Tinker to Evers to Chance....

We had planned a relatively short drive yesterday...directly down the New York Thruway to our campground outside of Saratoga Springs.  But about halfway there we noticed an exit to Cooperstown, NY....yes, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Spontaneous decisions are made more problematic when towing a 30 foot trailer....But Jack persevered. Over mountains, down narrow winding country roads, and into Cooperstown's 150 year old streets. Unlike most attractions we've been to, there was absolutely NO parking for RVs or busses. So we cruised the streets until we found an empty block in a residential neighborhood long enough to accommodate our truck+trailer, and went to the Hall of Fame.

We are so happy when we choose to take these side trips. They never fail to please. The Hall of Fame was really interesting, and beautifully presented.

Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown NY

Before leaving Sylvan Beach, where we camped on Tuesday night, we strolled downtown along the Lake Oneida. The town is pretty much closed for the season, but it was a trip back to 1950's America.

These rides were the same ones Jack and I rode on as children...and we are OLD!

The "modern" Erie Canal (re-routed in 1906) enters the lake here and actually appears as a beautiful river.  There is a marina named "Snug Harbor"...

Snug Harbor Marina

 and a beautiful sandy beach with "No Swimming" posted. What tha...?)

Sylvan Beach, Verona NY

The signs on this beach read:

NO SWIMMING IN THIS AREA
NO VEHICLES
NO ALCOHOL
NO GLASS
NO FIRES
NO PETS

We really wondered what that left. Perhaps it explains why there's no one on the beach except seagulls.

Oh, and the title of today's blog? It comes from a poem written about the 1907 Championship Chicago Cubs infield players, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker and Frank Chance. I guess they were pretty unbeatable, and the poem starts "These are the saddest of possible words: Tinker to Evers to Chance" and ends "Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble: Tinker to Evers to Chance". We thought it was funny...