Nancy Papish told me she wanted to take part in this series. She does not own a computer or use email, so if you see Nancy, tell her that her post is up. I strive to phrase her thoughts accurately.

As with all of us, there’s much much more to us than can be captured in short answers to three questions, but this serves as a starting point. I know from previous conversations that canoeing is very important to Nancy. Her interest in the NYS Canals stems from canoeing, specifically a canoe trip she led with Girl Scouts on Seneca Lake she was allowed to lead , a much longer trip than was typical because she had demonstrated her ability. It’s the nature of waterways that one leads to another, so canoeing on the Finger Lake led to canoeing via the Erie Canal to . . . anywhere: the Hudson, the St Lawrence, and so on.

Her favorite part of the canals is the set of aqueducts essential to the success of the early iterations when movement depended on draft animals. What she wishes more folks knew about the NYS Canals is how visible vestiges of the 19th century canals were.

Nancy wanted her photo taken in front of Enlarged Erie Canal Lock No. 54 in Lock Berlin NY. If you see Nancy, ask her about some of her fantastic canoe trips. Thanks, Nancy.

Any errors, WVD.