Don't ask me why the heck were we in Lockport today. But it was just one of David's spur of the moment saga.
"I don't want to stay at home today. I don't want to take a nap all afternoon. You'll be taking a nap for a long time when you're dead," he'd say.
So, to appease him I packed the cooler with water, ice, sodas, sandwiches, fruits etc. while he set up the bikes on the rack on his car. And off we went.
I never thought Lockport would be farther than Brockport. There's Fairport, Spencerport that I know of, but we've never been to Lockport.
"What a nice day!" David screamed. Although the sun's heat was a little bit uncomfortable, well to my end, it was indeed a fine day to travel. We've been getting some rainy days for the past weeks. David would never miss the moment for anything else. And when you're with David you'll go places (and eat a lot I guess).
By the time we arrived in Lockport it was exactly noon. The Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruise did not leave until 12:30 p.m. so we ate our lunch.
The tour proved to be a historically enriching experience, esp. when you read about the history of the Erie Canal. The brochure said:
The Grand Old Erie Canal connects the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean at sea level with Niagra River and the Great Lakes at 570 feet above sea level. the 363 mile engineering feat was dug by hand between 1817 and 1825.
Originally 83 locks were used to raise and lower boats. Lockport is the location of the famous "Flight of Five" double locks allowing boats to travel up in one set while boats traveled down in the other.
Enlarged in the early 1990, Lockport's Locks 34 and 35 still allow boats to be raised and lowered 49 feet to overcome the elevation of the Niagara Escarpment, the same rock formation that forms Niagra Falls.
The Erie Canal opened the United States frontier for westward development. (Here's the most amazing trivia) More people traveled to the west on the Canal than later went through Ellis Island.
The cruise takes about two hours. The sun was blistering hot that I, again, "burned" my skin. After the cruise, David and I went biking along the canal, starting from the park.
(We also have such canal tour here in Pittsford, down to Lock 33. David and I even went on biking at the canal trail and passed by Lock 33)
The Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises appeared on The History Channel's Modern Marvels, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, and Filmed by National Geographic.
The Lockport cruise costs $14.50 for adults and $8 for children (4-10 years old).
I apologize that the pictures posted here are not in sequence. There's something wrong with the blogger system. I cannot move the pictures. But just follow the captions and you'll understand.
Tourists enjoy the sun and sight.
Hey, is that a boat or a garage?
Above is the widest bridge in the United States.
David in a picture-perfect moment.
The inverted bridge.
One of the canal's lift bridges.
One of the locks opening for the boat to pass through (this after draining the water).
Lovers over troubled water?
Old buildings by the canal.
Draining the water.
We're crossing the border! Prepare your passports guys!
An old church in Lockport.
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