Crossing the bridge often this week had me thinking about the old days when the bridge was just an idea. We were a family patently opposed to the bridge–purists who wanted the aesthetic of the lake to remain just the way it was.

When I tell the young folks in our family we used to have to drive all the way around the lake to get to the other side unless the ferry was running, they can’t seem to fathom it. In their young lives, they are accustomed to the world being very convenient. But the ride was just part of life then–life in a slower and laid back world. There were places that we always stopped, whether it was Peterson’s Farm Market or Webbs, or the mall, and we’d make a day of it. There was no reason to rush because there was nothing to rush home to–no remote job, no unfinished video game cued up, no cable TV beckoning us to the couch.

The old ride around the lake reminds us of who we used to be, and the bridge is symbolic of the old world joining the new world. The Internet wasn’t far behind the building of the bridge. Either was solar power, electric cars, 9/11, MTV, or the Iraq War. Already that bridge has been a witness to a lot of our life history. It seems silly now to have opposed it, to have openly booed it when the first pylons were installed. Now, I enjoy crossing it, sneaking peeks at Bemus Point, and all the boats putting along. It offers a glimpse of our beautiful county and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the travelers who have the good luck to cross it on their way to somewhere else come back to visit us.

My brother-in-law from Ohio schedules stops at the beautiful rest area on the north side of the lake and crossing our bridge is one of the thrills of his travels from Columbus, Ohio to Albany, New York several times a year.

Well, Chautauqua Lake, you did it again, and maybe a little too well. Judging by the crowds in Bemus Point last Saturday, word has gotten out this is the best place to be during the July holiday. It’s great for our business community, but not always so great for locals looking for a parking spot.

Even without the rocking chairs on the Lenhart porch, Bemus Point has once again proven it is a coveted summer destination. The Fish, the Casino and Elicottville Brewing had hefty crowds and wait lines. Getting an ice cream at the Bemus Point Market was like scoring a Willy Wonka magic ticket.

My cousin from Dubois, Pennsylvania called to tell me she was seeing all kinds of friends from Pennsylvania posting Chautauqua Lake scenes on their social media.

Yeah, the flares and the fireworks took top billing, but my family’s night at a Tarp Skunks game made for a great night. Minor league baseball games give you a few nail-biting moments on the field, but they also provide a more personal experience than their major league counterparts. For an incredibly reasonable price, sitting in the stands at the game last Friday, eating popcorn and hotdogs with mustard and relish, was a perfect way to spend a Friday night. My grandsons got their baseballs signed, we enjoyed watching all the local families enjoying their night out, and the younger folks in our family cheered on a few of their favorite players–true summer crush material.

The next night the guys in our family sat in the stands at Stateline Speedway, which for little boys was better than Disney World. Is this not the heart and soul of auto racing? It’s an intimate fossil-fueled venue, the true Friday Night Lights of racing, offering a great connection among racers and fans. My grandson brought home a piece of dirt that had landed near him from the track, a souvenir from a night that left him wide-eyed and dreaming of speed.

A trip to the gorge, an afternoon in Bemus, chicken wings from the Ashville General Store, ice cream from Big Tree, topped off the week of some serious local eating. We’re all a little fatter.

Thanks for shining so bright Chautauqua County. This is, and shall always remain, a special place. We must continue to be good stewards. Our grandkids are counting on us.

Everyone has gone home now–back to New England, Michigan, and points beyond, but believe me when I tell you they took away a lot of love for this place. And it’s very well-deserved.