06-Canajoharie-Utica – More Headwinds

42.8 miles / +1465 ft / total miles 292.4/ Wind WNW 15

So far, the wind has not been my friend. Today the wind blew almost steadily out of the west, right in my face. But the weather also changed from the heat of the past few days. It was in the 70s when I left Canajoharie at 8:30 and in the low 60s by the time I got into Utica about 2:30. 

I tried to use the Canalway trail as much as I could, and most of it was paved when I could find it. In the gaps between bike path sections, I rode on NY Rte 5S, which had very little traffic. I climbed a big hill out of Fort Plain, where there were rolling hills and farms as far as I could see. Some of the farmers are Amish, and use horses for their farm work. Apparently they also use the Canalway trail with their horse drawn buggies (I saw the horse hoof prints in the center of the trail yesterday). 

I arrived in Utica in time for college graduation weekend (Utica College, a SUNY campus, Hamilton College), so all the hotels are full – and most of them are out near the NY Thruway, not near the downtown. I will be glad to get out of Utica tomorrow and head NW toward the Northern Tier route. And the weather is supposed to be much cooler (50s and 60s) with light wind out of the NE to NNE. I have an app that gives the weather for a bike ride at my planned time, and here is what it says for my ride tomorrow: