Squirrels, Sparrows and Limos...

MikeO

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Dereham, Norfolk, today...
26th October

I have a great night’s sleep (at last!) and I wake, feeling much refreshed, at 0730. I wander over to Wal-Mart, opposite my motel, to buy some batteries and other consumables - these places are huge even by American standards, and plans to build new ones are often controversial – they affect the economic health of enormous areas when they open…

I’m soon back at the motel, packed and setting off into quite a different day. It’s still overcast, but the cloud is a lot higher and the day warmer and brighter. I continue to head west along route 20. Quite soon the sun breaks through and the clouds begin to clear – the light from the low autumn sun stokes colour from the embers of the fall colours I’d yesterday thought were finished…

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I stop for breakfast near Avon, then continue west, as the 20 ends I join Highway 5. Soon I turn north towards Buffalo on the 290, paying the 50¢ toll (same as a car – AGAIN – dammit!) to cross the Grand Island Bridge…

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…which takes me (via Grand Island, spookily enough) to…

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…Niagara Falls. I pay my $10 parking fee (yep – same as a car) and, rather reluctantly, secure my belongings as best I can (which is not well) on the bike, before setting off on foot to have an explore.

The falls are on the border between the USA & Canada, and the car park I’ve left the bike in is overlooked by a huge border control post. The USA is surrounded by Canada to the north, west and south at this point, as the Niagara River, which forms the border, loops here.

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Canada is on the left side of this picture – you’ll notice there are huge numbers of hotels built there (as there are on the US side). The Canadians have the best view of the falls, I should think, although they’re far from boring to look at from this side…

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There are two main waterfalls, the American Falls, pictured above, and, a few hundred metres to the west, the Horseshoe Falls…

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The Canadians definitely have the best view of the Horseshoe – on this side of the river, we can only look across the ‘U’ – they get to see it all. I’m almost tempted to ride across and see the falls from the far side, but decided that the potential hassle (probably not a factor for a USA or Canadian citizen, but always a potential snag being ‘another thing’) made it unattractive. That and the fact that walking a couple of miles wearing my bike kit (included my heated jacket & trouser liners :D) has me sweating like a pig!

Niagara is known as a favourite destination for honeymooners – these limos…

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…were a common sight around the place.

The local wildlife is extremely tame, with squirrels…

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…and sparrows…

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…showing no fear of humans at all.

It’s low season for the park at the moment. During high season, you can buy a ticket on a boat (called Maid of the Mist), which will take you into the mouth of the Horseshoe – the boats are being maintained opposite the tower which provides an observation point, and access, via a lift, to the boats when they’re in use…

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After a last look…

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…I take my leave, return to my bike to find, thankfully, it has remained unmolested, and start heading south.

For a while, I follow Highway 5, which runs south down the eastern shore of the Niagara. As might be expected with such a plentiful supply of water nearby, the area is heavily industrialised. Sadly, though, much of the area seems to be run down, with large factories closed and derelict…

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…or adapted to other uses. After a while I enter the sprawling city of Buffalo, which has some remarkable buildings, like the monumental City Hall…

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…and this castle – I don’t know if it’s a prison or what – unfortunately I couldn’t stop to find out – but it covered a city block – anyone know?¹

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After a little while, I get onto the 219 and start heading south. It’s a beautiful afternoon and the colours are still bright hereabouts…

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I decide to find somewhere to stop for the day – I could do with a shower, after my earlier exertions…:D I find a room at the Microtel at Springville and settle in for the evening.

A good day. :thumb

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By the way – anybody know what this car is? If I was sure of immediate employment on my return, I’d think about buying it – just having seen it from the other side of the street – is that beautiful, or what?²

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¹ Correctly Identified, by Pierce on ADVRider, as the National Guard Armoury.

² Correctly identified by Dirtdog (ADVRider) as a 1950 Hudson Super Six Club Coupé.
 
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