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June 22 - Ilion, NY

Beautiful Scenery
Ilion Marina & RV Park

The heat wave moved through and we were back in the low 80s today, a heat wave that lasted two days...you've got to love this part of the country, at least in the summer. It was a wonderful day to be on the water. We went through five more locks and raised 96' today. Lock 17 lifts boats 40.5' and is the largest of its type in the world. It has a vertical lift gate, like a guillotine, that lifts above boaters as they enter the lock. I kind of like doing the locks, it adds a little variety to the cruising day. We are docked in Ilion, I wish I could say it's a cute place, but it's just a dock. It's an RV park and marina...but it's really an RV parking lot between two highways. There are plenty of trees behind the RVs so you can't see the highway, but you can hear it. The best way I can describe it is that it's like staying at a roadside park or rest stop.

Our first job after docking was to wash the boat. It was filthy from going through the locks and this might be our last place for water until we get to Brewerton. Ilion is the home of Remington Arms. This is where the first Remington was made in 1816 and they've had a factory in Ilion since 1828, they give factory tours and have a museum with an extensive collection of firearms, some dating back to the 16th & 17th century. We missed the tour, but did spend a little time in the museum. Our youngest son would have loved this museum. The best part of the day was visiting a little farm on the edge of town. We rode out there to go to the farmers market, but the farm itself and the owner were the real treat. Some of the buildings were built in the 1700’s. The Mohawk Valley is a beautiful area of the country.

Part of the Canalway Bike Trail - this trail runs along most of the canals in New York
Lock 17
The guillotine door is still up on lock 17
Water filling up the lock
Little Falls, NY
The beautiful Mohawk Valley
Lock 18
Parker's Clapsaddle Farm
The Pearl docked at Ilion Marina & RV Park

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