The Bridges


 I look where we are and wonder where the time went by.  Weeks went by since an update, as you all know. This could be the laziest blog writing on the net. After leaving Fairport, we followed a fun loving couple doing the loop on a sailboat without a mast. It was removed before they bought the boat. Their boat gets great fuel mileage.
Mark and Cheryl leading the way to 15 Lift bridges and the final lock on the Erie Canal. Yes, Mark is driving with his feet and Cheryl is taking thousands of pictures. They have been doing this since they left the west coast of Florida. Liberte is the boat and "Just Us" is the dink they have been towing thousands of miles. 

                                           BAR-B-Q clearing one of many lift bridges Thanks Cheryl.
 Lockport, NY  Final series of locks, in fact, the only double lock on the system. an enjoyable 50ft rise. 


This  is  the bridge  in Tonawanda.  It only opened twice, both as a test. Another bridge was built  lower nearby making the opening mute. This is the town wall. Across the canal is  North Tonawanda, a different town in a different county. The linden trees were in full bloom.  What a marvelous  odor emminated  from these beautiful  trees. Lilac on steroids. We moved on the  north side  the following day. The wall was shorter to disembark.


This is near the end of our journey across the Erie Canal. Some fun facts taken from the bathroom  wall in Spencerport,.
Enlarged  twice 1862 and 1918.
Cost $7,143,789 to build Paid for itself  in 10 years 
In 1825 there were 83 locks. Today  35 locks moving boats through  a change of 571 ft
Its  363 miles long connecting Albany to Buffalo.

We are so glad we experienced  the beauty  and history of this National  Treasure and the people and villages along its  path.  What a trip!!!!

Meeting 


                                             Passing the only moving barge we saw.



Comments

  1. Second windJuly 20, 2021 at 3:02 PM

    Thanks for the great Blog! Interesting to see that sailboat making the journey. Food for thought, though they seemed to be pushing a Lot of water. Didn’t realize the Mohawk River was part of your travels. I found some really old Graptolite fossils on a tributary creek right next to the river years ago. Beautiful up there.
    Safe travels my friends and post more!! Lol

    ReplyDelete

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