In Lyons we arrived late afternoon and decided to tie to the town wall which provides hydro outlets for the cruisers. A gentleman hasted toward us and offered to help us with the lines to tie up. He introduced himself as “Canal Bob” but is name is Robert Stopper, a retired teacher, who takes an interest in the visiting cruisers. He handed us a map of the town and gave us the historical background. Lyons, once upon a time, was a major exporter of peppermint. Peppermint oil is extracted from the pressed stems and the leaves of course you find in peppermint tea. But I didn’t know that only one 21 ounce bottle of peppermint oil will give the right flavor to a ton of candy.

The slope of the town dock had been planted with peppermint and spearmint and I was given a bunch of each to take back to the boat for later enjoyment.





(The picture is of Robert Stopper on the left and his friend, a teacher, to the right, who had been weeding the peppermint and spearmint plants talking to Benno about our solar panels)