Lockport & Palmyra, NY

We started the day in Lockport at the final locks on the Erie Canal. We followed the canal all the way back to Albany with a little Mormon stop along the way.

 canal and museum

We were singing the Erie Canal song before we found this photo opp. "Low bridge, everybody down!"

The old canal with wooden doors and 5 locks.

The new canal - bigger and only 2 locks

The discovery center is really well done.

Stopped by where my friend MariJo grew up!

After driving a bit and we remembered that Joseph Smith and the whole Mormon thing started here in New York. I opened up trip advisor and, sure enough, the 4th thing on the list was the Smith Family Farm and the 5th was he BOM (book of Mormon) printing center. Since it was so close, we stopped.

We toured the farm where Joseph Smith grew up and we saw the "Sacred Grove" of trees where he reported God and Jesus appeared to him.

Outside the threshing barn

It's been getting dark early, but since we left the farm just after 7pm, we decided to see one more Mormon site,

We found ourselves with another family we had just met at the farm and after watching a movie of Joseph Smith's life growing up and translating the Book of Mormon, we got to chatting with the other family. Scott, who's interest in mormonism brought us here, chatted with the dad about faith and Truth. My conversations with the rest of the family were more about the Mormon organization. 

Their family was on a pilgrimage of sorts. Having come as children themselves, these parents wanted their high schoolers to see the places where Mormonism started just as I might desire to take my children to Israel to walk where Jesus did.

Because we were in a remote location and now both families were about to head to bed having had no dinner, we had our second "dinner guests" (after Scotts parents) and we treated them to  cup'o'noodle! - It was the fastest thing I could make with no electricity. But as a family with high school boys, they were no strangers to the fare and were as thankful as I was mortified to be serving it! (:

What an interesting night. We exchanged info, so we may have he opportunity to see them again when we get to Phoenix, their hometown.

Our kids find it hilarious that we just meet people on the road and "make new friends". Especially as this meeting is on the heels of me exchanging emails with a gal we met in MN from Albany (but traveling west) who offered us parking in her driveway while we visit the NY Capitol. The kids are trying to figure out these behaviors and how to reconcile them with "stranger danger"!

Niagara Falls

After a quick stop to see Lake Ontario,

we ventured on to the Falls.

Everyone said there's no RV parking on the Canadian side. So we had to cross the border, park the car and walk back across to see the falls from the other side - which all the kids said was way worth it.

On the U.S. side.

On the Canada side

Back to the U.S. for New York style pizza. It's a good thing this family likes pizza!

Our last look at the falls from above while walking back to our car.

Amazing!

CANADA!

The shortest way across the north toward Maine crosses from Detroit to Niagara Falls across Ontario, Canada. So we left the U.S. behind for a couple days and headed into foreign territory.

But we told the kids we were following the Underground Railroad. 

It was at this point I realized the passports were all in the trailer and had to jump out and get them. I feared that would draw attention to us and we would  be pulled over to have the whole RV searched.

Thankfully, we had an uneventful border crossing.

At this point the photos cease. I had been feeling sick since the evening we were in Detroit and I spent our whole 2 days in Canada laying in bed. I left the trailer once to sit outside in the fresh air for an hour, but that's it. ): but when I was laying in bed I had a view on both sides of bright blue skies and green leaves yellowing. It was at least a pretty view to be sick to. 

The kids had a blast playing and running all over Lakewood Christian Camp, where we were staying. They played a huge chess game, fished in one of the ponds, played a soccer shuffleboard game, and built "kingdoms" at the huge gravel pit playground. 

I got a picture of the playground as we pulled out. At the back are about 20 huge tractor toys. 

Back to the USA today. 

Detroit, MI

Motor City has always been a place of innovation and they are counting on that continuing as Detroit fights to make a comeback. (Their literature can make you a believer!)

Spin the wheel in the land office of the 1700s to see what kind of land you get. Will it be rich in natural resources? Or will the railroad decide to reroute and not come near your land?

This was a great exhibit on the underground rail road 

which ended just across the waters from here. 

Detroit was a last stop before freedom in Canada. 

More recently...

It's not Tiger Stadium that excites these soccer fans... It's the little Roman to the right!

Look, these Detroit innovators have their handprints on the walk of legends because they founded Little Caesars!

And we went straight to the place around the corner and had what we now call "Detroit-style pizza". Yum. (:

Lansing, MI - Capitol #15

This was one of the older Capitols we've visited, built in 1879.

With old trees outside - you can tell they're so old because their leaves are so huge. ;)

Our tour guide had us laying on the floor to look up at the stars in the dome and imagine the possibilities of what our lives could be.

Pretty finishes

And it's more impressive

Because it's all white pine painted to look like other more costly materials.

Behind Sy, at the bottom, you can see the steps to making pine look like marble (left) and black walnut (right). 

Fun fact: Gerald Ford is the only man from Michigan to be President. He was Nixon's Vice President and after Nixon resigned, a Rockefeller was appointed VP. We've learned some interesting stuff here in MI.

Now onward! To Detroit!