Intro Lesson: Our pre-ride lesson today focused on the course of the Genesee River through downtown Rochester, as well as a review of the Club’s location in relation to the river and it’s three sets of waterfalls – Upper, Middle and Lower Falls. The kids were right on track with our word-of-the-day, gorge, meaning a small canyon. What the didn’t know, however, was the relationship of the word ‘gorge’ to it’s Latin origin meaning ‘whirlpool or eddy’, as well as to an alternate definition meaning throat. So perhaps we can think of the Genesee River Gorge as Rochester’s throat, generating plenty of whirlpools and eddys as the water tumbles over the falls…Word of the Day: gorge – a small canyon or narrow cleft through which a stream or river runs; from Latin ‘gurges’ meaning whirlpool or eddy; alternate definition – throat
The Ride: We headed north from the club to Brown Street which took us northeast to the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge. After a pit stop, some photos, and getting to see a Blue Heron, we shot north along St. Paul Street to the continuation of the Genesee River Trail near Clifford Street. Then the fun began with a nice downhill to the Middle Falls bridge followed by a snack stop at Lower Falls. Our northernmost destination was Kelsey’s Landing in Maplewood Park, where “freedom was assured for escaping slaves who boarded Canadian vessels here at the end of the underground railroad.”
Other Points of Interest: Redwings Stadium, Genesee Brewery, Rochester Rhinos Stadium
Riders Photos
Vanni Kamara
This trip was on July 16, 2011
Trip distance: 8.1 miles
Programming Time: 3 hours
Participants: Quinton Bedell (age 13), Eric Carter (age 11), Jerome Henderson (age 11), Momoh Kamara (age 12), Vanni Kamara (age 12), Brandon McClary (age 12), and T.J. McKnight (age 10)
Leaders: Shawn Brown, Marc Lavender, Rodney
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