Magical Mystery Mother's Day Tour

On Tuesday morning (early morning!), I embarked on a mighty big adventure for someone who doesn't like surprises. I boarded a deluxe motorcoach at 6:30 a.m. with my mom, destination(s) unknown. How and why did I end up in such a predicament?

It all started back in February, as I was dreaming of warm tropical adventures while struggling to get through the worst western New York winter in recent memory. I was having lunch with my mom when she read to me an ad for a "mystery tour" sponsored by a local travel agency. The information given was scant: merely the date, departure location and time, and a clue that the destination was approximately two hours away.

"Doesn't that sound like fun?" my mom asked. "I've always wanted to do something like that."

"No," the practical, unadventurous side of me responded. "I want to know where I'm going and what I'm doing."

So, just like that, I shot her down, and that was that. Except it wasn't. As the day went on, I continued to think about this mystery tour. The mystery of it wrapped itself insidiously around my brain, like a reptile, blocking out any other thoughts. Plus, the trip, it occurred to me, was scheduled for two days after Mother's Day...the perfect gift for my mom, who, for some inexplicable reason, wanted to climb aboard the mystery motorcoach. So I called her two days later, asked if she was serious about wanting to go (she was!), and shocked her by signing us up.

The big day dawned agonizingly early, even for me who gets up each day at 5:20 a.m.. I set my alarm for 4 a.m. to allow plenty of extra time before the 7 a.m. departure, but I found myself awake much earlier, tossing, turning, and checking the clock, so I decided to get up at 3:45 and get started. My mom apparently did the same, arriving five minutes earlier than planned to pick me up, so we made it to the travel agency's parking lot by 6:30 a.m. Unfortunately, at this time it was pouring rain and I was sans umbrella, which increased my anxiety over where we were going and what was on our itinerary, and made me think maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all.

As it turned out, the weather more or less cooperated as the day progressed, staying wet and gloomy for the drive to our first location, which turned out to be Hammondsport, N.Y., and its Glenn Curtiss Museum, and becoming warm and sunny for our later outdoor activities.

 

Motorcycle sidecars!

The museum was a good choice because it literally had something for everyone: antique dolls and dollhouses for me, film memorabilia (costumes and props from the "Indiana Jones" films, "National Treasure," "The Mummy," and more) for movie buffs, and a vast array of airplanes, motorcycles, and cars for everyone else (including two 1900-era motorcycles with sidecars that thrilled me). After half an hour there, I felt like I'd seen it all and was ready to move on to the next part of the adventure.

The second stop was downtown Hammondsport, where we were dropped off for an hour to explore antique stores, gift shops, a bakery, and an ice cream parlor. I enjoyed browsing through used books and handmade jewelry, but I have to confess I was really starting to feel the length of the morning here, particularly in my stomach. 

The spectacular view from Esperanza Mansion.

Thankfully, lunch at Esperanza Mansion, which sits on top of a hill, providing an exquisite view of Keuka Lake, was up next at 12:30. The quantity and quality of food - French turkey brie with side salad, coffee, and delicious caramel cheesecake with brownie topping - was just enough to satisfy without making me feel heavy and uncomfortable (not good for a long, crowded bus ride). Besides the cheesecake, the best part of this stop was the view, as well as an opportunity to bask in the sun, which made a full, uninhibited appearance for the remainder of the day, and stretch my legs by walking the grounds before getting back on the bus for the journey into wine country at Penn Yann's Fox Run Vineyards, for a wine-tasting tour.

Fox Run Vineyards (courtesy of www.foxrunvineyards.com)

I was less than enthused, as was my mom, since we're not wine drinkers (I would have preferred a boat ride on the lake), but, as it turned out, I enjoyed the experience. I'm still not a wine enthusiast, despite sampling six different sweet varieties, and I went home empty handed (no case of wine for me), but I was proud of myself for making the most of my wine-country excursion. (When in Rome, you know...)

Then we were back on the bus at 4:30 p.m., more than ready for the drive back home. I dozed off for a few minutes here and there, as several others did, knocked out by the wine and the adventures of a jam-packed whirlwind day. 

Overall, even though the trip took me to places I wouldn't have chosen myself (always the danger when allowing someone to create an itinerary for you), I'm glad I went along for the ride. Thanks to the travel-agency folks, and a little bravery on my part, I spent a day exploring the Finger Lakes with my mom that I know I'll never forget. That experience and those memories are priceless.