Randy arriving at the Schenectady hanger to pick up his Dad and Uncle to fly them to Burlington, VT for the traditional Father's Day brunch.
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center from the air. Parking lots are at the upper left, the concert Amphitheatre upper center, and the Hall of Springs in the center.
The ski slopes of West Mountain. Glens Falls is directly under our plane.
Randy and Ron in the free airport loaner Cadillac for transportation into Burlington for brunch. It was, in better days, a fine luxury automobile that,while the car took us to our destination, we found the exhaust system loud and the suspension well worn.
Highly recommended by the airport desk attendant, we proceeded to Henry's Diner in downtown Burlington. While I registered our reservation (they were very busy) Randy proceeded to look for a parking spot. Performing a "U-ee" he found one on the diner's side of the street. They are seen waiting for our table leaning against the USAToday stand.
View inside the front of the diner from the line at the cash register and exit. Our table was at the end of the turn to the left. The furniture was of the vintage chrome kitchen set era with padded chairs and a formica table top. Our waitress was excellent and we all enjoyed the food.
A Lotus sports car parked in front of Henry's. Randy was not impressed. He prefers something in the BMW lineup.
The circular structure behind the pier was a lighthouse (the building attached to it has been removed). The road to the bridge over Lake Champlain is aptly named "Bridge Street". Adjoining the lighthouse is a New York State park and campground.
Another view of the Champlain Bridge and Crown Point Pier. Under Governor Pataki, the NY State Environmental Protection Fund was committed to fix the covered pier, make it handicapped accessible and restore the lighthouse. Ron is engaged in bidding on the restoration for his employer DeBrino Caulking Associates.
At the upper left the road leads to Fort Crown Point, part of the State Park.
Just 10 miles North of Fort Ticonderoga are the remains of revolutionary war Fort Crown Point. Crown Point was taken by a detachment of "The Green Mountain Boys" while on the same day Ethan Allen took Fort Ticonderoga. The British retook Fort Crown Point and held it to the end of the war.
Opened on 1970, the controversial Ticonderoga plant of International Paper. Recent efforts to test the burning of old tires for fuel were stopped.
The historic Sagamore Hotel and Lodges on their own 72 acre island. Note the light colored material on the water. All the lakes, on this day, were covered with conifer pollen. You could actually see the tracks of boats on the waters.
Lake George at its Southern end with the "Million Dollar Beach" at the center.
The Great Escape amusement park South of Lake George. The parking lots are at the bottom on the other side of Route 9.
Just below center is the Saratoga Race Track and the grandstand. Saratoga Lake is in the distance.
View of the Mohawk River toward the East with the Rexford Bridge in the foreground. The Schenectady Yacht Club facilities are at the left.
Mohawk Yard of the D&H Railroad on Maple Avenue just before landing at Schenectady Airport.
Randy and Dad on Father's Day 2008 after a picture-perfect flight to Burlington Vermont for our traditional brunch.
Original: June 17, 2008.