Sunday, July 28: Our Mule Sal Doesn't Like Rain on the Canal

Date:                           July 28, 2013

Day on the Cruise:      104

From:                          Brockport, NY Town Wall
                                       
To:                               Medina, NY Town Wall

Statute Miles:              24.7 SM

Time:                           3.5 Hrs

Cumulative Miles:       2,246.7 SM

On Board:                  Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

We are on the town wall in Medina, NY tonight, only 36 miles from the end of the Erie Canal!

This morning we woke up early, but it was spitting rain. The rain gradually got harder, and we decided to wait it out. We did not want to run our Canal mule "Sal" nor our Mate, Susan, in the rain!!!

The radar showed a line of storms moving Northeast through Buffalo toward Brockport where we spent the night, but clearing was following the storms. At 10:00 we thought it would be safe to leave. We shoved off from the wall and went through the lift bridge. The bridge tender gave me a stern warning about going under the lift bridge before the "green" light came on signifying that the bridge was "locked" in the up position. I had not noticed that there was a red light and a green light. Oh well!

We stopped at the bridge tender's tower when we got under the bridge and pumped our holding tank out, then headed West.

The trip today was literally through a 25 mile rip rap lined "ditch" that was the Canal. It was a very constant 100 feet or so wide and straight in many sections. There were long stretches where we were high above the surrounding countryside, meaning that the sides of the Canal were more levees than Canal banks. We even saw roads that went UNDER the Canal and one big creek that goes UNDER the Canal here in Medina.

The Canal is more of a "Ditch" today

Interesting tree right on the edge of the rip rap

Canal banks are lined with big stone "Rip Rap" to protect the banks from erosion by wakes. See the orchard in the background!

The countryside turned into very rural and agricultural land. We passed many fields of "amber waves of grain" as well as many orchards. The farms along the Canal are magnificent.

Orchard

Beautiful farm with corn field around it

My favorite of the day. Ready for plowing snow!

There were 7 lift bridges that we had to wait for openings in order to pass through. Several of these bridges are tended by one operator. He opens one bridge for us, then gets in his car and meets us at the next bridge and opens it. We had one poor bridge tender that opened THREE bridges in a row for us!

At 16.1 miles West of the Brockport Welcome Center, we passed the Northernmost point on the Erie Canal. Here it is only about 7 miles to Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. I wonder why they never connected the Canal to the Lake at this point?

Looking North to Lake Ontario. We believe the line of clouds on the horizon is along the Lake.

Medina is another town with a free wall. We were met by a local who helped us tie up. The last bridge tender before Medina gave us the code for the lock on the bath house over the VHF radio! The cool thing about Medina is that we have broken the trend of staying at towns with "port" in their names!

Coming in to the town wall at Medina, NY

Medina, NY from the Canal

"Blue Moon" on the wall in Medina, NY

We walked along several streets in Medina. Main Street has some neat shops. Medina is known for it's brown sandstone. The town was founded about the time that the Erie Canal went into operation, and probably owes its very existence to the Canal.

Welcome to Medina!!!!

Canal Mural on side of building

Another Canal mural on the side of a building

A third mural

Downtown Scene. An eclectic selection of architecture on the storefronts!

Downtown street scene

Detail over the windows

Details on the facade'

Interesting facade'

I thought this sign was a representation of a by-gone era

Sandstone exterior, a material for which Medina is known

Hello to my friend Jack Rogers!!!!!

Street scene in Medina

There are many interesting store windows. Susan liked this one.

The weather gradually cleared as we went West. We did not get rained on, and it was actually cool and very pleasant. Maybe we can turn the AC off tonight and sleep with the windows open!

Tomorrow we plan to finish the Erie and overnight at Tonawanda, NY. It will be about 36 miles over to Tonawanda, which is on the Niagara River. I am looking forward to going through Lockport where there is a "double" lock that takes us up 50 feet. Stay tuned for this adventure!

Thanks for Reading!