoods, family and friends, finally reaching 104 E. We crossed over Irondequoit Bay, which is fed by Irondequoit Creek to the south and flows into Lake Ontario at its northern end.

picture can be found at http://www.ci.webster.ny.us/

We drove the Irondequoit Bay Bridge carrying the six-lane New York State Route 104 over the bay at it's deepest point 80 ft into the town of Webster. The town is named after orator and statesman Daniel Webster. The population is well over 50,000. The town's motto is "Where Life Is Worth Living." If life is only worth living in Webster, why is the population not greater? Along 104 you can see the old Xerox buildings. There was a time in the greater Rochester area where it seemed like nine out of every ten people work at Xerox or Kodak. Sadly, both businesses have fallen on lean times and their presence here has diminished.

article relating to picture at https://www.waynetimes.com

 In Williamson you can enjoy track or drag racing. Spencer Speedway opened in 1955 and is a 1/2 mile Flat Ashplat Oval. The track is currently NASCAR Sanctioned as part of the Whelen All-American Modified Series. The Speedway also has an 1/8 mile drag strip that runs Saturday Night and is NHRA Sanctioned. All along Route 104 you can see apple orchards, fresh apples from the tree is probably one thing we miss from NY, besides our kids and grand kids. New York is the second largest apple producing state in the United States, they average 29.5 million bushels of production annually. These apples are grown on over 50,000 bearing acres in six major production districts throughout the entire state. 

There are approximately 694 commercial apple growers in New York State. Here are some apple facts: On average, 13,250,000 million bushels (53%) are utilized as fresh fruit: 662,500 bushels (5%) are marketed directly by growers and “roadside markets”; 1,325,000 bushels (10%) are exported to other countries; and 11,262,000 bushels (85%) are marketed domestically through independent and chain supermarkets, food service and military outlets. About 11,750,00 bushels (47%) are utilized for processing: 4,465,000 bushels (38%) are processed into juice and cider; 5,522,500 bushels (47%) are processed into canned products, including sauce, slices and pie filling; 1,175,000 bushels (10%) are processed into frozen slices and 587,500 bushels (5%) are processed into vinegar, jelly, apple butter, mincemeat, and dried products. The top varieties produced are: McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Rome, Idared, Crispin, Paula Red, Gala, Jonagold and Jonamac.

more info at http://rwdsu.info/en/archives/5/strike-motts

 The Mott's Apple production facility in Williamson was the center of a labor dispute, forcing union workers to strike in 2010. Local 220 (RWDSU), voted to strike after Mott’s parent company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS)-- despite healthy profits, an increase in market share and a skyrocketing stock price—proposed serious cuts to employee benefits. The proposal from the company included a US$1.50 per hour wage cut for all employees, a pension elimination for future employees and a pension freeze for current employees, a 20 percent decrease in employer contributions to the 401(k) and increased employee contributions toward health care premiums and co-pays. DPS came under criticism for proposing cuts to worker pay at a time when not only was the local economy in turmoil, but the top three executives at DPS had doubled their pay between 2007 and 2009. The Williamson plant is the only plant that produces Mott’s applesauce, including the single serve packages. The contract was later settled.

We will end this blog somewhere along Route 104, the verdant byway that skirts just below Central New York State's Lake Ontario's shoreline, at a glorious waystation of burgers, red hots, and ice cream known as Orbakers Drive in. Bustling with activity on both sides of its traditional, pull-up-a-stool counter, the burger and entree choices are endless. They have been around since 1932 ... Famous for the Glutton Burger. What is a Glutton Burger? It consists of 2 steak burgers, 3 slices of ham, 4 slices of Swiss cheese, 4 slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, mustard, special sauce, relish, and hot sauce on a toasted bun, after that meal there's 50 flavors of ice cream to wash it all down! Check back as we travel further east along 104 in New York State.