Day 16, Aug 7, Vacation day 2, Niagara Falls NY

Today was a day that started with a late rising of 8:00 AM, breakfast again at Denny's (we like it there) and then a bus tour of many of Niagara Falls best attractions, 10:30 to 4 PM.

The tour started with a trip behind the Horseshoe Falls and a view of the water from 2 portals. You can't see anything but water so the pics are rather uninteresting. But if you are there, you do get a different perspective of the raw power of the water.viewing portal behind the Horseshoe Fallsviewing portal behind the Horseshoe Fallsthe 2 portals are behind this water

More interesting are the photos I took from the observation deck that was almost down to the level of the gorge water level, especially the one of the "Maid of The Mist" as it approached the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The view of the "cliff" is the Canadian side of the lower Niagara River taken from the observation deck. The Horseshoe Falls are behind me. The falls carved out this rock.view from observation area beside Horseshoe Fallsview from observation area beside Horseshoe Fallsview from observation area beside Horseshoe Falls

 

The next stop was the Skylon Observation Tower where I took 7 breathtaking pictures. What an awesome view!

View from the 775ft tall Skylon TowerView from the 775ft tall Skylon TowerView from the 775ft tall Skylon TowerView from the 775ft tall Skylon TowerDonna and I atop the 775ft tall Skylon Tower
View from the 775ft tall Skylon TowerVictoria Park Restaurant, we had lunch there

 

About a mile downstream there is a 90 degree turn in the river. A giant whirlpool exists here and the direction of the rotation can be changed by redirecting the water flow in the river. If you click on the Niagara River rapids picture (center) to enlarge it, look just to the left of center and you can see a man down next to the waters edge. It is illegal to do this. If he is caught by the police he risks being arrested, and a $5,000 fine. The reason for this is that too many people have lost their lives playing daredevil with the rapids and besides the loss of life, it is very expensive to "pull off" a rescue effort.
Giant whirlpool on Niagara RiverView of lower Niagara River, north of the FallsGiant whirlpool on Niagara River

 

I took a picture of the Robert Moses Power Plant. It is on the American side of the Niagara River and provides 1/7 of the electric power used in the United States. This is now a very highly sensitive area. There is a gorgeous flowerbed clock in the park too, with a wishing well around it. If you enlarge the lily pad picture, you can see money on the lily pads. Directly to the right of the turtles head you can see a dime that I threw in.

Robert Moses power plant on American sideFloral Clock, designed by students at Niagara Parks Horticultural School Wishing well at base of Floral Clock

 

The Horseshoe Falls are 170 feet high and the depth of the water below is 180 feet.. A cross-sectional view of the rock under the Falls would reveal a hard top layer of dolmite limestone and then several layers of shale and sandstone. The tumbling waters cut away the shale and sandstone layers until the undermined top layer collapses, thus maintaining the vertical face of the Falls. About 12,000 years ago, the Horseshoe Falls were 7 miles downstream from its present location. Until the 1950's the Falls eroded at the average rate of 3 feet per year. Since then major water diversions, such as the power plant and generating stations have been implemented to spread the flow of water more evenly and reduce the rate of erosion. The current erosion is about 1 foot every 10 years. These are some of the great pictures I was able to take, from the "Maid of the Mist":
People waiting to board the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"View of Horseshoe and American Falls, taken from the "Maid of The Mist"


My ride this year was again filled with adventure, good and bad weather and great opportunities to meet many wonderful people that work for and volunteer for the Alzheimer's Association. I also enjoyed the company of all the cyclists and the America By Bicycle staff. I would eagerly encourage any cyclist to consider a ride such as the ones that I do. It is a wonderful way to see our great country in a close up sort of way. Finishing my ride at Niagara Falls and having Donna meet me there for a second honeymoon, was the "frosting on the cake".
Donna and John on board the "Maid of The Mist"Donna and John with the Horseshoe and American Falls behind them
Donna and John at one of the hundreds of gorgeous floral plantings that are part of the Niagara Parks complexDonna and John at one of the hundreds of gorgeous floral plantings that are part of the Niagara Parks complex

 Back to the August 6 journal!

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