On the Road Again

  Decided to end the bike trip here in Little Falls. It’s a combination of a slipping derailleur and a stormy forecast.  I am a little east of Mohawk. These signs were my lodestone for the last two weeks. Every time I saw them I was happy.   Western New York, the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley are beautiful parts of our country.  The temperature was warm and dry and the bike let me experience it all slow and easy.  Now for the stats: 275 miles, 10 hotels and about a million crab apples strewn across the trails. Thanks for all the encouragement and for reading the blog. See you soon, Anne   

Today’s ride out of Utica began with a five mile on the road detour, at least this one was well signed. I am happy that New York State is improving the route, but maybe not next to the highway. The ride improved when the the route again met the Mohawk River. Passed this churchyard that looks ready for Halloween. The Inn at StoneMill, on the right of the pictures is relaxed, beautiful and my home for the night. Herkimer “diamonds” are quartz crystals found in the streams and sediment in the area. The Mohawk people and early settlers traded them until their value tanked with the introduction of European glass beads in the 1600s. The crystals have calming power and make great earrings.

  Beautiful day today with a mixed bag of surfaces for the ride.  Crossed over the canal at Lock 21 and continued into Rome, NY, where the work on the canal began and where it meets the Mohawk River.   Rome is also home to Ft. Stanwix, “the fort that never surrendered.”  In 1777, the Brits thought they could defeat us by blocking the water sources.  Of course we had wells inside. The trail switched to more wooded with little animals scurrying around trying to commit suicide under my wheels. I was rolling along pretty well until a few miles out of Utica when I encountered this. Of course I go around it, until these big construction trucks started backing up towards me.  So the ride into Utica took a few more miles.   Google maps, bike view, comes through again.  Total 38 miles today. Relive video. https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4yWPZXRO

  Sylvan Beach hugs the shore of Oneida Lake.   Everybody in the bar votes in the chill cook off, even visitors.  Lots of interesting conversations about heat and sweet. The Lake House Casino, well slot machine room, has a beautiful view of the lake and a great restaurant. I was up for awhile, but gave it all back. 

  Today’s 32 mile ride out of Syracuse started along a new bike path that follows Erie Blvd, fitting since the road is the filled in original canal. The bike route followed Pools Creek in the Old Erie Canal State Park. Too early for snowmobiles, but I saw some horses on the trail and kayaks in the water. The picture at the top is the Gray Stone Castle in Canastota, built in 1908 as a church and now used as an event venue. Detoured off the trail to chill out in Sylvan Beach, a village on Oneida Lake.  It has a nice beach and an amusement park, but I can’t find the boardwalk. Will be back on the air in a few days with a new post  Thanks for all the encouraging messages and comments. relieve video https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqorAZGBK6

  Rest day today in Syracuse.   I went to the Erie Canal Museum; I’ll try to keep it brief.  Clinton’s Big Ditch, named for Governor DeWitt Clinton and completed in1825, was the world’s longest artificial waterway.  The canal’s architects were not trained as engineers, so they borrowed ideas and techniques from European canals. Many of the laborers who built the canal, mostly by hand, were Irish and Italian immigrants.  The banking industry expanded because New York had a policy of depositing tolls in local banks.  The bankers then lent the money to new business in the  farming, warehouse and retail industries.  The museum is a weighlock building.  The boats floated in and the lock was drained until the boat rested on a scale and the toll was calculated. The passengers rode on packet boats which had some pretty tight quarters, but took 2 days in contrast to 2 weeks on a stage coach to travel the 383 miles from Albany to Buffalo. Tipperar...

  The cloudy skies lifted and the sun was out on a beautiful, 60 degree day.  You find cool rest spots all along the way.  Today’s 27 mile trail ride followed the old canal for awhile then the bike route swings north of Syracuse through the New York State fairgrounds. Then, a stunning ride along Onondaga Lake into Syracuse. The Erie Canal used to flow through downtown Syracuse.  Today there is a monument with a water feature to mark the spot.  Dinosaur Bar-b-que did not disappoint for a late lunch. The Syracuse IPA was outstanding. Relive video https://www.relive.cc/view/vRO7VY4WLKv

  Thought today would be an easy 27 mile spin into Newark, in the 60s and no rain in the forecast.  Stopped in  the bike shop around 11 AM for air, chain lube and snacks.  The mist, drizzle or whatever started almost immediately.  That and the trail looked a lot more like the trail the mules walked to pull barges than a paved bike trail. The weather improved as the afternoon wore on, but I think someone should definitely invent windshield wipers for googles. Newark, pronounce the New Jersey way not the Maryland way, is a lovely town that has a Clock Museum!  Massive grandfather clocks to classy pocket watches.   This is the best one, that is for those of us who remember the chore. Why didn’t we all have this? Dinner tonight at the Main St Corner Bar was a clams and garlic appetizer and veal over linguini.  The food was delicious, and soon I was family as folks were curious about my bike trip.   One of the guys was lobbying everyone ...

  I got a different perspective of the canal from aboard the Sam Patch.  The highlight of the trip was a 25 foot lift through Lock 32. It felt a little strange when the lock closed and the water rushed in. Another engineering advancement developed for the canal are guard gates, the guillotine looking things.  The gates control the  flow of water in the canal and are used to isolate parts of the canal in case of a break in the walls, high water, or to drain the canal to prevent freezing in the winter. Back on the bike tomorrow!  Hope the sun shines.

  It rained last night and threatened to this morning, so I got an early start, at least for me.  The wet and muddy gravel  trail was slow going or most of today’s  32 miles.  I think it rained everywhere in Western New York except where I was riding.  Not sure how the guillotine looking structure works, but there are lots of them.  I’ll ask around. The fall colors are just starting which is fine by me.  With the mud and the crab apples occasionally littering the trail, the wet leaves are a challenge too far.   The herons, ducks and geese and the Black Eyed Susan’s by the side of the trail remind me of home, but when I saw these paddlers, I started laughing.  Kayak field trip next season? Spa day tomorrow!  Relive video https://www.relive.cc/view/vxOQYdmo1MO

Today’s ride definitely put me in a New York State of mind.  Rolled past apple orchards, vineyards and a waterfall! The trail is crushed gravel, flat and gorgeous with wild flowers dotting the bank of the canal. The weather was perfect, 65 and sunny. .  The ride today was almost all on the trail, but when it crossed a street, cars actually stopped to let bicyclists pass.  It confused me the first time, couldn’t tell why these guys were waving at me. Another thing, in the Empire State they don’t draw bridges; they lift them.  Check out this video.   https://youtu.be/x6glJDWd_CY Had dinner tonight with two canoeists I met this morning at the Lockport days festival where we were admiring this 1959 Caddy, which has the largest fins, ever, according to the owner. I beat them here, but not by much.  Today’s ride was about 40 miles.  The Relive video omits the middle part.  Apparently I am not trainable in the resume button. https://www.relive.cc/view/vr...