∞

Good Luck Burger

One of the things we wanted to do in Rochester was to return to Good Luck to share a Good Luck Burger. “1 lb. house-ground, grass-fed local beef on brioche with cuba cheddar, vegetable slaw & fries.” You split this four ways. We had to return here after our visit in 2018, 3 years and 1 day ago.

I may need to learn how to make this.

∞

Sam Patch on the Erie Canal

We took a 90-minute river Erie Canal cruise today on the Sam Patch. We got to go to Lock 32 and experience that and then went back the other way to see where the canal is actaully 70’ higher than the houses in the area.

Some fun stats:

  • There is a 568 foot elevation change as the canal goes from Lake Erie to New York Harbor.
  • The original canal was 4’ deep, 40’ wide and 363 miles long. The canal has been lengthened and widened three times.
  • Doors to the locks weigh 40 tons!

Enjoy some photos.


Sam Patch at dock before we take off.


Family selfie inside the Sam Patch.


Approaching Lock 32 in preparation to go up.


Lock doors closing behind us.


Lock doors closed and the water going up. It takes 9 minutes for the lock to fill on the way up.


Lock is at height and we are released.


Coming back the other way with the lock doors open.


Preparing for the lock to go down. Watch my time-lapse video of the lock lowering.


Cruising along the Erie Canal and this sailboat wants to pass.


One of many maintenance stations along the canal. Each section is maintaied from a station like this.


Boats docked in the canal in Pittsford.


Canal shoreline in Pittsford. I also got this same view from shore.


Canal approaching an emergency damn location where the canal is higher than the neighborhoods around it.


Family selfie on the canal.


Bridge over the Erie Canal.

∞

Time-lapse video going through Lock 32 on the Erie Canal.

∞

Perfect beer to cruise down the Erie Canal on a hot day? Ruby Red.

∞

Erie Canal at Pittsford, NY.

∞

Hot day! Ice cream stop at Pittsford Farms Dairy. 🍦 We stopped here in 2018 and wanted to return. Great place.

∞

Arrays of knobs and dials are mesmerizing. Even old ones. At Rochester Museum & Science Center.

∞

POAP 735405 at Micro Camp 2021.

∞

The kids are sleeping on an actual air mattress tonight, fulfilling the origin story of Airbnb! 😊

∞

Updated COVID-19 graphs from today’s New York Times. The case count in Florida is pretty stunning. Minnesota is doing well. The best news is the continued low death rate.

∞

Vermont Road Trip Log: Day 11, Tuesday

Weather: Good weather, pretty hot. Started raining after we got settled in Rochester. Hot and humid in the evening.

Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of Vermont Road Trip.

∞

Vermont Road Trip Log: Day 10, Monday

Weather: Nice, clear day. A bit hot in the afternoon with temps nearly 90 °F.

  • 9:09a: Depart Treehouse.
  • 9:22a: Enter New Hampshire!
  • 9:45a: 1h 15m wait for table at Polly’s Pancake Parlor. Switch up plans.
  • 9:50a: Worst coffee ever at REDACTED. 😤
  • 10:40a: Flume Gorge hike. Amazing! Wow! 🤩
  • 12:00p: Return to Polly’s Pancake Parlor after calling ahead this time!
  • 12:30p: Seated at Polly’s.
  • 1:00p: Pancakes!
  • Check out downtown Littleton, NH and shopping.
  • Found ourselves a bit without a plan in the late afternoon. Mazie suggested we park along the River and Tyler and her could jump around the rocks. Tammy suggested I get a coffee so I get an iced coffee, sparkling water, and a bottle of water. Dehydrated! We had a nice hour or so with our feet in the water and the kids playing.
  • At the end of our tranquil River cool down time the kids were getting out and Mazie fell into a bit of water. Nothing huge, but it happened to have a pocket of baby leeches! When she stood up we though she had algae on her legs, but they were actually baby leeches and she justifiably FREAKED OUT! We spent the next bunch of time clearing centimeter long baby leeches off her legs and calming her down. Whew!
  • Delightful dinner at Schilling Beer Co.

Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of Vermont Road Trip.

∞

Delicious “short pours” at Schilling Beer Co. tonight. Combover, Hopfenweisse, and Moonship on Blackberry. 🍺

∞

Serious about the canning, and an incredibly precise display. 👏

∞

“One of America’s 10 best towns and main streets!” Way to wear it proud Littleton! 🙌

∞

Polly’s Pancake Parlor was delicious and the busiest place we’ve eaten at on our trip, by a long shot. 🥞

  • Tyler: 3 OREO Pancakes.
  • Mazie: Buckwheat chocolate chip, Oatmeal buttermilk blueberry, Gingerbread walnut.
  • Tammy: OREO Pancake, Corn and Coconut, Oatmeal buttermilk chocolate chip.
  • Jamie: Buckwheat blueberry, Corn with coconut, Gingerbread with walnuts

∞

Ever since we did our Charlie Brown Tree with Adam Gale of Rust n’ Grain I’ve found myself appreciating tree carvings more. I love this Moose that was in the Flume Gorge visitor center. I especially liked the details.

∞

Flume Gorge

This morning we drove from St. Johnsbury over to New Hampshire for the day. Our first event of the day was an amazing 2+ mile hike to see the Flume Gorge. Due to COVID-19 they were requiring tickets and timed entries. When we got there people were actually queued up to get in which seemed surprising to me. As we made our way up the gorge I realized why this was such a popular hike. The route was stunning, which immaculate paths and great wooden staircases going right up inside the gorge itself! I kept wondering what this must be like in the Spring when so much more water must be going down it.

The pictures below are in order as you start at the bottom of the gorge and hike up further until the waterfall at the very beginning of the gorge.


At the bottom of the gorge the water spreads out over this broad granite.


Family photo towards the bottom of the gorge.


Here the gorge is coming out of the boulders and starting to go more vertical.


Crossing one of several bridges as we walk along either side of the gorge.


The elaborate walkways and stairs are impressive to take you directly up the gorge.


Stairs going up through a narrow passage in the gorge.


My favorite photo from inside the gorge with all the lush greens and the walkways.


Family selfie with the falls at the top in the background.


Tammy and Mazie in front of the falls at the top.


Inside covered bridge crossing the Pemigewasset River.


Covered bridge above the pool along the Pemigewasset River.

Here is our walking path totaling 2.3 miles.

∞

Nice place to put your feet in the water and relax a bit. Littleton, NH.

∞

Vermont Road Trip Log: Day 9, Sunday

Weather: Still a bit rainy in the morning, but cleared up. Fairly warm in the afternoon. Evening turned out nice.

Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of Vermont Road Trip.