Hi, Dear Readers! We're reading through our Blog and making minor edits as we think about what to include in one final post of reflections on the trip.
We think that this means followers will get lots of notices of new posts - but there won't be anything new of substance until we do our "Final Post." We hope this doesn't turn out to be a major pain!
We are currently in Ohio for a family funeral, having spent a week in Boston with family.
On Tuesday, 10/26/10, we board Amtrak's Empire Builder Train in Chicago, heading for Portland, OR, where friends will meet us and drive us to the coast to pick up the truck we parked there more than 5 months ago - then we drive back to our home in Richland, WA and life in the real world!
Showing posts with label Bike Across America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bike Across America. Show all posts
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day 158, 10/13/10 - Cornish to Portland, ME
Just the Basics: After 4,390 miles - 39 of them today - we have come to the end of our bike ride across this amazing country. We'll be back with a wrap up later, but for now, Katherine Lee Bates and Samuel Ward said it more eloquently than we ever could (we do have a comment at the end):
America the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
We have been privileged to see the beauty and the effort - and the work still to be done - across a vast cross-sectional slice of this country in a unique and deeply personal way - and hope to see our country fulfill it's great promise. We'll try to do our part. Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!
Today's Pictures: (1) Pouring water from the Atlantic on our front wheels - as we poured water from the Pacific on the rear wheels on May 9th; and (2) We are very happy!
America the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
We have been privileged to see the beauty and the effort - and the work still to be done - across a vast cross-sectional slice of this country in a unique and deeply personal way - and hope to see our country fulfill it's great promise. We'll try to do our part. Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!
Today's Pictures: (1) Pouring water from the Atlantic on our front wheels - as we poured water from the Pacific on the rear wheels on May 9th; and (2) We are very happy!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Days 154-56, 10/9-11/10, Conway, NH
Just the Basics: We are spending the entire Columbus Day Weekend in Conway at the White Deer Motel - a charming modest motel with super-helpful managers, just outside Conway. It is hard to sit here for 3 days knowing that we are only 2 riding days from finishing the trip in Portland, ME, but traffic is a huge problem during this period: (1) Columbus Day is a holiday in NY and almost all the New England States. Schools are closed and families are on the road. (2) The 150th Fryeburg, ME fair is occurring a few miles from here and is heavily attended with resultant traffic jams. (3) We are still in the fall colors season and there are lots of "leaf peepers" on the roads driving out to see the fall colors.
We have, in fact, had a fine time in Conroy - see For Those Who Want More, below.
Today's Photos: (1) Becky at a roadside viewpoint on the Kancamagus Highway (10/8); (2) Riley at Kancamagus Pass (10/8); (3) Rainbow from the Highway (10/8); (4) Librarians Glynis and Lindsey at the wonderful Conroy Library (10/9); and (5) Scene from Boulder Loop Trail (10/10)
Tomorrow: We go about 29 miles to Cornish, ME, where we will stay at the Midway Country Lodging (not a typo!)
For Those Who Want More: Despite having 3! layover days, we are running late and need to get to dinner and then pack for our final 2 days of riding, starting tomorrow. Here are some regrettably brief highlights of our stay in Conway.
The White Deer Motel: The motel is somewhat modest but clean and comfortable and the managing couple are great. Our first 2 nights were spent in a pretty small room but then we were moved to a bigger one which has been a great place for us to sit and work today - we have spent almost all day in our room.
Johnathan's Seafood Restaurant is across the street and the only nearby restaurant - we've had 4 great dinners there - Becky has had haddock 3 different ways - all great - and Riley has had it once; we've both had a stuffed Quahog appetizer - YUM! Riley has had a lobster stew and sole with grapes in addition to the afore-mentioned halibut. Tonight B had clam strips and fries and R had fried sole and a baked potato - their fried items are quite light and non-greasy. The entire staff is very friendly - it feels like home.
Bea's Cafe: Three great breakfasts, so far - only open for breakfast and lunch, down the road from the motel. We've had great oatmeal and Riley has had corned beef hash and eggs - one egg broke as it was slipped onto the plate so they put on a 3rd one to compensate! - and a Belgian waffle with blueberries; Becky has had creamed dried beef on toast and their specialty, Garden Fries - home fries and lots of veggies and bacon, topped with melted cheddar.
The Riverstones Bakery, next door - great fair trade coffee, wonderful pastries, and a tip jar whose contents go to the local domestic violence shelter!
The Conway Library: Saturday morning we slept in, went to breakfast, and headed for a car rental place - we intended to rent a car for the weekend. It wasn't where Google thought it was so we headed back towards town and the library to do some research. It is a great library. There were already half a dozen patrons outside waiting to be let in when it opened at 10 - one of them observed to Becky that you'd think it was the local watering hole! - she replied that folks must be thirsty for knowledge. We later learned from the librarians that the library is very well used - on Thursdays, typically their busiest day, they have 6 staff on duty!
They are supported by town taxes and neighboring towns without libraries provide vouchers to their citizens to purchase non-citizen library cards @$70/year. There are computers, a nice meeting room downstairs, a busy periodicals room, a great children's room with computers reserved for those under 12 and for parents whose kids would be best amused in the children's room while mom or dad is on the computer - very clever!
Glynis and Lindsey, the two librarians on duty were great! It turned out that they were both cyclists (Lindsey and her husband once cycled to Virginia from Portland, ME!). They suggested a route to Portland from here and got out an atlas to copy maps, as well as a number of local tour books, and they called the car rental place in town for us and found that no cars were available.
The 150th Freyburg Fair, Freyburg ME: The Fair was too far from here for us to walk - perhaps 7 miles - but we learned that it would cost $50 to take a cab - traffic was so bad the cabbie would have to inch along for miles starting somewhere within 2 miles of the fair. We compromised - for $25 they took us to where the congestion began and then we walked. Ditto coming home.
Fair Highlights:
Wood & Energy: A whole aisle was devoted to outside-the-house furnaces, which heat the house with either hot water or hot air. Some of these burned chopped wood - 6 cords will heat a large Maine house for a year. One vendor said that a 10 acre wood lot would supply a house indefinitely, harvesting one acre each year. Many of the furnaces used wood pellets, made from excess wood cuttings at lumber yards. A vendor quoted an estimate that 50,000 houses can be heated annually with these without exhausting this wood supply in Maine. (Bags of wood pellets are to be found on sale at many stores we have seen). Other heaters burned used motor oil.
Animals: Draft horses, cattle, oxen, donkeys, goats, pigs, sheep, poultry, rabbits, and 4-H animals - we saw 3 draft horses being led into the barn and they were HUGE!
Arts, Homemaking and Crafts: All the usual delights were there: Baking; jams and jellies (including both rhubarb jam and rhubarb jelly); pickles and relishes; preserved veggies; quilts, knitting, crocheting and sewing; photography; carpentry and so on.
New to us was a Christmas tree judging - not decorated trees, just trees; this is Maine, after all! Ditto a very clear wreath-making demonstration by a woman whose family owns a Christmas tree farm and whose family makes and sells 300 wreaths a year. With classic New England frugality, she took apart a wreath made in a previous demonstration and salvaged almost enough greens from it to make the wreath she was demonstrating for us! She had also rewound bits of wire back onto the spool and succeeded in re-using some of those - although it got tricky enough that she ended up cutting some of the bits off and continuing with new wire!
There were numerous crafters spinning (various methods), weaving, dyeing and doing various forms of needlework - and a place making cotton candy out of maple sugar!
Performers: We enjoyed the Fryeberg Fair Boys in something like their 29th year at the Fair - a vocalist and a pianist were being featured in a performance of rock and country numbers, both originals and covers - they were good.
We have, in fact, had a fine time in Conroy - see For Those Who Want More, below.
Today's Photos: (1) Becky at a roadside viewpoint on the Kancamagus Highway (10/8); (2) Riley at Kancamagus Pass (10/8); (3) Rainbow from the Highway (10/8); (4) Librarians Glynis and Lindsey at the wonderful Conroy Library (10/9); and (5) Scene from Boulder Loop Trail (10/10)
Tomorrow: We go about 29 miles to Cornish, ME, where we will stay at the Midway Country Lodging (not a typo!)
For Those Who Want More: Despite having 3! layover days, we are running late and need to get to dinner and then pack for our final 2 days of riding, starting tomorrow. Here are some regrettably brief highlights of our stay in Conway.
The White Deer Motel: The motel is somewhat modest but clean and comfortable and the managing couple are great. Our first 2 nights were spent in a pretty small room but then we were moved to a bigger one which has been a great place for us to sit and work today - we have spent almost all day in our room.
Johnathan's Seafood Restaurant is across the street and the only nearby restaurant - we've had 4 great dinners there - Becky has had haddock 3 different ways - all great - and Riley has had it once; we've both had a stuffed Quahog appetizer - YUM! Riley has had a lobster stew and sole with grapes in addition to the afore-mentioned halibut. Tonight B had clam strips and fries and R had fried sole and a baked potato - their fried items are quite light and non-greasy. The entire staff is very friendly - it feels like home.
Bea's Cafe: Three great breakfasts, so far - only open for breakfast and lunch, down the road from the motel. We've had great oatmeal and Riley has had corned beef hash and eggs - one egg broke as it was slipped onto the plate so they put on a 3rd one to compensate! - and a Belgian waffle with blueberries; Becky has had creamed dried beef on toast and their specialty, Garden Fries - home fries and lots of veggies and bacon, topped with melted cheddar.
The Riverstones Bakery, next door - great fair trade coffee, wonderful pastries, and a tip jar whose contents go to the local domestic violence shelter!
The Conway Library: Saturday morning we slept in, went to breakfast, and headed for a car rental place - we intended to rent a car for the weekend. It wasn't where Google thought it was so we headed back towards town and the library to do some research. It is a great library. There were already half a dozen patrons outside waiting to be let in when it opened at 10 - one of them observed to Becky that you'd think it was the local watering hole! - she replied that folks must be thirsty for knowledge. We later learned from the librarians that the library is very well used - on Thursdays, typically their busiest day, they have 6 staff on duty!
They are supported by town taxes and neighboring towns without libraries provide vouchers to their citizens to purchase non-citizen library cards @$70/year. There are computers, a nice meeting room downstairs, a busy periodicals room, a great children's room with computers reserved for those under 12 and for parents whose kids would be best amused in the children's room while mom or dad is on the computer - very clever!
Glynis and Lindsey, the two librarians on duty were great! It turned out that they were both cyclists (Lindsey and her husband once cycled to Virginia from Portland, ME!). They suggested a route to Portland from here and got out an atlas to copy maps, as well as a number of local tour books, and they called the car rental place in town for us and found that no cars were available.
The 150th Freyburg Fair, Freyburg ME: The Fair was too far from here for us to walk - perhaps 7 miles - but we learned that it would cost $50 to take a cab - traffic was so bad the cabbie would have to inch along for miles starting somewhere within 2 miles of the fair. We compromised - for $25 they took us to where the congestion began and then we walked. Ditto coming home.
Fair Highlights:
Wood & Energy: A whole aisle was devoted to outside-the-house furnaces, which heat the house with either hot water or hot air. Some of these burned chopped wood - 6 cords will heat a large Maine house for a year. One vendor said that a 10 acre wood lot would supply a house indefinitely, harvesting one acre each year. Many of the furnaces used wood pellets, made from excess wood cuttings at lumber yards. A vendor quoted an estimate that 50,000 houses can be heated annually with these without exhausting this wood supply in Maine. (Bags of wood pellets are to be found on sale at many stores we have seen). Other heaters burned used motor oil.
Animals: Draft horses, cattle, oxen, donkeys, goats, pigs, sheep, poultry, rabbits, and 4-H animals - we saw 3 draft horses being led into the barn and they were HUGE!
Arts, Homemaking and Crafts: All the usual delights were there: Baking; jams and jellies (including both rhubarb jam and rhubarb jelly); pickles and relishes; preserved veggies; quilts, knitting, crocheting and sewing; photography; carpentry and so on.
New to us was a Christmas tree judging - not decorated trees, just trees; this is Maine, after all! Ditto a very clear wreath-making demonstration by a woman whose family owns a Christmas tree farm and whose family makes and sells 300 wreaths a year. With classic New England frugality, she took apart a wreath made in a previous demonstration and salvaged almost enough greens from it to make the wreath she was demonstrating for us! She had also rewound bits of wire back onto the spool and succeeded in re-using some of those - although it got tricky enough that she ended up cutting some of the bits off and continuing with new wire!
There were numerous crafters spinning (various methods), weaving, dyeing and doing various forms of needlework - and a place making cotton candy out of maple sugar!
Performers: We enjoyed the Fryeberg Fair Boys in something like their 29th year at the Fair - a vocalist and a pianist were being featured in a performance of rock and country numbers, both originals and covers - they were good.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Day 152, 10/7/10 - North Woodstock, NH
Just the Basics: Note late in the afternoon on 10/7: We went for a walk and added some pictures Riley took en route. Enjoy!
It is sort of amazing to be typing "Day 150" this morning! In some ways the trip has gone so quickly - although it also sometimes feels as though the trip is all there is - a special, unique world unto itself. It is hard to believe that we have only about 100 miles to go to Portland, Maine and the end of this adventure.
That said, the adventure will actually continue for a full week! We are taking a layover day today, mainly because of rain, but also because we didn't want to do 2 big climbs in a row - yesterday was 1650 feet or so and tomorrow will be 2000, which is, we think, the second biggest climb we've ever made in a day - and the longest loaded with gear. We will be going up NH 112 - also known as Kancamagus Highway - to 2855 foot Kancamagus Pass, starting at about 800 feet, then descending to Conway, NH.
We will then be less than 75 miles from Portland, ME, but, unfortunately, will be faced with: (1) The 3-day Columbus Day Weekend (a state holiday pretty much throughout New England and NY); (2) Fall colors travel; and (3) The 150 year old Fryeburg Fair along our route. Yesterday Riley talked with bike shop folks in Conway, Naples and Portland and became convinced that we shouldn't even think about riding again until after the holiday.
We are a bit disappointed - it is hard to be so close and not just go ahead and finish, and a weekend arrival might have meant that our Boston families (2 of our kids and their families and one of Riley's sisters and her husband) could have come to celebrate the finish with us - at the same time, we don't want to take big safety risks. So - we'll spend 4 nights and 3 days in Conway, not going on until Tuesday, 10/12, with our finish planned for Wednesday, 10/13!
Today's Photos: (1) The Woodstock Inn's Riverview Building as seen from the back - we're on the 3rd floor in the front; our bikes are parked on the porch at the lowest level (bottom balcony left, which is a floor below the "1st" floor - it's only 1st on the front side of the Inn); (2) A double rainbow from the bridge across the Lost River to Lincoln, NH; and (3) A view of the Lost River
Tomorrow: As you've read, up the mountain and down again to Conway, a 36 mile day.
For Those Who Want More:
Recent Meals:
Lunch Yesterday at the Station House here at the Woodstock Inn: B: Meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy on homemade bread and oatmeal stout from the Inn's brewpub; R: Station House Chili in a bread bowl and coffee.
Dinner Yesterday at the Station House: We started off with Manhattans. R: Chicken Salad Overstuffed Tomato - the chicken salad was made much like we make ours, with apples, chutney and walnuts; there was also a side green salad; B: Longhaul Salad - greens and spinach, turkey, egg, sun dried tomatoes, cucumber, olives, grilled mushrooms and feta. We also shared a glass of chardonnay and their signature dessert: a banana baked in puff pastry and topped with ice cream, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce and whipped cream. YUM!!
Brunch Today in the Inn's Dining Room: It took us forever just to read the menu and think happily about our choices. All breakfasts included homemade sticky buns, home fries, coffee and juice - we had grapefruit juice, which we love and haven't seen on a menu forever. R: An omelet with Fuji apples, onions, brie and walnuts; B: Eggs Benedict with lox. There was also a basket of toast from their homemade breads - white, whole grain and raisin. We won't need lunch!
How We're Spending Our Day:
- Sleeping in;
- Reading the New york Times and the Boston Globe;
- Doing some financial stuff;
- Blogging and writing postcards;
- Catching up with emails; and
- Reading - Riley has downloaded a volume of Robert Frost to our Kindle, in honor of New England.
We plan to go spend some time at the local library - which is open until 9!!! - when the rain lets up, and will have an early dinner so that we can be on schedule for an early departure tomorrow.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Day 149, 10/4/10 - Bethel, VT to Lyme, NH
Just the Basics: We are in New Hampshire tonight - State Number 15 for us this trip! We biked 32 miles and climbed about 1600 feet - lots of steep ups and one place with a 13% downgrade! Today was sort of gray but we were still surrounded by lovely scenery. Fall colors everywhere, more farms and tiny villages with their white church steeples and village greens and little general stores, more rivers and streams, and one lovely pond - see Today's Photos.
Tonight we are in Dowd's Country Inn in Lyme, NH - about 20 miles from Hanover, where Dartmouth College is located. The main section of the Inn was built in the 1780s as a private home. Our room is called Marshland and is painted the palest of sage greens, with a pink, cream and pale green handmade quilt on the bed.
We had a wonderful dinner at Stella's Italian Kitchen and Market just two doors up the road from the inn. Last night we had gas station cheeseburgers, a beer and ice cream in our room (no restaurants open in town), so tonight you can imagine our delight with the following menu: Glasses of Switchback Beer - a New England Medium Ale; a shared spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, onions and Gorgonzola; a shared glass of chardonnay; pumpkin ravioli with honey crisp apples in a cider and browned butter sauce, topped with fine shreds of potato crisps (Becky) and chicken portabello with squash and red potatoes (Riley). We finished with decaf coffee and a shared bread pudding with cinnamon ice and caramel sauce. Mmmmmmm . . . .
Today's Photos: (1) A fine example of the stone walls we see everywhere; and (2) A particularly fine pond.
Tomorrow: We intend to go only about 22 miles, to North Haverhill, NH (dipping briefly back into VT as we go), BUT we do not yet have lodging there so you may see something else when we finish our day tomorrow! If things go as planned, this should be a fairly easy day, compared to the last two which definitely were not easy!
For Those Who Want More: That's it! Last night the church across the street from our B & B rang its bells every hour all night - 9 times, then 10, then 11, etc. There was also quite a bit of traffic. Although we were both beat after a hard ride, we were both still awake to hear them ring 11 times and Becky heard them again at 5 - and every hour thereafter. Riley heard them at 12, and then again every hour starting at 4 - so we are more than ready for a good night's sleep!
Tonight we are in Dowd's Country Inn in Lyme, NH - about 20 miles from Hanover, where Dartmouth College is located. The main section of the Inn was built in the 1780s as a private home. Our room is called Marshland and is painted the palest of sage greens, with a pink, cream and pale green handmade quilt on the bed.
We had a wonderful dinner at Stella's Italian Kitchen and Market just two doors up the road from the inn. Last night we had gas station cheeseburgers, a beer and ice cream in our room (no restaurants open in town), so tonight you can imagine our delight with the following menu: Glasses of Switchback Beer - a New England Medium Ale; a shared spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, onions and Gorgonzola; a shared glass of chardonnay; pumpkin ravioli with honey crisp apples in a cider and browned butter sauce, topped with fine shreds of potato crisps (Becky) and chicken portabello with squash and red potatoes (Riley). We finished with decaf coffee and a shared bread pudding with cinnamon ice and caramel sauce. Mmmmmmm . . . .
Today's Photos: (1) A fine example of the stone walls we see everywhere; and (2) A particularly fine pond.
Tomorrow: We intend to go only about 22 miles, to North Haverhill, NH (dipping briefly back into VT as we go), BUT we do not yet have lodging there so you may see something else when we finish our day tomorrow! If things go as planned, this should be a fairly easy day, compared to the last two which definitely were not easy!
For Those Who Want More: That's it! Last night the church across the street from our B & B rang its bells every hour all night - 9 times, then 10, then 11, etc. There was also quite a bit of traffic. Although we were both beat after a hard ride, we were both still awake to hear them ring 11 times and Becky heard them again at 5 - and every hour thereafter. Riley heard them at 12, and then again every hour starting at 4 - so we are more than ready for a good night's sleep!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Day 147, 10/2/10 - Ticonderoga, NY to Ripton, VT
Just the Basics: After two days of rain and weeks of overcast days that have muted the fall colors we've been seeing - today dawned crystal clear! We crossed by ferry from Ticonderoga New York into spectacular Vermont scenery, vividly sunlit. Beautiful hills and valleys, distant mountains in almost all directions, black and white cows, apple orchards, cider and maple syrup stands, the works! We rode 31 extremely hilly miles - definitely some challenging riding.
Our Adventure Cycling Route Map offered an alternate route which took us around Middlebury instead of through it. Although Middlebury is supposed to be very pretty, we had also heard that in addition to having fall color tourists on a Saturday, there was a lot of road construction going on, so we elected the alternate. There was supposed to be a 1.7 mile section which was gravel, but it had just been paved - Yay! The route was lovely - well paved and very lightly traveled. We rode through a swamp and over a covered bridge and past farm after farm - it was wonderful.
Tonight we're comfortably settled in to the Chipman Inn in the tiny town of Ripton, VT. It's far from any restaurant, but our hosts were perfectly willing to have us picnic in our room so we have planned another cheese, crackers, apples and wine dinner for ourselves. Bill and Sharon, our hosts, kindly provided wine glasses, plates and silver, which make it feel very special.
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) A Roadside Scene; (3) A Covered Bridge in Vermont; (4) Roadside View
Tomorrow: 34 miles to Bethel, VT (not ME), where we will stay at the Nestled Inn! We expect a fierce climb right out the door and then just some ups and downs - although there may be a fierce down after the fierce ascent. This Adventure Cycling map - the last for our trip - has a route elevation schematic, the first we have seen since the maps that got us through the Rockies! There's a fair amount of climbing between here and the end of the route. Yikes!
For Those Who Want More: That's it for today!
Our Adventure Cycling Route Map offered an alternate route which took us around Middlebury instead of through it. Although Middlebury is supposed to be very pretty, we had also heard that in addition to having fall color tourists on a Saturday, there was a lot of road construction going on, so we elected the alternate. There was supposed to be a 1.7 mile section which was gravel, but it had just been paved - Yay! The route was lovely - well paved and very lightly traveled. We rode through a swamp and over a covered bridge and past farm after farm - it was wonderful.
Tonight we're comfortably settled in to the Chipman Inn in the tiny town of Ripton, VT. It's far from any restaurant, but our hosts were perfectly willing to have us picnic in our room so we have planned another cheese, crackers, apples and wine dinner for ourselves. Bill and Sharon, our hosts, kindly provided wine glasses, plates and silver, which make it feel very special.
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) A Roadside Scene; (3) A Covered Bridge in Vermont; (4) Roadside View
Tomorrow: 34 miles to Bethel, VT (not ME), where we will stay at the Nestled Inn! We expect a fierce climb right out the door and then just some ups and downs - although there may be a fierce down after the fierce ascent. This Adventure Cycling map - the last for our trip - has a route elevation schematic, the first we have seen since the maps that got us through the Rockies! There's a fair amount of climbing between here and the end of the route. Yikes!
For Those Who Want More: That's it for today!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Day 144, 9/29/10 - Newcomb to Ticonderoga, NY
Just the Basics: 49 miles and something like 1500 feet of climbing. We only have three days ahead with a greater climb (1600, 1750, and 2000 feet) but each with fewer miles - 33, 24 and 34 miles, respectively.
We left at about 8:30 this morning and arrived at the Super 8 in Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain before 6 this evening.
When we resume our ride we will be taking a ferry across Lake Champlain into Vermont and starting on the last of Adventure Cycling's Northern Tier Route maps!
See For Those Who Want More for a few highlights of the day.
Today's Photos: (1) Our house at Aunt Polly's on 9/27 & 28, outside Newcomb; (2) The source of the Hudson River, in Newcomb; (3) Proof that we're not making that up; and (4) More fall color.
We have to say that our camera is not doing the fall colors justice. Although the days have mostly been gray, which makes for more subdued photos, the colors are much brighter and stronger than they appear to be in our pictures. At least twice today Riley announced that just the view at that moment made the entire trip worth it!
Tomorrow: To our disappointment, Thursday will be another layover day. = ( = ( The weather is not cooperating!
When we checked weather on TV last night, Thursday was supposed to be OK, but now they are predicting up to 5 inches of rain, starting sometime tonight and spread over the entire day tomorrow! A couple of folks have even told us that they heard predictions of snow for Saturday - but we have yet to see that online or on TV . . . YIKES!
For Those Who Want More: We have no big stories for today, but here are some interesting bits and pieces.
Leaving Newcomb: In the first few miles today we stopped 4 times on our way through Newcomb - which stretches out for several miles along NY Route 28 North:
(1) At a camp store to buy a paper;
(2) At the post office to mail 21 postcards and buy stamps - when we asked the clerk if the mail gets a Newcomb postmark she said she could stamp them herself - and got our postcards out of the bin where we had already deposited them and hand canceled all 21!
(3) At a very nice city park to use the restrooms - and, as it turned out, to admire a great view with a well-designed display panel which pointed out the 19 mountains visible from that spot!
(4) A stop at the local clinic, staffed by two physician's assistants, to check our directions. The clinic has a PA student doing a 5 week internship rotation there - she is staying at Aunt Polly's B & B which is also where our vacation home was - she came out and met us, too! We gather that the clinic regularly has students seeing practice there and they typically stay at Aunt Polly's.
Weather Reports: At all of our stops in Newcomb we asked what folks were hearing about the weather - they all thought it was changing for the worse, and the clerk at the Post Office had heard that it might snow on Saturday!
Later in the day we met a local cyclist - he said he hoped we weren't cycling tomorrow, as it was going to rain cats and dogs. At that point we called our motel to see if our room would be available Thursday, if needed (it was)!
We had a very late lunch - this is a very sparsely populated area and we foolishly passed up an eatery around noon - the next one didn't appear until Mile 36 - the Paradox General Store in (where else?) - Paradox. So - a "pair a docs" had lunch in Paradox. As we ate we chatted with the guy at the Deli counter - after a bit the other clerk said "You guys know about tomorrow's weather, right?" adding that no one should even drive tomorrow, let alone bike.
We stopped at a Rite Aid as we arrived in Ticonderoga - Becky needed contact lens solution - we buy it in small bottles, to save weight, so have to buy frequently. We also needed toothpaste - ditto on size - and new toothbrushes - we change them every two months on this trip because, among other things, they seldom have a chance to dry out properly between uses and even keeping the travel cases clean is a challenge. The clerk there had also heard that there might be snow on the weekend.
As you can see - folks are watchin' out for us!
We left at about 8:30 this morning and arrived at the Super 8 in Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain before 6 this evening.
When we resume our ride we will be taking a ferry across Lake Champlain into Vermont and starting on the last of Adventure Cycling's Northern Tier Route maps!
See For Those Who Want More for a few highlights of the day.
Today's Photos: (1) Our house at Aunt Polly's on 9/27 & 28, outside Newcomb; (2) The source of the Hudson River, in Newcomb; (3) Proof that we're not making that up; and (4) More fall color.
We have to say that our camera is not doing the fall colors justice. Although the days have mostly been gray, which makes for more subdued photos, the colors are much brighter and stronger than they appear to be in our pictures. At least twice today Riley announced that just the view at that moment made the entire trip worth it!
Tomorrow: To our disappointment, Thursday will be another layover day. = ( = ( The weather is not cooperating!
When we checked weather on TV last night, Thursday was supposed to be OK, but now they are predicting up to 5 inches of rain, starting sometime tonight and spread over the entire day tomorrow! A couple of folks have even told us that they heard predictions of snow for Saturday - but we have yet to see that online or on TV . . . YIKES!
For Those Who Want More: We have no big stories for today, but here are some interesting bits and pieces.
Leaving Newcomb: In the first few miles today we stopped 4 times on our way through Newcomb - which stretches out for several miles along NY Route 28 North:
(1) At a camp store to buy a paper;
(2) At the post office to mail 21 postcards and buy stamps - when we asked the clerk if the mail gets a Newcomb postmark she said she could stamp them herself - and got our postcards out of the bin where we had already deposited them and hand canceled all 21!
(3) At a very nice city park to use the restrooms - and, as it turned out, to admire a great view with a well-designed display panel which pointed out the 19 mountains visible from that spot!
(4) A stop at the local clinic, staffed by two physician's assistants, to check our directions. The clinic has a PA student doing a 5 week internship rotation there - she is staying at Aunt Polly's B & B which is also where our vacation home was - she came out and met us, too! We gather that the clinic regularly has students seeing practice there and they typically stay at Aunt Polly's.
Weather Reports: At all of our stops in Newcomb we asked what folks were hearing about the weather - they all thought it was changing for the worse, and the clerk at the Post Office had heard that it might snow on Saturday!
Later in the day we met a local cyclist - he said he hoped we weren't cycling tomorrow, as it was going to rain cats and dogs. At that point we called our motel to see if our room would be available Thursday, if needed (it was)!
We had a very late lunch - this is a very sparsely populated area and we foolishly passed up an eatery around noon - the next one didn't appear until Mile 36 - the Paradox General Store in (where else?) - Paradox. So - a "pair a docs" had lunch in Paradox. As we ate we chatted with the guy at the Deli counter - after a bit the other clerk said "You guys know about tomorrow's weather, right?" adding that no one should even drive tomorrow, let alone bike.
We stopped at a Rite Aid as we arrived in Ticonderoga - Becky needed contact lens solution - we buy it in small bottles, to save weight, so have to buy frequently. We also needed toothpaste - ditto on size - and new toothbrushes - we change them every two months on this trip because, among other things, they seldom have a chance to dry out properly between uses and even keeping the travel cases clean is a challenge. The clerk there had also heard that there might be snow on the weekend.
As you can see - folks are watchin' out for us!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Days 142-43, 9/27 & 28/10 - Long Lake to Newcomb, NY
NOTE, 9/28/10: We arrived in Newcomb on Monday, 9/27/10, planning to also be there on Tuesday the 28th as a layover day, as lots of rain and thunderstorms were predicted for Tuesday. Once again we were unable to connect to the Internet and our cell phones don’t seem to work anywhere in the Adirondacks, so we were unable to post on our blog on the 27th.
As we always do on such occasions, we called Becky’s sister Sarah on our satellite phone so she could let family members know that we were safe and where we were.
Today we discovered that our hosts Doug and Maggie have wireless in their house - and they invited us to sit in their kitchen and use our computer there, so we are able to post after all.
They will be off on their own vacation later today, so we will not be able to post again until we arrive at Ticonderoga on the evening of Wednesday, 9/29.
Here’s the Blog we wrote but couldn’t post!
Just the Basics: Monday, 9/27/10: Only 15 miles today – pretty hilly, as it turns out, although we had thought they wouldn’t be. We planned a short day today because it’s chilly and the roads are not only hilly but quite curvy and there was a good chance of rain in the p.m. and if we hadn’t stopped at the 15 mile point we’d have had to go 39 and climb 1130 feet and we weren’t sure we could beat the rain. This turns out to have been a good decision – it’s raining steadily as we type this up just after 3 p.m. on Monday. We are in a vacation-rental house at Aunt Polly’s B & B – the only place to stay in Newcomb. There’s supposed to be lots of rain and thunderstorms tomorrow so we will also take a layover day here tomorrow. It’s fun to be where we can cook.
There was far less traffic today than yesterday – we’re guessing a lot of yesterday’s traffic was folks heading home after drives out to see the fall colors or weekend holidays.
Today’s Photos: (1) Fall colors along the road from Long Lake to Newcomb; and (2) A Beaver Dam and Pond at Aunt Polly’s B & B, Newcomb, NY
Tomorrow (Thursday, 9/29/10): We hope to go about 45 miles to Ticonderoga, with a climb of about 1100 (+or– 200!) feet. We expect to stay in a Super 8 there.
For Those Who Want More:
Aunt Polly’s: Aunt Polly’s and its owners are a great example of the sort of way folks in rural areas cobble together a good living. The B & B is located on 75 acres and also has a single four-bedroom vacation rental. Many of their guests are hikers and bikers. They also have a stable and folks can hire wagon rides – we’re not sure what else is available there. The lady of the house also has a fabric store/quilting shop in the house and a small outbuilding labeled Aunt Polly’s Sweets apparently sells other local products – maple syrup and Balsam Bears are advertised on the sign. There are a couple of apple trees near the house and barn and we are hopefully watching for bear and deer to come by to eat apples – as they are reported to do. We are not sure of these details because our hosts are busy packing up their new RV, as early tomorrow morning they leave for a trip to see relatives in Iowa and Utah and so aren’t around to chat with as they might normally be.
Local Taxes – Local Perspectives: The combination of state and regional bed taxes equal more than 10% here – our hostess was not the first innkeeper who has apologized for this. She is particularly distressed by what we understand to be a 3% regional tax devoted to promoting tourism in the Adirondacks. She says the voters in Lake Placid outnumber the other Adirondack regions and they voted in the tax over objections in areas such as hers. We asked if they at least benefited from the investment – she said they did not but that right now this area was doing better than the more expensive resorts at Lake Placid.
Cooking: Breakfasts will be instant maple and brown sugar oatmeal with raisins and milk and possibly chopped apples, raisin toast, and coffee. Lunch both days: Hot dogs, B & M Baked Beans, B & M Brown Bread, and tea. Dinner both days: Grilled polenta and eggplant with Classico Four-Cheese Pasta Sauce, and veggies – Brussels sprouts one day and mashed yellow turnips (AKA rutabagas) the other. We also baked an apple pie and bought a can of Planter’s Mixed Nuts.
As we always do on such occasions, we called Becky’s sister Sarah on our satellite phone so she could let family members know that we were safe and where we were.
Today we discovered that our hosts Doug and Maggie have wireless in their house - and they invited us to sit in their kitchen and use our computer there, so we are able to post after all.
They will be off on their own vacation later today, so we will not be able to post again until we arrive at Ticonderoga on the evening of Wednesday, 9/29.
Here’s the Blog we wrote but couldn’t post!
Just the Basics: Monday, 9/27/10: Only 15 miles today – pretty hilly, as it turns out, although we had thought they wouldn’t be. We planned a short day today because it’s chilly and the roads are not only hilly but quite curvy and there was a good chance of rain in the p.m. and if we hadn’t stopped at the 15 mile point we’d have had to go 39 and climb 1130 feet and we weren’t sure we could beat the rain. This turns out to have been a good decision – it’s raining steadily as we type this up just after 3 p.m. on Monday. We are in a vacation-rental house at Aunt Polly’s B & B – the only place to stay in Newcomb. There’s supposed to be lots of rain and thunderstorms tomorrow so we will also take a layover day here tomorrow. It’s fun to be where we can cook.
There was far less traffic today than yesterday – we’re guessing a lot of yesterday’s traffic was folks heading home after drives out to see the fall colors or weekend holidays.
Today’s Photos: (1) Fall colors along the road from Long Lake to Newcomb; and (2) A Beaver Dam and Pond at Aunt Polly’s B & B, Newcomb, NY
Tomorrow (Thursday, 9/29/10): We hope to go about 45 miles to Ticonderoga, with a climb of about 1100 (+or– 200!) feet. We expect to stay in a Super 8 there.
For Those Who Want More:
Aunt Polly’s: Aunt Polly’s and its owners are a great example of the sort of way folks in rural areas cobble together a good living. The B & B is located on 75 acres and also has a single four-bedroom vacation rental. Many of their guests are hikers and bikers. They also have a stable and folks can hire wagon rides – we’re not sure what else is available there. The lady of the house also has a fabric store/quilting shop in the house and a small outbuilding labeled Aunt Polly’s Sweets apparently sells other local products – maple syrup and Balsam Bears are advertised on the sign. There are a couple of apple trees near the house and barn and we are hopefully watching for bear and deer to come by to eat apples – as they are reported to do. We are not sure of these details because our hosts are busy packing up their new RV, as early tomorrow morning they leave for a trip to see relatives in Iowa and Utah and so aren’t around to chat with as they might normally be.
Local Taxes – Local Perspectives: The combination of state and regional bed taxes equal more than 10% here – our hostess was not the first innkeeper who has apologized for this. She is particularly distressed by what we understand to be a 3% regional tax devoted to promoting tourism in the Adirondacks. She says the voters in Lake Placid outnumber the other Adirondack regions and they voted in the tax over objections in areas such as hers. We asked if they at least benefited from the investment – she said they did not but that right now this area was doing better than the more expensive resorts at Lake Placid.
Cooking: Breakfasts will be instant maple and brown sugar oatmeal with raisins and milk and possibly chopped apples, raisin toast, and coffee. Lunch both days: Hot dogs, B & M Baked Beans, B & M Brown Bread, and tea. Dinner both days: Grilled polenta and eggplant with Classico Four-Cheese Pasta Sauce, and veggies – Brussels sprouts one day and mashed yellow turnips (AKA rutabagas) the other. We also baked an apple pie and bought a can of Planter’s Mixed Nuts.
Luckily, there was some sugar in the kitchen - Becky had it on her shopping list but somehow neglected to buy any. We bummed some tapioca from our hostess for the pie – there was none at the store and it seemed ridiculous to buy 5 lbs of flour so as to get 2 tablespoons to thicken a pie. Luckily, there was also some cinnamon in the kitchen – after we shopped Becky discovered to her horror that her prized selection of spices had been sent back to Washington in the last frenzy of load-lightening! This means our Brussels sprouts will not be seasoned with olive oil and cumin seeds as planned – just olive oil!
Grocery Shopping: Grocery shopping in Newcomb was quite the adventure! There is a little campground store nearby, but on the advice of our hosts, we gratefully accepted the loan of their truck and drove 3 miles or so to the other store in town. It was fascinating. It was absolutely crammed with groceries, hardware, and sundries.
The storage of items reflected the complications of maintaining a diverse inventory in a small town with severe weather: Sacks of flour were in Ziploc bags (Mice? Bugs? Moisture?) Bags of beans were in the refrigerator case. There were a few Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts in a fridge and a few more in a freezer. There were three different chest freezers with a surprising variety of frozen foods, including some of the health-food sort.
We were delighted to find B & M baked beans and brown bread, frozen Brussels sprouts and frozen rutabaga – something we had never seen before. We suspect these are all signs that we are getting close to New England! The store was really overflowing and paperwork and some items for sale were spread all over the checkout stand. We just set our selections on top of the stuff already there and were checked out.
The grocery store had no wine or beer but the bar in town sells 6 packs so we stopped there. When Becky went in she was greeted by a man sitting at the counter. She then stood there for a bit and finally asked if he was the proprietor or a customer. He hollered “Chrissy” into the back but no one appeared. He then asked what she wanted and went behind the counter to get the Labatt’s Blue she requested – pulling the bottles out 1 by 1 from the fridge, observing that he was checking to be sure none were Labatt’s Light, and setting them in a Heineken carton which he pulled out from under the bar.
At that point Chrissy appeared and took over the payment part of the transaction! Becky thanked her and noted that she had a great assistant – she grinned at him and said he was useful to have around.
We Visit A Beaver Dam: When he was showing us around, our host Doug gave Riley directions for a 15 minute hike to a beaver dam. We hiked over in the rain in the late afternoon, along trails beautifully decorated with fallen yellow and scarlet leaves. The dam was amazing – 60-70 feet in length and creating a huge pond about 8 feet above the level of the stream. The small amount of water escaping through the dam had a wonderfully musical sound. It is astounding that animals can create such a structure.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Day 140, 9/25/10 - Boonville to Inlet, NY
Just the Basics: 41 miles through beautiful fall colors in the Adirondacks. We climbed nearly 1500 feet and got rained on and generally had a fantastic day.
We celebrated our 4000th mile today - we are so happy to have come this far! We are also thinking of altering our choice of final destination - we may decide to end our trip in Portland, Maine, instead of Bar Harbor, Maine, thereby saving about 160 miles and increasing the chance that we will actually make it coast to coast. Stay tuned!
Tonight we are at the Cinnamon Bear B & B just outside the little Adirondack town of Inlet on the Fulton Chain Lakes. It is utterly charming and we even have an electric candle in the window of our room which we left turned on when we walked to dinner so we could come home in the dark and see a candle lit in our window. When we got back from dinner at a nearby restaurant we found our host sitting in front of the fire with the other guests - a family of 3 - drinking tea and hot chocolate and visiting. We joined in and spent a very peaceful hour or so chatting and blogging and sipping tea with honey.
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) Ditto - fall is here!
Tomorrow: We will probably go about 33 miles to Long Lake, NY. We have yet to arrange for lodging - if we know before we leave in the morning we'll update the blog.
For Those Who Want More: There isn't really any more - it's just been a day of pretty stiff riding but in a beautiful environment and a generally good day.
We celebrated our 4000th mile today - we are so happy to have come this far! We are also thinking of altering our choice of final destination - we may decide to end our trip in Portland, Maine, instead of Bar Harbor, Maine, thereby saving about 160 miles and increasing the chance that we will actually make it coast to coast. Stay tuned!
Tonight we are at the Cinnamon Bear B & B just outside the little Adirondack town of Inlet on the Fulton Chain Lakes. It is utterly charming and we even have an electric candle in the window of our room which we left turned on when we walked to dinner so we could come home in the dark and see a candle lit in our window. When we got back from dinner at a nearby restaurant we found our host sitting in front of the fire with the other guests - a family of 3 - drinking tea and hot chocolate and visiting. We joined in and spent a very peaceful hour or so chatting and blogging and sipping tea with honey.
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) Ditto - fall is here!
Tomorrow: We will probably go about 33 miles to Long Lake, NY. We have yet to arrange for lodging - if we know before we leave in the morning we'll update the blog.
For Those Who Want More: There isn't really any more - it's just been a day of pretty stiff riding but in a beautiful environment and a generally good day.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Day 136, 9/21/10 - Fair Haven Beach State Park to Pulaski, NY
Just the Basics: Wednesday, 9/22/10: We have updated Tomorrow to let you know what we are doing today (Wednesday)!
47 miles. Hilly but OK. We took some steps to make it easier to climb hills - we threw away or sent home about 6 1/2 pounds of stuff and then Riley took about 8 pounds of the remaining weight from Becky's bike - it helped. We feel less discouraged - BTW, thanks, Heather, for your words of encouragement!
It's late and we're beat so just some highlights:
For Wednesday, 9/22: We awoke to rain and it is still raining and a fair amount of rain is predicted for the next couple of weeks. BOTHER! We considered taking a layover day but decided to plow ahead - especially when we found a great-sounding cabin with a kitchen in Redfield, which is where we planned to go today anyway, had it not rained. We will be at the Crossroads Inn and Cabins in Redfield (pop 607).
It is only about 17-18 miles from here, but with about 800 feet of climbing, and it will put us in position for 1000 feet in about 23 miles on the next riding day.
We are in a sparsely populated area and there aren't many places to stay in the next 100 miles or so . . .
For Those Who Want More: There isn't any more!
47 miles. Hilly but OK. We took some steps to make it easier to climb hills - we threw away or sent home about 6 1/2 pounds of stuff and then Riley took about 8 pounds of the remaining weight from Becky's bike - it helped. We feel less discouraged - BTW, thanks, Heather, for your words of encouragement!
It's late and we're beat so just some highlights:
- Up at 7:30 for one of our favorite camping/cabin-type activities: A coffee walk. We made our Starbucks Instant while we dressed, then, coffees in hand, strolled around the campground enjoying the emergence of fall, the busy gray squirrels, the sounds of geese taking off for the day and the sight of 2 large white birds floating majestically on the opposite side of the pond - too far away to tell if they were pelicans or swans.
- Great cabin breakfast: 2 packages each of instant oatmeal (1 each of raisin/date walnut and of maple with brown sugar), to which we added raisins, fresh nectarines and liquid milk - since we had a fridge we could have milk = ) = )!
- Seven deer crossing the road as we rode out of the park;
- Climbing hill after hill and just taking them as they came.
- Second breakfast at Kit's Cafe in Hannibal (?): Corned beef hash, eggs, good homemade bread toast, and coffee - good thing, because we didn't really have lunch - just a couple of snacks.
- Rushing to beat the rain that never came, although it threatened and sprinkled a bit much of the day.
- Crossing the Salmon River in Pulaski and seeing a whole line of fisherman hip-deep in water, fishing. There are signs up on many businesses, bars and motels welcoming the fishermen, and the restaurant was full of them at dinner.
- Admiring the full moon as we walked to dinner.
For Wednesday, 9/22: We awoke to rain and it is still raining and a fair amount of rain is predicted for the next couple of weeks. BOTHER! We considered taking a layover day but decided to plow ahead - especially when we found a great-sounding cabin with a kitchen in Redfield, which is where we planned to go today anyway, had it not rained. We will be at the Crossroads Inn and Cabins in Redfield (pop 607).
It is only about 17-18 miles from here, but with about 800 feet of climbing, and it will put us in position for 1000 feet in about 23 miles on the next riding day.
We are in a sparsely populated area and there aren't many places to stay in the next 100 miles or so . . .
For Those Who Want More: There isn't any more!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Day 135, 9/20/10 - Sodus Point to Fair Haven Beach State Park, NY
Just the Basics: 26 sobering miles. We got a late start and stopped early due to lodging complications - but this is VERY HILLY country and the hills are pretty steep. Tomorrow we HAVE to do about 800 feet of climbing and 44 miles in order to get to the next motel.
We are discouraged.
Tonight we are in a cabin in Fair Haven Beach State Park on Lake Ontario, just past the village of Fair Haven. The cabin has no water but the bathrooms are nearby - and it does have: Heat, lights, a stove, and a fridge. There are 4 single bunks with mattresses but no bedding - we will put a couple of the mattresses on the floor and sleep in our sleeping bags. There are no dishes or pots and pans, but our camping stuff is sufficient. The park is beautiful - very well cared for with spacious lawns, a bay, a pond and a marsh, in addition to Lake Ontario; and wooded areas as well as the grassy cabin area, campsites and picnic areas.
Today's Photos: (1) The Maxwell Creek Inn B & B - a Cobblestone House; (2) Cobblestone House Closeup (see For Those Who Want More for info on Cobblestone Houses.); and (3) Scene from the road.
Tomorrow: We go about 44 miles to a Super 8 in Pulaski, NY. To our shock, the cheapest room is about $133 with tax, even with an AAA discount - seems it's salmon fishing season . . . . Yikes!
For Those Who Want More:
Maxwell Creek Inn B & B: Our hostess Belinda McElroy sat with us at breakfast and told us lots about her remarkable home. Here's a taste of what we heard:
Great Folks in Fair Haven: We stopped at a convenience store/gas station in Fair Haven around 4:30, to get a snack and try to confirm lodging in Oswego - we were going off route in order to find any place to stay within a reasonable distance. The folks we met in the store were great and super helpful:
R.L. Murray: R.L., an 11th grade history teacher and enthusiastic biker, came in, asking us if we were riding The Northern Tier (we are) or around the Lakes - and in which direction. He wanted to let us know about a closed road we might encounter! He then gave great advice on a less hilly way to get to Oswego and lots of info about it, and drew us a map. He also suggested several places to stay and to eat in Fair Haven if we decided to stop where we were for the day, and gave us his phone number in case we needed anything! He also took our canister and a can of camp stove fuel - we are sending a bunch of stuff back to WA, including our stove, but can't ship fuel. We offered it to him as a gift but it turned out to be the wrong kind for his stove - he said he'd find someone to use it!
Sheila and Family: We hope we have her name right - it might have been Sylvia and we can't find where we wrote it down. If she reads this and we have it wrong, we apologize! Sheila was also at the convenience store - her daughter-in-law works there and she brought a granddaughter in for some mac & cheese (today's lunch item). We had stopped at the counter to find out where one of the recommended motels was - turned out it was closed for the season. Shelia has lived here all her life. Long story short, she:
We are discouraged.
Tonight we are in a cabin in Fair Haven Beach State Park on Lake Ontario, just past the village of Fair Haven. The cabin has no water but the bathrooms are nearby - and it does have: Heat, lights, a stove, and a fridge. There are 4 single bunks with mattresses but no bedding - we will put a couple of the mattresses on the floor and sleep in our sleeping bags. There are no dishes or pots and pans, but our camping stuff is sufficient. The park is beautiful - very well cared for with spacious lawns, a bay, a pond and a marsh, in addition to Lake Ontario; and wooded areas as well as the grassy cabin area, campsites and picnic areas.
Today's Photos: (1) The Maxwell Creek Inn B & B - a Cobblestone House; (2) Cobblestone House Closeup (see For Those Who Want More for info on Cobblestone Houses.); and (3) Scene from the road.
Tomorrow: We go about 44 miles to a Super 8 in Pulaski, NY. To our shock, the cheapest room is about $133 with tax, even with an AAA discount - seems it's salmon fishing season . . . . Yikes!
For Those Who Want More:
Maxwell Creek Inn B & B: Our hostess Belinda McElroy sat with us at breakfast and told us lots about her remarkable home. Here's a taste of what we heard:
- It was built in 1846 by William Swale as a wedding gift for his daughter Elizabeth and remained in family hands until the fairly recent past.
- It is a Cobblestone Home - a building style unique to this part of New York. There were three distinct phases of cobblestone houses - the stones came primarily from the digging which created the Erie Canal. Theirs belongs to the second phase. The inner walls are made mainly of large cobbles and mortar and some bricks, the outer layer is composed of very regular small cobbles (maybe 4 inches across on the exposed side) in regular rows with mortar applied in a very specific way known as "pointing" - craftsman in the area who know this technique do the repairs to this day.
- It is highly likely that the house was used as a station on the Underground Railroad! The family was active in the abolition movement and there was a secret compartment behind the fireplace in the kitchen with a tunnel leading out into the woods!
Great Folks in Fair Haven: We stopped at a convenience store/gas station in Fair Haven around 4:30, to get a snack and try to confirm lodging in Oswego - we were going off route in order to find any place to stay within a reasonable distance. The folks we met in the store were great and super helpful:
R.L. Murray: R.L., an 11th grade history teacher and enthusiastic biker, came in, asking us if we were riding The Northern Tier (we are) or around the Lakes - and in which direction. He wanted to let us know about a closed road we might encounter! He then gave great advice on a less hilly way to get to Oswego and lots of info about it, and drew us a map. He also suggested several places to stay and to eat in Fair Haven if we decided to stop where we were for the day, and gave us his phone number in case we needed anything! He also took our canister and a can of camp stove fuel - we are sending a bunch of stuff back to WA, including our stove, but can't ship fuel. We offered it to him as a gift but it turned out to be the wrong kind for his stove - he said he'd find someone to use it!
Sheila and Family: We hope we have her name right - it might have been Sylvia and we can't find where we wrote it down. If she reads this and we have it wrong, we apologize! Sheila was also at the convenience store - her daughter-in-law works there and she brought a granddaughter in for some mac & cheese (today's lunch item). We had stopped at the counter to find out where one of the recommended motels was - turned out it was closed for the season. Shelia has lived here all her life. Long story short, she:
- Recommended a couple of B & Bs and called them on our behalf - no answer.
- Suggested we stay in a cabin in Fair Haven Beach State Park. Her son is the maintenance man there. His wife (who works in the store) called them, since she knows the staff there very well and they were about to close.
- Shelia said she'd drive us to the park and back so we could register, if they could wait a few minutes for us. They could and she did - we could never have biked there in time.
- Once we registered and paid, she drove us to the cabin so we'd know how to find it when we biked back, then drove us around to see the Bay, and then drove us back to our bikes!
- We took off quickly, stopped briefly for groceries, and biked to our cabin - incredible!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Day 132, 9/17/10 - Lockport to Albion, NY
Just the Basics: Updated 9/18/10! See For Those Who Want More.
33 miles today, most of it on the Erie Canalway Trail. Riding the Trail turns out to be slower than riding on roads, due to the surface, which is mainly packed powdered stone - which is still wet from yesterday's day-long rain. Sort of like riding on a not-quite-hard oatmeal cookie heavily dusted with sugar. Not like riding on sand, but definitely sticky - you have to sort of plow through. Also considerable mud and some big gravel. That said - great scenery and NO CARS.
It's been a nice day and we'll be back with more later - maybe tomorrow - but it's Friday night and we're going to watch a movie. = ) = )
Today's Pictures: We've got 'em and we'll get some posted, but not tonight. Note on 9/18: Posted with 9/18 post.
Tomorrow: 35-40 miles on the Trail to a Comfort Inn in Rochester.
For Those Who Want More:
Weather: Chilly - high of 62 predicted for the day. Wore our coats most of the morning and stopped at a hardware store in Lockport and each bought lightweight one-size-fits-all brown cotton gloves for $2 a pair to wear under our biking gloves. AHH! The hardware store was wonderful - old fashioned no-nonsense hardware and lots of it, with a workbench in the middle where a guy was very busy repairing old-fashioned wood-framed window screens.
Erie Canal Interpretive Center: We spent about an hour at the Center before leaving town. It's based in an old stone building near the Erie Canal. There are a nice gift shop and a few historic items but the current focus is a very well done multi-media presentation, based on an enormous historic painting of the celebration which occurred in the town when the canal was opened. The painting shows a large crowd in Lockport standing above the canal with some notable historic persons in the foreground, including the Chief Engineer. A canalboat is below, carrying Gov. DeWitt Clinton, the "Father of the Canal," and barrels of Lake Erie water which he was carrying along the canal to the Hudson River to dump into the river, symbolically "marrying" Lake Erie to the Harbor.
Visitors begin their experience sitting in front of the painting with a staff member reviewing some of the canal's history and the history of the painting. Then the lights are dimmed and in front of your eyes the chief engineer appears to step out of the painting and begins describing the work of creating the canal - it's astoundingly well done!
Encounters: On the way out of the Canal Interpretive Center we had a nice long chat about our trip with Karen and Burnell, a couple about our age. Burnell is also a blogger - he does a sort of daily journal as away to keep in touch with their kids! Later in the day we met Michael and Ronnie, also in our age range, who were out for a bike ride. Michael is one power-biker. He has biked across this country and much of Europe, the former Soviet Union, China, and Africa - and will set out for South America shortly. He bikes to raise money to fight breast cancer - astounding and humbling!
Lunch: We had lunch at the Talk of the Town in Gasport (?? we think??). We had gotten off the trail to look for a place to eat and saw only a bar. A guy rode up on a motorcycle and asked about our ride - turned out he once rode his bicycle from Alaska to California; we told him that Riley once rode his motorcycle from California to Alaska - how's that for symmetry? We asked him to recommend a place for lunch - without hesitation he said he'd lead us to a great place and took us right to the Talk of the Town. Riley had a tuna melt and Becky had a roast beef melt and we shared a salad. Riley then had cherry pie and Becky had tapioca which Riley helped her finish. YUM!
33 miles today, most of it on the Erie Canalway Trail. Riding the Trail turns out to be slower than riding on roads, due to the surface, which is mainly packed powdered stone - which is still wet from yesterday's day-long rain. Sort of like riding on a not-quite-hard oatmeal cookie heavily dusted with sugar. Not like riding on sand, but definitely sticky - you have to sort of plow through. Also considerable mud and some big gravel. That said - great scenery and NO CARS.
It's been a nice day and we'll be back with more later - maybe tomorrow - but it's Friday night and we're going to watch a movie. = ) = )
Today's Pictures: We've got 'em and we'll get some posted, but not tonight. Note on 9/18: Posted with 9/18 post.
Tomorrow: 35-40 miles on the Trail to a Comfort Inn in Rochester.
For Those Who Want More:
Weather: Chilly - high of 62 predicted for the day. Wore our coats most of the morning and stopped at a hardware store in Lockport and each bought lightweight one-size-fits-all brown cotton gloves for $2 a pair to wear under our biking gloves. AHH! The hardware store was wonderful - old fashioned no-nonsense hardware and lots of it, with a workbench in the middle where a guy was very busy repairing old-fashioned wood-framed window screens.
Erie Canal Interpretive Center: We spent about an hour at the Center before leaving town. It's based in an old stone building near the Erie Canal. There are a nice gift shop and a few historic items but the current focus is a very well done multi-media presentation, based on an enormous historic painting of the celebration which occurred in the town when the canal was opened. The painting shows a large crowd in Lockport standing above the canal with some notable historic persons in the foreground, including the Chief Engineer. A canalboat is below, carrying Gov. DeWitt Clinton, the "Father of the Canal," and barrels of Lake Erie water which he was carrying along the canal to the Hudson River to dump into the river, symbolically "marrying" Lake Erie to the Harbor.
Visitors begin their experience sitting in front of the painting with a staff member reviewing some of the canal's history and the history of the painting. Then the lights are dimmed and in front of your eyes the chief engineer appears to step out of the painting and begins describing the work of creating the canal - it's astoundingly well done!
Encounters: On the way out of the Canal Interpretive Center we had a nice long chat about our trip with Karen and Burnell, a couple about our age. Burnell is also a blogger - he does a sort of daily journal as away to keep in touch with their kids! Later in the day we met Michael and Ronnie, also in our age range, who were out for a bike ride. Michael is one power-biker. He has biked across this country and much of Europe, the former Soviet Union, China, and Africa - and will set out for South America shortly. He bikes to raise money to fight breast cancer - astounding and humbling!
Lunch: We had lunch at the Talk of the Town in Gasport (?? we think??). We had gotten off the trail to look for a place to eat and saw only a bar. A guy rode up on a motorcycle and asked about our ride - turned out he once rode his bicycle from Alaska to California; we told him that Riley once rode his motorcycle from California to Alaska - how's that for symmetry? We asked him to recommend a place for lunch - without hesitation he said he'd lead us to a great place and took us right to the Talk of the Town. Riley had a tuna melt and Becky had a roast beef melt and we shared a salad. Riley then had cherry pie and Becky had tapioca which Riley helped her finish. YUM!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Day 131, 9/16/10 - Lockport, NY
Just the Basics: We are taking a layover day in Lockport. The weather forecast calls for rain all day, with a significant chance of thunderstorms. No thunderstorms yet but it poured most of the day!
No Photos Today:
Tomorrow: We ride about 31 miles to Albion, where we will stay at Dollinger's Motel. From Lockport we start a 90 mile segment of New York's 380 mile Erie Canalway Trail. Here's some info about this amazing car-free trail which will run from Albany to Buffalo when it is completed (currently about 3/4 done,we understand). The information about the trail is from the website of Parks & Trails New York at: http://www.ptny.org/bikecanal/
"About the Erie Canalway Trail
The approximately 380-mile Erie Canalway Trail route runs east-west between the cities of Albany and Buffalo in upstate New York. Along the way, it links the cities of Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, and Schenectady.
The trail is mostly level with an average grade of 1%, since it primarily follows canal and rail corridors. There are a few steeper grades and hills (climbs greater than 400 feet), mostly in the Mohawk River Valley.
Surface
The off-road segments of the Erie Canalway Trail route have different surfaces. Most of the trail is surfaced in stone dust, although there are significant paved sections and a few "natural" segments. The stone dust surface is comprised of crushed limestone, which, when compacted and dry, is hard like pavement and is universally accessible. However, when newly installed or wet, it can ‘grab’ the narrow wheels of touring and racing bicycles and wheelchairs. Wheeled users should use caution under the above conditions. The asphalt surfacing is similar to most paved roads.
Because stone dust is the most common surface type, wide tires are preferable for all types of bicycles and the use of a hybrid or mountain bike with non-knobby tires is recommended.
Natural surfacing basically means that the old towpath or rail corridor has been cleared of trees and brush. The trail tread along many of the natural segments is rutted and lined with roots. Persons riding bikes that aren’t equipped with wider tires and shocks or suspension will find these sections uncomfortable to ride at anything much above a walking pace and may want to seek out alternate on-road options. "
For Those Who Want More: This was a stay-in-and-work sort of day - email, work on finances, did some political stuff, etc. We ate a motel breakfast, and had lunch in our room from food we are carrying: peanut butter sandwiches, unheated canned green beans (That's OK - we actually enjoy unheated canned veggies in this sort of situation!), hot tea (there's a coffee pot in our room) and a shared cookie - one of the big ones we got as a gift yesterday from the Two Sisters Cafe in Orchard Park. Snacks: Hot beverages, the other cookie, and our last 2 apples - we gotta grocery shop tomorrow! Dinner at the nearby Mexican restaurant where we ate last night.
No Photos Today:
Tomorrow: We ride about 31 miles to Albion, where we will stay at Dollinger's Motel. From Lockport we start a 90 mile segment of New York's 380 mile Erie Canalway Trail. Here's some info about this amazing car-free trail which will run from Albany to Buffalo when it is completed (currently about 3/4 done,we understand). The information about the trail is from the website of Parks & Trails New York at: http://www.ptny.org/bikecanal/
"About the Erie Canalway Trail
The approximately 380-mile Erie Canalway Trail route runs east-west between the cities of Albany and Buffalo in upstate New York. Along the way, it links the cities of Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, and Schenectady.
The trail is mostly level with an average grade of 1%, since it primarily follows canal and rail corridors. There are a few steeper grades and hills (climbs greater than 400 feet), mostly in the Mohawk River Valley.
Surface
The off-road segments of the Erie Canalway Trail route have different surfaces. Most of the trail is surfaced in stone dust, although there are significant paved sections and a few "natural" segments. The stone dust surface is comprised of crushed limestone, which, when compacted and dry, is hard like pavement and is universally accessible. However, when newly installed or wet, it can ‘grab’ the narrow wheels of touring and racing bicycles and wheelchairs. Wheeled users should use caution under the above conditions. The asphalt surfacing is similar to most paved roads.
Because stone dust is the most common surface type, wide tires are preferable for all types of bicycles and the use of a hybrid or mountain bike with non-knobby tires is recommended.
Natural surfacing basically means that the old towpath or rail corridor has been cleared of trees and brush. The trail tread along many of the natural segments is rutted and lined with roots. Persons riding bikes that aren’t equipped with wider tires and shocks or suspension will find these sections uncomfortable to ride at anything much above a walking pace and may want to seek out alternate on-road options. "
For Those Who Want More: This was a stay-in-and-work sort of day - email, work on finances, did some political stuff, etc. We ate a motel breakfast, and had lunch in our room from food we are carrying: peanut butter sandwiches, unheated canned green beans (That's OK - we actually enjoy unheated canned veggies in this sort of situation!), hot tea (there's a coffee pot in our room) and a shared cookie - one of the big ones we got as a gift yesterday from the Two Sisters Cafe in Orchard Park. Snacks: Hot beverages, the other cookie, and our last 2 apples - we gotta grocery shop tomorrow! Dinner at the nearby Mexican restaurant where we ate last night.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Day 129, 9/14/10 - Dunkirk to Hamburg, NY
Just the Basics: 41 miles - not the cheery sort we had yesterday! The roads mostly had no shoulders and were somewhat busy but it was a pretty day and we still had a good time. Our route took us through a part of the Cattaragus Indian Reservation and was never far from Lake Erie. Near the end of the day we started seeing the end of Lake Erie, with Buffalo on its shores, in the distance ahead.
No long stories to tell today, but see For Those Who Want More for some short ones!
Today's Photos: None today.
Tomorrow: About 45 miles to Lockport, where we will pick up the Erie Canalway Trail which we will then follow for about 90 miles in the days to come.
For Those Who Want More:
Lyle, in Silver Creek: We stopped at a grocery store in Silver Creek and met Lyle in the parking lot. He had lots of questions about our ride and told us about his first good bike - he bought a British-made black 3-speed Indian for $25 he'd earned helping his grandfather do some sort of farm work that involved horses pulling the equipment - he said it was the Rolls Royce of bikes in those days. We also learned a great saying from him: "A yard is hard but an inch is a cinch!" Lyle says this applies to both life and bike rides.
Muffins & Coffee in Silver Creek: We stopped at a little cafe for muffins and coffee. We had a great chat with the owner about the history of her small business which a daughter and son-in-law started about a year ago. She babysat for the kids until it became clear that it might make more sense for the parents to resume their old jobs in management with a chain restaurant - which allowed them to care for the kids themselves - and for her to buy and run the restaurant - so that's what they did! She told us she's wanted her own business since she was 13!
Lunch in Evangola State Park: We stopped on the shore of Lake Erie for our picnic lunch. A large group of folks was picnicking together - mostly young people but not entirely. One of the picnickers came to ask about our trip. Turned out she is a nursing instructor in a Job Corps program which trains Licensed Practical Nurses. She said the group is nearing graduation and she decided they really needed a break - so she invited the whole class to the park for a picnic day! Pretty neat.
No long stories to tell today, but see For Those Who Want More for some short ones!
Today's Photos: None today.
Tomorrow: About 45 miles to Lockport, where we will pick up the Erie Canalway Trail which we will then follow for about 90 miles in the days to come.
For Those Who Want More:
Lyle, in Silver Creek: We stopped at a grocery store in Silver Creek and met Lyle in the parking lot. He had lots of questions about our ride and told us about his first good bike - he bought a British-made black 3-speed Indian for $25 he'd earned helping his grandfather do some sort of farm work that involved horses pulling the equipment - he said it was the Rolls Royce of bikes in those days. We also learned a great saying from him: "A yard is hard but an inch is a cinch!" Lyle says this applies to both life and bike rides.
Muffins & Coffee in Silver Creek: We stopped at a little cafe for muffins and coffee. We had a great chat with the owner about the history of her small business which a daughter and son-in-law started about a year ago. She babysat for the kids until it became clear that it might make more sense for the parents to resume their old jobs in management with a chain restaurant - which allowed them to care for the kids themselves - and for her to buy and run the restaurant - so that's what they did! She told us she's wanted her own business since she was 13!
Lunch in Evangola State Park: We stopped on the shore of Lake Erie for our picnic lunch. A large group of folks was picnicking together - mostly young people but not entirely. One of the picnickers came to ask about our trip. Turned out she is a nursing instructor in a Job Corps program which trains Licensed Practical Nurses. She said the group is nearing graduation and she decided they really needed a break - so she invited the whole class to the park for a picnic day! Pretty neat.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Day 127, 9/12/10 - Conneaut, OH to Near PA State Roads 5 & 89
Just the Basics: 43 miles on generally great roads with excellent shoulders, and some bike trail - although we experienced some confusion trying to follow our map through Erie, PA.
Tonight we are in a cute little cabin on Lake Erie at the Lakeview on the Lake Motel, about 5 miles west of the intersection of PA State Roads 5 and 89. We're rather far from any restaurants so had a "motel picnic" for dinner. Appetizers: Fresh local Concord grapes we bought at a stand about a mile before we got here, almonds, and Starbucks instant de-caf, which we enjoyed sitting in Adirondack chairs looking out over Lake Erie. Main Meal: Backpacking Mac & Cheese and a lovely fresh tomato given to us yesterday by Cousin Deb; Dessert: Fresh peaches (also a gift from Cousins Deb and Larry), cookies, and Peach-Spice Herbal Tea. = ) = )
We saw a cardinal today when we stopped for lunch! It was either a female or a juvenile, but definitely a cardinal. Lunch, by the way, was great. It was at a bar & grill but we shared a wonderful vegetable pannini (eggplant, tomato, peppers, onions, cheese, etc.) and a great bowl of homemade potato-bacon soup. YUM!
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) Our Quaker Heritage!
Tomorrow: About 40 miles to a Clarion Hotel on the outskirts of Dunkirk, PA
For Those Who Want More: That's it for today.
Tonight we are in a cute little cabin on Lake Erie at the Lakeview on the Lake Motel, about 5 miles west of the intersection of PA State Roads 5 and 89. We're rather far from any restaurants so had a "motel picnic" for dinner. Appetizers: Fresh local Concord grapes we bought at a stand about a mile before we got here, almonds, and Starbucks instant de-caf, which we enjoyed sitting in Adirondack chairs looking out over Lake Erie. Main Meal: Backpacking Mac & Cheese and a lovely fresh tomato given to us yesterday by Cousin Deb; Dessert: Fresh peaches (also a gift from Cousins Deb and Larry), cookies, and Peach-Spice Herbal Tea. = ) = )
We saw a cardinal today when we stopped for lunch! It was either a female or a juvenile, but definitely a cardinal. Lunch, by the way, was great. It was at a bar & grill but we shared a wonderful vegetable pannini (eggplant, tomato, peppers, onions, cheese, etc.) and a great bowl of homemade potato-bacon soup. YUM!
Today's Photos: (1) Speaks for itself; (2) Our Quaker Heritage!
Tomorrow: About 40 miles to a Clarion Hotel on the outskirts of Dunkirk, PA
For Those Who Want More: That's it for today.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Day 126, 9/11/10 - Ashtabula to Conneaut, OH
Just the Basics: Just 20 miles today - riding conditions similar to the challenging ones we've had for the last several days - windy, hilly roads with no shoulders and lots of traffic. In addition, there's a big gathering of Harley-Davidson riders in Geneva on the Lake, a town in this area, and there have been lots of them on the roads in the last couple of days. Nice folks, careful of cyclists, and, as we've noted in the past, folks with whom we have some things in common - we love the outdoors, love to tour, and love the freedom of our chosen ways of travel. Indeed, a case in point - we stopped by a road to let traffic pass and consult our maps and a motorcycle rider saw us, turned around and came back to see if we were OK - he was on a very elegant Honda. That said, Harleys are SO noisy, especially in large groups if you are riding a bike as they pass!
This was really less than a half a day of riding. We didn't leave Becky's cousins until late in the morning, having had a wonderful visit, and barely got our rental car back to Enterprise in Ashtabula before they closed at noon.
We then took off for Ashtabula's Hubbard House, a museum focused on the Underground Railway - William and Catherine Hubbard, its owners, built it to house their family and business, but also with hiding places for runaway slaves who then went on to freedom in nearby Canada, embarking from the Hubbard family's warehouses on Lake Erie and carried by sympathetic ship captains - a really inspiring place.
This was really less than a half a day of riding. We didn't leave Becky's cousins until late in the morning, having had a wonderful visit, and barely got our rental car back to Enterprise in Ashtabula before they closed at noon.
We then took off for Ashtabula's Hubbard House, a museum focused on the Underground Railway - William and Catherine Hubbard, its owners, built it to house their family and business, but also with hiding places for runaway slaves who then went on to freedom in nearby Canada, embarking from the Hubbard family's warehouses on Lake Erie and carried by sympathetic ship captains - a really inspiring place.
According to their website (hubbardhouseugrmuseum.org): "It may never be possible to know how many slaves William's family helped on to Canada, as no written account has been located to date. However, it is known from an eyewitness account, that, at one time, there were thirty-nine slaves in hiding, as the gentleman stated 'thirty-nine slaves made short work of a barrel of pickles.' Other observers made note of the fact that fugitive slaves arrived day and night, looking for William and Catherine's assistance and protection."
We then headed out of town around 2:30 p.m - only to be stopped by a raised drawbridge over the Ashtabula River, which we had to cross. We took a picture and then stopped at a coffee house to wait for the bridge to be lowered and enjoy coffee, and shared treats - a cranberry muffin and a Russian Tea Cake with apricots preserves and almonds. YUM!
Right after we crossed the bridge we passed an amazing coal-loading station involving boats, trains, heaps of coal, and a huge overhead conveyor system - we really wish we had seen it in action. We then biked along under the conditions noted above, arriving in Conneaut around 6, where we are settled into the Days Inn and have just had dinner. Now we need to use the computer to work out lodging and such for the next few days.
Today's Photos: (1) Open Drawbridge over the Ashtabula River; and (2) The Coal Transfer Station at the Ashtabula Harbor - note the heaps of coal, and the bridge-like coal conveyor system.
Tomorrow: We expect to go about 42 miles to the Lake View on the Lake Motel on Lake Erie, about 10 miles past Erie, PA, where we will stay in a little cabin with Adirondack chairs on the porch.
For Those Who Want More: That's it for today.
Day 125, 9/10/11 - Mentor to Ashtabula & Chagrin Falls, OH
Just the Basics: Special Note: This is a quick update written on the evening of Day 125, (9/11/10) for reasons that will become apparent! We are falling behind on blogs so are going to leave it brief again!
41 miles of mostly tough riding. Lots of traffic, roads that tended toward hills, curves, and no shoulders - required lots of focus and urban-type skills.
Arrived in Ashtabula in time to pick up a reserved rental car and leave the bikes, and headed basically south to Chagrin Falls, OH, about an hour and a quarter away by car, where we spent the night with Becky's cousin Deb and her husband Larry at their lovely home in the rural outskirts of Chagrin Falls.
Becky and Deb had never met, so as you can imagine we had lots to talk about! We had a lovely, leisurely dinner and talked until after 11 p.m. In the morning we got up and took up where we left off, over breakfast at their favorite diner in town. It was a wonderful visit and a real privilege to find we very much liked cousins whom we had never met!
41 miles of mostly tough riding. Lots of traffic, roads that tended toward hills, curves, and no shoulders - required lots of focus and urban-type skills.
Arrived in Ashtabula in time to pick up a reserved rental car and leave the bikes, and headed basically south to Chagrin Falls, OH, about an hour and a quarter away by car, where we spent the night with Becky's cousin Deb and her husband Larry at their lovely home in the rural outskirts of Chagrin Falls.
Becky and Deb had never met, so as you can imagine we had lots to talk about! We had a lovely, leisurely dinner and talked until after 11 p.m. In the morning we got up and took up where we left off, over breakfast at their favorite diner in town. It was a wonderful visit and a real privilege to find we very much liked cousins whom we had never met!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Day 121, 9/6/10 - Clyde to Vermillion, OH
Just the Basics:
NOTE on 9/7/10: We still have more to say about this day - but not tonight!
39 miles, mostly on fine roads at a reasonable temperature under cloudy skies. Tonight we're at the Lakeland Lodge just south of Vermillion, in a little duplex cabin not more than 100 feet from the shore of Lake Erie. We have a kitchenette and plan a fine dinner.
NOTE: Our Internet connection is having problems - Becky just finished a nice report on the day only to lose the connection and everything she'd written. = ( = ( We'll try again later, but right now we're going to go sit by Lake Erie and drink some Rose wine from Mon Ami Winery on Catawba Island, which is off the north coast of Ohio.
NOTE: Our Internet connection is having problems - Becky just finished a nice report on the day only to lose the connection and everything she'd written. = ( = ( We'll try again later, but right now we're going to go sit by Lake Erie and drink some Rose wine from Mon Ami Winery on Catawba Island, which is off the north coast of Ohio.
Today's Photos: (1) Becky in front of Lake Erie; (2) Riley in Lake Erie; (3) Becky kicking it up in Lake Erie.
Tomorrow: We go about 33 miles to Lakewood, which is quite near Cleveland. We plan to have a layover day in Cleveland to celebrate Becky's birthday on the 8th.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Day 119, 9/4/10 - Defiance to Bowling Green, OH
Just the Basics: 49 miles - bringing the week's total to 252! (6 riding days and one layover day). It's been a great day and included a ride in a canal boat pulled by two mules and a stop at a farm stand where we ate fresh peaches while we chatted with the farmers.
There has been a big change in the weather - albeit a temporary one. The high today was supposed to be only 70 and it was below 60 when we left Defiance this morning at about 8:45 a.m. It sprinkled a bit in the first hour or so and we were a bit chilly, and when we left our hotel in Bowling Green at 8 p.m. for dinner it was a bit chilly, and definitely chilly when we emerged from the restaurant after dinner. In a few days it's to be back in the 80s - but we feel the breath of fall. With luck, we have 6-7 more rideable weeks weather-wise, and about 1200 miles to go. Pretty tight . . . but not impossible on the face of it.
Today's Photos: (1) Dok Wingo (see below); (2) The Volunteer: The Canal Boat in Providence Metropark; (3) Molly and Sally, the canal boat mules; (4) Lock 44 - see below for the stories behind the pictures.
Tomorrow: 43 miles to Clyde, OH, where we'll stay at a Red Roof Inn - then on to Lake Erie!!!
For Those Who Want More:
Meals: Motel breakfast - 'nuff said! Coffee and pastries at a nice coffee shop in Napoleon. Great lunch at La Roe's in Grand Rapids, OH - we split a Reuben with homemade potato chips and a lovely grilled chicken Caesar salad. Fresh peaches at a farm stand on Kellogg Road outside Grand Rapids - we ate 'em in their skins with paper towels supplied by the farm wife to catch the juice. Very nice Mexican dinner at El Cinco de Mayo Bar & Grill in Bowling Green, with a very welcome chance to speak Spanish with our waiter. Oh Henry candy bars eaten en route in the afternoon.
Encounters: "Dok" Wingo: At breakfast this morning we had a nice chat with "Dok" Wingo (pictured above). He's on a sort of cross country trip of his own - which started in TX. He's headed for MA, then possibly Canada and ultimately OR and CA. Conversation ranged from motel breakfasts to professions to the Vietnam war. Dok has a degree in philosophy and has taught horticulture and run a landscape design (??) business. He is retired and his card reads "I do nothing and I do it with unrelenting vigor. Free estimates. Reasonable prices considering the extreme quality rendered."
There has been a big change in the weather - albeit a temporary one. The high today was supposed to be only 70 and it was below 60 when we left Defiance this morning at about 8:45 a.m. It sprinkled a bit in the first hour or so and we were a bit chilly, and when we left our hotel in Bowling Green at 8 p.m. for dinner it was a bit chilly, and definitely chilly when we emerged from the restaurant after dinner. In a few days it's to be back in the 80s - but we feel the breath of fall. With luck, we have 6-7 more rideable weeks weather-wise, and about 1200 miles to go. Pretty tight . . . but not impossible on the face of it.
Today's Photos: (1) Dok Wingo (see below); (2) The Volunteer: The Canal Boat in Providence Metropark; (3) Molly and Sally, the canal boat mules; (4) Lock 44 - see below for the stories behind the pictures.
Tomorrow: 43 miles to Clyde, OH, where we'll stay at a Red Roof Inn - then on to Lake Erie!!!
For Those Who Want More:
Meals: Motel breakfast - 'nuff said! Coffee and pastries at a nice coffee shop in Napoleon. Great lunch at La Roe's in Grand Rapids, OH - we split a Reuben with homemade potato chips and a lovely grilled chicken Caesar salad. Fresh peaches at a farm stand on Kellogg Road outside Grand Rapids - we ate 'em in their skins with paper towels supplied by the farm wife to catch the juice. Very nice Mexican dinner at El Cinco de Mayo Bar & Grill in Bowling Green, with a very welcome chance to speak Spanish with our waiter. Oh Henry candy bars eaten en route in the afternoon.
Encounters: "Dok" Wingo: At breakfast this morning we had a nice chat with "Dok" Wingo (pictured above). He's on a sort of cross country trip of his own - which started in TX. He's headed for MA, then possibly Canada and ultimately OR and CA. Conversation ranged from motel breakfasts to professions to the Vietnam war. Dok has a degree in philosophy and has taught horticulture and run a landscape design (??) business. He is retired and his card reads "I do nothing and I do it with unrelenting vigor. Free estimates. Reasonable prices considering the extreme quality rendered."
Other Encounters: We had a nice conversation with a cycling couple in Grand Rapids, OH - they told us about a trail in Missouri which they said is the longest rail trail there is - we plan to learn more about it. In the Providence Metropark we met a father-son duo doing a quick 3-day local bike tour - et cetera!
Canal Boat Ride: The Toledo area has a great regional park system - Metroparks. Today we visited the Providence Metropark just past Grand Rapids, OH. The park includes an operating mill - both a sawmill, which provides wood for park structures and furniture, and a flour mill which grinds wheat, corn and buckwheat for sale. The mill was also once used to produce electrical energy. There's also a general store and a canal boat ride! All the park staff are in costume as they might have looked around 1880, and in addition to operating the sawmill, flour mill and canal boat they make candles and demonstrate blacksmithing and tinsmithing.
The canal is a restored section of the original Miami and Erie Canal (not to be confused with the Erie Canal in NY). The restored canal runs for more than a mile and includes lock 44, one of the last functioning 19th century limestone locks. The original canal ran for 249 miles, between Toledo and Cincinnati. It ceased functioning in 1913. The Volunteer - the boat in which we rode - was built in in the 1990s and is a bit smaller than the original canal boats were; it is of a type in use in 1876, which is the period the historical renactors use for their roles.
We were told that at that time passage on the boat cost 3 cents a mile and included breakfast and dinner - as opposed to 16 cents a mile with no meals on the dangerous new-fangled railroad! Our two mules were named Molly and Sally; each of them weighed about 1400 lbs. We were told that pulling a canal boat is easier for mules than pulling a plow. Canal boat operators could earn additional income selling muskrat skins to the state for $10 - the meat they cooked and ate!
Our guide said that the State built canals to enhance commerce (better transportation than corduroy roads) and to make money - copying New York's success with The Erie Canal. However, the cost of creating and maintaining them eventually bankrupted the state - and of course competition from the railroads finished off the canals generally.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Day 116, 9/1/10 - Markle to Monroeville, IN
Just the Basics: Note, Later on 9/1/10: We have added more on Monroeville to the end of this post!
33 miles, all paved, very few hills and very little traffic most of the way. Probably we encountered the most traffic in Hoagland. The town is only a few blocks long but we were pulling out from our lunch stop just as school buses started rolling up to the school on the edge of town and we kept having to pull off the narrow 2-lane road to let them pass. We counted 11 in the elementary school parking lot as we passed it!
We gather that the local school board is going to be closing some schools in the area - the towns of Hoagland and Poe were full of signs about a meeting concerning school closures.
We had a picnic lunch today, sitting on a wall in front of a church - see For Those Who Want More for details.
Tonight we're staying in the Monroeville Community Center in the town park - see below for details!
Today's Photos: (1) The Antioch Lutheran Church in Hoagland, IN; (2) Lois Ternet, Editor of The Monroeville News.
Tomorrow: About 44 miles to Defiance, OH, where we will stay at a Super 8.
For Those Who Want More:
Picnicking at the Lutheran Church: We pulled into Hoagland but saw no sign of a park so Becky went into the Antioch Lutheran Church on the corner of Hoagland and Minnich to ask if there was a park in town. The pastor appeared and confirmed that there was, but that there was no place near it to get food. Becky told him we planned to picnic and he offered the church yard as an alternative spot, noting that it was much shadier. He also refilled our water bottles with cold water, let us use the restrooms, and sent us across to his own yard to a trashcan where we could put our trash - the church and the parsonage share a trash can.
We sat on a wall in front of the church and made and ate our peanut butter sandwiches on raisin bread, along with much of a local melon we bought in the morning in a convenience store in Markle, and some cookies and the church's cold water. As we were finishing, a man who had been attending Bible Study at the church came out to chat. He's also a cyclist and told us about a very nice trail in Fort Wayne and also knew all about where we are staying tonight - see below. Then the pastor reappeared and gave us a very nice little daily devotions magazine of the sort that has a Bible citation and a brief homily for each day - we read the one for today and liked it very much - the citation was Luke 14: 15-24 and verse 21 was quoted: "Bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame."
Staying in Monroeville: Monroeville, a town of only about 1200 folks, does a wonderful thing for cyclists. Two Adventure Cycling Routes - the Northern Tier, which we are following, and the Great Lakes - go through here. The town has a nice little park and a very nice community center. Since 1975 or 1976, they have allowed cyclists (only) to stay inside the community center. There are bathrooms, a shower, a kitchen (with some basic utensils), and even a washer and dryer! There is no charge - although you can make a contribution.
They didn't start keeping records of visitors until sometime in the 90s, but since then at least 1300 cyclists have stayed here. They have had cyclists from all but 3 states, and from 16-17 foreign countries! Our map had a name and a phone number to call - we called and it was Warren, one of their park commissioners. He met us at a cemetery outside town and guided us here in his car, showed us around, and gave us a key, which we are to leave locked in the building when we leave.
We had arranged for our friend Barb to forward some mail to us here - when we went to the post office the clerk immediately asked if we knew about camping in the community center - as did the librarian when we went to the library. We are overwhelmed by the town's hospitality.
Note: A quick look through the log suggests that Riley, at 70 is the second, oldest cyclist to come through (some don't state their ages, but most do) and only 7 listed are 63 or over - Becky's will be 64 next week!
We gather that the local school board is going to be closing some schools in the area - the towns of Hoagland and Poe were full of signs about a meeting concerning school closures.
We had a picnic lunch today, sitting on a wall in front of a church - see For Those Who Want More for details.
Tonight we're staying in the Monroeville Community Center in the town park - see below for details!
Today's Photos: (1) The Antioch Lutheran Church in Hoagland, IN; (2) Lois Ternet, Editor of The Monroeville News.
Tomorrow: About 44 miles to Defiance, OH, where we will stay at a Super 8.
For Those Who Want More:
Picnicking at the Lutheran Church: We pulled into Hoagland but saw no sign of a park so Becky went into the Antioch Lutheran Church on the corner of Hoagland and Minnich to ask if there was a park in town. The pastor appeared and confirmed that there was, but that there was no place near it to get food. Becky told him we planned to picnic and he offered the church yard as an alternative spot, noting that it was much shadier. He also refilled our water bottles with cold water, let us use the restrooms, and sent us across to his own yard to a trashcan where we could put our trash - the church and the parsonage share a trash can.
We sat on a wall in front of the church and made and ate our peanut butter sandwiches on raisin bread, along with much of a local melon we bought in the morning in a convenience store in Markle, and some cookies and the church's cold water. As we were finishing, a man who had been attending Bible Study at the church came out to chat. He's also a cyclist and told us about a very nice trail in Fort Wayne and also knew all about where we are staying tonight - see below. Then the pastor reappeared and gave us a very nice little daily devotions magazine of the sort that has a Bible citation and a brief homily for each day - we read the one for today and liked it very much - the citation was Luke 14: 15-24 and verse 21 was quoted: "Bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame."
Staying in Monroeville: Monroeville, a town of only about 1200 folks, does a wonderful thing for cyclists. Two Adventure Cycling Routes - the Northern Tier, which we are following, and the Great Lakes - go through here. The town has a nice little park and a very nice community center. Since 1975 or 1976, they have allowed cyclists (only) to stay inside the community center. There are bathrooms, a shower, a kitchen (with some basic utensils), and even a washer and dryer! There is no charge - although you can make a contribution.
They didn't start keeping records of visitors until sometime in the 90s, but since then at least 1300 cyclists have stayed here. They have had cyclists from all but 3 states, and from 16-17 foreign countries! Our map had a name and a phone number to call - we called and it was Warren, one of their park commissioners. He met us at a cemetery outside town and guided us here in his car, showed us around, and gave us a key, which we are to leave locked in the building when we leave.
We had arranged for our friend Barb to forward some mail to us here - when we went to the post office the clerk immediately asked if we knew about camping in the community center - as did the librarian when we went to the library. We are overwhelmed by the town's hospitality.
Note: A quick look through the log suggests that Riley, at 70 is the second, oldest cyclist to come through (some don't state their ages, but most do) and only 7 listed are 63 or over - Becky's will be 64 next week!
More on Monroeville: Here is what we wrote in the guest book at the Community Center, slightly augmented:
We are utterly amazed - and delighted - by Monroeville! The fact that this wonderful community center has been available to cyclists for more than 30 years is incredible. That it has so many amenities - shower, restrooms, kitchen, air conditioning, laundry facilities, TV and even a radio/cd/tape player - is amazing.
The welcome we had from Warren of the Park Commission, Carla at the Post Office, Chis and Judy at the library, Lois at the paper and the folks at Whippy Dippy (ice cream) and The Pour House (finally, that martini!) has been wonderful. We were delighted to share the community center with the cheerful ladies of the home ec club - who arrived at 6 and are still cleaning up at 10! - and sorry we didn't get to the Historical Society meeting, to which Warren invited us. We can hardly wait to try the Irish Breakfast at the White Dove in the morning. Finally, we are about to listen to some classical music - something we have really missed on this trip - on a CD which we checked out from the public library on "the cyclists' library card."
We almost missed talking to Lois Ternet, editor of the Monroeville News. Warren, of the Park Commission, told us she'd be at the historical society meeting, but we missed that. We were at the library before dinner and came back later - Chris, the librarian, told us he'd let her know we were in town and she had probably gone to look for us at the Community Center - but we were trying to stay out of the way of the home ec club meeting, so if she went there, she missed us. He told us she has a "Cyclists Hall of Fame" on a wall in her office - she tries to photograph as many cyclists as she can. He suggested we drop by the office - which would probably be open even if she wasn't there - to see the photos. We did go by - she was there, and now our photo will join the others. One group was photographed on the steps of the Methodist Church and was huge. We asked where they stayed and were told that the Methodist and Lutheran Churches had both opened their doors to accommodate the overflow - what a town!
Nature Notes: We continue to ride past fields of corn and soybeans. Somewhat to our surprise, they vary quite a bit as far as how close they are to harvest. In most places the corn is in some stage of drying but many soybeans are still very green and lush. Today we biked in a spot with dry corn to the left and dry soybeans to the right. The wind was blowing and the two sides of the road rustled quite differently!
Nature Notes: We continue to ride past fields of corn and soybeans. Somewhat to our surprise, they vary quite a bit as far as how close they are to harvest. In most places the corn is in some stage of drying but many soybeans are still very green and lush. Today we biked in a spot with dry corn to the left and dry soybeans to the right. The wind was blowing and the two sides of the road rustled quite differently!
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