Niagara Falls, Niagara, NY
 North America's quintessential example of gravity-challenged water

November 23, 2006:  Morning overflight of Niagara Falls en route to Pontiac, MI for Turkey Day.

November 23, 2006:  With water falling 167 feet in a partially-confined basin, the amount of spray generated from this waterfall is nothing short of amazing.  On cold mornings like this one, that spray is easily visualized.  In fact, we could see it for miles before reaching the falls.  Photo taken from 4500'.

May 23, 2008:  From 5500', a rainbow could be seen shimmering within the veil of mist from the Canadian horseshoe falls.

May 23, 2008:  The "Maid of the Mist" carries her passengers on what will undoubtedly be the wettest boat ride any of them will ever experience.

Letchworth State Park
A short flight south from Le Roy, Letchworth proves that there's more to New York state than NYC.

March 6, 2006:  The Mount Morris Dam is purportedly the largest of its type east of the Mississippi.  Located at the northern end of Letchworth State Park, the dam can create a sizable reservoir during the warmer months.  In the upper portion of the frame, the massive gorge of Letchworth State Park extends southward around the Genesee River.

March 6, 2006:  Upper Falls, Letchworth State Park.  The train trestle bridge crossing above the falls makes it easy to find the falls from the air.

May 24, 2006:  Called the "Grand Canyon of the East", Letchworth State Park is an impressive gorge created by the Genesee River on its way to Lake Ontario.  Of particular interest are three waterfalls.  The Upper Falls, shown above, sit directly below a train trestle bridge and form a dramatic partial-horseshoe shape.

May 24, 2006:  Letchworth's Middle Falls, shown here just downriver from the Upper Falls (top of frame) is the most impressive waterfall in the park.

May 24, 2006:  Middle Falls in Letchworth State Park cascade over an approximate 100 foot drop.

August 6, 2006:  The Genesee River winds through the bottom of this deep gorge in Letchworth State Park.

August 6, 2006:  In the middle portion of Letchworth State Park, the Genesee River leaves the waterfalls of the southern end behind in favor of a wide valley through which it meanders in a more leisurely fashion.

October 8, 2006:  The northern portion of Letchworth State Park is marked by a final, broad river gorge immediately before the Genesee River reaches the Mount Morris Dam.  The line running through the sky in the upper right corner of frame is actually a shadow cast by a jet contrail high above.