The view of the falls was, well, disappointing. The falls themselves are tremendous, but the industrial setting does them no justice at all....
However, the next 30 minutes make up for that in leaps and bounds. The Rochester Fire Department began to set up on the bridge for a training exercise – abseiling over the side of the bridge! I only had my point and shoot camera with me (I left my main camera in the saddlebags of my bike some distance away), but the pictures I took show the excitement of the exercise....
Getting the equipment ready....
A few last checks....
Down he goes....
His crew looking down at progress....
This is the bridge they were abseiling down. Look carefully and you will see the fireman part way down....
Another fireman taking his turn....
This helmet has obviously seen a lot of action....
Well done guys. Like all firemen over the world, you do a great job.
I want to say something about Rochester. Ok, it was cloudy and overcast when I was there, but it seems very dull. There was nothing to brighten the city up, no flowers, no flags and it just didn’t seem at all welcoming. I would have thought a city like Rochester, with two great waterfalls and the World Headquarters of Kodak, would do more to promote itself, but it seemed dead. Almost like it was giving in to the grip of recession and not trying to improve itself.
I give as an example the lower falls in this city. These should be a splendid attraction, capable of drawing visitors to bring tourist cash to the city. Here are the Lower Falls (and again I stress it was overcast)....
But, to get this picture I had to make an illegal stop on a busy road bridge, jump of the bike, take the picture and get back on the bike and ride away. Here is the bridge....
Come on, close the bridge to vehicles, brighten the place up and make it tourist friendly. At least try to do SOMETHING for your city to make it more attractive!
Here is the top of the Kodak World Headquarters. I deliberately omitted the bottom of the building because it was surrounded by awful looking ugly buildings....
I did however fnd a gem of a State Park on the edge of Lake Ontario. This is the Hamlin Beach SP and it is beautiful....
Lots of Canada Geese....
Seagulls waiting to play volleyball....
I went way of the main roads today, preferring instead to find the back road though farming country. I was surprised at the variety of crops and especially by how much fruit, including apples, peaches, apricots and cherries, were grown this far north....
I saw these very patriotic flags as a rode back near the lake. Americans are probably the most patriotic nation in the world and that is very good to see....
I rode along one road that was a dead end at Lake Ontario. I wonder if anybody had driven into the lake before these signs were erected at the end of the road?....
Lake Ontario is so large, it is like an ocean....
One bridge I crossed had a great view of a small harbour at the town of Olcott, NY....
Quite how the motorbike is meant to represent a country store and restaurant is beyond me, but I liked it anyway....
I arrived in Niagara Falls this afternoon and joined the queue to enter Canada on the Rainbow Bridge....
I took lots of pictures of Niagara Falls today, but I need time to sort through them. I am having a day’s rest from riding tomorrow, so I will do it then!
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7 comments:
After some days on the road myself, catching up with your adventure. Fire Brigade, A&E paramedic, helicopter, RNLI... these are my heroes, as they can come in situations where their own life is at risk to save another. Often they save innocent victims, but with the same energy they save stupid idiots who should have known better.
The helmet you show is testemony to their great work.
So sad about Rochester. I'd only been a couple times, just to one of the largest Deaf Colleges in the country, NTID which is a part of RIT. You really would thing a city like that would take advantage of it's natural beauty. Shame on them. NY may be just about bankrupt but it obviously has had run down cities for a very long time. Watertown also has a beautiful river running through it, the Black River, and there is little to take advantage of its beauty. You went over a bridge on the Black in Dexter NY on your way toward Sackets Harbor.
As for the firemen, that is an awesome training feat! I'm pretty sure that is where my best friend's son took his firefighting training so it was great to see these photos.
I was going to mention on your last post, the funny about getting to Mexico in only 4 miles, that Mexico was where we went apple picking in the fall. Apples are pretty hardy and even tho I had a couple young trees, it was always fun to go picking. Yes!!! Lake Ontario is like an ocean! I was going to tell you how impressed you would be. The Great Lakes are truly amazing and you know why big ships have been lost "almost" at sea on them. There are quite a few ships under those waters. The term "Lake Effect" snow is no longer in my vocabulary but wow until the water froze in the winter, the amount of snow generated from the lakes in unbelievable. One year Fulton NY was hammered with 140 inches of the white stuff! Good thing you're not trying to get through there in January!!
:-)
Have a good rest! Hope you have a great day!
Looks like a really fun filled day.
Am enjoying your pictures and descriptions.
Did you perchance receive an email from me?
cpa3485
Premeditated Scootin'
your pics really make me wish i was free to roam. enjoy your rest day!
Enjoy Niagara Falls - and don't spend too much time in the casinos!
Sounds like a great trip so far (and I even have to agree about Rochester).
Awesome Gary. I really love that pict of the fire helmet. It's amazing how something so simple has a great story to tell.
ride on!
Axel – I agree with you. Can you imagine what the world would be like without those emergency services? They all do a great job.
Eve – Seeing the firemen doing their training was a real plus. I was lucky to be there at the right time. I cannot imagine what it must be like to ride a motorbike in northern NY state in the winter – pretty impossible I guess.
cpa3485 – I am having a ball. I have replied now – hope to see you soon!
mq01 – Roaming is great fun. I am very lucky I have the time to do it.
Canajun – I stayed out of the casinos thanks! I can find much better ways of parting with my money!
Dave – Thanks. If it could speak, no doubt the helmet could tell many stories.
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