Exploring: Ithaca, NY - Part II

Ithaca.
Part II.

It's mid-March and I'm just back from a few days in Ithaca.  While there, I had the opportunity to continue exploring this beautiful town in New York State.  It's a little light on pictures this time, so if you're interested in seeing more, check out my last post on exploring Ithaca, or wait a couple of months and there will be one more. :)

Ithaca's not a small place, but not terribly large, either.  There are over 30,000 residents, and much of life and the economy revolves around academics, as the city is home to both Cornell University and Ithaca College.

I was there for a week, and in that time the weather reached 70°F, and also 17°F.  It was sunny, foggy, rainy, cloudy, and still.  Sleet and hail, breezy sunshine, and everything in between.  The weather was diverse, inclusive, and a bit hard to dress for.

The flight into Ithaca, which usually comes through Philadelphia, was on another propeller plane.  I think it's the only way to get in and out of Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport.  I like the airport, and the folks are super friendly.  It is, however, the only airport I've ever seen something like this posted on its web site. :)

Airport will close for a bit.

So there you have it.  Later this year the airport will be closed.  The whole thing.  From July 8th to July 23rd.  Which means I'll have to find a new way to get to Ithaca that doesn't include one of these awesome little planes.

Awesome little plane.

Because we were enjoying all of the weather conditions that Ithaca has to offer (and because school and work intervened with running time - as they should), time outside was a bit more limited compared to the last excursion to Ithaca.  I was able to get in a little indoor running, from the hotel treadmill to stair repeats from the 9th floor.

Ithaca from near College Town.
Stair repeats up and down 9 flights.

Getting outside is always an adventure in Ithaca, and the hills are quite steep in places.  It takes a little tighter lacing when running here, especially to save the toes on steep downhills when my feet like to slide.

The house is level.  The road is not.

Save one morning, the sunrises were beautiful, rising over Cornell University on the hill.  Blue, pink, orange, and yellow mornings made for a nice week.  If you look closely - very closely - you can see the famous tower in the background.

The tower is way over on the left.

Speaking of Cornell, I did spend some time running on campus, but not as much as during my last visit.  Just past Cornell Law School and before the Center for Theatre Arts is an access to the Cascadilla Gorge Trail that heads west downhill towards Tremen Triangle Park.

Cornell Law School

See the trail?
Down on the left.

Ithaca has some lovely residential areas as well. For the most part I was near the Cornell campus, and most of the houses are resting on graded land next to hilly streets.  It seemed like almost every home had a porch to enjoy when nice weather would visit, and the collection of colors and styles made for enjoyable small-town scenery.

Almost everyone has a porch here.

The hills are everywhere in Ithaca, as the land slopes down to Cayuga Lake. I learned from a local cabbie that the roads are cleaned after the snowy season, which could account for the condition of the well-worn roads.

Roads.  Hills. Porches.

The falls are absolutely beautiful, and worth the trip.  In the summer, Ithaca turns into a tourist town as the university students depart for the summer and are replaced with vacationers and those enjoying the beauty of the gorges and falls - as well as the regional wineries. School was still in session, and I was surprised how few students were out enjoying the natural beauty running through the Cornell campus and beyond.

I was able to run with Julie and Richard while I was there, and we had a nice adventure.  Here's Richard, coming down the stairs beside the falls.

Richard on the steps.

We had a nice run that day.  Richard, always with a smile, and Julie in her element running the trails.  Richard and I were good getting a few miles in, but we both agreed that Julie could probably have run another 40 miles and not broken a sweat.

Falls in Cascadilla Gorge.

Looking up from the gorge.

Near the end of the trail.

Looking back.

At the end of the gorge trail we turned right and back up a short hill into a nearby cemetery, Ithaca City Cemetery.  It's been around since 1790, and continues to serve the community of Ithaca and beyond.

Julie and Richard.

One area is set apart from the others.  Temple Beth El has a burial ground here.  I remember passing Temple Beth El in town during one of my other runs, and it was a neat connection to make.  I did not see any other houses of worship set apart in this way in the cemetery.

Temple Beth El.

Gravestones at Temple Beth El burial ground.

There are some interesting memorials and monuments to see.  This one was very interesting, and is dedicated to A.S. Cowdrey, 1879.

A.S. Cowdrey.
1879.

There was a small circle missing from the door, and inside are three Cowdrey tombs.  There are other Cowdrey markers, and it would be interesting to know the story as to why these three were buried in the memorial.  I'm assuming close family, but we may never know.  The one in the middle is the A.S. Cowdrey in the picture above, same date.

Mary Cowdrey, 1883 (I think?).
Adam S. Cowdrey, 1879.
Belle Cowdrey, date unclear.

Overall, it was a good week of exploring Ithaca.  It would have been nice to have had more time, but I enjoyed the adventure and the run with Julie and Richard while we were there.