WiseAcre Gardens

Call Joe the Plumber

Posted by WiseAcre on Oct 24th, 2008

2008

Oct 24

Following the Red Sandstone trail of yesterday’s post brought me to the north entrance of the trail where canoe access to the Raquette River means climbing over the hydro pipe going to the Sugar Island power plant.

Red Sandstone Trail

The Raquette River is dammed at numerous places as it rushes north out of the Adirondack Mountains to the lower level of the St. Lawrence River valley. A common site along the public trails are the turquoise hydro pipes leading from the dams to the power plants.

Hydo pipe

Small leak in hydro pipe

I don’t want anyone fixing the Potholes along the Red Sandstone Trail but I do think a couple of leaks in the hydro pipe running next to the trail should be fixed. It’s a bit disturbing to see leaks in a 13.5 foot diameter pipe that at peak flow delivers over 1100 cubic feet of water per second.

Hydro pipe leak

I think even Joe the Plumber would be a bit overwhelmed if he had to fix this little leak.

Wildflowers

5 Responses

peppylady Says:
October 24th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I sure would hate to get the water bill after that leak.

Coffee is on.

peppylady,
I think I’d rather pay for the water than the repairs on a pipe that size.
bamapat Says:
October 25th, 2008 at 8:07 am
OMG that us some leak — and yes, I have hiked that trail and in a word, its a witch to hike, up and down and slippery slopes but fun nonetheless.

Have a great day — again, great photos — you sure are making good use of your new camera but its the person who takes good shots, not the camera!

bamapat,
My feelings exactly when I saw the bigger leak. But I guess the operating company either hasn’t seen it or decided it’s not bad enough to warrant repairs yet.

I took the trail to see the area that’s still being quarried. Not much to see - it’s only used to get stone to crush and it looks like it hasn’t been quarried in a while. I think I’m one of the few who would recognize and appreciate the sandstone rubble piles from the stone cutting.

Then I bet you’ve been to Stone Valley - now there’s a trail and section of the Raquette River everyone should see. Especially in the spring when the river is really wild.

I try and mostly fail but sometimes I do get a good photo.
peppylady Says:
October 25th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I’m tagging you for a meme it on my blog (Saturday the 25th) at the buttom.

Coffee is on.

peppylady,
Aren’t you sweet. Tagging me on the ‘buttom’.
Aiyana Says:
October 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I wouldn’t have gotten so close! It seems like the leak could easily burst open with the pressure of all that rushing water, but then, maybe I’ve been exposed too many ‘finger in the dike’ images over the years.
Aiyana

Aiyana,
It’s a pretty solid pipe and it can go a while longer before the rust wins out. But I agree it is a bit unsettling to see up close because that is a ‘raging’ leak and can be heard from about 50 feet away. I was in the woods along the trail and the sound drew me to it.
kerri Says:
October 28th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Joe the plumber is too busy fighting off the liberals to come fix it

kerri,
If he has to fight off liberals then the opposition needs to take some responsibility for using him too. Both sides are taking advantage of Joe for their own use and not really caring what’s happening to him.

I’m going to stay above the leak. If the pipe bursts I want to be up the river even if I don’t have a paddle.

North Country Wildflowers & Perennials that survive winters colder than my wife’s feet

Call Joe the Plumber

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