Friday, July 13, 2012

Hillclimbing in the Keystone State

A day in Corning, NY, with the smart car parked for the day. Cooked breakfast at Donna's on Market Street, with Pyrex collection and 95 cent coffee. We take the shuttle bus to the Corning Museum of Glass. We took in the Frank Carder collection, missed on a previous visit, plus the exhibition re the 1972 flood in the Rakow Research Library. Combination tickets $36.50 for two, includes art museum.
Hot Dog lunch at Jim's Texas Hot, followed by watching the Elmer Darling Duo singing country tunes in Centerway Square - "Happy Trails to You." Annette buys some Snickerdoodle cookies from an Amish gentleman at the Farmer's Market.
To the Rockwell Museum of Western Art:
"There was no where to go but everywhere, keep rolling under the western stars." - Jack Kerouac.
I never saw a backroad that I didn't want to go down.
In the evening we planned a quiet snack in the Steuben Bar at the Radisson. First the fire alarm went off and wouldn't stop, so the fire brigade turned out. Then a tiddly grandma to be, tipped gin and tonic all down herself and insisted on demonstrating how it was done. We retreated upstairs and a large dog started barking outside our door. Never go back.
Next morning depart 07:53 on Hwy 17 for Elmira, NY. Great road breakfast up at the counter at Lights Bakery & Coffee Shop, 211 West 2nd Street, $12.64 for two incl tax with bottomless coffee. South on Hwy 14 towards Canton crossing into Pennsylvania. Hwy 154 to Laporte, then via Nordmount and Sonestown. Take diesel at Endless Mountain Market, Muncy Valley - $3.79.9 per gallon. They have Goldenberg's peanut chews!

Arrive Wilkes-Barre at 12:50, after checking into the Comfort Inn we divert to Wegman's for grocery. They have grits, the shape of things to come. Reading The Times Leader, the local paper trailing Giants Despair hillclimb this weekend. Speed Channel is also advertising the hillclimb, admission free.
More here. Pic by Annette.

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