letchworth state park

A (Long) Weekend of Adventure

~ randyaa ~ Leave a comment

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailJust got done with an awesome 4 day weekend.  All the best parts included our daughter Delilah, with the exception of the ball.

  • Delilah discovered her feet
  • Play date with Landon
  • RIT Alumni President’s Ball with Matt and Calin
  • Drunken Pumpkin
  • Some Hiking
  • A few family Geocaches
  • Letchworth State Park
  • Lots of play time with the little one

Love being able to relax and just spend some quality time with the family for once.  Had a blast all weekend long and even spent a night out with just Rachel, which is I think is important for us to do now and then.

Local Guided Tours Available this Summer

~ randyaa ~ 1 Comment

Some scheduled guided tours this summer that are open to the public:

  • Mt Hope Cemetary (Free general tours start at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.  The group also offers special tours that cost $4)
    • June 12th 10am : Famous Artists.
    • June 18th 7pm : Mischief, Murder & Mayhem
    • June 18th 11am : Horticulture & Landscape
    • July 17th 10am : Stories of the Famous & Forgotten
    • July 31st 12:30pm : The Civil War Tour
    • August 7th 12pm : The Revolutionary War Tour
    • August 13 6:30pm : Mischief Murder & Mayhem
  • Ganondagan (cost for most programs is $5, $15 for families)
    • May 8th 9:30am : Water Critters. Includes collection and identification of aquatic insects to determine how clean the Victor site’s Great Brook is.
    • May 8th 1pm :  The True Tale of the Beavers. Learn about the fur trade and the important role of the beaver during the walk to Beaver Dam.
    • June 6 9:30am : Medicine Plant Hike. Walk on the Earth is Our Mother Trail to discover herbs and plants.
    • June 13 2pm : Traditional Game Day. Features traditional sports and games played by the Haudenosaunee people.
    • July 10 1:30pm : Tales & Trails. Hike will include traditional tales about the animals.
    • Aug. 21 6:30pm : Longball and Storytelling. Fun, games and storytelling start with a picnic and chicken barbecue. A campfire will be lit and legends told.
  • Cumming Nature Center (The Rochester Museum & Science Center’s nature center in Naples has programs throughout the year. Admission is $3, $10 per family).
    • May 9 1pm : Aliens in the Backyard. This tour will feature non-native plants and insects found in New York state.
    • May 22 11am : Serendipity Walk. This will be a tour to areas of the property not usually accessible to the public in a three-hour hike. Bring a lunch.
    • May 12 11am : Senior Sojourn. Informative and easy hour-long walk to see the signs of spring. Bring a lunch, and stay for a nature film.
  • Genesee Valley Hiking Club
    • May 8 1pm : Spring Flowers. Easy and slow five-mile hike. Meet at first large parking lot on Zoo Road in Durand-Eastman Park.
    • May 9 10am : Lilacs and more. Easy/moderate five miles. Meet on Robinson Drive near South Avenue in Highland Park.
    • May 30 7am : Strenuous 14-mile Hike. Meet at the Park & Ride Lot off I-390 Exit 11 in Rush to travel to Letchworth State Park’s Westside Trail.
  • Letchworth State Park
    • May 5 10am : Brooks and Brambles. Meet at the Parade Grounds entrance. Bring a lunch.
    • May 6 1pm : Wildflower Walk. Meet at the museum.
    • May 8 1pm : Springtime Walk. Meet at the Trout Pond.

Adventure must start with running away from home

~ randyaa ~ 1 Comment

On their way

This morning I woke up before dawn to take my parents to the airport for their first trip together ever. I know that sounds strange but you have to understand, They have three only children. They’ve basically been raising kids for the past 40+ years. Every vacation they’ve taken has been either with or for their kids.

In fact my parents are responsible for making me want to travel so much. For at least 10 days every summer(often longer) my parents would ship us off to some location for a family camping trip. We didn’t always go far, sometimes we’d just go to places nearby like Oneida Lake or Letchworth State Park. Other times we’d trek cross country to Mount Rushmore or Yellowstone National Park.

My parents gave up a lot while we were growing up. They’ve had this trip scheduled for almost a year and it wasn’t until 3 days ago I learned that this would be the first vacation they had taken together (alone), or even the first time they’d flown together. It’s funny the way people assume you realize or know things just because its what they consider common knowledge.

Thanks Mom and Dad, I owe you a lot.