Point #1
Lots of driving today. We pulled out today at 3:02 a.m.--that earns an Oy. Blue Van arrived at the Sleep Inn (get it? what a great name for a hotel) at 2:15. I made it through almost 75% of a 6 hour audio book before anyone so much as stirred. Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliott, by the by. The story of Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, and three other radically saved men who gave their lives for the sake of the gospel. A great read (ok...listen); let me know if anyone out there in Cyberland would like to borrow it. Actually, the part about nobody stirring is inaccurate. About 4:30 or so I came to a stretch of 80 that was under construction, and the lanes did the jog to the right thing. The powers that be chose not to fill the rumble strip, so I drove onto it and didn't have any way to get off rig
ht away. As I'm trying to negotiate my way off the RRRRRRRRRRRRRR without completely departing the roadway, Valerie wakes up, screams my name, and jerks the wheel toward the middle of the interstate! Very little traffic at that time of morning, so no harm was done. I got a good laugh out of it, and she managed to get back to sleep after 10 or 12 seconds. We stopped for breakfast in Cleveland at 8:00, stopped for a quick break as soon as we got into Pennsylvania (the picture is Drew and Braden with a delightful device known as a Foxtail), stopped for lunch and a visit to the USS Niagara at Erie PA, then finished the drive off. A little under 12 hours altogether, including about 9 hours of driving.
ht away. As I'm trying to negotiate my way off the RRRRRRRRRRRRRR without completely departing the roadway, Valerie wakes up, screams my name, and jerks the wheel toward the middle of the interstate! Very little traffic at that time of morning, so no harm was done. I got a good laugh out of it, and she managed to get back to sleep after 10 or 12 seconds. We stopped for breakfast in Cleveland at 8:00, stopped for a quick break as soon as we got into Pennsylvania (the picture is Drew and Braden with a delightful device known as a Foxtail), stopped for lunch and a visit to the USS Niagara at Erie PA, then finished the drive off. A little under 12 hours altogether, including about 9 hours of driving.Point #2
The Erie Canal is an amazing feat of engineering. I took a few notes 
as our tour guide/boat captain was steering us along on our two hour tour, our two hour tour. The canal is 360+ miles long, and took 7 years and $7.5 million to build. It was originally 4' feet deep and 40' wide. After some time it was dredged to a depth of 14' and widened to between 80' and 100'. Before the Erie Canal it took around 7 weeks to cross New York state by wagon. After the canal was built the same trip could be completed in 7 days. The south side of the canal was blasted flat when they widened it, but the north side still has the original towpath that the donkeys, oxen, horses, or dogs (yes, dogs) trod while towing the boats. Originally there were seven or eight locks at Lockport NY, but now they use two locks that each raise/lower boats a total of 50'. They gravity-feed 3.5 million gallons of water to raise the boats--5.5 minutes to go up, and 3.5 minutes to go down. The water, once used, is released downstream--it is not pumped back upriver. Accessing the locks was originally free, then those brilliant deep thinkers in the DC decided to charge for the service. The cost was between $5 and $20 for a two-way ticket, or $25 to $100 for a season pass. After a few years someone took a closer look at the finances and figured out that it cost $200,000 more per year to collect the fees than those fees were bringing in. Amazingly, rather than raise the fees to make up for the shortfall, they scrapped the plan altogether, so the entire canal system is once again free to use. Anyhoo, it was very relaxing, and the contribution of the Erie Canal to our country, and to the McKay family specifically, is rather extraordinary.
as our tour guide/boat captain was steering us along on our two hour tour, our two hour tour. The canal is 360+ miles long, and took 7 years and $7.5 million to build. It was originally 4' feet deep and 40' wide. After some time it was dredged to a depth of 14' and widened to between 80' and 100'. Before the Erie Canal it took around 7 weeks to cross New York state by wagon. After the canal was built the same trip could be completed in 7 days. The south side of the canal was blasted flat when they widened it, but the north side still has the original towpath that the donkeys, oxen, horses, or dogs (yes, dogs) trod while towing the boats. Originally there were seven or eight locks at Lockport NY, but now they use two locks that each raise/lower boats a total of 50'. They gravity-feed 3.5 million gallons of water to raise the boats--5.5 minutes to go up, and 3.5 minutes to go down. The water, once used, is released downstream--it is not pumped back upriver. Accessing the locks was originally free, then those brilliant deep thinkers in the DC decided to charge for the service. The cost was between $5 and $20 for a two-way ticket, or $25 to $100 for a season pass. After a few years someone took a closer look at the finances and figured out that it cost $200,000 more per year to collect the fees than those fees were bringing in. Amazingly, rather than raise the fees to make up for the shortfall, they scrapped the plan altogether, so the entire canal system is once again free to use. Anyhoo, it was very relaxing, and the contribution of the Erie Canal to our country, and to the McKay family specifically, is rather extraordinary.Point #3
Jeff Mengel 
is right--Tim Horton donuts are an institution. After the canal expedition we stopped and indulged in one donut each...plus a ten-pack of Sour Cream donut holes. Hey, it really makes no sense to just discard the middle. Yummy. I think I prefer the ambiance of Krispy Kreme, but it's fun to buy a donut from a true hockey fan, which everyone up here seems to be. The gal that checked us in this afternoon at the hotel was upset because the Sabres lost two of their best players this offseason. Ya gotta like that.
is right--Tim Horton donuts are an institution. After the canal expedition we stopped and indulged in one donut each...plus a ten-pack of Sour Cream donut holes. Hey, it really makes no sense to just discard the middle. Yummy. I think I prefer the ambiance of Krispy Kreme, but it's fun to buy a donut from a true hockey fan, which everyone up here seems to be. The gal that checked us in this afternoon at the hotel was upset because the Sabres lost two of their best players this offseason. Ya gotta like that.So day 1 of The Big Trip is in the bag. I'm farther northeast than I've ever been before, and I managed to pee in every state along the way, which as everyone knows is the only verifiable way to take credit for a new state. Thus far all is well. If we can manage a good night sleep, which I hope starts within the span of a few minutes (or as soon as Man vs. Wild is over--Bear Grylls is my hero), Niagara Falls should be incredible tomorrow. Seriously, what are the odds that it will stop flowing tonight, right? Dad, I did check into riding a barrel over the falls, and as it turns out they discourage that sort of thing. Also, we plan to take in a Buffalo Bisons AAA baseball game and eat some wings. Tommy want wingie! The best laid plans...
Hugs.
1 comment:
I have been to Lockport, NY. The locks are pretty cool there. I'm glad you have finally gone to a Tim Horton's as well...... try their soup and sandwiches some time. Try to hit both the American and Canadian sides of the Falls too.
Post a Comment