Finger Lakes Trip - March 2007

An unexpected day off gave us an opportunity to enjoy Spring in Central NY. We took the opportunity for our first visit to the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, NY, then on to Taughannock Falls — one of the great natural wonders of the Northeast. We went on to Senaca Falls to visit Village Camera, my favorite camera store, and took some pictures at the Seneca Canal Harbor. Time constraints forced us to forego a visit to the Women's Museum — we'll get that on the next trip.

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(Click on any Photo for a larger version)
All photographs are © Copyright Dick Bower

Museum of the Earth sign Entrance to the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, NY March 30, 2007

Museum of the Earth exterior Students visiting the Museum of the Earth take a lunch break outside the museum. March 30, 2007

Dinosaur patrols parking lot Dinosaur sculpture at the Museum of the Earth. March 30, 2007

The sign says it all! The Museum of the Earth is devoted to education and addresses the challenges educators face on the current complicated evolution and creationism debate. March 30, 2007

Sands of time Five hundred forty-four tiles, each representing one million years of "complex" life provide a dramatic walkway down to the museum exhibits. March 30, 2007

Sands of time detail Detailed view of tiles representing 3 million years (starting 347 million years ago). March 30, 2007

Ancient sea display Typical display at the Museum of the Earth. March 30, 2007

Devonian fish Real creature from the Black Lagoon — a fish from the Devonian age. March 30, 2007

Fossil rock Detail of a boulder just brimming with fossils. March 30, 2007

Ancient coral Fossil of ancient coral formation. March 30, 2007

Still life with dinosaur Display of dinosaur skull. March 30, 2007

Best mastodon in the East The Hyde Park Mastodon, a 12,000 year-old skeleton added to the collection in 2003. March 30, 2007

Taughannock stairway View of stairway back up to the Taughannock Falls overlook — thanks to my new hip! March 30, 2007

Taughannock panorama Taughannock Falls and the surrounding gorge. March 30, 2007

Higher than Niagara At 215 feet, Taughannock Falls is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Rockies. March 30, 2007

Differential erosion Eroded sediment in the Taughannock Falls gorge. March 30, 2007

Long way down Base of Taughannock Falls and some of the lower trail &mdash maybe next time, pictures from here! March 30, 2007

Blue Cayuga Cayuga, deepest of the Finger Lakes, is wonderfully blue on this spring day. March 30, 2007

Seneca Falls Canal Harbor Sign marking the Canal Harbor in Seneca Falls, NY. March 30, 2007

Canal walkway Trees, lamp posts, and boat utility hook-ups along the Canal in Seneca Falls, NY. March 30, 2007

Waterfront view Seneca Knitting Mills, one of the last surviving buildings from the water-power era, dominates this panorama of the Seneca Falls Canal Harbor Urban Park. March 30, 2007