Monday - June 14

 It's Flag Day and Catrina proudly flies Ole Glory every day...

In Pittsford, we were docked right by their beautiful state-of-the-art library which we walked thru the last time we were here.    It has a Starbucks inside and Mark walked to get me a latte this morning.    He's a "DEAR".    We were on our way at 7:49 and within a very short time, 

 had gone thru 2 locks.  Today it was all about bridges and the rain.    The day started out nice but cool on the water.    Our sweatshirts felt good.    Radar showed rain coming, so Spencerport was a good stopping point to let the rain pass and then continue the trip.    This was our first lift bridge (7 today) and because of some mis-communication with Theresa, the bridge tender and another boat, we waited 1/2 hour for it to open!    Argh.....but got thru it, tied up on the other side just as the first rain drops fell.    Took the umbrella and off we went downtown and stopped at The Union Street Coffee House (my lucky day.....2 delicious lattes).    We sat for a bit then took our drinks and walked a bit, but it was nasty so headed back to the boat.    We had lunch (excellent chicken tortilla soup from Wegman's) and then Mark took a nap and I read as the rain continued - nice and gentle.    It finally stopped at 2 and we were back cruising.    The sun came out and big fluffy clouds surrounded us, but our hoodies felt really good.

Mark said there are 350 bridges on the Canal and today folks, we passed under 90 (NINETY)!!!!!    Tomorrow we will have 7 more that have to lift for us and a total of 50 regular..    We cruised 40 miles and are in Albion tonight.     We have lots of memories of these little villages we passed thru today from 2018 and 2019.    

Spencerport had a close-by laundry which we had used but no sign of it there today?     Also a nice grocery store but didn't need that and just too icky to be walking around.    Brockport is a college town, Holley has so many beautiful waterfalls and then we arrived at Albion and along the wall next to the town park and fire department.    We were here June 28, 2018 (our 49th anniversary) - there was a band concert and the fire department was having a cook-out of hamburgers/hot dogs.    We just had to walk a few feet and celebrate our anniversary "Albion" style!!!    But a different story this visit...

Really sad to see yet another pandemic casualty as 2x before we had wonderful lunches at "39 Problems" in downtown.    It was a wonderful old building with brick walls, tin ceilings, hardwood floors and great food.    The story online is so sad about how this couple gave their everything to keep it going (the only restaurant downtown) but because of the very strict NY rules on Covid, they became another victim.    The first time we ate there I asked the waitress about the unusual name"39 Problems".    She said it had been one thing after another to get their business going and all the red tape dealing with the town rules/remodeling, etc.   The building address was "39" and they added "Problems" for all they'd been thru.

When we were traveling a few days ago outside of Brewerton, we passed Weedsport and the now empty, "Devaney's'  which we also ate at 2x.    Their chipotle chicken quesadillas (both times) were absolutely wonderful.    Now it looks so sad and abandoned!   

So, after a very pleasant ride from Spencerport, we arrived in Albion at 4:45.    Dark clouds had rolled in rain was threatening, but we walked around downtown (pretty sad).  And then the rain came after we were on the boat.  

Rochester gets the prize for most bridges as they were one after another.   

Here's line-up of at least 5 we could see in the distance.

All of the lift bridges fly the American flag

We remember this neat mural in Albion of Santa and his reindeer flying over Albion

I love it when a good Samaritan (aka nice boater) is waiting on the dock to take our lines.    That was the case coming into Albion when this fella from Germany (now, Fernandina Beach, FL) was there to help.    4 of us boats went thru the 2 locks together this morning with Catrina in the lead and the 4th was "Tipsy Turtle" (FL folks)

Bob, the lock authority out of Lyons sent us some pics he took of us from 20' above.

Here we are in Lock 28....I'm on the bow, Mark is hidden in back

Brady, Liam and Connor at Wrigley Field last night - big crowd and the Cubbies won 2-0.  

 Today they played 27 holes of golf!