Operation: WestHorse

Here's the story link for those interested.
I went with Niagara Falls, obviously.

For me Niagara Falls is an odd experience. I've probably spent as many hours near the Horseshoe Falls as Skirts has near Disney Castle. I've been there in rain, snow, hot weather and cold... And much like Skirts loves Disney I love the Horseshoe Falls.

There's just something profound about standing right at the edge of the falls, hearing the roar and feeling the mist... That to me is an almost magical experience. I've stood near it and listened as they changed the flow rate (that's right, you can actually hear the difference in the low flow rate and high) and relished in the comparative silence of the falls at 2am compared to 2pm.

The trip from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario is one I've never actually undergone myself and ironically I feel like I put more feeling and detail into the parts I've never seen (as well as more accuracy. )

I'm going to go through it bit by bit, adding photos as I find them.

I used Google maps in satellite view for much of the first section as my memories of Fort Erie and Buffalo are both pre-2000 (pre 1994 I believe) and mostly forgotten. Plus finding an image of both at the same time is a labour that I gave up after 30 minutes of my useless google fu.

I mention seeing the mist from the falls pretty early on, true enough from altitude but not really accurate. Some days you can see it pretty far out but as a child I can remember feeling a mist as far out as Discount Seaworld... or as those less cynical call it Marineland. (home of the first steel roller coaster I ever rode on as a kid, Dragon Mountain.)

Past this point are a few areas I see at least once a year. For some reason put the scow wreck farther back from the falls by a not insignificant margin. The barge/scow/boat was something that fascinated me as a kid and is a doomed landmark. It rusts more every year and is slowly being devoured by land and river. Even the tree I remember growing on it (that Dash saw) is gone. For me when Skirts wrote Red Barge I could picture it clearly thanks to this shipwreck. Seriously, a lot closer than I wrote.

Looks like hopes of a Rainbow-Petals ship… Timeline isn’t far off either.

People that haven't visited the falls have a hard time picturing the sheer scale of them and much like Disney it's one of those "you have to be there" sort of places. At this point I also described the roar as surprisingly quiet. I mean don't get me wrong, it's fairly loud right at the falls, but not a volume you'd need to yell for. Even down in the tunnels at the base of the falls it's not quite that loud but it's... big? I dunno.

Not mentioned (or seen) this is one of Niagara's Hydroelectric Power stations... Part of the reason us silly Cannucks call power "hydro" Damn China and Japan may have stolen the records but Canada was home to both the largest Hydroelectric and Nuclear power stations in the world at one point in time. There's another station further down the river Dash didn't comment on either (I forgot about it) but this station was historic. Tesla (the man, not the company) helped create the first Hydroelectric power generator here using the falls... Cool shit.

Moving on we have her visit the side I've only been to once (seriously, you Americans have such a shit view) and Dash pays a quick visit to the lookout/observation tower on the USA side.
Fun Fact: You used to be able to bungee jump from it. I think something happened and it's become a crime to do so now. *shrugs* I guess nobody can have nice things. I will admit I was tempted to have Dash follow a jumper down and was only stopped by the fact I had determined that she was to have 0 personal contact with humans. The sections where Rainbow flew alone over mountains are some of my favorite in Austraeoh and I was hell bent on emulating that to the best of my abilities.

Niagara Falls being one big tourist trap isn't just Dash's observation. Between casino's, amusements, Clifton Hill, arcades, nightclubs, nature stuff (If Dash had slowed down a bit she might have seen a butterfly sanctuary that would have been heaven for Fluttershy) and other overpriced activities, Niagara Falls is designed to part everyone from their money, no matter the preferences and imparts fun times to everyone. This corner was always the moment as a kid where you realized you were there and fun would commence shortly.

The cable car or "aero car" if you want the tourist name. Another point I kind of wanted Dash to interact with someone. It's one of the VERY few tourist things in the region I've never visited that have existed over 20 years (since 1916 in this case) I used to think it visited both sides of the border... I've also been to its tourist shop. Just not on it.

Next up? One of my personal favorites. The Whirlpool Jetboats. A blast but if you're afraid of sinking don't sit in the back, trust me. Having water halfway up your legs as more pours in is enough to get you a touch nervous. First row also stays mostly dry, you want 3 rows back for the best experience. Oh along that route?

A pair (or trio) of damn big dams, more Hydroelectric generators. Hard to forget passing these... but I'll admit I did. Especially because the controversy around them regarding the "upgrade" they're getting from the new tunnel extention

Following this is pretty much a whole bunch of nothing interesting. A winery, some stuff on the US side I have no clue about and a couple more historic sites that I don't remember much on. That leads us all the way up to the (Great) Lake I can kind of see from my front door. Lake Ontario.

Next site of real interest is the Welland Canal. I actually have family history on this one. My mother an owner of a lumber company responsible for redoing the canal walls during the late 60's early 70's. I've gotten a couple interesting stories on it from her. Dash had to see part of this. Sorry Skirts, that part was for me.
View from the other end

Garden City Skyway Bridge... I have no clue why I felt compelled to add this. Maybe because it's the route I take to and from Niagara? No clue but I was desperate for SOMETHING to write about that wasn't more wineries. Between here and the lake also sits an airport that I used to fly out of. Not as a pilot but as a passenger/tourist in small aircraft and gliders. All but 1 of my flights have been out of that airport... and if it was anything more interesting than a well paved uncontrolled runway I'd probably have had her mention it.

Next up? The QEW also known as the Queen Elizabeth Way. Despite being on part of it briefly at the bridge I always think of the QEW starting/ending at the shoreline.

And last but not least. Where Dashie ended her journey with me.

Most people, even locals don't know the story behind this ship. I remember when she burned. It was a beautiful ship but I've taken and seen dozens if not hundreds of pictures of it. Sunset at this ship is something to experience and was the last stop I had in mind for her the second Props asked me to write a chapter.

This chapter was the most driven thing I've ever written. Done in 3 writing sessions with 1,250 being written in a 2 hour period. My unedited word vomit dedicated to the man marsupial that practically invented it.

Whatever you do, this one’s for Blue.

P.S.
TL;DR SS&E. It's been a pleasure to write this for you, to try and show you a world you haven't seen and can hopefully draw inspiration from. The world has less entertaining without the daily dose of your writing, your worlds, characters and yes, scenery.