The beauty of fall in the Finger Lakes is something that must not be missed. We headed to Skaneateles, NY on the first Sunday in October to see if any of the leaves had started to turn into their golden yellow and red colors. Due to the unusually warm September weather in the Finger Lakes, leaf peeping has been delayed. Nevertheless, we were treated to a beautiful summer like day but without the usual heat of the summer sun.
We headed to Doug’s Fish Fry for our lunch. As usual there was a line at the order counter, but the line moves quickly and soon our lunch was ready. Doug’s is just one of the unique places in Skaneateles. I met Doug several years ago at his store. There is a life size cutout of him standing in the store. He started his business in Skaneateles as an 800 square foot ice cream store and the village fathers told him that he would never be a successful with such a business that only sold ice cream cones. He later expanded his little business to include the serving of sea food. As a fall treat, Doug was serving hot apple fritters – something you don’t want to miss.
After lunch we headed across the street to the park along the lake. It’s a sad fact that in the Finger Lakes region, most motor boats are pulled from the water and put into storage right after Labor Day. This occurs for several reasons; the children go back to school after Labor Day and the water levels in many of the Finger Lakes are lowered in preparation for the coming formation of ice along the lakes. The air temperature on Sunday was too cool for water sports or for swimming, but just perfect for walking around with a light sweater or jacket.
The Judge Ben Wiles sat quietly in the crystal waters of Skaneateles Lake, waiting to tour the next group of folks around the lake. As the colors of the leaves begin to change, you won’t want to miss taking this tour. This tour is a must do kind of thing.
It was just a perfect day for folks like us to sit on the park, gaze at the beautiful lake scene, and soak up the warm rays of the sun. It was relaxing to breath some fresh air, sit along the lake, and let your mind go into neutral. Even the ducks along the lake were using the warm sun to “fluff up” their feathers before preparing for their next flight.