Seneca Lake
Monday and Tuesday, July 26 and 27, 2010
Logistics and planning were a major part of my preparation for the two longest walks: Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Eighty or ninety miles were more than even I could imagine walking in a single day, so I decided to divide and hopefully conquer.
My plan was to be as independent as possible, not relying on anyone to pick up or deliver me for any part of the journey. I hatched a plan to stay two nights at a Geneva motel, parking at the opposite end of the lake near Watkins Glen in order to return to my car at the conclusion of the walk. There were other details to facilitate the journey: I left a note on my car with a cell phone number and explanation that the vehicle had not been abandoned. In addition, I arranged with a motel employee to keep my luggage until I returned in the car to reclaim it. Problems solved!
After spending the first night at the Motel 6 in Geneva, I got on the road at four-thirty in the morning, driving to the parking lot at WalMart in Watkins Glen. By six AM, I was walking north on the eastern side of Seneca Lake following Route 414 and passing an impressive waterfall in Hector Falls.
This day became most memorable for my encounters with wildlife, both animal and human. As I trudged along 414, a woman stopped to ask if I’d noticed the deer that had been following me for over a mile. Since I’d been listening to music, I didn’t hear the hooves pacing along behind me. A man asked if I was the same guy he’d seen leaving Watkins Glen early that morning. I assured him that I was. Then, after turning onto Upper Lake Road, I passed Amish farms along this narrow rural path.
In Willard, I turned left on Main Street and approached the deserted buildings of a former state mental health facility. I have worked for thirty-five years as a nurse at a more modern state facility in Syracuse, and had heard stories about the Willard compound. Its isolated location overlooking the lake is quite impressive and a bit eerie, worth a visit if you are in the area.
Main Street leads downhill to the lake and Sampson State Park where an access road hugs the lake and arrives at a public campground and swimming area. A former naval base, Sampson includes a museum with a historic airplane and details about the submarine maneuvers done in the depths of Seneca Lake.
Before going on to Route 96A, Route 20, and my motel, I got some ice cream and more water.
Having walked 47 miles in 14 hours, I wanted something other than water and chugged a soda when I reached the motel. Mistake! Feeling nauseous, I skipped dinner, showered, and collapsed into bed, wondering how I’d face the next day.
Tuesday morning at six saw me back on the road, having left my suitcase with the motel’s clerk. A mile on Route 20/5 brought me to Route 14 and the western side of the lake where I strolled the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
The day turned brightly sunny with a high temperature of eighty-two degrees. Hot and sweaty, I was disappointed that two of my planned water stops were not open for business. Eventually I found a garage that sold water and a restaurant where I had a hot dog and fries. It was a pleasant change from my standard diet of protein bars.
More wildlife appeared—a group of female bicyclists wore strange fanny packs that seemed to be real bare backsides! They must have read the road sign that said “Welcome Fanny Packers.” That wasn’t my only entertainment. I also engaged in a staring contest with a gopher who refused to acknowledge my existence, even after I began shouting and flapping my arms. When I gave up and walked on, I turned to see his eyes tracking me though he remained otherwise motionless. He may still be there.
In Watkins Glen, I got a large soda to sip slowly during the drive to Motel 6 for my bag. The shorter leg of Seneca Lake’s journey was thirty-eight miles completed in eleven hours. The terrain was hilly and scenic, with vineyards and wineries in abundance. Sadly, I could not pause to taste their offerings.