Day 12 - Burlington, Vermont

Today I have been thinking about lakes. Now I've left the Great Lakes behind, and have been cruising through the Adirondacks all day, looking at some of the hundreds of lakes in this region. How do we define a lake? It's a hole in the ground filled with (usually) fresh water; but that is only the beginning of the story! When does a pond become big enough to be a lake? Does it have to be deep? Where does the water come from? Why don't they either overflow or drain out? I guess I should do some studying, but if anyone has answers, post them here.

Lakes can form boundaries between territories or regions or states, but they can also allow people to travel easily by boat (or sled if frozen) from one side to the other instead of going all the way round. They are a source of fresh water for animal and human consumption and to help irrigate vegetation and crops; they are also a source of fish for birds, animals and humans to eat. Insects breed there and are then eaten by birds and fish. Humans love to play around lakes - boating, fishing, swimming, sunbathing. They are often also very proprietorial about lakefront real estate! If I had a dollar for every 'private road' sign I have seen today I could extend this trip by several weeks ;-)

Anyway, here's Lake Champlain, and the bridge from New York to Vermont at 4 p.m. this afternoon!