We took Donny & Donna to breakfast at the South End Diner in Springwater. The South End Diner used to be in Cohocton, but moved to Springwater a few years ago. The place in Cohocton was small, but this location is very spacious! South End Diner is a cozy eatery offering a diverse menu of classic American comfort food. It's time for us to start moving south, the trees across from Donny's are starting to change, too!
Charlie and I drove to our next campground separately, for the last time this trip. It is crazy to hook up the car for a 20-mile drive! We passed through Naples and arrived at Gannett Hill. Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill is named after newspaper mogul, Frank Gannett, founder of the Gannett Company. Gannett was a native of the Bristol Hills and a prominent figure in the Rochester region. The Gannett family property was never actually part of the park. According to Ontario County, “the park was named after the Gannett family due to its history of farming and Frank Gannett’s distinction.”
The property originally gained notoriety in 1916, after a group of Boy Scouts from Canandaigua hiked Gannett Hill and camped at the top as guests of Irving B. Wilson who owned 300 acres at the top. This "first annual" hike received a great deal of coverage and soon tourists were being encouraged to drive up the hill. Some of our friends have been coming here long enough to remember when Gannett Hill was a dirt road to the top.
We got set up before the heavy rains came in! We were set up, but decided to turn around and face the sites are friends will be camping on.
Wednesday, July 31st it was partly cloudy and 69° on my 213th walk of 2024. It was my first morning on Gannett Hill. I have not walked hills since Pennsylvania! Ughhhhhh, they are challenging. I love a good challenge! I know I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. The Jump-Off Trail on Gannett Hill in Ontario County Park is wheelchair-accessible and offers one of the most breathtaking scenic views in the Finger Lakes Region. I can only imagine why it is called the "jump-off"...
The trail meanders through a mixed hardwood forest, offering a canopy of green during the spring and summer months. I am sure a spectacular display of fall colors when the season turns. As I moved along the loop, I encountered a variety of flora, including towering oak and maple trees, as well as an understory rich with ferns and wildflowers.
It was a sunny, clear and 69° on the morning of Thursday August 1st. It was my 214th walk of 2024. The trails in this park help you stay cooler under the canopy of the trees.
This morning Charlie and I waited for a few more friends to arrive!
This evening, after Rob and Sheila arrived some of us headed into Naples.
We went to Naples Woodfired Pizza and Smokehouse BBQ. They cook the pizza that we have loved for years, Neapolitan Wood-Fired Pizza made with the freshest ingredients.
Charlie enjoyed a specialty meat lovers pizza creations cooked in their custom-built wood-fired oven. Others in our group enjoyed house smoked brisket, pulled pork grilled cheese, and wings. I enjoyed the smoked chicken Caesar salad.
Naturally, there were a few craft brews enjoyed by the group!
After dinner, we walked a couple blocks to the Naples Brewing Company. It is a nano-farm brewery in the heart of Naples. All brewing is done on site by owners Trevor and Dan, in the basement of their Main Street building.
They source nearly all of their ingredients from within New York, including malts from Murmuration Malts in Bloomfield, hops from Drumlin Hops in Bristol and Cobblestone Hops in Ontario, and fruit and other ingredients from various suppliers across the state. Whenever possible, they partner with local businesses to truly deliver a Naples-centered product.
Naples is everything grapes! Including their purple fire hydrants!
Friday Morning, August 2nd was a sunny, muggy, and 73° at 6:30 am. It was my 215th walk of 2024. I took the outer loop road today. It's uphill both ways. My legs got a workout, while my mind did too. There is a sign I have passed by everyday and I had to do some research. What are Warblers? Warblers are so called because of the trills of their song.
They are known for their trilling and quavering songs. Some of them have duller voices, whereas others have loud, piercing calls. They are mostly observable during mating season in spring because of their mating calls.
Also on my walk, I noticed a multi legged insect. The Narceus americanus, also known as the American giant millipede or "iron worm," is the biggest millipede you're liable to find on the east coast. These guys can grow up to four inches long! You have nothing to fear from the iron worm, however, and it provides a beneficial service. Millipedes eat vast amounts of decaying leaves and help break down leaf litter into nutrient-rich soil.
We did not let the rain dampen our festivities! Donny & Donna came up and we enjoyed our time together with family and friends!
Karen is always prepared for the weather!!!
On Saturday morning August 3rd, it was overcast, muggy, but cooler and 65° at 6:15 am for my 216th walk of 2024. Sheila and I talked about not seeing any deer. That changed this morning. This youngster was watching me walk. The white-tailed deer fawns are usually born between mid-May and July, and can sometimes be spotted hiding in tall grass or in woodland areas.
This fawn is getting a bit older, it's white spotted fur is starting to molt. They say the mothers are close by, but you could walk right by them and never see them!
Avoca became a separate town on April 12, 1843, carved out of the towns of Bath, Wheeler, Cohocton, and Howard. The village of Avoca, was previously known as "Eight Mile Tree" and "Buchanan" before it adopted the current name. It is believed that is is named after Avoca in Ireland. The change to Avoca is rumored to be the deathbed wish of a young girl who admired the name.
One of the reasons we stayed in New York this long, was so Charlie could attend a block party of class reunions in Avoca, NY, where he graduated in 1968. There are a few people that Charlie really wants to see there. He has waffled several times on going and not going. I am working hard at not influencing his decision.
He got to see Mary Jo Sullivan. She was one her really wanted to see. She lost the love of her life, CB, years ago and she is always on our mind.
He enjoyed catching up with a few other people from his class and a few that were ahead and behind him. The event was from 1 - 5pm, but we had to leave at 2:30 for another party. So, we missed seeing a few and he missed being part of the class picture.
Here’s the class of 68.
Front row: Ester Karppela, Mary Jo Patrick- Sullivan, Kathy Bays-Hadley, Marsha Wingate, and Shelly Wightman-Lezer
Back row: Clair Hammond, Bill Heard, Don Mitchell, Sandy Scott-Zahn, Albert Sultzmen, and Louis Derick-Fullmer! Very good turn-out of classmates!
Here is a new mural that the village contracted. I heard a rumor that is cost $7,000. Wow, that is a huge chunk of change!
We left the reunion and headed north to Honeoye to be part of our granddaughter, Natalee's, Sweet 16th surprise birthday party. Where does the time go?!?!?
It was great to see her surprised and enjoy her special day with family and friends! Can you believe that no one got any pictures that they have posted yet?!
After the party, we headed back to Gannett Hill to enjoy our last campfire in New York. We even found some "special wood" to enjoy!
It has been a great 30-days in New York with family, FRamily and friends. But both Charlie and I are ready to go!
Tomorrow, we start our trek south. Stay tuned to enjoy more #TwoLaneAdventures.
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