Two Lane Adventure to New York – Thursday, May 23rd 2019

After a very enjoyable day, we departed the Village Green Campground and said “see you later” to Brian and Janet. We took US 20 west, which was only a mile from the campgrounds.

US 20 takes us into Conneaut Ohio. We have been to Conneaut twice since we have been in western PA and OH. The neatest thing I saw this time was a bridge over the West Branch Conneaut Creek. It was not just the bridge, but the service banners that were on the bridge. I am assuming that the service banners were there for the upcoming holiday. The Conneaut Creek is a State Wild & Scenic River. The Wild River designation is for 16 miles from Pennsylvania-Ohio state line downstream to Creek Road covered bridge. It was designated on October 6, 2005. The last Wild & Scenic River we followed was last summer, in California, the Trinity River.

We crossed from Ohio into Pennsylvania on US Route 20. It is an east-west US Highway in Pennsylvania, which clips the northwestern corner of the state, running entirely in Erie County. It is part of the nation's longest road, but this is the shortest segment of any two-digit US route in Pennsylvania. For most of its journey, it closely parallels a heavily travelled CSX rail line, which also serves Amtrak passenger trains. Although bypassed by Interstate 90 as the primary through route in the area, heavy traffic has led to nearly the entire highway being upgraded to four lanes in width.

We turned onto PA Route 18. PA 18 is the only state route in Pennsylvania, north–south or east–west, to traverse the entire state. It also has the distinction of being the longest state route in Pennsylvania. We passed the Wilson Paint and Collision that boasts a nice set of old Blue Sunoco gas pumps and a Quaker State oil sign. Sunoco has grown from its humble roots as a small oil company in Pittsburgh, PA, to one of the largest fuel distribution companies in the United States. Sun opened its first service station in Ardmore, PA, and shortly after, another in Toledo, OH. On November 12, 1925, Sun Oil Company went public – its stock appearing for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1956, Sun revolutionized the oil industry when it introduced the Custom Blending Pump, a novel system for dispensing a choice of five octane grades of gasoline from a single pump.

We don’t normally do Interstates, but we transitioned onto I-90 E, since US Route 20 does not intersect with Route 20. Usually, there is not much to see on the Interstate but I did spot this old wooden cross. I wish I could have learned more about it … but it is a striking piece. I hope it stirs your faith, as it did mine.

I-90 took us to US 17, aka Interstate 86. We came upon the Lake Erie Speedway. Lake Erie Speedway is a 3/8 mile (0.6 km) paved, banked oval race track which opened on June 21, 2002 in Pennsylvania. It was a member of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series from 2002 till 2013 when the track dropped the NASCAR sanctioning body and started only holding a few special event races a year as an unsanctioned track. Lake Erie Speedway still holds special events mostly on Saturday nights May-September. Lake Erie Speedway does not run a weekly racing program.

We crossed from Pennsylvania into New York on US 17. Look at these fancy signs in New York. No simple “welcome” sign for Governor Cuomo!

What we knew as US 17 for years, is not Interstate 86. The Southern Tier Expressway is the section of I-86 and NY 17 that comprises a section of the Appalachian Development Highway System. I-86 travels 7 miles in Pennsylvania and 200 miles in New York. I-86 connects to U.S. Route 219 (US 219) in Salamanca, I-390 near Avoca and I-99 / US 15 just west of Corning. Most of the Southern Tier Expressway was built in stages from the 1950s to the 1980s. The I-86 designation was assigned on December 3, 1999, to the entirety of since-decommissioned Pennsylvania Route 17 (PA 17) and to the westernmost 177 miles of NY 17.

Chautauqua Lake is approximately 17 miles long and two miles wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately 13,000 acres. The maximum depth is about 80 feet. The lake's name comes from the now-extinct Erie language. Because the Erie people were defeated in the Beaver Wars before a comprehensive study of their language could be made, its meaning remains unknown and a source of speculation, with two longstanding folk translations being “bag tied in the middle” and “place where fish are taken out.” The latter having some support based on similar words in other Iroquoian languages.

In 2018 Solar Panels were installed at three state facilities. Interstate 290/990 Pump Station, Sherman Maintenance Sub-Residency and in the Interstate 86 Rest Area at Bemus Point. The solar pilot project includes the installation of ground-mounted solar panel systems. The solar panels are expected to generate 340,500 kilowatt-hours of energy per year, replacing approximately 90 percent of the power these facilities normally use with clean, green energy. The Governor has an aggressive goal of having 50 percent of their electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030. NYSDOT is funding the project through a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement with the solar provider.  Under the agreement, the provider will continue to own and operate the panels and NYSDOT will buy the power they produce at a set rate. The total production output of the systems is approximately 340,500 kilowatt-hours of energy per year. 

Alleghany Reservoir is totally surrounded by the Alleghany Forest, Kinzua Dam and the Allegany Indian Reservation of the Seneca Nation. The Allegheny Reservoir are the heart of one of the largest and most popular outdoor recreation complexes in the northeastern US. The Allegheny Reservoir spans the border between Pennsylvania and New York. The Allegheny Reservoir is a man-made lake created along the Allegheny River with the construction of the Kinzua Dam in 1965. The dam was authorized by Congress as a flood control measure. It was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers beginning in 1960. The construction of the lake and dam cost $108 million and destroyed the towns of Kinzua and Corydon, led to the dissolution of the town of Elko, and flooded some of the lands of the Seneca Nation. The residents in these areas were forced to move. The area is unique because very little private development exists along the reservoir. The Allegheny Reservoir is a man-made lake about 200 miles above the mouth of the river in Pennsylvania. The reservoir is 24 miles long and at full pool, it covers about 21,000 acres. The undammed end of the reservoir reaches near the city of Salamanca.

Along the Southern Tier Expressway, you travel through the Allegany Indian Reservation of the Seneca Nation. The Seneca Nation of Indians has a proud and rich history. They are the largest of six Native American nations comprising the Iroquois Confederacy or Six Nations, a democratic government that pre-dates the US Constitution. They are known as the "Keeper of the Western Door," for the Seneca are the westernmost of the Six Nations.  In the Seneca language we are also known as O-non-dowa-gah or "Great Hill People." The Seneca Nation of Indians has a population of over 8,000 enrolled members.

Nestled among the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in the Southern Tier of NY State is Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. It’s full-service resort and casino attracts more than 3 million visitors each year. The real attraction is the world-class gaming and entertainment, fine and casual dining, a full-service spa and salon and 413 luxury hotel rooms – all surrounded by incredible views of nature’s beauty. The hotel also offers guests a full-service spa and salon, indoor swimming pool and professional meeting space. About five years ago, a $53 million hotel tower expansion was completed, providing an additional 201 rooms for the property.

We know we are getting close to home, when you see the “windmills on the hills.” The Dutch Hill/Cohocton Wind Farm is a 125 Megawatt wind farm in Cohocton, NY. It uses 50 turbines of the Clipper "Liberty" type, which were the largest found in the United States when they were put up for sale. The wind farm provides power for about 50,000 Northeastern homes. It was installed in 2008 and was developed and operated by First Wind.

We arrived in Cohocton, NY where Charlie’s brother Donny and his wife Donna live. They are gracious enough to allow us to camp at their home, whenever we are in NY! Cohocton is a small town in Steuben County. It is believed that the name is the native term for "log in the water.” The town was first settled around 1794. The town was formed from the towns of Bath and Dansville in 1812. It was originally known as the town of Liberty. Part of the town was later used to form new towns in the county, Avoca and Wayland.

We are parked next to huge pine trees and there are many bird nests in the tree. This little visitor keeps attacking his rival in the mirror. Maybe our friend Brian, can tell me more about them.