Tour Tales

Tour Tales

About bike tours

One of the greatest joys of this summer has been helping out Buffalo Bike Tours where Marc Moscato has been taking a swing at renting e-bikes and leading tours in Niagara Falls.

As with any new venture, not a step has been perfect but when it works, it works. Whether a mining entrepreneur from Colorado, visitors from Israel and Long Island, or Pittsburgh I have met delightful guests.

I have also pushed the boundaries a bit, as is my nature, taking people places that are a bit challenging, for example heading down the Great Gorge Railway path by walking 75 feet or so before remounting. Our downpour on Sunday, Aug. 2 made the trail pretty rough. We stopped before going all the way down but when the trail is repaired, that one will be a judgment call depending on if I think the riders are physically up for it.

About Japan

One of the most fun things about guiding is taking guests from Japan to see Niagara Falls.

Sometimes, they speak no English. Google translate is your friend. I know some words. “Konichiwa”, “arigato” and “shinrin yoku.”

Shinrin yoku is my favorite. It means “forest bathing.” In other words, taking a walk in nature. I get great joy visiting Whirlpool State Park and saying “welcome to my front yard. I will be back here later with my dog” because most of the time I will.

Tired of DiCamillo’s?

I love DiCammillo’s. The staff. The smell. Everything about the place.

The curse is they then feed guides every time you bring guests in. That means, for some guides, four times a week.

File it under rich-people-problems. Should I have a slice of spinach ricotta? Maybe jalapeno cheddar or perhaps a turkey cheddar sandwich.

I love that a Polish family from Minnesota can get a $4 slice because I told them to go to Linwood and avoid Delaware North. Support the DiCammillo’s. Fuck Delaware North.

About John Young’s wings

Celebrate the real history of Buffalo Wings

Two years ago, Beth, Ben and I tried to visit Festival of Slice in Niagara Falls. It was sold out.

We went to Cataract House, Bobby Anderson’s no-longer-operation restaurant on Old Falls Street. Ben and I bought an order of Mambo Sauce wings, purportedly from John Young’s original recipe.

They were fantastic. What we didn’t know was that Anderson was selling wings made with Young’s recipe without the permission of his descendants.

Here is a link to more information. https://johnyoungsoriginal.com/?

Girl Scouts

Saturday I had a great time leading 50 Girl Scouts and leaders from the Pittsburgh area to ride the Maid of the Mist and visit Goat Island and Cave of the Winds.

I love Scouting organizations because of the parent and leader involvement. People involved in Boy and Girl Scouts tend to care deeply about their family, community and Mother Earth.

Saturday was no different, even the 9-year old catching an array of cicadas, snails and other things. Her mother, an anthropologist and archeologist just smile, offered a kind word and validated her curiosity. I remember a niece who was a lot like that. Now she’s an entomologist. I’m an etymologist myself. Nerds of the world unite.