To the Ohio Trip {Day 4}

Day 4: Friday, 11 May 2018

Syracuse, NY

The whole point of this little big side trip to New York was to pay a visit to Gregg's friends Ryan and Brittany Milcarek (and their three adorable girls).  (After we learned that Paul and Kim would be returning home early, but before we knew that they were going to be able to come back to show us around Ohio, we had made plans to go hang out with the Milcareks to make the most of our plane ticket.  We had originally planned a much bigger diameter road trip to and from, but happily shrunk it down to be able to spend more time in Ohio with the grandparents after all.  Like I said, lots of iterations in plans, but we found one that really worked out nicely.)  Gregg knew Ryan and Brittany before they were married when they all attended the same singles ward in Syracuse back in 2009.  After they were married, but before they or we had any children, Ryan and Brittany came to visit us in Colorado as they made a tour of the west.  We went hiking with them then, so it only seemed fitting to do a New York hike together while we were in their neighborhood.  We met up at Clark Reservation State Park and hiked on the Lake Trail around Glacier Lake and then up the hill along the Cliff Trail back to the parking area/playground.  What a cool place!  After our hike, we picked up BBQ Chicken and Cheeseburger pizzas from Robbie T's.  Holy smokes!  What a smell to have to drive with!  We dined on pizza and fruit and veggie trays at the Milcareks.  Then we spent the next couple of hours visiting and playing in their yard and snuggling on the couch to read stories together.  We left when their family started arriving to attend Ryan's hooding ceremony for his PhD in mechanical engineering.  They were so great to carve out so much time with us on such a busy weekend (he graduated the next day, and then Sunday was Mother's Day).

Down, down, down the stairs to the Lake Trail.

Heading around the lake was kind of a tricky
business because it was so full the trail
was covered in parts and we had to bushwack
over boulders.

Glacier Lake

Here we are working our way back up to the top at the other end
of the lake.

Not the best pic, but this was a cool tree - really
flat, lacy needle/leaves.  Not something
you see on hikes in Utah!

Group shot, selfie style.  In this pic, we have Brittany in the back
with Julianna and Amelia and Ryan has Kaylee on his shoulders.

Another group shot attempt with the help of a passing jogger.

So much green!  And can you see the lake down below?

Some cliffs to climb along the Cliff Trail.
(There were plenty more that we were actually walking on
top of the whole way, that dropped down to the lake - we made
sure to stay far away from those edges!)

Almost back to the playground where we started.

The Milcarek home in Syracuse - one they'll be
leaving soon since Ryan got a professor job
in Arizona.  We'll have to visit them in the winter
there!

After we said our goodbyes to the Milcareks we took a scenic drive through the lovely countryside while Sam napped.  We found ourselves at Navarino Orchard, a spot Gregg had discovered with his mom while he was living there.  We left there with a delicious cherry pie (which lasted much of the rest of our trip and made us realize everyone should travel with a cherry pie in their cooler!).  Then we wended our way back toward Canadaigua, taking the back way, and pit stopping at the Peter Whitmer Farm for another quick tour.  The kids especially loved the touch-screen farming games they got to play in the visitor's center while we waited our turn to join the tour headed out to the log home.  We stopped for dinner at a little diner with BIG portions (just wait till you see Cal's kid's meal spaghetti and meatballs!) in Waterloo.  One more stop at a little park on the banks of Canandaigua Lake was short and sweet because it was quite windy and chilly.  Then it was back to the hotel for swimming and pie and jammies and bed.  A marvelous day, indeed.

Chopping trees and herding sheep, 2018-style.

In the (replica of the) room where the Church was organized.

So lovely.

I'll just have some of your fries, Dad.

Fun little spot with lots of character.

See?!

I think Heather told me later that these are
flowering quince.  I thought they were amazing!

A chilly park time, but fun animals to climb on.

Yes!  Dig in!

This was an experiment that actually worked quite well.  First
time sleeping in the same big bed together.  Up until this trip,
Sam has always slept in a nest on the floor or in a pack 'n' play
in hotels. This time he slept in a regular bed with
either me or Gregg, but this night it was Cal's turn.