Little Falls, New York – As I’ve often done lately, I set Waze to “motorcycle” mode as I asked it to show me the way to my next destination.
I’d expected to be guided along the north shore of Lake Ontario and cross over to the U.S. around Gananoque; however, Waze had other ideas, and I found myself taking three ferries in the early segment of today’s trip.
The Glenora Ferry picked me up in Picton and docked at Adolphustown. It’d had mechanical issues recently, resulting in a slightly longer wait than usual.
The route took me to downtown Kingston, and I began to wonder why Waze would bring me through considerable traffic in this mid-sized city. The answer became obvious when I joined the line for the Wolfe Island Ferry in the Kingston harbour.
Wolfe Island is situated where Lake Ontario drains into the St. Lawrence River. I landed at Marysville, a quaint spot known for its cuisine and crafts. I hadn’t been here since 1979, when I hosted a parliamentary delegation from the Isle of Man. Seemingly, little had changed in all that time.
After crossing to the southern side of the island, it was time to board the Hornes Ferry to Cape Vincent, New York. There is no pic for this one as the boat was so small, there wasn’t enough room for me to get off the bike. Besides that, I didn’t feel the bike was totally secure, and remaining in the saddle assured me nothing would happen to it.
As we arrived at the dock, I watched a man in uniform assist in securing the ropes only to realize that he was a U.S. Customs Officer whom I would meet formally a few minutes later.
I am loving this “motorcycle” mode in Waze! How else would I discover places like this?
I was now following the Black River, cutting through stretches of the Adirondack Mountains and passing through towns and small cities such as Watertown, Brownville, Lyons Falls and Hounsfield. The climbs, descents and curves left me in awe of the beauty this state has to offer.
As the afternoon drew to a close, I arrived at Little Falls. Upon check-in, I was advised that if I planned on having dinner, I’d better hurry as most places would close around 8:00 p.m!
No problem for me. After a great day on the open road and water, all I wanted to do in this sleepy little place was sleep…
Total Distance Travelled: 326 km (203 mi.)
Big Bike Mike 