Happy Trails With E.T.

Megan and I went hiking again last weekend.  This time on the Historic Erie Canal and Railroad Loop Trail in Pittsford, NY.  We did the whole loop in about 2 1/2 hours and that was with heavy lake effect snow according to Megan's hat.



And my beard...



Here's a Christmas moose from a tree stump along the Canalway Trail-Erie Canal Heritage Trail just west of the village of Pittsford at Brooks Road.  Probably done by either the Pittsford Sewer Dept. or the Music and Arts Store guys



Lock 62 was built in 1855 as an expansion of the original Erie Canal opened in the 1822.  Another lock was added on the other side in 1870.  It was made longer in 1887 and abandoned in 1920.  Much of the trail consists of the old canal and horse/mule towpath that was next to the trail.  The rest of the old canal bed heading into downtown Rochester in under Interstates 490 and 590.



As most of you know, I'm originally from Michigan.  What is interesting to me about this manmade waterway is this is the reason my home developed.  Because of the Erie Canal, settlers had an easy and affordable means to reach the Michigan Territory.  Once there, they could ship lumber, food, and mined products back east and abroad (or to rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871).  



There's lots of wildlife here too.  There was a large bird (Falcon or a Hawk, which is still up for debate) that flew within 15-20 feet of us while hunting a rabbit that screamed when it ran away from us.



If you want to see this and not do the three hour trail.  The easiest way is to park at Wegman's on Monroe Avenue in Pittsford and it's at the back of the parking lot at the top of the hill.



The other half of this trail is the former Rochester and Auburn Railroad bed, which was used from 1840 to 1960.  Unfortunately, it is little more than parking lot runoff, dumpsters, and dodging traffic from Clover to French Road.  But, once you reach French Road and head south, it's nice again.  This is an old cement sign that told train engineers to blow their whistle.



Megan telling me with her eyes to stop taking pictures and finish up this snowy hike.



E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial BOARD GAME!  My wife got this for me for Christmas.



Here's Megan trying to figure out how to play it.  Pretty much, you roll the dice hoping to avoid the van trackers and Gertie (played by Drew Barrymore), which can be done wearing his Halloween ghost costume.  The point is to collect all six puzzle pieces to assemble his "phone" and get as many unbranded Reese's Pieces as possible.  



Now, the spaceship is the coolest and dumbest part of the whole game.  It took me a while and lots of difficulty to assemble.  It's folded cardstock with a ramp and all sorts of nonsense.  What do you use it for?  Nothing.  It's how ET gets home, but there is no function as for the game.


An internet "shout out" goes out to Sarah and Pete for tampering with my blog by getting me the hiking book for Christmas.  Thanks again!  Tomorrow, we're going to a professionals networking event.  Friday, going to the Amerks minor league hockey game, which is $1 Zweigle dogs and Molson beer night as well as "Seneca Legends Night featuring Jody Gage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jody_Gage."  Some playoff football over the weekend.  Then looking to volunteer at a local nonprofit next week.  So, a full schedule.

The Not-So-Spooky Halloween Cemetery

Again, first things first:

1) As many of you know, I'm job hunting after moving to Rochester.  So, I've put my resume off to the left side of the blog at the top.  I've also started another blog, which essentially is just my resume at: www.MikeKrausResume.blogspot.com in case you know of anyone hiring.

2) Like me on Facebook is also to the left.

Rich, Megan and I headed over to Mount Hope Cemetery for some historic Rochester fun.  If you're in town or interested in more info, you should check out Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery at www.fomh.org/, which gave us our tour.  It's the first municipal cemetery in the United States and this is a pic of the gatehouse.  

Since cemeteries use to double as city parks, this gazebo was a place to hang out 

Some fall colors with Mt. Hope's "permanent residents"

Rich and Megan listening to the tour guide

Hiram Sibley.  It's not the department store guy Rochestarians.  This is the guy who started Western Union Telegraph.

Keeney was the lucky guy who arrested Susan B. Anthony for voting.

Here's the old gal; Susan B. Anthony.  Don't know who she is or why she's important; you should be ashamed and go to this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony

Here's Frederick Douglass.  Again, if you don't know who he is or why he's important; you should question your educational background and go to this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass

George Ellwanger's grave.  Very fitting site since George use to own the property across the street, which grew pretty trees like you see here through the Ellwanger and Barry Company.

The grave of Bausch and Lomb.  You know, the eye care folks

Under the tree

The chapel.  We were here for a couple hours and didn't even see half of this place.  It's 198-acres with a bunch of other people of local and national importance including George Washington's drummer boy...

Rachel had to go home sick, which meant I had babysitting duties last week.  So, once we completed her homework, we played Candyland, Barbie, fixed a projector, and had an intellectual conversation about Spongebob Squarepants

Rachel as the afro-airplane!

Megan and I went to St. Bonaventure University near the southern border of New York state to watch a soccer game with her friend Liz, who's sister is the "Bonnie's" assistant coach

The Bonnies beat Dayton

Liz and Megan

See this Ewok/Gremlin looking thing?  It's named Gertie and we took care of her for a few days and sometimes she liked it because we played with her.  Sometimes she didn't when she seemed to try to spite me by peeing on the floor.  GERTIE!!!

Stanley and Me

Here's Flat Stanley (FS). For those who don't know, FS is a school project where kids give him to people they know and take pictures of all the places he ends up. This guy has been to way more places than I have including Paris, Ireland, England, and throughout the United States. Most importantly, the Kedzie Stop on the Brown Line of the CTA. This is for a little girl in Pennsylvania who is the niece of a friend's friend of my girlfriend...

at Soldier Field

Overlooking Chicago

At the lakefront

With storks giving away free calling minutes to Poland at the Polish Constitution Day Parade

At the Chicago Theater

Pritzker Pavillion at Millennium Park

The Bean at Millenium Park

Floating in the Twilight Zone or under the Bean at Millennium Park

Crown Fountain at Millennium Park

Art Institute of Chicago

Sears (soon to be Willis) Tower

Wrigley Field

What trip to Chicago is complete without encased meat? FS at Superdawg.

Megan's dad made a surprised visit for her birthday. So, we went to the Chop House and then they

went to a Cubs vs. Padres game the next day instead of work.

Megan and a co-worker had a shared martini b-day party at work. Her co-worker has a niece or

something who's an "exotic dancer. So, for Megan's b-day, he gave her this card and a pair of her

old 8 inch tall dancing shoes.

BEST WORK PERK EVER! My co-worker, Ruth, and I got free tickets to the White Sox right behind the

Sox dugout a couple nights ago. Here's the team during the national anthem.

A disputed bunt where the umpires didn't see anything wrong, nor did anyone in the stadium, but it

was called back because a Twins player complained and they called it back. It was a very strange call

and took a lot of time to sort out. But, Ozzie had a few words with the umpire and that was

entertaining as always

Maintaining the field

Enforcing order

Just a few of the people with worse seats than I.

Mauer nailed a homerun when I shot this...

Another Ozzie moment. I wish I could see a replay of this because it was very improbable that the player was safe. But, oh well.... I was hoping to catch him getting thrown out. Didn't happen

SOX WIN!

Another lifelong dream fulfilled. I finally got a game ball. This was tossed to me by Paul Konerko! I came close to getting one a couple years ago at a Sox game, but I just came back from the food stand with drinks and nachos and a brat in my hand when it headed toward me. As I tried to maneuver around, the ball landed in the seat in front of me and I had to fight some kids for the ball, which I lost to another adult who got it. This only cost me a half a beer I spilled on the dugout that the guy I gave my extra seat to bought for me. GREAT DEAL!

My new work buddy. His name is Harold

SWIM HAROLD SWIM!