noelbotevera travels!

[csw]

Let me tell you what I did when I took my overnight trip to Pennsylvania a few weeks ago.

• I slept either in the back of my car or in my tent at free national forest campgrounds or along a trail.
• I bought all of my food ahead of time at my normal biweekly trip to the grocery store. Mask was worn and social distancing was kept intact during these store visits, as always. No stops at convenience stores or restaurants.
• I pulled off on the side of the road to use the bathroom.
• When filling up at a gas station, I used gloves if they had them and kept my mask on.
• I did not speak to another single person for the entire 2.5 day trip.

This blueprint works for me because I only really take trips to go hiking, so I'm prepared to sleep in my car or a tent. I think I did ok.

I do agree that there are way too many people completely disregarding the mask and social distancing guidelines. As hard as you try at a place like the grocery store, someone will always come around the corner and walk right next to you without a mask on, ignoring the guidelines.

[hbelkins]

And what kind of personal attacks are those, hbelkins, try to understand that close to 120,000 people have now died of this in the US alone, abiding by the rules in this case is paramount.

Did I say anyone specifically had engaged in a personal attack? No, I didn't, but if you think my comment was in reference to something you said, then maybe you ought to look at what you've said.

As to the number of deaths, there's inherent risk in anything you do. Myself, I've been under a "telecommute as much as possible" dictate from work. I've been going to my office once every two weeks to pick up mail and do things on the office computer I can't do at home. The very first time I went to the office, I nearly got run out of the road by an oncoming car that had veered into my lane in a curve. Fortunately, I saw the car coming in plenty of time and I practically came to a stop and the car got back in its lane. But that was the closest I've come to being in any danger since this whole thing started, and it wasn't from the virus.

People should be free to do as they wish with knowledge of the risks. People who are most at risk should not get out and expose themselves, nor allow anyone who has been out and about to come near them, if they are so afraid of catching it. I haven't really altered my behavior beyond work dictating I telecommute, because I wasn't doing any personal or leisure travel anyway, but if I was still caring for my elderly dad, I probably would.

You (not meaning you specifically, but the population in general) can choose to live in fear, you can take whatever precautions you deem necessary to protect yourself, but don't expect the rest of us to live our lives according to your panic. If Alex wants to go for a drive or a hike with his dad, then that's not hurting a soul. Especially not someone north of the border where they aren't allowed to be, anyway.

What you're doing is fine.  Enjoy your road trips.

And you have just given me more reason to contact my MP and demand the border closure remain in place until next winter. Very cavalier attitude with no regard for anyone else. Hope your grandfather doesn't die because of that careless attitude.

I've said this before, road trips are not killing anyone! He's not gathering in large groups.

Yes, but he will have to use the bathroom eventually, the virus can spread within public bathrooms. He gets food on the road somewhere where the worker is infected, he gets infected, and then he can pass it on to other people.

But these behaviors take place whether someone is going out for necessary supplies or taking a leisure trip. People are still using the restroom at Walmart. Restaurants were encouraged to operate with drive-through or carryout sales despite being closed to dining, and our governor actually bragged about getting takeout to support an industry that was struggling (but, sadly, due to his own orders shutting them down.) What's the difference between having to use the restroom at a local business or using one while you're on a road trip, or driving through a restaurant a mile from home vs. one 150 miles from home?

What you're doing is fine.  Enjoy your road trips.

And you have just given me more reason to contact my MP and demand the border closure remain in place until next winter. Very cavalier attitude with no regard for anyone else. Hope your grandfather doesn't die because of that careless attitude.

Interesting. Around here, most people are contacting their legislators and urging them to restrain the executives from their orders.

I find it funny, though, that closing Canada off from the US is something that needs to be done, while too many here reacted in the opposite manner when the US moved to close down travel from China, where the virus originated. Why is one act good while the other is bad?

Look man, this is a "I need help planning/here's my recent road trips" thread not a "share your political beliefs on quarantine" thread.

If it makes you happy, I haven't really left the house ever since June 9th. The only time I leave the house is for shopping, exercising, and yes - the occasional road trip. I'll admit what I'm doing isn't okay, but I'll also stand by the belief that I've been reasonable and safe in my travels. If we're going to debate, then let's do so over private messaging. I'm not interested in getting this thread locked.

And his advice, given repeatedly, is that he thinks you shouldn't be traveling at all. We get his point to the point of weariness, even if his advice doesn't coincide with a number of government officials who've said that going out for a drive is fine.

[Duke87]

But if you get into an accident and end up in the hospital with other sick COVId-19 patients, you can easily catch it as well.

Covid patients are kept isolated. You're not going to catch it from them by being in the same hospital. Frankly, a hospital is probably one of the places you're least likely to get infected right now - everyone is wearing masks and constantly washing their hands.

[cl94]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

[hotdogPi]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Before I clicked the link, I was thinking Hamilton ON and Burlington ON.

[Roadgeekteen]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Before I clicked the link, I was thinking Hamilton ON and Burlington ON.

Yeah me too! totally ambiguous. I was thinking, "wait isn't the border closed?"

[cl94]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Before I clicked the link, I was thinking Hamilton ON and Burlington ON.

Yeah me too! totally ambiguous. I was thinking, "wait isn't the border closed?"

...

Remind me to never post a joke like this again in the forum.

[hotdogPi]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Before I clicked the link, I was thinking Hamilton ON and Burlington ON.

Yeah me too! totally ambiguous. I was thinking, "wait isn't the border closed?"

...

Remind me to never post a joke like this again in the forum.

I thought you were being serious.

[Roadgeekteen]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Before I clicked the link, I was thinking Hamilton ON and Burlington ON.

Yeah me too! totally ambiguous. I was thinking, "wait isn't the border closed?"

...

Remind me to never post a joke like this again in the forum.

That's not clearly a joke. Not even close, it didn't even sound like you were joking.

[Roadgeekteen]

If you're not coming in contact with other people, I don't see how traveling is any more dangerous than staying at home. I'm planning to visit Hamilton this weekend, might pop over to Burlington as well.

Also, do you really think that traveling is any more dangerous than staying home?

[webny99]

I totally thought of Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, too.. been to both cities many times.

If I had to guess, it's probably a chat-related joke.
In which case, don't waste too much time trying to figure it out.

[Roadgeekteen]

I totally thought of Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, too.. been to both cities many times.

If I had to guess, it's probably a chat-related joke.
In which case, don't waste too much time trying to figure it out.

I never go to the chat. I haven't been there since 2017.

[cl94]

It has nothing to do with chat and everything to do with somebody in here getting pissed at Americans for entering Canada.

[Roadgeekteen]

It has nothing to do with chat and everything to do with somebody in here getting pissed at Americans for entering Canada.

But both Hamilton and Burlington are American cities too.

[SSOWorld]

back on topic please.

[webny99]

I guess my reply a few days ago was the last on-topic thing that was posted, so might as well bring it to the forefront. (I removed the previous post.)

You mentioned earlier that Chimney Bluffs is on an undeveloped lakeshore - is it possible to reach the bottom of the bluffs safely? If not, is it worth it to backtrack ~15 minutes to Sodus Point for beach time? Hamlin Beach (based on Google Maps) does look like it's in the middle of nowhere, so I suppose Chimney Bluffs is the better choice.

Yep, you can walk along the lakeshore at Chimney Bluffs, at least you could whenever I've been there. However, water levels were very high in 2018 and again this year, so that may have impacted things. Note that the best access to the lakeshore is on the eastern end of the park, using the parking at the end of East Bay Road. The pavement kind of just ends and it's a bit of a scramble down to the water - doable, just use caution. There's no swimming at Chimney Bluffs, though. It's too rocky, and there's not much of a beach. The ridge trail has the best views, but go for that and the lakeshore if you have the time and energy!

Regarding an actual beach, I'd go with Fair Haven over Sodus Point (IMO). Fair Haven is further away as the crow flies, but is actually very comparable time-wise because you don't have the Sodus Bay in the way! Fair Haven does have the state park fee, but it's clean and spacious, with a nice long pier and new restrooms. Sodus Point can be seaweedy, and you might end up in someone's backyard in search of a spot to yourself.

As for Treman - there's parking at the upper end. Is it worth it to hike half the trail and turn around, capturing the best sights? It looks like Treman prides itself on its waterfalls, and if it's too much of a hassle - then I'll stick to Fillmore Glen. Considering more of Watkins has reopened, this probably won't pan out.

Yeah, it makes sense to park at the top if you're after the scenery; you'll get most of the sights early on. Lucifer Falls is about 1/4 of the way down, and it levels out after that. The bottom half of the hike is quite hilly and rugged, and strays away from the creek bed before connecting to the lower parking. The main attraction at the bottom of the park is the famous swimming hole at the base of the lower falls, which is closed until at least June 30th this year.

[noelbotevera]

I'll preface this post by saying that I have a driver's permit, as of 4:30 PM June 24th. December 24th and later is when I'll take the road test for a full license.

Anyways, I think I've planned out what to do, thanks to webny99 and vdeane among others:

-Stony Brook State Park and the Italy Valley
-Watkins Glen State Park (fully reopened, limited to daytime hours)
-Chimney Bluffs State Park and the Rochester area

These three will likely have a full dedicated day; if there's time to spare I plan on revisiting Letchworth.

I still need feedback from downstate NY or Adirondacks folks - Mt. Marcy might be interesting, along with roads like US 9 and NY 28 through the area. Downstate the Catskills are the focus, with NY 218, the PIP, and US 44/NY 55 probably the roads I'm focusing on.

[vdeane]

The High Peaks trailheads (like Mount Marcy) fill up quickly - there are people who arrive at 7 or 8 AM to find the parking already full (and the no parking areas on NY 73 are strictly enforced).  This was true before the pandemic, and I've read that it's even true now, with the Canadian border closed.  They've been using shuttles to help manage it, but I'm not sure what the current status is with the pandemic.

[Roadrunner75]

I'll preface this post by saying that I have a driver's permit, as of 4:30 PM June 24th. December 24th and later is when I'll take the road test for a full license.

Congrats.  Now you can really hit the road.  I remember my road test.  At least in NJ (where the licensing age is 17), you would pass the test, they would stamp the permit or give you something as a temporary license and you could roll right over to the DMV to get your full license.  I took the test, went right to the DMV and I was out driving around with my friends being a public nuisance in my $400 Chevy Citation that night.  In those days there was no graduated license - Your license at 17 was a full license with no restrictions.

[webny99]

I still need feedback from downstate NY or Adirondacks folks - Mt. Marcy might be interesting, along with roads like US 9 and NY 28 through the area.

If you're able to make it up to the Adirondacks, there's lots to do in the Old Forge/Inlet area, which is one of the closest parts of the park to Western NY/PA. Bald Mountain is a great hike that's popular with families. It's about an hour each way, with incredible views throughout and especially at the end.

The NY 12/28 multiplex and standalone NY 28 north of the multiplex are both great roads IMO - the latter not so much after dark, though that shouldn't be a problem before 8:30-9PM this time of year.

[noelbotevera]

Decided to wait a week before posting, but here's my third and probably final trip to the Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes.

July 5th started off lazily - my dad returned home from a late night shift, meaning we couldn't leave until 3:30 PM. Oh well, that's how life is; we got started up I-81, to US 15, US 11, PA 147/I-180 to Williamsport. Nothing much to say aside from copious amounts of closed adult stores on US 15, one ironic case being located underneath those "God saves" billboards (I think they covered their bases well, giving you a choice: relief or religion?). The CSVT bridge looks almost complete, with all the piers placed but lacking roadway to sit on them. Still no pavement laid for new US 15.

Williamsport itself was dead for a Sunday, likely due to two colleges closed for the year. Although there's nice neighborhoods and houses along Fourth Street, and there's good restaurants, nothing beats a good hole in the wall. It was a chicken place also serving lamb gyros (I got one) near the corner of Market and Fourth Streets, just off I-180 exit 27A. In my eyes, Williamsport felt like a smaller Pittsburgh, considering its surroundings - overall an unremarkable city.

To spice up the drive, we took US 15 north to PA 14, staying on that until New York. Arguably a better choice than US 15 - there's even less traffic than US 15, and isn't much more windy (still has its share of curves), allowing us to sustain 55+ MPH speeds. It's also more scenic north of US 6, going through some pretty countryside near the NY state line. By the time we made it to NY, the sun was setting, enhancing the countryside. I clinched PA 14, and arrived at our hotel in Big Flats (near Elmira) by 8:15. That was the entire day; we decided to buy ice cream at King Kone in Elmira to close the day, noting the at times shoddy neighborhoods and late July 4th celebrations. What can I say about Elmira? It's got Mark Twain's childhood home, I guess.

Time to head to Watkins Glen. News hit this morning that Ennio Morricone died, so guess what we listened to?

From the hotel (a Country Inn, it was clean and it was cheap, so it was perfect), I used Chambers Road, Caitlin Hill Road, Morehead Road, Schuyler CR 18 to NY 414 north. Not a spectacular drive, though what was spectacular is Watkins Glen State Park; this blew Buttermilk Falls out of the water. I won't spoil the experience, but know that the glen keeps things cool, even in summer. The only strenuous parts was the stairs, and there are moments where there's a lack of shade - especially near the entrance. Definitely worth the $8 for parking, although getting through the town is a drag.

Lunch was in Watkins Glen's former railroad station, right on Seneca Lake. Scenic, yes, but also surprising - a tourist rail line runs in front of the restaurant. It was one of the lucky days that I got to see a train; apparently the line is used infrequently enough to warrant a STOP sign. The food was also okay - it's not New England seafood but it isn't terrible. Onwards to Stony Brook State Park.

I used NY 14 north to NY 54 west. On NY 54 I visited the Spotted Duck Creamery, notable for using duck eggs to create creamier ice cream. You also get to feed the ducks, hens, and turkeys; the turkey was the biggest bird there, and scared off all the other birds (but it didn't want food?). It's probably my favorite ice cream place ever, considering they also put effort into making the cones taste good. In Penn Yan I turned onto NY 364 west, continuing on that to Italy Valley Road. I made my way through the Italy Valley - it fit the Ennio Morricone music with the operatic landscapes, but still paled in comparison to northern PA's mountains. That ended on NY 53, which I took north to NY 21 south, taking that to NY 63, then to NY 36. All of that effort and a two hour drive for...it's closed.

Oh well. I guess I'll get my waterfall showers. Onward to Treman State Park. I-390, NY 17, NY 226, Schuyler CR 23, CR 28, NY 414, NY 79, NY 327. Have I mentioned that there's no data coverage except in major towns like Watkins Glen, Elmira, Ithaca, and so on throughout the Southern Tier? And radio reception is intermittent? I'd hate to live out there.

Paid another $8 for Treman. I hadn't swam in a while, so to warm up I practiced a bit. I noticed that the waterfall is near the diving board - so why not dive, then swim there? So I then attempted the diving board; fear overcame me and I bowed out. My dad was also filming me, making it more embarrassing. Okay, round 2; a bit more swimming, I feel confident. I ask how deep the watering hole is; it's 18 feet. I was never used to the deep end, but I was encouraged by a girl telling me to just tread my way there - easy enough. I forget to tell my dad, and I jump; I managed to make it to the waterfall and grasp onto the rocks. My fingers slip, and I begin to sink - I panic and call for help, along with reaching out to somebody. That same girl (who told me that I'll be okay) supports me for a moment while a lifeguard saves me from drowning. I escaped with a nosebleed, numb legs, and a rapidly beating heart.

Alright, I deserved that. I shouldn't have pushed myself to jump off if I couldn't do it the first time. We get dinner in Ithaca, at a street food place near Cornell. Dinner was scrumptious - duck fat fries with Korean short rib tacos. Pair that with some donuts and that was a full meal. I return to Elmira via NY 13 to I-86.

July 7th began with us packing up and finishing leftover dinner for breakfast. With the trunk packed, we decided to revisit Watkins Glen, because it's just that good. Took the same route as yesterday. Next was to visit Rochester, with cheesy songs to accompany us (specifically, Taylor Swift and "We Are the World" - do they really need to repeat that to fill eight minutes? Felt like a waste of time). NY 14 wasn't a terrible drive, except near Geneva. Do wish the Seneca Lake views were more frequent.

I hit the Thruway and was welcomed with a boring 23 mile drive. At the very least, I saw diverse plates on trucks (the farthest being Wisconsin). I took exit 45 onto I-490 west towards Rochester. I took exit 18 there onto NY 31 west to Dogtown! A venerable Rochester institution, where I enjoyed their version of the garbage plate - two hot dogs on top of a bed of mac salad and home fries. Paired with a bottle of Stewart's, I felt like I was truly a New Yorker. The food was good and cheap enough that we ordered two hot dogs to go - their Golden Retriever (bacon and cheese) and some other hot dog with a litany of European topping (Greek?).

Next stop in Rochester was the abandoned subway; the best way to view that was the Broad Street Bridge. I took Monroe Avenue until it curved into Chestnut Street, and turned left onto Broad Street. As for the bridge - architecturally interesting yes, considering the arches and double decker design (apparently it once held the Erie Canal?). I didn't feel like climbing, so I stayed near a platform that let me look into the lower level; the subway quickly faded into a dark tunnel, but the bridge was full of graffiti. It may have continued across the bridge and under the Library of Rochester. There was also construction equipment present, signifying the possibility that the subway may be sealed soon. Oh well.

I decided to check out Ontario Beach; I turned right onto Lake Avenue and passed through Rochester's...less desirable neighborhoods (didn't have time to check out the cool stuff, like High Falls..but I've already been to Letchworth, which is the best the Genessee has to offer). I also passed by Kodak Labs and Kodak HQ, surprised at their continued existence. In fact, I feel like I passed by all of Rochester's tall buildings, including an apartment complex and Rochester's main hospital on NY 104 that webny99 pointed out. Anyways, as Lake Avenue curved into Beach Avenue, I snapped quick photos of Lake Ontario. Satisfied, I turned back south on Lake Avenue and east on NY 104 to leave Rochester. Onwards to Chimney Bluffs!

NY 104 was a pain in the rear to get through; 2 lanes east of Webster, for the 50 miles to Oswego? With traffic lights? Ugh. I stayed on NY 104 for 25 of those miles, exiting onto NY 14 and immediately exiting onto Ridge Road. I turned onto Lake Bluff Road and entered Chimney Bluffs nearing sunset. Foolish mistakes were made, namely not bringing water and not applying sunscreen. But hey, parking was free due to a broken ticket machine.

Now to hike to the bluffs. The first hour was easy thanks to the forest providing shade, along with providing dramatic views of the bluffs below. The area was also eerily silent, the only sounds being wildlife and Lake Ontario. There were some people playing music, but that was few and far between. We viewed the bluffs from above, and then hiked back for a way down to the lakeshore. Now began a hellish hike along the lakeshore. The wind and the water couldn't cool us down, and there was zero shade; and temps were still 90 degrees even at 6 PM. We took pictures of the bluffs from the bottom; while worth the hike, our return to the car meant a change of shirts and copious amounts of water consumption. We even had to buy more water - and after that hike, cold water tasted sweet.

Time to head home, but instead of slogging through US 15 (and dealing with deer because of less traffic), we decided to detour to I-81. We also needed dinner, so onward to Syracuse. NY 104, NY 370, NY/I-690. Notable about the journey is the missing NY State Fair signal on I-690 (no clue where it went), and tailing a car on NY 104 all the way to Syracuse; my dad bet that they were going to the same place as us, Dinosaur BBQ. I bet the opposite, and I won that bet when said car exited at exit 8. Dinner was also Dinosaur BBQ, on the corner of North Franklin and West Willow Streets. I was surprised to find good BBQ here in New York - surely not the first state I think of to have good BBQ, especially outside of NYC. Packing leftovers was also harder than necessary, when the vinegar sauce used for the greens made a mess of the boxes.

We took I-81 all the way south home from Syracuse, arriving home at 3 AM on July 8th and exploring more of the state that most New Yorkers probably have in their entire lives.

[kphoger]

Paid another $8 for Treman. I hadn't swam in a while, so to warm up I practiced a bit. I noticed that the waterfall is near the diving board - so why not dive, then swim there? So I then attempted the diving board; fear overcame me and I bowed out. My dad was also filming me, making it more embarrassing. Okay, round 2; a bit more swimming, I feel confident. I ask how deep the watering hole is; it's 18 feet. I was never used to the deep end, but I was encouraged by a girl telling me to just tread my way there - easy enough. I forget to tell my dad, and I jump; I managed to make it to the waterfall and grasp onto the rocks. My fingers slip, and I begin to sink - I panic and call for help, along with reaching out to somebody. That same girl (who told me that I'll be okay) supports me for a moment while a lifeguard saves me from drowning. I escaped with a nosebleed, numb legs, and a rapidly beating heart.

Alright, I deserved that. I shouldn't have pushed myself to jump off if I couldn't do it the first time.

No, I'm proud of you for going off the board.  You worked through both the realistic fear and also the potential embarrassment.  Good for you!

Plus, you had two encouraging encounters with a nice girl, which is nothing to sneeze at.  Admittedly, the story would have been better if she had helped you out of the water herself but, then, that's what the lifeguards are for.

Some of life's best experiences end with a rapidly beating heart, and occasionally they come with a little bit of blood too.

[noelbotevera]

Paid another $8 for Treman. I hadn't swam in a while, so to warm up I practiced a bit. I noticed that the waterfall is near the diving board - so why not dive, then swim there? So I then attempted the diving board; fear overcame me and I bowed out. My dad was also filming me, making it more embarrassing. Okay, round 2; a bit more swimming, I feel confident. I ask how deep the watering hole is; it's 18 feet. I was never used to the deep end, but I was encouraged by a girl telling me to just tread my way there - easy enough. I forget to tell my dad, and I jump; I managed to make it to the waterfall and grasp onto the rocks. My fingers slip, and I begin to sink - I panic and call for help, along with reaching out to somebody. That same girl (who told me that I'll be okay) supports me for a moment while a lifeguard saves me from drowning. I escaped with a nosebleed, numb legs, and a rapidly beating heart.

Alright, I deserved that. I shouldn't have pushed myself to jump off if I couldn't do it the first time.

No, I'm proud of you for going off the board.  You worked through both the realistic fear and also the potential embarrassment.  Good for you!

Plus, you had two encouraging encounters with a nice girl, which is nothing to sneeze at.  Admittedly, the story would have been better if she had helped you out of the water herself but, then, that's what the lifeguards are for.

Some of life's best experiences end with a rapidly beating heart, and occasionally they come with a little bit of blood too.

My mistake was not telling my dad that I was jumping off. I overestimated my ability to stay calm in the deep end, which ended up in me panicking and nearly drowning. The right move would've been to stay in the shallower end rather than overexerting myself.

Now the girl - okay, I should've asked for her phone number (my dad pointed that out). Except it'd be a long distance relationship, so...

[Roadgeekteen]

Paid another $8 for Treman. I hadn't swam in a while, so to warm up I practiced a bit. I noticed that the waterfall is near the diving board - so why not dive, then swim there? So I then attempted the diving board; fear overcame me and I bowed out. My dad was also filming me, making it more embarrassing. Okay, round 2; a bit more swimming, I feel confident. I ask how deep the watering hole is; it's 18 feet. I was never used to the deep end, but I was encouraged by a girl telling me to just tread my way there - easy enough. I forget to tell my dad, and I jump; I managed to make it to the waterfall and grasp onto the rocks. My fingers slip, and I begin to sink - I panic and call for help, along with reaching out to somebody. That same girl (who told me that I'll be okay) supports me for a moment while a lifeguard saves me from drowning. I escaped with a nosebleed, numb legs, and a rapidly beating heart.

Alright, I deserved that. I shouldn't have pushed myself to jump off if I couldn't do it the first time.

No, I'm proud of you for going off the board.  You worked through both the realistic fear and also the potential embarrassment.  Good for you!

Plus, you had two encouraging encounters with a nice girl, which is nothing to sneeze at.  Admittedly, the story would have been better if she had helped you out of the water herself but, then, that's what the lifeguards are for.

Some of life's best experiences end with a rapidly beating heart, and occasionally they come with a little bit of blood too.

My mistake was not telling my dad that I was jumping off. I overestimated my ability to stay calm in the deep end, which ended up in me panicking and nearly drowning. The right move would've been to stay in the shallower end rather than overexerting myself.

Now the girl - okay, I should've asked for her phone number (my dad pointed that out). Except it'd be a long distance relationship, so...

About how old was said girl?

[mrsman]

On another thread, someone posted the span wires that host the signals and mentioned that the state fair will no longer use the signalized crossing.  Here's an article:

https://www.syracuse.com/statefair/2019/08/this-will-be-the-last-nys-fair-with-that-traffic-signal-on-i-690.html