FINGER LAKE'S SPLENDOUR

FINGER LAKES SPLENDOUR

If you took NYState and divided it in half just where I-81 crosses the State, the Western half might be called, "The Finger Lakes" and it would be a U.S. state just like any other of the 50, the so-called 51st state of, "The Finger Lakes". The Capital of such a place might be Syracuse or Rochester or Buffalo. Where the Eastern half of what is now NY State would be called NY and it would have its Capital in NYC or Albany perhaps. "The Finger Lakes", as the 51st state would be world renowned for its natural beauty and it would be perhaps a world-renowned resort area of unprecedented popularity..............With unheard of vistas and waterways of beauty.............

The Finger Lakes is Hans Bethe and Hans Bethe is the Finger Lakes. I used to love to drive from Ithaca to what Seward called, "The most beautiful natural body of water in the World", that being Skaneatlas Lake, and then, on the way, through Moravia the sleepy town of 3 Presidents, the 13th President of the United States (1850-1853), Millard Fillmore, the 1st President and founder of Cornell University, Andrew Dickson White (ca. 1865), and the President of his self-created, billion dollar oil empire called Standard Oil, the industrialist John D. Rockefeller (ca. 1890). What historical wonder and Finger Lakes Splendour, why is it Moravia is such a magical place..............

Then I used to drive to Watkins Glen and Hammondsport , through wine country, and drink a bottle of Wagner's and drive my $140.00 sky blue Fairmont through the Finger Lakes National Forest and onwards. And swim in every little sleepy lake point I could find, and then listen to Gordon Lightfoot sing at night about, "Seven Islands Splendour". Then the next week be a part of Roald Hoffmann's world-renowned and celebrated theory group, having a group meeting at Cornell. Those were certainly some of the best days of my life, and some of the worst days of my life............