Sylvan Beach to Ilion, NY

Yesterday was another long travel day in hot weather, so we got an early start (for us). We had a family of geese see us off from the town wall at Sylvan Beach.

The weather was clear and sunny and quickly warmed back up to 90F. We passed through many cottonwood seed “flurries” and the water looked like this in many places:

There were also a lot of logs in the water, including this one we had to dodge inside a lock:

We covered 40 miles, passed through four locks and crossed the Erie Canal Divide, the highest elevation between Tonawanda and Waterford. All remaining locks will now lower us towards sea level on the Hudson River. Fun fact: Going down in a lock is a smoother ride than going up. When a lock is filling, water enters the bottom of the chamber through underground pipes and creates turbulence in the water. We call this effect “The Kraken.” Pro Tip: Your position in the lock matters; we’ve learned to go as far forward as possible in a big lift lock, away from the fill pipes.

We are now traveling on the beautiful Mohawk River. Much of the original Erie Canal was abandoned when it was widened multiple times over its 199 years of operation. Mechanized propulsion eliminated the need for mules and towpaths and the canal was rerouted along existing lakes and rivers. Technically, the waterway isn’t even called the Erie Canal anymore, but rather the New York State Barge Canal, although nobody ever corrects you. 

We spent last night at the town marina in Ilion, NY, population 7,900. In 1816, Eliphalet Remington began making rifles here, and the Remington Arms Company manufactured guns in Ilion until March of 2024, when the aging factory was closed and production was moved to Georgia. Map Link: Ilion, NY

We were pretty tuckered out from the long day and the heat, but needed groceries and there was an Aldi close by (Kathleen’s first visit to one of their stores). We had dinner at Voss’, the marina’s burger & shake shack (the brown building in the photo) and ate on their patio, among friendly locals who were very curious about our home state and our adventures. Ilion was a lovely stop, and we would return here, even with the frequent whistles of passing trains.