Day 6 - Lock 9 to Lock 23 by car

 

Lock 9 to Brewerton, NY

119 miles  2:35 hours

Didn’t pull a stroke 

Where do I start? How about the chronology before the commentary?

1.     At 9:00, the lockmaster announces that due to dangerous high water, locks west of us are closed, maybe for days. No more rowing on the Mohawk.

2.     My dear, dear friend Bob Ashton volunteers … even insists … to rescue me. He drives to Lock 9 from Saratoga, we load the boat and gear and head west at 60 mph, me feeling the conflicting emotions of excitement at continuing and guilt for not rowing.   

3.  Bob leaves me in Brewerton, past both the Mohawk River and Oneida Lake, an especially dangerous patch of water that has already almost dispatched me twice. From the comfort of Bob's Subaru, as each mile clicked past 56 minutes faster than I could have rowed it, I made a (chicken) executive decision. No Oneida Lake, not in this weather, not in these conditions. 

4.  As Bob and I unload the boat 119 miles west of Lock 9, we realize that we forgot the oars.

            Really, we forgot the oars.   

     5.     A flurry of phone calls ensues.

    a)     The lockmaster at Lock 9 confirms that he has and will hold on to my oars ...whew!

    b)    I call Adirondack Guideboat to see if there’s anyone near Brewerton who might offer a short loan of theirs. No dice.

    c)     But Steve Kaulback offers to leave Vermont tomorrow morning, pick up the oars that Bob will recover at Lock 9, and drive them to me here in Brewerton. From … Vermont. Yes, from Vermont. I ask you … how does one say thank you for these kindnesses?

 Steve says he has ‘other business’ to tend to near Syracuse, but I for one don’t think a person offers to drive 6 hours (one way!) on a whim of ‘business in the area.’

 Bob? Steve? I’ll get you back for all of this – somehow, some way. I owe ya a ton!

 So the net of it is the lock closure on the Mohawk has catapulted me 4 days ahead, thanks to Bob and Steve, and I could be back on the water by noon on Monday. But really, how does one forget 2 cherry oars?

 I feel like an idiot.

A lucky, happy idiot.

 It’s resumed raining here, more water for the cauldron downstream. My poor Lock 9 fellow boaters, Gene, Marian, and Ray, could be hung up for days… they were great company, and fine cooks.

 Question: Because nature has intervened, ought I feel guilty about welching on the 400 miles, even though it was not especially ‘elective’? This row will come in at 280 miles or so, still something, but taking a pass on crossing Oneida Lake was an ‘elective.’

 Answer: In my defense, when I pass groups of 69 year-old guys doing this, I’ll ask them. I haven’t seen them yet …

 Final Kudos: The Lock 9 and Lock 23 folks have been wonderful and informative hosts. While lock-keeping might seem a sedate profession, these folks employ a wide range of skills. Yesterday’s near-disasters at Locks 8 & 9 called on snap decision-making in a literal life-and-death situation. Lock-keepers also maintain this antiquated equipment, act as ambassadors and advisors, offer rich local lore, and will hang on to your 8’ cherry oars for a day if you are loopy enough to drive off without them.

Thank you, lock-keepers!

 WHAT A DAY.