Buffalo: Grain Elevator History Cruise

[WestSideJohn]

I took the Miss Buffalo "Grain Elevator History Cruise" this afternoon. Experiencing the grain elevators from the water, up close, was like being in another world. The cruise price was $14 and it was worth the money - just tune out the tour guides (or find a friend with a boat and make the tour on your own). I feel bad hating on them - they're volunteers, after all - but they clearly felt they had to be talking every second of the tour, and if there was nothing substantial to say they'd just ramble. Anyway, I did learn a few interesting things. For example, the concrete elevators were constructed by pouring concrete into forms. The concrete was poured very slowly, and the form was raised inch by inch as the concrete at the bottom dried. An entire elevator was usually built in one long, slow pour of about 3 weeks or so. Another thing I found surprising was that despite their shabby appearance most of these grain elevators are in fact structurally sound, and could easily be put to use again. My favorite part of the presentation was when they told how Buffalo ranked in various areas of commerce and trade. I wasn't shocked to learn we led the world in flour production, but did you know we also led the world in sheep trade? We also led the nation in the production of linseed oil and livestock feed, and Buffalo has more miles of railroad tracks within city limits than any other city in the world. Once again, the tour guides were rambling so I may have misinterpreted some of these facts so don't take them as gospel.

P.S. as I was getting off the boat I overheard a man say "if dad were sober he'd love this" which had me laughing all day.

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The river stretches out ahead of us near the beginning of the cruise. The large pile on the right is sand from the Michigan Upper Peninsula. Buffalo is apparently still a center for sand transport and distribution, and Michigan's sand is valued for its smoothness, which makes it ideal for industrial/optical uses.

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A flour mill - Pillsbury if I remember correctly.

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The Pillsbury mill.

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The coppery-rust color of this tower was so beautiful in the sun. I wish I could have captured it.

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A ship at the General Mills facility.

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Concrete Central - the largest of all the industrial elevators in Buffalo. It was capable of accommodating 3 600 foot boats simultaneously.

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Yet it's actually graceful from the side.

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A view of the skyline I'd never seen before.

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I don't want to get over you
I guess I could take a sleeping pill and sleep at will
And not have to go through what I go through
I guess I should take Prozac, right? And just smile all night at somebody new?
Somebody not too bright but sweet and kind
Who'd try to get you off my mind
I could leave this agony behind
Which is just what I'd do if I wanted to
But I don't want to get over you

Cause I don't want to get over love
I could listen to my therapist, pretend you don't exist
And not have to dream of what I dream of
I could listen to all my friends and go out again and pretend it's enough
Or I could make a career of being blue
I could dress in black and read Camus
Smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth
Like I was seventeen, that would be a scream
But I don't want to get over you