This trip served these purposes:

• Explore the many places of New York state -- Niagra Falls, Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, Adrondacks, Lake Champlaign, HLake George, udson River, Manhattan Island and Long Island
• Visit the last remaining five US Presidential homes/libraries: Van Buren, Fillmore, Arthur (second attempt) and the two Roosevelts
• Some family history research in a couple of small towns south of Albany
• Visit Buffalo which is the last of the big cities of the continental U.S. Of the top 100 cities, the only ones I have yet to visit are places such as Fresno and El Paso -- towns without much to see/do there.
• Visit the campuses of three major univerwsities plus the military academy West Point
• Visit a dozen national parks plus other historic sites andgetting to my goal of visiting at least 100 national park sites
• See two dozen or so sites -- parks, houses, buildings, monuments and more
• And of course, the #1 MAIN REASON -- photograph my 48th state capitol building, leaving Alaska and Hawaii

NEW YORK: This is my fourth trip to New York since 1980. Two of those trips, 1980 and 2012, were quick (ie. just hours) visits to New York City only. 1986 was going across the southern part of the state from Erie PA to Albany NY then past Lake George and into Vermont. In 2010 I quickly went from Connecticut early one weekday morning, saw Yankee Stadium and tried to find President Arthur's home (but failed) then got off Manhattan Island (and into New Jersey) before rush hour traffic got going in full force. This trip covers much of the rest of the state for all the reasons stated above.

MISSED VISITING:
--Erie Canal Discovery Center in Lockport (sort of) -- Closed when I was first there on Day #2, I heard from the staffer of the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse that the Lockport Museum is outstanding, much better than the museum he works at! So on my way back to Buffalo to fly out, I toured this place, and certainly glad I did. Quite informative and their 15-minute film and following "demo" were very good.
--George Eastman House in Rochester -- closed on Mondays and I was in Rochester on a Monday
--Susan B Anthony House in Rochester -- closed on Mondays and I was in Rochester on a Monday
--Print Shop Museum in Palmyra -- Closed on Mondays and I was in Palmyra on a Monday
--Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua -- closed until later in May, nothing blooming now plus it is muddy
--Finger Lakes Owasco (at Auburn) and Skaneateles (at Skaneateles) -- between it being yet another rainy morning and the Finger Lakes starting to all look alike, I decided to skip past them.
--Antique Boat Museum in Clayton -- open only during summers
--1000 Islands Museum in Clayton -- open only during summers
--Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay -- open to public only during summers
--High Gorge Falls near Wilmington -- the place was closed for the season plus it had snowed and was very windy cold and I had only brought clothes expecting spring weather instead of winter weather
--Adirondack Museum in Elizabethtown -- open only during summers
--Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga -- open only during summers
--Skenesborough Museum in Whitehall -- open only during summers
--Wilcox Lake -- 25 miles due west of Lake George, realized that it is a 3+ hour round trip hike to the lake from the nearest road, and, across a river and through dense forest. Additionally, the road, Harrisburg Road, apparently is not paved and in the spring will be really muddy. I encountered something similar a few years ago in Maine for the Baxter State Park -- its roads were impassable mud in the spring. Ah, the penalities for traveling in spring.
--Lake Luzerne-Hadley (adjacent towns) -- skipped due to weather
--President Martin Van Buren Home -- open only during summers for inside tours, can see outside anytime
--Libraries and Librarians in Coxsackie and Catskill -- Coxsackie library had only four books worth looking at, Catskill only a few more. None revealed any useful genealogical information. The genealogy expert does not work on Mondays (the day I was there). And the Vedder Library (part of the historical society) is closed on Mondays. So I got more on the Sunday before by driving through the countryside looking for (and found) the family cemetery.
--Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage in Hyde Park -- under rennovation
--Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park -- I saw it from the outside and decided to skip the guided tour inside (since I saw the one in Asheville, North Carolina years ago)
--Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace on Manhattan Island -- GPS was totally confused plus it was just three blocks north of where the demonstrators congregated last evening and I was uncertain if any were still so just as well I missed going there

OBSERVATIONS: Some observations made while traveling in this area:

• Going in, I had quite high expectations of this trip and what all I wold see and do in this state. I had been looking forward to this trip for at least three years.
• Something I have noticed for New Yrok, and encountered in previous trips to Minnesota and Wisconsin, is that some of the more northern states only plan for tourists between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Thus, several places I wanted to go to in New York are closed until late May or June 01. Additionally, like many places that are open weekends, they close on Mondays. That also causes me to miss visiting some places I wanted to see.
• It is getting into the final third of the month of April and there are no trees budding yet and no flowers budding yet, at least in the northwest part of the state.
• The Garmin GPS really had a problem pinpointing places. It would either fall short by half a mile or be totally wrong such as saying I have arrived only to see empty fields
• The whole country had heard in the news a couple of months ago of Buffalo getting over six feet of snow in a day or two. It must have reeked havoc on the roads because there were countless potholes everywhere, some quite wide and some quite deep. Maybe instead of the Empire State it should be the Pothole State.
• I was surprised how light the traffic was everywhere I went in Buffalo plus to East Aurora. When I got to Fort Niagara and Youngstown, traffic was barely noticeable, very few vehicles. Surprising for a half sunny Sunday.
• Later I may have found why traffic was light in Buffalo area -- everyone was in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Or, towns in northern and east-central New York only have one rush-hour traffic period and it is between 9:30 am and 2:300 pm. This was true of Watertown and Saranac Lake and Lake Placid and several cities along the HUdson River. A surprise. Maybe those people are at work during normal hours and their job is to drive up and down the state highways. And, true to New York form, they have their own rules for the road (e.g. drive +/- 15 MPH of the speed limit but not the speed limit itself, and, ignore all stop signs when making a turn.
• The further east I got away from Lake Erie and Buffalo I noticed some green grass (vs. brown around Buffalo). And, in about three places I spotted a small set of yellow tulips in bloom
• I saw my first ever Finger Lake in Canandiagua, it is called -- ta da! -- Lake Canandiagua. I was suurprised by the large size of it and the tidal waves it had and even the cold and very strong breeze coming off it. Had seagulls too (and they love to bomb your vehicle so off to the car wash you go)
• I was really surprised to see the countless barns between the two-lane route I took from northeastern Youngstown to Lockport then on to Rochester then Palmyra and Canandiagua. Must have seen 6 - 8 dozen. They were in all shapes and sizes and styles along with several colors. I was surprised some were able to still stand.
• The Lake Ontario State Parkway on either side of the park is very nice (although incredible bumpy for a six mile stretch). It is four lanes with a large median and there were very few other vehicles seen as I drove along it on a rainy Monday morning
• Along the same route there are quite a number of very nice large homes interspersed with small older homes
• Northwestern NY has very few chain restaurants anywhere. Just an occasion one or two of any of Dennys, Perkins, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, etc. None large like Olive Garden, Applebees, TGI Fridays, etc. Even Walmarts are rare. The area is great for Mom & Pop shop businesses.
• I saw snow still on the hills that faced north while on my way between Cooperstown and Syracuse. Not a great amount but definitely noticeable. Snow was predicted for the higher elevations further north which is what I headed for over the next few days after the Coop-Syracuse trip.
• Some unusual highway signs in New York that I do not see in the Midwest. Cow crossings. Snowmobile crossings. Blind Person/Child Area. Deaf Person/Child Area. Deaf Dog Area (yes, the Dog gets a sign, sure made me laugh!). Snowplow turnaround. Horseback riding. School bus stop that is only a picture with a bright red light on the yellow bus.
• New York state is quite serious about not driving and texting. They have signs that say if you get caught three times texting, you lose your license. They also have special pull-over points along interstates that are only for texting. There is nothing else at these pull-over points. Amazing!
• A large percentage of vehicles in the eastern part of the state have racks mounted on top, presumably for carrying canoes, kayaks, skis, etc.
• There originally was, from New York City to Albany, the Old Post Road. It was for delivering mail in "olden days". It eventually got replaced by Highway 9. Highway 9 has several letter designations for it (e.g. 9G and 9H and 9P and 9W). The GPS wanted me to turn onto 9G and saw the "G" as an abbreviations for "grams" so the GPS said "Please turn right onto 9 grams". That was good for a laugh that lasted as long as I was on that highway.
• Not only does New York have more PT Cruisers per capita than any of the other 47 continental states but they have more "No turn on red" signs per capita than any other state. In fact, they probably easily have more of that sign than all other states, possibly all other states combined!.
• I have been surprised by how many places around the state that I have seen huge tracts of land, 50 acres and more, that are just totally flat. New York is such a hilly/mountainous state that they flatlands were unexpected
• New York has lots of rolling mountains (hills) yet still those areas of huge totally flat areas. In very few places can you see for a long distance in a wide angle (unless on top of one of those mountains). But while driving west on Highway 7 (aka I-390) and was rounding a curve going downhill, there momentarily was a great view of a wide expanse. If only a camera could have caught that moment.

The Bests:

1. Niagara Falls is way cool to see and there is probably nothing like it anywhere else in the 48 states. Unsure why seeing them is romantic (as per the long-heard bit about honeymooning at Niagara Falls). Canada has a better view of the American Falls but both sides get a pretty equal view of Horseshoe Falls. Amazing
2. Erie Canal is amazing. I could imagine the tremendous manual effort it took to dig and build it and then later the horse on the along-side path pulling the boat
3. Seeing Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes awed me at their size and power and how they generate such strong cold winds.
4. Seeing the St. Lawrence River for the first time. I claim that it is named after me! Or, at least, it is MY river.
5. Major League Baseball Hall of Fame -- I grew up on baseball in the 1960's and Mickey Mantle is the only person whom I can truly say was my childhood hero. The HOF had many great moments but the one that, to me, stands above them all is #2131: Cal Ripken Jr. beating Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played. That was an outstanding moment that I witnessed on television and shall always remember it!
6. Only sound heard on shore of Lake Ontario east of the town of Henderson was the waves lapping the rocks. Imaging listening to that from your nearby home (there were several there) early in the morning or late at night.
7. Seeing the waterfall called Split Rock Falls that is about nine miles on highway 9 south of Elizabethtown
8. The breathtaking view of Lake George after driving the 12-mile (40 minute) dirt/gravel road then hiking half an hour up the mountainside to get to Lake George Shelving Rock. The view would have been even better if all the trees did not block the views. And at least the trees had no leaves so that helped some.
9. Zip-zag mountain driving. As long as no one is in front of me, I like the challenge and feel of quickly turning right then left then right again while going up and down hills.
10. Photographing the New York State capitol. It makes #48 for me since 2008 in Maine. As soon as I snapped the first photo, I let out a "woo hoo"
11. Finding the Sarles Homestead/Family Cemetery. It is actually in Hannacroix NY on County Road 51 off Highway 9 from Coxsackie. That drive goes past the Town Hall of New Baltimore and also past the Stanton Hill Cemetery (main family names there are Meyer, Bedell and Powell). The Sarles Cemetery is immediately next to the right side of the road by 4 - 5 large evergreen trees and further past it is a large farm house that has a silver cylindrical silo.
12. Getting to the very southeastern tip of Long Island, and, of New York State.

The Worsts:

1. The tens of thousands of potholes are bad enough. But driving for six miles along the Lake Ontario State Parkway getting constantly bounced (and I mean CONSTANTLY, never a second that you are not bounced) was jaw-rattling.
2. Alamo Rental -- again! After a really bad experience with them last year in Florida I sweared I would never use them again. But they were hundreds of dollars cheaper than any other rental place for this trip. The lady who gave me my car upgraded me for free, presumably thinking she was thinking I was thinking that she was doing me a favor. But this Kia Soul gets lousy gas mileage plus has Canadian license plates (Ontario) and the dashboard is in metrics (e.g. kilometers instead of miles).
3. New York winters -- they last too long. Late April and the grass has barely turned green, no leaves on trees, only a dozen or two yellow tulips seen anywhere, and mud and puddles and other standing water everywhere which meant I could not drive on the otherwise dirt roads to destinations I wanted to get to. All of the state except around NYC gets, on average, about 6 - 7 feet of snow per year. The "lake effect snows" for Buffalo and vicinity are even worse. And, it was cloudy and rain much of the time while I was here. So that meant that many seasonal businesses were closed until late May. I have a feeling that the state is gorgeous in late September and very early October.
4. New Yorkers seem to love the PT Cruiser. They are all over the place. Previously I had only noticed them in larger cities. The list of the Top Ten Ugliest Cars ever made has the Gremlin at #10 and the PT takes positions 1 thru 9. It is that UGLY!!! The more I kept seeing in my two weeks in the state, the more I realized that this state probably has the highest number of PT's per capita than any of the other 48 continental states. I saw at least a dozen every single day with the only exception being when I was on Manhattan Island and Long Island where I saw only two, period, in 24 hours there! The counting became a daily game, I would count until I got to a dozen for the day then stop counting but say "ah, there is yet one more" for all subsequent ones spotted.
5. New York Drivers -- they do strange things. They see stop Signs and speed limit signs as mere suggestions. They keep right on going thru a stop sign to turn left or right. They go 10-15 miles under speed limits or go 10 - 15 miles over speed limits. And, on two-lane highways when they are mostly by themselves, they exceed the speed limit until they catch up to me, then they just sit on my tail two car lengths back and ride there for many miles, never considering to pass me, or backing off several more car lengths. I am one who might make a sudden pull-off when a photo opportunity is spotted. Finally, they have a really tough time staying between the lines of their lane. The right-side tires are often a foot or so on the shoulder. For miles!
6. How crowded the state is, thus, crowded roads everywhere. Very rarely did I have the road all to myself and I often do in other states.

The Totals:

• Miles Driven: 2638
• Driving: 56 hours in 15 days
• States: 1 -- New York (although once each I was just barely, by a few yards, into both Vermont and Pennsylvania)
• State Capitol: 1 -- New York (which makes 48 done now)
• Major Universities: 3 -- Cornell University, Syracuse University, Columbia University (leaving Univ. of Penn to see all 8 Ivy Leagues schools, I missed it in fall of 2014 due to traffic and heavy rain), West Point
• National Parks: 10 (Prez Fillmore, T.Roosevelt National Inaguration, Womens Rights National Site, Ft. Stanwix National Site, SDaratoga National Historic Site, Prez Van Buren, Eleanor Roosevelt Site, St. Paul's Church National Historic Site, General Grant National Monument, Sagamore Hill (Prez F.Roosevelt)
• US Presidents Homes/Sites: 5 (Van Buren, Fillmore, Arthur, T. Roosevelt and F. Roosevelt)
• Pictures Taken: 1025 (and deleted 34 of them)

That map of New York state has eleven colored sections. During this trip I toured all of them except the southwest corner "Chautauqua Allegheny" (I toured that in 1986) and the northeastern town of Plattsburg (a future trip covering the 300 miles all around Lake Champlain)