Brockport

Last night in Lockport, we walked back into town and had dinner at Cousin's Cafe.  We walked in the diner about 5:30, and they immediately turned the open sign around to closed.  There was only one other occupied table, and they were playing cards.  The owner of the place came over and gave us the Friday menu.  Our choices were fried fish, grilled fish, or broiled fish.  We ordered fish.  It was not bad.  I think the owner was the waitress, cook, dishwasher, and cashier.  She even sat in on the card game while we ate.  She did a good job selling us desert, and we carried two pieces of pie back to the boat in the rain. 

At one of our earlier stops, we went into a used book store.  Pam bought a couple of books, and I bought a used copy of "The Hunt for Red October."  We watched it last night.  I just love it when Sean says "One ping only."

I saw this red flag along the canal this morning.  When I first saw it, it was fluttering so I could clearly see what it was--it's an IU flag.

We passed over Culvert Road today.  The only road that goes under the canal.

That red car went under about the same time we went over.  I was standing on the roof of the boat to get the photo, and they honked and waved.

 
In hindsight, I suppose I should have gone on to Tonawanda, and rented a car to drive back and get the truck and trailer.  But on our way West, we leapfrogged the towns, and only stopped at every other one.  So on the way East, we're stopping at the ones we passed.  Today, we stopped in Brockport for the night.  It's a college town--but I'm not sure what the correct name of the college is.  I've seen some students wearing shirts that say "The College in Brockport."  So maybe there's some issue about the correct name. 

The welcome center here is great.  Here's a sculpture down from our boat.  I can't figure out what it is.

Here's a statue of "Old Sal."   You remember the mule in that song............"Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal."

Pam says it's a photo of two jackasses




I mentioned that I bought a gas can.  Here in Brockport, the nearest gas station is about a 1/2 mile from the canal.  I calculated that I should put in at least 15 gallons of gas to be sure to make it back to Seneca Lake, so that was going to be 3 trips to the gas station.  The nice people at the visitor center said they would loan me a wagon.  So me and my little red wagon took off for the gas station.

Across the lift bridge

When I got back with the first 5 gallons, I discovered that my expensive gas can has one of those "safety" spouts that your federal government mandated in another effort to control our lives.  You have to push in on the spout for it to operate, and there is no vent to let air in.  The end result is that it took me longer to pour 5 gallons of gas into the boat than it did for me to walk a mile to buy it.  And, since it goes into a fitting on the side of the boat, I spilled more than if I'd taken the stupid spout off and just poured from the can. 

So, I only bought 10 gallons of gas.  I poured in the first 5, and have the second 5 in the can.  If I can't find a closer place to buy gas at one of our next stops, then I'll try to make it back with what I have.  If we run out, I can pour in the reserve 5 gallons, and start scrambling to find more. I've tried running on only one motor the past few days.  Since I've never done that before, I don't know the fuel mileage is better or worse.