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.

Tagged as: louisville zoo, mcalpine lock and dam