51.7 miles / +2019.6 ft/ total miles 397.3
Enough about the road, potholes, wind, etc. What else is happening on this ride? I stop to eat (a lot) and every night find a place to sleep, and at these places I have a chance to talk to people – about my ride but also about what’s going on in their lives. Of course, most people I meet think I’m pretty crazy to be doing this, but I also get a lot of encouragement from everyone I meet.
I have eaten at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and stayed at chain motels in several towns. Not so interesting. The interesting places are the local spots — the Trolley Line Diner in Nassau, NY, where I had a great breakfast and conversation about my trip, the Mercato Pizza restaurant in Canajoharie, NY, where I got a lot of encouragement from the owner. Last night I had dinner at the Altmar Hotel (not a hotel any more), which is a local bar where there was a big birthday party going on. Great hamburger!
Same goes for the interesting places that I have stayed. Last night I stayed at the Schoolhouse Inn in Altmar, which is a fishing camp on the Salmon River. The owner is headed to Alaska in a few weeks to do some guiding there – what an adventure that will be! And I had a wonderful stay at the Pineapple House B and B in Canajoharie, NY. The owners there were so generous and supportive. The house itself is beautiful – built in 1860! Tonight I found a spot at the Turtle Bay Resort and Marina in Fair Haven, NY – located on Lake Ontario. The lake level is much higher than normal and is causing a lot of problems for all the boaters and marinas on the lake – boat ramps and docks underwater, sandbags along the coast to try to keep roads and parking lots dry. The photo below shows docks-underwater- at the marina where I’m staying.
Today’s ride: Some tailwind, some headwind. Lots of hills. Lots of clouds. A little downpour just as I was leaving the village of Fair Haven, with just a couple of miles to go to get to the marina. So I waited under the canopy at a gas station until the little squall passed through. Looks like the weather will be improving tomorrow, and I will easily get into Rochester on Tuesday.
Judy's Bike Ride 2017 