Lockport, New York

Sunday, August 19 - Today Mom and Dad drove to Niagara Falls, which is about 1/2 hour from Lockport.  It's not quite as hot as it has been, but I decided to stay behind in the A/C anyway.  Before they left, I had to make sure that Mom got our map updated.   We've added Pennsylvania and New York.

That's me in the doorway, making sure she gets it straight.

Looks like Mom and Dad had a fun time at Niagara Falls.

Dad with a statue of Nikola Tesla.  No, he didn't invent the car!  He DID make

dozens of breakthroughs in the production, transmission, and application of

electric power.  He also invented the first alternating current (AC) motor and

 developed AC generation and transmission technology.  He and Dad

 are both pretty important guys in the electronic field.  

Lunch at the Top of the Falls Restaurant

The Niagara River, above the Falls.

After they left the Falls, they drove along the Niagara Parkway which follows the Niagara River downstream.  They stopped at the Power Vista Visitor Center at the Niagara Power Project Hydroelectric Generating Station.  Mom found it to be a "hair raising" experience.

Mom experiencing the Van de Graaff Generator.  

That's some awesome static electricity!

Monday, August 20 - Today was a catch up day.  Mom and Dad both spent time at their computers and Dad went away for awhile and did their laundry and got a haircut.  

Tuesday, August 21 - Today Mom and Dad went into Lockport to explore.  They learned that the town of Lockport exists because it was the site of the "Flight of Five" locks on the Erie Canal.  When the canal was built there was a need to change the level by 60 feet, so five consecutive locks were built.  It took awhile to get through all of them, so people would get off and look for opportunities to shop, eat, drink, etc.  The town was built to fulfill those needs.  

The canal provided a water source, so an enterprising inventor harnessed the water power for his factory.  He had to build a diversion tunnel and that is open today for tours.  Mom and Dad went inside via this pipe, which was originally the outlet for the diversion tunnel.  It was huge!

After the tour they drove out along the shore of Lake Ontario and then came back and Dad made steak for dinner.  Well, he made steak for them.  I got kibble.