It’s a Big Dam Country — Day 18

In Louisville all day today. Picked my Mom up around 9am. We did­n’t stop until 4:30.

Began the day with a trip to the McAlpine Locks. Right in the mid­dle of the city. Louisville has done a good job of mak­ing use of the water­front. It’s a large, pleas­ant, pedes­tri­an and bicy­cle friend­ly space. It’s not so great for pho­tog­ra­phy. Few good slight lines and a lot of heavy orna­men­tal fences and rail­ings. I did some okay work and got a lot of shots of killdeer. (Why weren’t the water­front grass lands off lim­its dur­ing nest­ing season?) 

And then, and then… final­ly! A real™ barge and tug appeared on the scene. 

We watched them lock through. 

They get real­ly close to the walls.

It’s tight fit end to end as well. Here they are clos­ing the upstream gates. 

Let the water out, open the down­stream gates and off she goes.

It takes bout an hour for a barge to lock through. It’ moves slow­ly but its nev­er boring.

After the morn­ing excite­ment we went to my sis­ter’s house to meet up and head for the zoo. The kids spent most of the after­noon play­ing in the splash park.

I went exploring. 

High­lights:

A very col­or­ful lizard.

From the aviary, Open Billed Stork.

Crowned Pigeon.

Feed­ing time in the tor­toise exhibit.

Old­er fel­low eat­ing a green pep­per. (Slow­ly)

Two from the “What are You Look­ing At?” gang

Now I’m get­ting it all packed up again to be on the road tomorrow.