Getting to Know Your Locks - Day 12 - Alton Area

We finally enjoyed a fun day now that the electrical problems are finally resolved and today's adventure was a visit to the Mel Price Lock which is two miles from the Alton Marina and the view from our windshield. 

But, first a little story.  The Mel Price Lock Museum runs public tours.  We decided to catch the 3:00pm tour and travel to the lock on our bikes.  So, at 2:10pm we launched the bikes only to discover that mine had a flat tire.  So, I went to the Marina office to get the location of the nearest gas station only to discover that the very together Altom Marina had a compressor.  Problem resolved.  Well, not quite.

The tire would not inflate.  Turns out, as we later discovered, the valve stem had disconnected from the tube,  But now it 2:20.  No problem  I know that the bike shop in the historic district is a half mile away.  So, we make a plan.  I will walk the bike to the shop while Diana arranges a cab to pick her up at the Marina and then me at the bike ship and 2:45.  Keep in mind time is tight and we are in a small town.  Well it all worked out.  I got to the shop at 2:35 and the owner said - "No problem, I'll have it fixed in five minutes" (and he did).  Diana arrived with the cab at 2:46 and we made it to the lock at 2:59.  I love it when a plan comes together.

Why visit a lock you ask?  Simple.  We will need to negotiate over 100 locks on our journey.  So why not get to know the beast.

The Mel Price Lock and Dam was completed in 1993 and is the newest lock on the Mississippi.  Just south of the Illinois River, the lock was designed to handle a 1,200 foot 15 barge tow.  The photo blow shows the lock's configuation with a 1,200 foot main lock and 600 foot auxilliary.  The 1,200 lock eliminates breaking down a 15 barge tow, which can take 4 hours or more.

Overview of the Mel Price Lock

Our guide, Ramona Sheppard, started the tour at this model and demonstrated the operation of the tainter gate, which is used to regulate water flow and maintain the depth of the pool (the section of river between each lock), which Congress mandates as not less than 9.5 feet.

The "triangle" looking device is the tainter gate

Then we went out onto the structure itself, where Ramona explain the locking process and the group got to see a 18 foot powerboat go through the 1,200 foot main lock.

Auxilliary 600 foot lock

Small boat entering the main 1,200 foot lock

Miter gate openning

Small boat exiting the lock

As we walked back to the museum, Ramona pointed out the high water mark.  Keep in mind that we are on the dam structure high above the lock.  Not hard to understand the river's reputation as the "Mighty Mississippi."

Remember I'm standing on the dam

I ended my tour of the museum with a video game that simulates the operation of a tow consiting of a tug and 15 barges.  The simulation consisted of three tasks; manuevering a tow into a lock, negotiating two bridges and passing an upbound tow, which included lining up with a bridge.  I succussfully completed two of the exercises.

Maneuvering the tow into a lock

The simulator's controls

We ended the day with dinner at Alton's finest restaurant, Gentelin's, in the historic district.  We would give Gentelin's a 3 star rating.  We were very impressed.