Hello from Binghamton, New York! Clara, Mariana, and I ventured out here to visit my sister and get some much-needed cousin time. We flew in late Wednesday night (essentially Thursday morning), on a plane that seemed like a roller coaster for the first thirty minutes of our flight. We were grateful to Tony for picking us up from our delayed flight and for letting us sleep in the next morning.
The Balderrama-Durbin family adopted some miniature horses that arrived this week, and we got to meet Dandilion and Lollipop, and make sure my new camera bag took care of our gear while traveling.
We spent Thursday recovering from the flight and enjoying much-needed family time. The girls went swimming with their cousins, and we grilled burgers and hot dogs, eating dinner outside.
On Friday, we ventured out to Watkins Glen State Park, which is nestled in the middle of town and tucked away within a 2-mile hike that leads to these astonishing waterfalls. We fueled up with a slice of pizza from a Woodfire Pizza shack next to the Colonial Inn.
We started our hike by climbing hundreds of stairs (832 steps, according to ChatGPT). I began to feel the weight of my camera bag towards the end of the climb. Things finally leveled out, rewarding us with breathtaking views.
The trail broke out into an upper and lower sections, where a bridge allows you to look downward to the hikers below:
We doubled back and went downward, staying closer to the waterfalls and streams below. The entire trail is composed of these beautiful stone paths and stairways, lined with both rocks and lush greenery.
Despite the heat, humidity, and challenging climbs, everyone stayed in relatively good spirits. The streams and waterfalls near the trail kept things cool and held our attention.
We reached Rainbow Falls, which had a picturesque view where you could walk under and behind the falls. That seemed a good a spot as any to turn around.
I tried experimenting with a longer exposure, but without a tripod or monopod, I was too shaky to capture streaming portraits. I still managed to get some captivating shots.
After turning around, I took up the rear, capturing Tony and Adrian as they made their way back.
We ended our Watkins Glen adventure by enjoying ice cream from the Colonial Inn.
We were pretty tired, sweaty, and ready to be home after our daytime excursion. I was really glad I made it here, and highly recommend that if you get the opportunity to check out Watkins Glen, you take it!