The Boss Hoss

Wretched Excess

We're camped at the southern end of Seneca Lake, one of the largest of the New York Finger Lakes.

Judging from the number of 40 foot cigarette boats that came in on trailers to launch this weekend, upstate New York still has some wealth or at least some conspicuous consumption.

My neighbor, Al, has a Boss Hoss motorcycle. It has a 350 cubic inch Corvette V-8 engine. If the 400 horsepower is not enough, there is a nitrous oxide canister just behind the rear spring that give it a 150 horsepower boost in short spurts. If that's not enough, the factory in Tennessee offers a Stud Hoss with a 504 cubic inch V-8. You can't make this stuff up.

We visit one of the 100 or so wineries on the lakes and have lunch and a fine bottle of Seyval Blanc.

The barns around here are fascinating. I've always wanted a barn to rehab.

Mrs. Phred enjoys some white wine.

There are some Amish farmers around the lake. They have big horses to pull the plows and an obvious lack of electrical wires leading into their farms.

This rig was heading down the highway at an amazing clip.I wonder how many MPG of oats they're clocking.