Cooperstown

September 25

We drove the 200+ miles to Cooperstown today. Our campsite is again bordering a large pond. The weather is warm, mid 80’s, but the humidity is much lower than it was in Niagara. We have no WiFi or cell phone here so we will communicate from Cooperstown.

On settling in, we immediately headed for downtown Cooperstown. It is another small village of 2000 people but it has an air of sophistication and class. The Baseball Hall of Fame sits prominently in the middle of town. It is bordered by 200 year old mansions and business buildings equally as old and well maintained.

We arrived in late afternoon so we did not attempt to enter the Hall. We walked around downtown visiting the quaint shops, all catering to the baseball mystic.

One particular scene peaked our interest. A man and a lady, I would assume in their mid 70’s, were walking through an open area near the Hall. The couple was wearing life jackets and were carrying paddles. Behind them followed a wheeled cart which carried a canoe. They crossed intersections and walked down the edge of the streets. They were off to their afternoon voyage.

We drove just two blocks to the lake’s edge. Otsego is not a Great Lake but it is large, I think about a third of the size of Lake Chelan. Deciduous trees with emerging fall colors carpet the hillsides that dropped into the pristine water. There is little development but the area has stately mansions, homes, and there is a beautiful golf course. Bed and breakfasts are abundant and there are a few small inns.

We ate dinner at the lake and watched the locals enjoying their beautiful evening. Canoes and kayaks were the vehicle of choice but several large cruisers were evident. The ages of the people varied from young children to very senior citizens, the latter being the majority.

The elderly couple with the canoe returned at sunset and appeared refreshed by their cruise. Barb and I lingered until darkness. We sat by the lake and, laptop in lap, attended to our emails.

September 26, 2007

We spent the morning and part of the afternoon in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Well done. A homerun. The perfect pitch. Kids were portrayed throughout the exhibit. It emphasized the game more than the business. That may not be the way things are but as fans, I think that is what we look for.

I tried not to let the setting influence my judgement. Canton is an industrial city. Cooperstown is an historic gem located on the shores of beautiful Otsego Lake. It is gorgeous here. Just up the street from the lake is a statue of James Fennimore Cooper. His father established the town. Thus, this is “leather stocking” country and it is evident in displays.

We will finish out our day sitting in the park and completing our correspondence via WiFi.

Tomorrow, we head north up the Hudson River Valley and hope to visit Fort Ticonderoga and learn about the “Green Mountain Boys.” We are right on track to rendezvous with our friends in Acadia on October 1.