Data: 128 miles Riding time 7:30 (17.1 mph avg)
Today's beautiful route took us through small hamlets all settled in 1789; through the birthplace of Jello; past one of the finger lakes (Lake Seneca); through Waterloo - where Memorial Day got started; along rolling hills on a lonely country road; over the Erie Canal; and along Lake Onondaga next to Syracuse. Clear sunny skies all day - a great bike ride.
Our actual town tonight is Liverpool, a suburb of Syracuse. So, it sounds funny to say that tomorrow we're riding from Liverpool to Amsterdam!
Only 11 miles out this morning we passed this sign, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who saw it. Historic! Momentous!
It was 7 am, so I couldn't explore the Jello Gallery I saw. And, remember all I've been saying about our infatuation with milkshakes? Well, now we know why! This sign in front of a fast-food place explains everything.
The hamlets along our Hwy 20 reminded me of New England. Village greens, taverns, and tall-steepled churches. I saw a marker for Barney's Tavern, 1789. Eventually we got to different scenery -- newer cities, and Lake Seneca, then Seneca Falls where there are canals linking Erie to the finger lakes.
Passing through Waterloo gave us the sign in the photo below. They had a Memorial Day Museum, but I didn't go in. It started on May 5, 1866 to honor Civil War veterans.
Since this weekend is Memorial Day, the whole city was abuzz with getting ready for festivities. Flags were everywhere, and on every home. I rode off the course through some neighborhoods and flags and banners were on just about every home and building.
Flat tire #2. After lunch, I sped along to catch up (since my explore of Waterloo got me way behind again), and I finally caught my morning riding buddies Dave T. and Jerry at about 100 miles. While riding behind them on a highway, I went over something big, and got a flat on the rear tire. However, my wheel also was out of true, so I thought I'd broken a spoke. It was worse; the wheel was seriously cracked at about six of the spoke entries. The wheel was no good. Just then, the ABB van pulled up behind me.
I can't believe my luck -- when I had my first flat, Shane immediately pulled up to fix it for me, and now on my second flat and broken wheel, he immediately pulled up again. He gave me a loaner wheel, and had to move my gear cluster to the loaner.
Then my luck continued, because I rode up on Judd and Dave R. who were just about to head off course to a bike shop. I could buy a new wheel, although I didn't know how I'd carry it the final 8 miles to the motel. They said we'd figure something out. Here's what Dave, Judd, and I did, however, on our way to the bike shop. We could NOT pass up a bakery!
As luck would have it, in the bike store we got to talking about our adventure with various people, and a woman who lived only a block from our motel said she'd bring it here for me! I was all set with a minimum of hassle.
I passed over two Erie Canals. The first was version #2, the man-made dug canal that was widened from 1835 (just 10 yrs after the original opened) to 1862. (I learned that the original canal went right through what is now downtown Syracuse.) The canal was widened from 40 ft to 70 ft, and deepened from 4 ft to 7 ft. The tow path is still on one side, and is now an historic section maintained for public use.
The other Erie Canal I rode over is the current waterway, called the New York State Canal System. I combines the original, where still needed, with a system of natural rivers and lakes. It was actually the Seneca River we went over, and there were several boats out there.
I should note that for the past three nights, only Phil and I have been in the motel room instead of three of us. Another guy's roommate decided to get a room for himself, and the guy asked Kasper if he'd join him. So, I paid only for a triple, but on nine nights on this trip I've been in a double occupancy. Phil keeps saying "we beat the system."
No comments:
Post a Comment