The Explorers left the dock in Pittsford, already looking forward to hanging out in Pittsford again on the way back. It was a very comfortable dockage right in the town center with lots of businesses around. They passed through Lock 32 in Pittsford and Lock 33 in Rochester. Passing through Rochester, the canal is much more defined, with rock ledges on both sides. There are numerous low fixed bridges (most around 15’ clearance) through Rochester.
As the Explorers crossed the intersection with the Genesee River, Captain Mark stopped to wait for some scullers to pass by. It reminded the Explorers of the scullers on the Charles River in Cambridge when they lived in Watertown. Unfortunately, as Captain Mark pulled out to cross the Genesee, there were other sculling boats that had been obscured, that he had to negotiate around. It was unintentional, but nerve-wracking for Captain Mark, and probably just as nerve-wracking (and annoying) to the rowers.
The Explorers stopped in Brockport with the intent of riding west to Holley NY to see a waterfall that is fed by a spillway along the canal to control water levels. In this area of the canal, the bike paths are much more developed. The surface alternates between asphalt, brick and packed gravel, and was easily wide enough to pass pedestrians and other bikers (or in the case of the Wayward Explorers on their folding bike with small tires, it was wide enough for others to pass them). The Explorers encountered many friendly bikers and pedestrians before reaching Holley, where they had to cross a bridge to pass through the town and then down a hill to the park where they could see Holley Falls. It was a lovely place to take a break and enjoy the natural surroundings. After a pleasant break, they biked back. Sidekick Sue enjoyed all of the ride except for the initial hill to get out of the waterfall park. The total distances was about 12 miles with Captain Mark using the waterfall as “a carrot” to motivate Sidekick Sue to bike 2 miles more than their daily rides had been.
Back in Brockport, the Explorers cast off with hopes of making it to Albion for the night. They arrived in Holley (were they had just biked to) around 4:00 PM and needed to pass the lift bridge they had just biked across. However, they were advised by the bridge tender that he would not be opening the bridge for them because they didn’t have enough time to negotiate all the lift bridges to Albion before they closed for the day, and there were no public docks along the way. Apparently, they don’t want boats stuck in between lift bridges where they would have to anchor in the canal LOL. So, the day’s trip landed them in Holley for the night where there was a nice dock wall, next to a park.
Captain Mark walked to the Dollar General while Sidekick Sue did some writing. The Explorers have noticed during this trip, and also their prior experience in the North Country of NY, that many of these small towns have no grocery stores and depend on chains like Dollar Store, Family Dollar, Dollar General, Dollar Tree to server as their “general store”. The Explorers complain sometimes about their small, limited grocery store in their hometown in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but trips like this remind them that they are actually lucky to have more than their Family Dollar; they not only have their small Price Chopper, but also a hardware store for those last-minute purchases.
Once settled in for the night, the Explorer watched a bad Jennifer Aniston movie (Dumplin’). Maybe it wasn’t really “that bad”, it just wasn’t the movie for the moment. They were expecting a comedy, and instead got a movie with very serious and sad undertones. At least it ended on a positive note, but they failed to understand why it was labelled a comedy. They called it an early night, intent on getting up to go through the lift bridge when it opened at 7:00 AM.
Just a few of the low bridges in the Rochester area.
Giving some room to some scullers while crossing the Genesee River.
Docked in Brockport, getting the bikes ready.
Captain Mark at Holley Falls.
One of many lift bridges in the western side of the Erie Canal.
A heron that paused long enough for a photgraph.