And the usual final handful of observations to wrap up my visit to Rochester.

First, THERE ARE WIND FARMS IN THE CATSKILLS!

I’m driving along Route 17, enjoying the nice landscape that surely looks amazing in the fall when the leaves are changing colors (and not in early April when the buds have yet to appear). I round a bend, and OMG WIND TURBINES looming over the next hill in the distance! It was quite startling, actually. Those things are HUGE.

The real “attraction” in the heart of downtown Rochester is almost certainly the High Falls of the Genesee. The city is built on both sides of the Genesee River, with the Falls right in the middle. At almost 100 feet in height, and something like 180 feet wide, they are really impressive. Best views are from High Falls Terrace Park, the Pont de Rennes Pedestrian Bridge, and the roof of the Genesee Brew House.

The best view I was willing to get at the time.

Speaking of the Genesee Brew House, their parent company – Genesee Brewing – is one of the oldest breweries in the country (and the oldest in the state). Rochester itself has been a major brewing center since before the Civil War. The gift shop in the Brew House has a nice display of that history.

Press the button for the decade, and lights indicate where the breweries were at that time.

Speaking of history, the Erie Canal runs past the southern end of the city. The wonder of civil engineering in its day hasn’t been completely neglected; there are walking paths and parks along side it, and presumably (where and when the water level allows) one can do a little recreational boating in it. For something so important to American history, it really should be better maintained (and appreciated).

Clearly, not at its best.

The parts of Rochester I happened to be driving through during the daytime were quite nice. Well maintained old houses, trees, well-kept lawns – the kind of thing you’d expect to see in a Historical Preservation District. I wonder if they have any….

If one can judge from the number of “smoke shops” and coffee shops (and the interior of the Boulder Coffee Company – the one where I stopped for a latte), the city has a thriving Arts community.

By the way, if you decide to dine at Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, save room for dessert.

And I can’t sign off without a tip of the hat to the Rochester Visitors Center at 45 East Avenue, Suite 400. I stopped in there on Sunday morning, looking for help in walking to the Strong Museum. The staff there was really friendly and helpful, and they had lots of good info on the city and the region.

They had a LOT of eclipse-related stuff, like this postcard….