Jim Price
Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 4817
Location: Altoona, PA
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 Posted: Monday Dec 13, 2004 |
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WEEKEND/VACATION RECAP 9/30/04
JOHN SOLINSKI & KENNY KARLHEIM @ THE HITCHING POST, ALTOONA 9/23/04
I decided to start off this weekend by heading to Altoona’s Hitching Post and seeing what was up with that acoustic dynamic duo, John Solinski and Ken Karlheim.
A decent-sized crowd was populating the Hitching Post as I arrived. This was cool to see, given the light attendance this duo had seen at previous Hitching Post shows.
John and Kenny were into The Proclaimers’ “500 Miles” as I located a vacant seat and staked claim to it. The two musicians were segueing through a series of tunes, and proceeded through the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There,” the Monkees’ “I’m A Believer,” Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” during which the duo duck-walked back and forth across the stage area with their guitars. This prompted some festive ladies seated at the table in front of me (along the wall) to step up atop their chairs and dance. The song medley continued with the Beatles’ “Get Back” and Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-a-Ling,” with the female chair-top dancers and musicians feeding off each other’s craziness. The medley then shifted into Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart,” before reprising “My Ding-a-Ling” to finish. John and Kenny then sent out Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places” to Hitching Post kitchen matriarch “Mom,” before prompting the chair-top dancers back into action with Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” – yes, done ACOUSTIC! The party continued with tunes from John Mellencamp, Violent Femmes, Journey, Styx and Creedence Clearwater Revival, before reaching its crescendo with an audience request for Don McLean’s “American Pie.” As John and Kenny sang this ode to ‘the day the music died,’ ladies throughout the Hitching Post could be seen dancing and grooving along. At various points along the way, the group would pause the song – like a tape player – so John could coach the dancers and audience, ask questions, throw in funny quips and more. Still not finished having fun, the Hitching Post revelers demanded more music, and John and Kenny responded with Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” and the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” – yes, ACOUSTIC – to finish the night.
This show was a very good time. It was one of those ideal nights when performers and audience were connecting, and the resulting synergy lifted the evening above and beyond. John and Kenny were skillful as always, combining stellar guitar abilities with smooth vocals and harmonies, and their own brand of lighthearted fun and craziness. Mix in the receptive and busy Hitching Post audience, and the ladies dancing on the chairs, and it was a party!
The only disappointment of the night was learning that Kenny would be stepping away from performing in the near future to settle down. This duo had evolved into one of the most enjoyable acoustic entities playing the local circuit; it would be a shame to see them split up. John was pondering several post-duo career options; the next few months will reveal if John will stick around this area or follow his muse elsewhere.
With some rowdy ladies atop chairs, John and Kenny entertain at the Hitching Post.
The ladies get a little closer to the musical action…
In one of their last performances as a duo, Kenny Karlheim and John Solinski.
Donning interesting headgear, Kenny Karlheim.
After the show, John Solinski and yours truly.
STICKER @ CITY LIMITS, ALTOONA 9/24/04
This night, I decided to venture into the unknown, and check out a new band I had never heard of before, Sticker, making their Altoona debut at City Limits.
Not surprisingly, given a new band to the area, playing their first show in Altoona on a Friday night, and you could count on your hands the number of audience members at City Limits as I arrived
A trio from DuBois, Sticker - singer/bassist Joseph Dedon, guitarist Alvaray Kuhn and drummer Scott Wilson - was under way in their first set, playing several of their original songs. Joseph sang lead on "Without You" and Alvaray then sang lead voice on a song he introduced, "All of My Control." The sound on this song resembled the heavier side of Stone Temple Pilots, with a more blues-based foundation. The group introduced a new song, "My Stripes," which they said will be on their forthcoming second CD, tentatively entitled Lick My Sticker. The group finished out their first set with a song the group said was getting some airplay on PaXposure.com.
Sticker offered an interesting slant on the tunes I had heard thus far. The group's songs contained a modern-styled heaviness, underscored by a bluesy presence. Their original music could be bone-jarringly heavy, yet tempered with melody and texture. I was curious to hear more.
Sticker soon rewarded me and the other handful of people who stuck around to witness more. Alvaray first returned to the stage solo, and with an acoustic guitar performed a version of Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm." He continued with Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush," before his bandmates then joined him, and Sticker proceeded with a set featuring mostly cover material. This was still interesting, though, as the material that Sticker chose was mostly not the typical cover band fare, but instead songs that revealed influences and reference points to their sound, both modern and classic. With Joseph singing, the group continued with Filter's "Take a Picture" and White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army." The group then shifted into rootsier classic rock material, doing Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou" and Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog." Sticker then broke out Ronnie Dio-era Black Sabbath, performing "Mob Rules," followed by Kiss' "Cold Gin." Back to the 90's for Pearl Jam's "Black," before the group finished out the set with two original songs, "Wake Up" and "Windswept."
This turned out being the end of the night, as with very few patrons or audience in the house, City Limits main man Claudio and the band came to an agreement to shut things down early and call it a night.
For me, Sticker came across as a band that taps from both old and new school rock, blending components of both schools to form a hybrid sound and slant of their own. The original songs were mostly interesting, illustrating the group's experimentation with song structures and dynamics. The performances were mostly good; both Joseph and Alvaray were respectable on the vocal end, and the group was fairly tight on their instruments. I detected a few slight miscues and fumbles along the way, but the group was on target more often than not on their execution. Lack of audience to witness them notwithstanding, Sticker made a respectable showing this night, and I'll be sure to check back with this group again to see what interesting directions their music takes.
Alvaray Kuhn of Sticker.
Sticker, making their Altoona debut at City Limits.
Joseph Dedon and Alvaray Kuhn of Sticker.
Scott Wilson of Sticker.
Once again, Sticker states their case before an empty City Limits. Welcome to Altoona on a Friday night!
CLOUD 9 @ ALDO’S, ALTOONA 9/24/04
Since Sticker’s show had ended early, I had time left to catch another band in action. So I headed over the railroad tracks to Juniata, to check out Altoona jam rockers Cloud 9’s return to action at Aldo’s.
I arrived during intermission prior to Cloud 9’s final set of the night. Despite the group’s long dormant spell, a good-sized crowd – large by Aldo’s Friday night standards – was in the house to kick it up with Cloud 9.
As was the norm with this band before, Cloud 9’s forte was the Grateful Dead, and their repertoire included generous doses of the Dead, which attracted a good number of audience members to the stagefront dance floor to dance and groove along. Each song a hearty jam workout, driven equally by guitar and keys for a balanced presentation. Eventually, the group entered the homestretch with a version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Tuesday’s Gone,” before finishing up the night with an uncharacteristic surprise, a version of Poison’s “Talk Dirty to Me.”
The dance floor remained busy the whole time, as Cloud 9 kept the music constant and upbeat. Their first show in many months was an obvious success based on this night; hopefully the group will be able to keep it together and happening.
Scott Walters and Kicker from Cloud 9.
The keyboard player for Cloud 9.
Tim Wilkins of Cloud 9.
RICKY LEE/CHRIS WOODWARD @ HARVESTFEST, DELGROSSO’S PARK, TIPTON 9/25/04
This was a show I “accidentally” wound up checking out. When I decided to take in Delgrosso Park’s annual season-ending Harvestfest this day, I had no idea what musical entertainment was taking the stage. Usually country was the prominent musical flavor of this festival event, and I figured a national country name might be featured. I was pleasantly surprised when I ran into Clint Carothers, the drummer for Ricky Lee’s backing band, who informed me that Ricky had performed a set earlier, and would be back onstage later on. Since I had never seen Ricky’s show before, I decided to stick around and see what this aspiring local country performer was about.
In the meantime, I took in Harvestfest with its other entertainment, food and attractions. As I made my way to the food pavilions, I noticed a crowd standing around and watching a performance of some sort. Upon closer investigation, I discovered that the performers were The Lids, a Penn State Altoona-based percussion ensemble whose schtick was tapping out rhythms and rudiments on…metal trash can lids! These guys were mildly entertaining, as they coordinated lid-pounding percussion exercises with choreographed march and dance moves, audience participation and more. Not quite the Penn State Blue Band, but not bad…
After procuring and consuming some foodstuffs from the pavilion area, I heard explosions and saw smoke rising in the distance. Was it terrorists? Was it Bellwood, attempting to avenge their loss to Tyrone in football a few weeks earlier? I made my way through the crowd to investigate. The explosions were cannon shots, and the setting was a Civil War battle reenactment happening on the park’s train ride grounds. The North launched an offensive against the South, and not surprisingly, they won. A little bit of war during a festival event offered an interesting touch…
I also made my way past a family juggling act, en route back to the stage area, where Ricky Lee would soon begin.
While this would be my first time witnessing Ricky Lee, it wasn’t my first time seeing this performer in action. Long long ago, in an Altoona far far away, “Ricky Lee” used to be Rick Lonsinger, and he was the lead singer in several area bands in the 80’s, including Teazer, “the rock and roll pleaser.” In the years since, though, Rick converted to country, and spent some time in Nashville, rubbing elbows with some names in the country music biz, and writing and recording songs. Earlier this year, Ricky issued a 3-song EP, called A Soldier Like You, and promoted and performed a concert to over 2,000 people at Altoona’s Jaffa Mosque. He has since been playing occasional shows locally, while seeking his big break in Nashville and a shot at the big time.
Backed by a corps of veteran local musicians called the Country Boys Band, Ricky stepped onstage and opened his set with “She’s My Kinda Girl” from his EP. His presentation was bright and cheery, as he worked all corners of the stage and made constant eye contact with audience members young and old. Ricky then further broke the ice with a country favorite, “Rocky Top,” which turned into a sing-along with a number of audience members taking part. From his EP, Ricky performed the upbeat “In the Middle of a Little Love,” and followed with a ballad, “Nowhere to Hide.” Ricky then did a Travis Tritt number, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares).” After another number, Ricky ventured in a more rock’n’roll direction, performing John Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses.” With a little girl passing out tiny American flags prior to Ricky’s performance, “Pink Houses” turned into a patriotic, flag-waving occasion, elevating the excitement and enthusiasm level of both performer and crowd. Ricky proceeded to toss out T-shirts and CD’s to members of the audience, and one woman presented him with a bouquet of flowers. Ricky and the band performed another country number at this point, before concluding the set with Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”
Ricky’s performance was professional, warm and friendly. His music and style seem focused and clear; he clearly seems at home as a country artist, and he performed his material with pride and confidence. Ricky’s seasoned backing band of area music veterans – guitarists Randy Rutherford and Mark Walters, acoustic guitarist Rick Wertz, bassist Pat McGinnis, drummer Clint Carothers and keyboardist Mary Villani – supported him with a convincing, full-sounding backdrop. The combination of Ricky’s genuine enthusiasm and the audience’s receptiveness and adoration made this a memorable performance, with the connection between performer and audience resulting in a high and positive vibe throughout the set.
Sure, this was a hometown crowd, family and friends – but if Ricky Lee can make that connection with other audiences with the same success, he certainly has the potential to take his career to the next level.
I then stuck around to see some of the other half of this country bill, Huntingdon singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Woodward and his Git ‘Er Done Band. Chris and his band opened on an upbeat vibe with Brooks & Dunn’s “Rock My World (Little Country Girl), and followed with the Georgia Satellites’ “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.” In the early going, though, that magical synergy that existed between Ricky Lee and his audience had subsided by the time Chris Woodward got started, for despite inviting the crowd to sing along, very few audience members responded. This seemed to fluster Chris, who actually seemed a little irritated. After introducing the members of his band, Chris introduced one of his own songs, “Do the Little Things,” from his third CD; and followed with the ballad “You’re Everything,” which he said was presently being shopped to Tim McGraw.
Chris Woodward, too, is skilled at what he does, and sang with strength and presence. Likewise, his band was skilled and tight behind him, and together they worked as a strong unit. The audience was slower to warm up to Chris and his band in the early going. Still, he and his band received polite applause from them, and a number of people remained to witness the rest of Chris’ set. I left at this point, to go take care of some workplace duties before heading to another event on my agenda this day…
The pride and joy of Penn State Altoona, the Lidz.
Taking it one step further, the rivalry between Bellwood and Tyrone heated up at Harvestfest, during the annual Battle of Tipton Run.
The fighting was hot and heavy…
But in the end, as on the gridiron, Tyrone’s militia triumphed…
Ricky Lee and the Country Boys Band.
Again, Ricky Lee and the Country Boys Band entertain the crowd at Harvestfest.
From another angle, Ricky Lee.
Straddling a pumpkin, Ricky Lee.
Once again, Ricky Lee and the Country Boys Band.
Taking his music to the fans, Ricky Lee.
Chris Woodward and his Git ‘Er Done Band.
Chris Woodward.
HALF TEMPTED @ JEFF SHOWALTER MEMORIAL RIDE POST-MOTORCYCLE RUN PARTY, CAMPBELL HILL REC ROOM, HOLLIDAYSBURG 9/25/04
Since many people in attendance at this event were telling stories about Jeff Showalter, I thought I’d share one to begin this recap from the post-party following the motorcycle run held in his memory.
This story happened back in January of this year. It was a Saturday night, and in spite of some 3 inches of snow blanketing area roads, I decided I would venture out to catch a band. Once I got out on the roads and realized what lousy shape they were in, I opted to head to Peter C’s, and checked out the band 513 (see the “Weekend Recap 1/19” thread for complete show review). Towards the end of the night, Jeff Showalter showed up at Peter C’s to take in the band’s last set. Afterwards, I figured I’d head across the street to King’s Family Restaurant for breakfast, and give the area road crews a little more time to clear the roads (and the hill I live on). King’s was crowded despite the weather, and I wound up sitting at the main counter. Shortly after I arrived, Jeff came in and wound up sitting next to me at the counter. We both ordered up breakfast (Rockpage’s “Witchchic” was our waitress, as I recall). As we ate, Jeff and I talked about a bunch of things. Jeff told me about his personal life and other things going on with him, and I did the same. We both chuckled at some rowdy drunks eating breakfast in the same room (part of the appeal of King’s late night, it always promises to be a circus atmosphere). After we finished eating, Jeff picked up the bill for both of us – very cool! I thought to myself that I’d like to return that favor to Jeff sometime.
Alas, I never had the chance to. In April of this year, Jeff Showalter lost his life in a motorcycle accident along Chestnut Avenue in Juniata. Since Jeff was a good friend to both the local motorcycle and local music communities, members of both converged to put together a day in Jeff’s honor and memory. The 1st Annual Jeffy Showalter Motorcycle Run took place this day, with proceeds going towards the Jeff Showalter Memorial Scholarship Fund. Sponsored by A.B.A.T.E. of Blair County, the run would conclude with a party at the A.B.A.T.E. grounds at Campbell Hill near Geeseytown, with music provided by Felix & the Hurricanes, Half Tempted and Banditos.
During the day, as I headed to Delgrosso’s Amusement Park in Tipton for “Harvestfest” (see review above), I passed by one of the stops of the motorcycle run, Burgi’s Roundhouse in Greenwood. The parking lot was wall-to-wall motorcycles, and more bikes were heading into the lot – it was heartening to see the huge show of support in memory of Jeff Showalter.
After taking in “Harvestfest” and logging some time at the workplace, I arrived at the post-party a little too late to see Felix & the Hurricanes, but arrived just in time to see Half Tempted. It turns out Half Tempted was also running late this evening, as drummer Steve McCulley had suffered a lower back injury earlier that day, and the group had to scramble for a replacement drummer. Fortunately, off-duty Wired drummer (and friend of Jeff Showalter) Kevin Siegel was available, and came out on an hour’s notice to set up his kit and provide the beats behind Half Tempted’s set.
Half Tempted kicked off their first set with Free’s “All Right Now.” A Poison double-shot then ensued, as the group did “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn;” the latter inspiring scattered slow-dancing. The group stepped the tempo back up with Brownsville Station’s “Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room” and Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion.”
At this point, Half Tempted frontman Ron Dalansky acknowledged that since it was a biker party, this event needed some female nudity, and candidates willing to ‘show the goods’ were sought. After some persistent persuasion, several contestants lined up in front of the trailer stage and presented their well-rounded arguments for victory. One contestant even displayed the ability to use her “rack” to hang keys on! Eventually, via loudest volume of audience cheers, one of the contestants won some cash money; but ultimately, the audience members were the big winners!
Half Tempted continued through their set, resuming with Drivin’n’Cryin’s “Fly Me Courageous,” Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine,” AC/DC’s “The Jack” and Seven Mary Three’s “Cumbersome,” leading to intermission.
After partaking in the food spread offered at this event, I stuck around for Half Tempted’s second set. Ron, Kevin, rhythm guitarist/singer “Big Jim” Ricotta and bassist P.J. Kelly picked up where they left off with George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone,” and proceeded with tunes from Tommy Tutone, Cheap Trick, Great White, AC/DC and Judas Priest, with a few revelers dancing along the way. After AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” a special guest stepped atop the trailer stage to make her musical contribution – Ann (Q94 Calendar Girl Class of 2003 alumnus) did her solo rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.” The group then stormed towards set’s end with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” The remaining post-run party participants wanted to hear one more song, so Ron and Jim returned to the stage to give their set a special finale; sending out a heartfelt version of The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes” in memory of Jeff Showalter.
At this point, many of the day’s ride participants were starting to call it a day and head out. Since I wanted to check out yet another band this night, I decided to leave the post-run party myself, hearing Banditos begin their set with Collective Soul’s “Shine” as I headed to my car.
The first Jeffy Showalter Motorcycle Run was a huge success, with a good amount of money raised for the Jeff Showalter Memorial Scholarship Fund. The word is that this will now be an annual event; hats off to A.B.A.T.E. of Blair County for sponsoring the event, and all the bands, fans and friends who participated, reminisced and supported the cause this day.
Half Tempted rocks at the Jeff Showalter Motorcycle Run post party.
”Big Jim” Ricotta and P.J. Kelly of Half Tempted.
With special guest Ann onstage, Half Tempted.
Ann, singing some Janis Joplin. Oh Lord, won’t somebody buy this woman a Mercedes Benz?
BROWNTOWN @ 4D’S LOUNGE, ALTOONA 9/25/04
After hearing some rave reviews of this band’s prior visit to the 4D’s, I was curious to discover Browntown this night. After leaving the Jeffy Showalter Motorcycle Run post party, I arrived at the 4D’s Lounge as Browntown was into the homestretch of their second set. Greeting me as I entered the Dees was the sight of Browntown – nine members strong – with a hearty funk and dance party under way, with the dance floor and stage busy with dancing bodies. Several ladies platooned on and off the stage with the band as Browntown launched into a funk medley that tied together Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music,” The Commodores’ “Brick House,” the Knight Rider TV show theme (which made the group an instant hit with the Right Honorable Guv’nor Jesse, in the house this night) and Earth Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” to close out the set.
It was cool to see a few music scene folks in the house to check out Browntown, including Flight 19 frontman Brian Thomas (thanks for hooking me up with the red-headed slut!), Chris from The Underground TV and more. The feedback everyone was giving me about Browntown was very good, so I was anxious to see the third set unfold and discover more of what this band was about!
Browntown soon resumed the party, generating their high-energy mix of funk, rock and dance tunes, with a few surprises thrown in along the way. Highlights during this set included versions of Kool & the Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging” and “Jungle Boogie,” Prince’s “Let’s Get Crazy,” tunes from Cake and Young MC, a version of Modern English’s “Melt with You,” and for their surprising finale, a funked-up version of Europe’s “The Final Countdown.”
This band was constant energy and motion, with various members shifting positions onstage and mixing up their presentation along the way. Constants through most of the performance were a sharp and tight horn section featuring trumpet players Matt Cochran and Dustin Shirk, sax players Trevor Davis and Tyrone Fredericks, Jr.; also feisty vocals from frontman Steve Knell, and the instrumental sass from guitarist Matt Cusanno, keyboardist Dave Mattock, bassist Kyle Yankowy, drummer Marques John Walls. Their performance was seamless and nonstop, with the action never slowing down. Through it all, the dance floor stayed busy, with ladies again platooning on and off the stage.
While attendance wasn’t bad this night, this band definitely deserves a bigger audience. Browntown brings the party, and their onstage excitement and sharp musicianship combine for a show very worth seeing. I definitely recommend catching this eastern-PA ensemble the next time they bring their party to town!
Joined by festive ladies onstage, Browntown.
The party continues onstage with Browntown.
Matt Cochran and Tyrone Fredericks, Jr. of Browntown.
Mike Cusanno of Browntown.
Again with female dancer assistance onstage, Browntown.
Trevor Davis. Kyle Yankowy and Matt Cochran of Browntown.
Flanked by ladies, Steve Kell of Browntown.
Again, Steve Kell of Browntown.
Marques John Walls of Browntown.
VACATION RECAP 9/26-9/29/04
SUNDAY 9/26
Sometimes vacations do not go as planned. For the months leading up to this one, the game plan was to head to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. But as we entered the final week before our vacation, Hurricane Jeanne – which had been aimlessly meandering out in the Atlantic – suddenly got its act together, and it looked increasingly likely that the hurricane would impact the East Coast at about the time we were to be visiting the Outer Banks. The forecasts became more ominous as our departure day approached; and, with the projected track of the storm taking it from Florida up along the coast to the Carolinas, we decided on a change of destination. Instead of heading south, we were going north – to Niagara Falls, Canada!
I was excited about this trip as well, being I had never been in Canada before. The travel triumvirate of Big Jim, Sparky D’Engineer and yours truly left Altoona on Sunday afternoon and headed northward. After enjoying our vacation kickoff meal at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield (excellent food, I highly recommend!), we proceeded west on I-80 to Route 219, and stayed on 219 all the way northward into New York and to Buffalo, where we hopped onto an interstate that took us to the Canadian border. Total trip time from Altoona to Canada, about 5 hours.
I was a little apprehensive about how post-9/11 border security would be. Would our luggage be searched? Would we have to fill out paperwork? Would there be a wait at the border to enter Canada? At least at around 11 PM on this particular Sunday night, the answer to all these questions was – no. At the border, the guard at the gate asked where we were headed (Niagara Falls), how long we planned to be in Canada (3 days), and our purpose for being there (vacations). Were we carrying any guns or firearms? No. And with a quick “See ya!” from the guard, we were on our way and into Canada!
As it turned out, we didn’t get to Niagara Falls right away; we took an unintentional two-hour joyride first. Going by the map Big Jim provided, we thought we had to look for an exit off QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way, Canada’s national highway, similar to I-95 or I-80 here in the States), and we proceeded northwest on QEW in search of that exit. But after a good hour of driving and passing exits for St. Catherines, Hamilton, and getting within 13 kilometers of Toronto, we realized that we somehow missed our exit, and had to backtrack. The ride back provided one humorous highlight, when we detected an unusual smell en route back, and soon came up behind a slow moving passenger bus, whose engine was burning up and smoking badly. Apparently the driver did not care that the bus engine was seriously ill, he kept pushing the thing along QEW, billowing smoke all the while. We eventually arrived back near the New York border, and learned that the exit we wanted to originally take was south of where we first got on QEW, and was already past us when we first entered the highway. So our first two hours in Canada were spent on a joyride we hadn’t intended to take!
Once we checked into the Howard Johnson’s in downtown Niagara Falls and carried our luggage to our room, we strolled around the downtown and saw what attractions there were. Since it was 1 AM on a Monday morning, there were just a handful of other folks out walking around. All the monetary exchange establishments were closed, so we couldn’t change our currency from American to Canadian just yet. (Although the businesses here would accept American currency, they pay you back in Canadian change, which is worth less than American in the exchange rate.) Big Jim tried to purchase a bottle of soda, but the vending machine kept his money and didn’t give him his drink. We scoped out the sights, walked down to the falls briefly (they weren’t lit up at this time of the night, but were still visible and audible), and we headed to a 24-hour Burger King to grab a soda. A Whopper Value Meal ran $8.75 Canadian here; which translates to nearly $6 American – still way too much for a Whopper and fries as far as I was concerned. After surveying Niagara Falls downtown environs, we retired to the hotel room and called it a night.
MONDAY 9/26
Even though it was Canada in late September, the weather was sunny with temperatures in the 70’s – shorts weather! We emerged from our hotel room, did some pizza at one of the downtown eateries, and proceeded to do what most people do when they visit Niagara Falls…we checked out the falls!
Just a five minute walk from our hotel room, we made our way down and took in the sights of both waterfalls, the American falls and the horseshoe falls. We watched as the “Maid of the Mist” tour boats below took passengers to see the falls up close. We marveled at the rainbow effects produced when sunlight shined through the mist created by the falls; this was prominent only at certain times, when a gentle breeze blew the mist into an area where the sun’s rays could shine through it.
As we slowly progressed our way along the falls observation area, we came upon what appeared to be a movie production shoot, complete with production crew, cameras on booms, tents and more. Upon inquiring, we learned that this was a Canadian production company, shooting a television tourism commercial for Niagara Falls. So no, there were no big stars hanging out under the tents.
We made our way down by the horseshoe falls, named because of their horseshoe shape. We could feel the thunder as this massive torrent of water cascaded over the falls, just feet away from where we were standing. Indeed, this was a pretty impressive natural phenomenon.
From there, we headed up the hill to the local IMAC theater, and took in a film presentation about Niagara Falls and some of the legends surrounding it, from native American stories to some of the people over the years who felt compelled to ride over the falls in barrels and other contraptions. Some of these people survived to tell the tale; others did not. Pretty fascinating stuff!
After retiring to the hotel room for a short rest, we headed back out in the evening to do dinner (at Kelsey’s, good restaurant!), and then return to the falls to see them lit up. Multi-colored spotlights are directed at the falls during the evening, making for an interesting display. This actually works better with the American falls rather than the horseshoe falls, whose effect is diminished by the constant cloud of mist obscuring the light. We took a number of photographs and took in the evening, and then made our way through the downtown, eventually arriving back at our hotel room and calling it a night.
TUESDAY 9/27
The early risers this day, Big Jim and I took in breakfast at a nearby family restaurant, and then did a walking tour around the neighborhood behind our hotel. Once you left the immediate tourist area, Niagara Falls was like any other small town, with little neighborhood grocery and hardware stores, a community center where various events took place. Aside from the tourism, it looked like a quiet little town.
Eventually, we hooked up with Sparky, and proceeded to our main attraction destination this day, the Skylon Tower. The Skylon features a shopping plaza, and the tower itself, which features an observation platform 775 feet high, plus a restaurant that revolves around the tower’s axis, so diners can observe all parts of Niagara Falls while they eat. We checked out the plaza and did some souvenir shopping, then rode the “Yellow Bug” elevator to the observation platform, marveled at the sights and took pictures, and then returned to ground level. We had considered doing dinner in the revolving restaurant, but the price tag was pretty expensive, so we decided to do dinner back on earth.
We again took in shops and sights in downtown Niagara, including the Niagara Falls Casino. We observed as many people – mostly elderly – played slot machines, roulette wheels and poker games on the casino’s various levels. We mostly resisted the urge to do any gambling ourselves; Big Jim tried to purchase some tokens, but the machine ate his change again.
We then did some more souvenir shopping, and came upon an interesting – and ultimately frustrating – situation at one of the souvenir shops. We had found some items to purchase, but had to wait in line behind a group of Asian tourists, attempting to understand Canadian currency and purchase items from a Middle-Eastern cashier! Talk about language barriers! Only one of the Asian tourists appeared to speak English, and broken English at that. The cashier could speak English, but also broken English. There was confusion about what coinage and currency to use, and then a couple of the tourists wanted to add merchandise to their purchase. We patiently waited for about 20 minutes for this group to complete their purchases and finally exit the shop. I imagine this is a scenario that probably plays out daily at souvenir shops like this.
After stopping back at the hotel to deposit our purchases, we did dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant, Mamma Mia’s. A little cramped space-wise, but good food. We again walked about the streets of downtown Niagara and took in more shops, sights and sounds, before retiring to the hotel room for the night.
WEDNESDAY 9/28
As quickly as it began, our Canadian vacation was already ending, and it was time to leave Niagara Falls. After doing breakfast at the nearby family restaurant again (all-you-can-eat for $6.95 Canadian, not bad!), we checked out of our hotel room and began our journey back. We again had to clear border security; we were wondering how tight security was for people entering back into the U.S. This time, an older security guard inquired about where we were and why we were in Canada, asked if we had anything to declare (other than souvenir stuff), and any weapons or firearms. Content with our answers, he granted us passage back into the U.S.
We then parked in downtown Niagara Falls, New York, and visited Niagara Falls State Park. I was surprised that the park charged people to park their cars in the park; we found an empty space along a nearby street and walked to the park. We took in views of Niagara Falls from the American side, looking back across the river to where we had just been on the Canadian side. We took a few more photos, lounged around and relaxed on the park benches, before returning to our vehicle and proceeding on the rest of the journey home.
The rest of the trip home was uneventful. We realized how much Route 219 was in need of patchwork and resurfacing, it was a relatively bumpy ride back down through New York and PA. We returned via Clearfield, and – just as we did to begin the trip - ate supper at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield.
In all, this was a good mini-vacation, even if it didn’t involve the beach. Our visit to Niagara Falls couldn’t have been more ideal; the weather was still relatively warm and comfortable for this time of year, and because the peak of the tourist season was past, Niagara Falls wasn’t crowded, and we had room to move around and enjoy ourselves. Even the missed exit and journey towards Toronto upon our arrival in Canada served a purpose, letting us know that Toronto wasn’t that far from the Canadian border, should we ever want to head there for a future vacation. In all, it was a good trip, and I could see myself heading back here again at some point.
Welcome to Canada! Big Jim gets ripped off by a vending machine.
The Niagara Falls’ American falls.
Big Jim and Sparky, under the rainbow at Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls’ horseshoe falls.
The horseshoe falls, up close…
Both falls…
The American falls, night view.
Ouch, I thought they only had these things in Florida!
Although we didn’t go inside, the Rock Legends Wax Museum in downtown Niagara Falls.
At one of the currency exchange places in Niagara Falls, they used a different unit to measure time…
As viewed from the New York side, Niagara Falls.
With the falls raging behind us, yours truly and Big Jim.
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