I read about some fun events going on at the Falls, fireworks included, and I figured why not drive up there and avoid the downtown Buffalo crowds, since we live so close, right? It is one of the Natural Wonders of the World, after all!

To the left is what I had hoped to find New Year’s Eve, but this crazy Buffalo winter threw the first monkey wrench into my plans. It’s been so unseasonably warm here that a lot of other people had the same idea I did, and they took about 20 friends with them to Niagara Falls/Ontario, too. When we finally got into town, the main drag was bumper to bumper traffic, worse than I have ever seen it up there, and that’s including the peak Summer months.

But, ignoring this first red flag, I drove on with the entire Demay clan, kids and MIL included, and found a parking spot on an upper ridge overlooking the Falls. In the drizzle and fog we parked, (see right photo) waiting for the fireworks to begin. (By the way, to set the scene, MIL was doing some heavy-duty preaching, complaining about the fireworks not starting yet, wondering if we should drive on, etc. )

The fireworks began, and the requisite oohs and ahhs began, only to end less than 5 minutes later. It was literally the worst fireworks display I have ever seen, and that includes the July 4th fireworks in tiny Oscoda, Michigan.

Incredulous, we all got back in the car; then I had the bright idea to stick around for a while longer to “make the trip worth it,” since the fireworks sucked so bad. I was thinking let’s have a snack, then drive back home, put the kids to bed, and watch the ball drop on TV.

So we found the last spot in the “My Cousin Vinny’s” parking lot, and had a drink with some stuffed mushrooms, salad, and cheese sticks. Then we headed back down to the bridge to the US, only to find all access to the bridge blocked off. There was a street party going on.

If it wasn’t raining, and if I didn’t have two sleepy kids in tow, we may have decided to stick around and see what the hubbub was about – instead, we inched along with hundreds of other cars, trying to find the ONE ROAD that would lead us back across the border.

We ended up driving to the outskirts of Niagara Falls in search of the mysterious Whirlpool Bridge, which I have only heard about – never seen – but were thwarted. Pressing on, we ended up (a lot later) back in the crush of cars using the only road leading back to the U.S.

By now everyone was asleep in the car – except MIL – so I was guaranteed a very vocal return trip. Fabulous.

We hit the border at about 11:43, and I held out one desperate hope of making it home in time. Nobody wanted to be in the car at midnight, but in a car we were, going about 80 in a futile attempt to see Dick Clark one last time in 2006. Happy New Year!

To recap the timeline:

8:15pm – left Lockport

8:50pm – reached Canadian Border

9:00pm – found first parking spot

9:25pm – crappy fireworks began

9:30pm – crappy fireworks ended

9:45pm – found parking spot at restaurant

10:30pm – left restaurant, tried to leave

11:43pm – reached US border

12:16pm – Home to see Carson Daly, but not Dick Clark (sigh).

Next year, BABYSITTER!

–Brian