If Things Go As Planned (Ha!), Our Last Full Day in New York

We’re within striking distance of the New York-Pennsylvania border, and if things go as planned today was our last full day in New York.  It was a spectacular one, and a real high note to wrap up a very long transit.

We started the day in Portland, NY and hiked down US-20 through some of the most spectacular scenery that we’ve seen to date.  Our first stop was as the 21 Brix Winery where dad horsed around on the famous pink elephant. You’d never guess he was a septuagenarian.  I suppose he has never really grown up, and that’s a great way to live from my perspective.

Dad examining the pink elephant - What’s he looking for back there anyway?

In addition to the Instagram famous pink elephant, the golden buffalo is a lesser known but still fun addition to the winery grounds.

The 21 Brix Golden Buffalo - Guarding the Vineyard

We continued on to the beautiful grape growing region of western New York that produces both wine and juice varieties. Spring has arrived in full force full of wildflowers and new leaves.

Wildflowers in the vineyard - A nice sunny blue sky as well!

We took some time and poked around a grape harvester, and I think we finally figured out how it works.  It’s a single row harvester that hydraulically shakes the vines causing the ripened grapes to fall into a curtain assembly and be raised to the hopper or right side discharge with a conveyor-elevator combination.  It’s a brilliant piece of engineering that has reached our shores from the country of France.

Dad contemplating a grape harvester

Finally, we ended the day at The Theater Motel in Westfield, NY.  

The Theater Motel

This place is  brilliant piece of Americana that makes one nostalgic for a time before the Interstates came and made transportation much more efficient but far less personal.

Fortunately for (all) of us there are still a few hearty souls keeping the notion that life should be just a little bit slower and people should know the folks who are keeping the lights on for them while they travel the roads.

Dad making friends with the owners of The Theater Motel

Tye and his family embraced us as friends, and have once again shown the generosity and spirit that truly make this country a great place to live.  If you ever find yourself in Westfield and need a place to stay, pay them a visit. I guarantee you won’t regret it.