String of Friends

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/416306547?privacy_code=nTfL13LFNhh5j6SJawrT3QWKhmcr0tvy Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vdvm7Xk9kN6 Today combined mellow and extreme. The ride today was only 30 miles, but the chance of rain was 90%. Kisho is retiring to New York City with me. It was going to be comforting to have anyone to distract from The Wet. Also helping was a lighter load. I had less gear because we'll be staying indoors each of the three nights. This night we'd be staying with Jesse's former wife, Sarah, who kindly offered to put us up. We had a slow morning of pastries at the new(-ish) bakery right in Kisho and Abby’s building. I would have a hard time if I had a basket literally downstairs. I had a ham and cheese croissant and an apple pie Danish because my metabolism can now do that. After baked goods we hung out with Zoey while Abby started her work week. The rain held off in the morning so we decided to wait until it began at 11:00...

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/415804309?privacy_code=F76s1Z5Gp9IeCxDNxrQb34AVYkYHNFhM Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vDqgAK8prGO After a night of sound quiet sleep punctuated by careful trips down the ladder for bio breaks, I finally woke to gray skies. It wasn't a day to hurry. I didn't hurry. I lingered in bed. The Nor’easter pounding the coast wasn't hitting the Albany area hard. I might get a few sprinkles, but that was it. I only had 30 miles to do. I could time the ride to avoid the worst rain.  (The view before rising) I made breakfast on the little porch, had some coffee, and wrote a blog entry. I didn't hit the road until 9:30. A lazy morning for me on the road. I passed the Welcome TJ sign Dan had set out the day before, but missed the house Kurt Vonnegut had lived in that was on the same street. I looked but didn't see the red house that was described to me. I also missed, via ignorance, the Vonnegut house in...

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/415613101?privacy_code=RbVBl7isot0eBMKqAzvzLrNHaK8LtzpM Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vYvEd3VYPwq Pretty, but loud with a dash of gastric upset. That was my stay at Ilion Marina. I was happy the bathroom was heated because I made a lot of trips during the night. Despite all that I slept well. If you're tired enough nothing will stop you.  When I woke up to cool patchy fog I faced a shorter day of 60+ miles to Lock 9. I learned from Charlie and Audrey that if you set up your tent under a tree you won't have a dewy tent. I set up under a maple and my tent was dry so it has to be true.  (Pretty and loud. There's traffic in the trees) The first order of business was heading the three miles to Herkimer to get breakfast and even more importantly, seeing the bridge that serves as the Herkimer Coffee logo. The coffee shop in Herkimer was t bougie. It was the only breakfast place in a working class town. C...

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/415393037?privacy_code=2ZOyjZvL0A9i8wwhCUDAYGseCKChg03u Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vYvrg3yXVxO I resolved to get an early start. I wanted to make up the ground I'd lost yesterday. Maybe I need to be more flexible, but I was proud of my ability to keep a schedule and others were depending on me being somewhere at a certain time. Today's destination was Ilion Marina. I got up in time to catch the start of the hotel breakfast of preformed eggs, cereal, and self-made waffles. I was out the door by 7:00.  I went half a mile before I stopped for real coffee. I had time, right? I wanted to write up a blog post and needed fuel. I had a great cup of drip and a vegan cookie. Kelsey's Coffee and Friends is just down the street from Syracuse University which explained all the vegan options. Lee, a graduate math student, asked about my loaded bike. He is from Western China and lived on a a route used by bike tourers to...

(Lenette and Jennifer have me forks!) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/415180565?privacy_code=M5z8WAF20o4o0SUJX75YhGfjTDzM4gbz Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vevYGJrJMJ6 The day at Lock 28B began sunny and dewy. It was such a nice spot that I decided make breakfast at camp instead of heading to the coffee shop. Tom and Jack were still sleeping about 100 ft away so I crept around quietly. I explored the lock at bit between oatmeal and coffee. I put the tent on a railing to dry, but the sun wasn’t strong enough. I packed the wet tent and headed to Lyons.  (Morning at Lock 28B) I found Community Coffee at the corner. I wondered if Hisako and I had driven through it on our way to an anniversary get away to Lake Ontario while we lived in Ithaca. It’s possible. The nice women who run the coffee shop let me dry my tent outside. I sat down and began a blog entry. It wasn’t long before I realized I’d forgotten my tent stakes! The water bottles las...

(Ruins of dry docks for canal boats) Just a quick note to stay I'm safely in Ilion, NY right next door to Herkimer for you Phinney Ridge coffee people. It was a long, beautiful, and uneventful day.