Leah and I are back on the road again, touring in our Airstream and excited to explore and record our impressions.

Before mothballing the trailer in North Carolina for the past 11 months, we had traveled 44,000 miles, crossing 33 states, 4 Canadian Provinces, and 2 Mexican States in one-year’s time (see Epilogue).

Unfortunately, there were glaring omissions in our route that never took us through the Rust-Belt, so for our second act, we are circumnavigating the Great Lakes–visiting 8 States and 1 Province.

Our summer journey begins with a visit to historic Jim Thorpe, PA in the Pocono Mountains–

a famed destination for winter sports and whitewater rafting.

With water levels high, and water running fast, it was shoring up to be a high-water adventure.

Class II and III rapids would be the perfect way to jump-start this trip.

However, I scratched the raft ride after learning that only family floats were running the Lehigh River,

with the earliest dam release scheduled for the following weekend.

Nevertheless, Leah and I were content to take a leisurely, 26-mile cycling tour down the Lehigh Gorge Trail, where we followed an abandoned railroad grade-turned-trail, offering river view…

copulating snakes…

canal lock relics…

and several hillside trickles…

culminating in captivating waterfalls by the Rockport Access, with fast water cascading 50 feet over flat rock and flora at Buttermilk Falls;

and Luke’s Falls, featuring 50-foot water flowing over mossy ledges;

and occasional Lehigh spillovers on the side of the trail.

While in the White Haven neighborhood, we ventured to the Park Office at Lehigh Gorge State Park for information on hiking the fabled Glen Onoko Falls Trail, but were informed that effective May 1, the Game Commission had closed the trail indefinitely until all safety issues have been addressed.

Apparently, the risky behavior of many irresponsible and inexperienced hikers ended with far too many serious consequences, necessitating aggressive action. It was disappointing being unable to experience the Niagara of Pennsylvania, on a hike dubbed by Outdoor Magazine as “one of the 10 best waterfall hikes in the Northeast.”

Instead, the rangers diverted us to Hickory Run State Park, where we walked upstream along the Shades of Death Trail…

to Stametz Dam, culminating in a 25-foot splash.

While not a disappointing hike, it was anti-climatic and not what we came for, requiring some forward thinking.

When we eventually crossed into Canada at Niagara Falls, we were ready for sweeping views of gushing water…and we were not disappointed!

As a basis of comparison, we observed the falls from multiple vantage points…

multiple perspectives…

changing light…

varying focal lengths…

and different dayparts.

And we both came to the same conclusion: that Victoria Falls was more spectacular than all other waterfalls combined.

Now I fear that seeing the Holy Grail of waterfalls has tainted my impression of all other falls to come, and that’s okay for now.

Eventually, I will come around, and perhaps by that time the Glen Onoko Falls Trail will welcome us back in earnest.