September 13, 2024 Return stop at Fairport

Thursday Sept. 13, 2024 Bushnell Basin to Fairport. 4 miles and .75 hours

We want to spend a few days in Fairport but know due to its popularity it can be tough to get a spot on their wall at times - especially on weekends. The main summer boating season is winding down here so we're hoping we can get a spot with an early Friday arrival. We phone the Main Street bridgetender around 10 who says there's currently a few spaces that will fit us. Quickly, we cast the lines and head over. The bridgetender welcomes us back to town as he raises the bridge and lets us through the last of the lift bridges we'll see. Nice spot on the quieter south wall. We're secured by 11 AM. With plenty of time to explore, we check out the Tool Thrift Store. All manner of donated used tools at a thrift store manned by senior volunteers with proceeds going to senior services. Saw a drill press, small lathe and scroll saw I would have liked to take home but instead settled for a like new short-handled hammer and a rubber mallet for $4 total.

Checking out machinery at the Tool Thrift Store.

Getting hot so stopped at Moonlight Creamery for a treat. Dropped the tools off at the boat and took a walkabout. No historic downtown Main Street here on the south side. Sadly, a victim of 1970's urban renewal. All torn down and cleared out for a parking lot and new Commons Building. At the time the thought was the old necessity shops (grocers, butchers, banks, etc) were no longer used or needed so had to go to make way for the new nicety shops (restaurants, salons, yoga studios, etc.). Off the main street many of the older homes are still intact and being well maintained and worth the walk. Wound up at Fairport Brewery for a flight. Housed in a 1930's vintage gas station. Great repurposing of a building but not our favorite beers. We've now sampled beers from 3 of the breweries in town having hit 2 others during our westward stop here.

City Hall is one of the few remaining historic buildings on southside Main Street

Saturday morning had us visiting the farmers market. One of the better ones we've seen. Loaded with true farm produce that was surprisingly fairly priced. Apples, pumpkins, squashes and mums on display as the fall crops come to harvest. Still plenty of summer stuff. Tomatoes looked amazing!! And speaking of amazing, Amazing Grains Bakery talked us into a local favorite called Salt Bread. Good saleslady - "Most people buy two - pull one apart and eat it in the car then still have one for the family when they get home.". We only got one, but it was pretty darn good!

Apple season is here. Big variety. And all locally grown

Mums and pumpkins of all sizes and colors on display

Spent most of the afternoon relaxing. Then took another walk over the bridge to further explore the north side. It was the more industrialized section of town. Only real remnant of that is the old American Can Co. building which has been repurposed. They produced the first cans for packaging beer here. Now houses several restaurants, breweries, and Iron Smoke Distillery. Having sampled most of the breweries in town, we opted to try a flight of bourbons while listening to live music. That cask strength 120 proof had a kick!