I met the Rochester Fire Department today....

My route today took me west – the first real day of heading west of many. One of the places I wanted to visit was the Upper Falls in the city of Rochester, NY. I found it easily and parked the bike. Walking to the bridge that overlooks the Upper Falls, I saw a fire engine (US = Fire Truck) and I took a picture of their brightly coloured crest....














































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!