A "Down" Day

Don't let the title fool you. Our "down" days are usually spent shopping and doing laundry. Yesterday was no exception. We went to the grocery store first, on our bikes. I'm usually pretty good at eyeballing the amount, but we (I) bought  more than we could bring on the bikes. Thankfully, the grocery store has a policy for boaters that allows them to walk the groceries back to the boat in a shopping cart. They first have to disconnect the mechanism that locks the front wheels at the edge of the parking lot. Steve pushed the cart back while I rode my bike. We didn't even have to take the cart back! They pick them up at the visitor's center.

After groceries, we went to the laundromat. While I waited with the clothes and knitted, Steve went back to the grocery store to get his bike. Last night we made our plans for the canal. We started out at 7:00 this morning, but that's another story.

There were lots of beautiful old houses here.

This house is the original parsonage for the Old Dutch Reformed Church, which was moved from this location in 1799

Samuel Stewart house

Memorial Park

The grocery store was across the Hudson, but not too far away.

Looking across the Hudson

Waterford and the Erie Canal

It was a short ride yesterday from Albany Yacht Club to Waterford, NY. This is the beginning of the Erie Canal. We got a last look at the Albany skyline and headed north through some pretty little towns. Waterford is the decision point as to whether you will take the Erie Canal route or the Lake Champlain route. Our friends Jerry and Jenny in Sweetgrass are going the Lake Champlain way, so we had drinks with them last night and said goodbye for now. Hopefully we will meet up again in Georgian Bay!

We went through our second lock yesterday - a much better experience than the first one. It was on the Hudson just before we got to Waterford. Once you buy your permit for the canal, you can tie up at many docks and wall for free. The dock spaces were all taken, so we were on the wall last night. We moved this morning to a dock space, with electricity, and will stay here today to sightsee and take care of some maintenance items. You will notice in the photo that we have lowered our mast. There are a couple of bridges along the upcoming waterway that have a lower clearance.

When we begin the Erie, it starts with a "flight" of four locks. We will be pros by the end of the Erie! Rebecca will help Sara move to Atlanta this weekend, and will join us sometime next week. We're looking forward to it!

Goodbye Albany

Diane, this building is an administration building for NY University

A restaurant on a barge

One of the tour boats on the Hudson

The mast is lowered - no satellite TV

Another restaurant on a barge

This lift bridge just looked pretty cool

Going into the lock - we were the third boat

And the last boat

As we rose in the lock, we could see the chamber next to us

And we're out - no problem

This tree part was apparently in the lock with us

Approaching Waterford

The decision point

A very busy place

These are the boats on the dock

No this is not Ryder. It's her lady-like twin on another boat.

Going for cocktails with Sweetgrass

A beautiful sunset

Goodbye to Diane and Joe

We left Sunday morning for Albany. There is still a great deal of debris in the water, but the weather was great and it was easy to see it. The views along the way were beautiful. From the water, most of what you see of Albany is industrial. We stayed at Albany Yacht Club, across the Hudson from Albany.

Diane and Joe took us to dinner last night at a new restaurant near the Yacht Club. This morning, they caught a cab for the short train ride back to their car. We are going to miss them a lot,  but Ryder will be going into withdrawal. Diane took her for a walk any time she wanted to go, gave her endless belly rubs and lots of treats.

After they left, Steve rode the bicycle a few miles to pick up a prescription for me. It's a good thing they have Walgreen's everywhere, but even so it's not always within walking distance. After he returned, we got everything ready to leave and headed up towards Troy, NY. We passed through one lock on the Hudson - a much better experience than our last one - and we are now in Waterford, NY, at the beginning of the Erie Canal. In the morning, we will do four locks in quick succession and be on our way.  C Flat and Midnight Sun are here as well. We have seen both of them before. They went through the lock with us.

Rip Van Winkle Bridge

The Catskill Mountains in the distance

The babies are getting bigger!

Still some big debris in the water

Albany from the water

Albany Yacht Club

We didn't eat here, but I thought Chris might like the jalapeno.

Just look at all the wine Diane drank!

The yacht club is decorating their gazebo

Goodbye! Come back soon!