Finger Lakes Frolic

 Seven Quick Takes (vol. 16 )

Every year we take some sort of family vacation during the summer months, and sometimes our destination is determined by a major event such as a wedding or an ordination. Last year we traveled to New Orleans for my cousin's priestly ordination to the Jesuit's Society of Jesus. The year before that we had won Disney tickets in a silent auction, and the year before that Andy was best man in a wedding in North Dakota. (That was quite an adventure that took us through 15 states!)

This year's vacation was back to my home state of New York for my brother's wedding in the beautiful Finger Lakes region. However, this was not our first stop. Here is a quick take on our week away from the usual routine.

1)  Monday - Travel all day to Gettysburg, PA. Philip is a Civil War fanatic, and this stop was especially for him. (Although by the time we left Gettysburg, I was feeling it as well). We checked into our hotel, then wandered through the shops and bought souvenirs. We saw an awesome diorama of the battle of Gettysburg, complete with a light and sound show explaining the three day battle.


2) Tuesday - I dropped Andy, Kevin and Ania off at Segtours of Gettysburg where they embarked on a three hour tour of the battlefield via segways. This was quite easily one of the highlights of Kevin and Ania's week. Since Philip and Lucia didn't meet the age and weight requirement to participate in this tour, I hired a tour guide to show us around the battlefield in our own van. Philip was so enthusiastic, engaging our guide at every turn. So she tailored our tour for Philip (who by the way could answer every question she asked). This was most definitely a top pick-of-the-week for Philip.

Memorial to the 20th Maine
On Little Round Top

Memorial to General Longstreet



We left Gettysburg mid afternoon and headed to Hershey Park to finish out the day. There we split up into roller coaster riders (Andy, Kevin, Ania, Philip) and roller coaster avoiders (Lucia and me). A severe thunderstorm and tornado watch brought our evening to a halt sooner than expected.










On our way out of Harrisburg the rain was torrential and the lightning was striking every three seconds. It was nerve-racking to say the least, especially when I found myself between an 18 wheeler and a concrete wall during a blinding down pour. When we stopped at a gas station to ask where the nearest hotel was, we were given the choice of 1 1/2  hours ahead, or 30 minutes back into the storm. We opted to keep going. About 30 miles down the road we found a reputable name motel so we stayed. Quite frankly, though, it was the creepiest experience I've ever had at a motel. We definitely shook the dust from our sandals as we left that place!


3) Wednesday and Thursday - We stayed with some dear friends on Canandaigua Lake during all the wedding festivities. We played euchre, sailed the sunfish, kayaked, swam in the lake, and golfed. What a fun, relaxing time spent with wonderful friends!




When two optometrists wed...

4) Friday - Wedding rehearsal at Garrett Memorial Chapel on the bluff of Keuka Lake, then rehearsal dinner back in Canadaigua. We put on lots of miles in what could be one of the most beautiful regions in the northeast. Time spent with family and friends is priceless!



5) Saturday - Wedding bells were ringing as my brother and his beautiful bride exchanged vows. Then we were off to Honeoye Falls for the reception. Again, lots of twisting turning roads laden with vineyards and corn fields. We drove past Honeoye Lake on our way to a "between party" on Canadice Lake before heading on up to the reception. Fun was had by all.





Stuck in Jail
During Kick the Can

6) Sunday - Saying goodbye to our dear friends was hard to do. We attended Mass in Canandaigua, bought some of their annual chicken barbecue, then headed to the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard where my uncle was having  his visiting day. We stayed in the guest house with other out-of-town relatives, and all the overnighters played kick-the-can until dusk. This was quite entertaining and sometimes dangerous as adults, high schoolers, and elementary children were all highly engaged in "freeing" the prisoners.


7) Monday - Once again, saying goodbye was difficult. We left the monastery and drove back to Canadice Lake to say goodbye to my parents before making the long trek back to Georgia. We caught glimpses of Conesus and Hemlock Lakes as we wound our way through the hills.

On our way home we reminisced about all the fun times we had, and the segways came up more than once, as did the beautiful wedding. Thank you, Jesus, for a WONDERFUL vacation and for a BEAUTIFUL addition to our family!

Have a blessed week and add your own quick takes here.