Sunday July 5, 2015
The Erie Canal incorporates the Mohawk River in places, and in others it is just a straight ditch as far as the eye can see, with the Mohawk meandering nearby. There has been lots of rain and subsequent flooding, so we are always on the lookout for trees in our path in the canal.
I never knew how strategic The Rome area was. The head of the Mohawk River reaches to within 2-5 miles of the head of Wood Creek, which feeds into Oneida Lake and then on to Lake Ontario. In addition, a branch of the Susquehanna River comes close to the Rome area. The British built Fort Stanwix with the local Indian tribes permission. The fort was rebuilt in time for the bicentennial in 1976.
We walked from the free town wall in Rome to the Savoy Restaurant for one of the best Italian dinners I’ve ever had. Felt like I was in the middle of the set for one of the Godfather movies. The owner of the restaurant, the descendant of the original owner, gave us a ride back to our boat in his white panel van. Jim sat in the back on a dining room chair!