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August 5, 2008
Lockport to Medina - 16.8 miles
We left Suzanne’s splendid breakfast and the comfort of the Hambleton House to drive down to the park we had arrived at. The ice cream stand was closed. Launching the boat from our re-rigged trailer with new oar boxes was very quick. I back down the ramp, untie the straps and slide the boat’s stern right into the water with no need for any help!It took little time to get under way.
We rowed the 16.8 miles to Medina’s guard gate in about four hours plus another hour of stops to avoid the sun under the shade of the willows that overhang the canal. My eyes are always looking for such trees when it is bright sun and hot. We have a routine in which I take the stern line and tie it to a branch to hold us in the shade. Then we can recline and get a rest from sitting on our seats.
We agreed to meet David Miller from the Medina Habitat at the town pier in Medina at around 4:15. We had also had a call from the editor of the Medina Journal Register who wanted to come to meet us. She was also on the town dock with her camera.
Meeting the Habitat folks at the dock
Rowing for Habitat in Medina
David drove me back to get the car and then we followed him to his home where we were allowed to use a shower before going with he and his wife to meet the rest of the Habitat Board of Directors for dinner at a wonderful restaurant called the Shirt Factory. It was located in a building that used to be a manufacturing plant for very high end shirts. This was where the shirts for the rich and famous were made. The décor included sales slips for shirts that had been sold to many celebrities including John F Kennedy. After eating a fine dinner we showed a slide presentation about the leg of our trip in Florida in 2004.
The Shirt Factory Cafe
At the Shirt Factory Cafe -
back row: Lawrence and Juanita Nelson, Barb Filipiak, Maureen Hungerford, Gail Miller
front row: Heather & Gunnar Baldwin , Dave Miller
Dave says,"you'd think I'd be the one smiling because I didn't have to row all day in the hot sun."
We had made a reservation at Lamont’s Orchard View Bed and Breakfast in Albion. We went back to the Miller’s house to get our car and drove to the Lamont’s getting there just as darkness fell. Ingrid Lamont recognized my Swedish name. Roger Lamont’s family had started the orchards here in the early 1800s before the canal was built. We were told the entire history of how the coming of the canal gave them a way of shipping their produce which really turned around the economy here. The orchards raised all kinds of apples, cherries, peaches and some plums. We were to be in for a wonderful culinary treat!
Lamont's Orchard View Bed and Breakfast
Our beautiful bedroom at Lamont's
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