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Day 45
Rest Day after a Rest Day!

ROUTE:  Erie PA to Hamburg NY DISTANCE: 81 Miles WINDS: WSW 5-10
WEATHER: Sunny and Mild TERRAIN: Flat to rolling TOTAL CLIMBING: 1200 feet

DAILY DOINGS:  Great day off yesterday.  The staff got all our chores done early in the day and welcomed 5 new riders to our fold.  After orientation and bike assembly several riders and the staff took in a baseball game.  The Erie Seawolve's stadium is only 2 blocks from the motel so we all walked to partake of a double header.  The Brits were riveted at the fast paced game that saw the home team lose 4-2, but after we all left so we could get into bed for today's ride, the home team won 4-3 the second game.  Karen and I stayed until the 3rd inning of the second game and the score was 3-3 then so we saw almost all the excitement of the second game.  The only first game excitement included me and C. Wolf hamming it up before the first pitch.

We loaded at 7:00 this morning for a relatively easy day of 81 miles.  But it wasn't all smooth sailing as Linda had a flat pumping up her tires to leave...the dreaded motel flat...good place to have it she thought, Mikie's here. 

The temperatures were mild and the sun was shining...what could be better.  The only concern was info I'd received about a road closure just after crossing the NY state line so I jumped in the van with Debbie to go check it out.  Upon arrival at the bridge construction, the crew said we could get through with the bicycles if we didn't mind taking a dirt path to cross a small creek on foot.  Hey, NO PROBLEMO!  Didn't someone say just yesterday that road closures don't apply to ABB???  I checked it out and decided it would be easier than an 8 mile detour to get back on course so we drove back to the closure signs and arrowed the riders to go through.  Anyone can ride their bikes across the country on pavement and with perfect conditions, but ABB riders can ride across country even when there's no bridge to cross!  Go get'em gang!

As I said before, we entered another state today...New York.  New York is beautiful especially around the finger lakes region and where we rode today through the vineyards and along Lake Erie.   I think it surprises most people to see how much of NY is farm land.  When I think of New York I see NY City with all the concrete and people.  But when you get away from the city, large rolling hills dominate the landscape and the pungent odor of corn silage will fill your nostrils as you pass by small dairy farms that dot the landscape...the only skyscrapers you see out here are silos behind big red barns. 

Everyone was having a great day and Bill even stated it was like a rest day on the bike.  That shows they are getting strong...when would they ever have thought an 81 mile day would be a "rest day." 

After getting everyone through the construction, I got on my bike for the rest of the day and enjoyed riding through the NY countryside...I could get used to this.  The rest of the day went as planned...early finish, maintenance issues taken care of, rap, dinner at Olive Garden (a treat), and early to bed for a busy day tomorrow.  Some of the riders rented a car and went to Niagara Falls.  Hope they didn't put Alan in a barrel and send him over the falls...more on that tomorrow. 

Tomorrow we wake early and take in the Orchard Park Bicycle History Museum...talk about a real treat.  We'll learn more about bicycles tomorrow than we ever thought we could.  See you then with the report.  M

DAILY DISCERNING DIALOGUE:

"We invented the language, we should know how to use it."  Bill commenting on how our language is different in the US...referring to flat vs puncture.

"I've got my flippers on."  David when we had to forge the creek.

"You got my tire dirty."  David loaned Linda his new tire when hers went bad on the road.  When she took it off at mechanic's time, David was aghast!!!  Dirt!!!

"Is this the swim, hike portion of the ride?"  Road closures are not for woosies.

 

 DAILY DUH: We had one on our day off...seems Monica and Jenny wanted to get up early to go for a ride with some others around the bay so Monica decided to set the alarm.  But since it was a day off, 7:00 probably would be fine and give them plenty of time to get in their ride and also let them sleep in...hey, it was a day off!  Monica decided to set the alarm and since she didn't have a "y" chromosome, she decided to follow the directions on the clock.  Sounded like a good idea at the time but the example on the clock was for 6:00...something they didn't catch until they showed up an hour early for breakfast and no one else was even close to being there.

We had another one today...Remember, Alan has been riding for a couple days with one glove.  He couldn't figure out where his other one was so he simply wore the one to give him some protection at least.  Finally, he decided he needed to quit being kidded for wearing one glove all day so he threw his one glove in the trash.  Next morning he showed up wearing one glove again.
"Alan, I thought you threw that single glove away."
"I did, but this morning I found the other one in my luggage."
At least his tan lines will get balanced and it just goes to show, timing is everything.  

DAILY DIGITAL DELIGHTS

Arrrrrgh...ever since seeing the Pirates Of The Caribbean, Johnny has dreams of being a pirate.

When I stopped to help Linda change even another flat today, I used a telephone pole to brace the pump.  It looked like I was pumping up the pole.  David commented that the pole was only 6 feet tall when I started.

Linda had a relapse with the grease on the calf today and she was doing so well.  But today she got some competition from Scott who displayed a unique pattern on his leg.  How did he get 3 different chainring marks?  Good question...but we really couldn't figure out how he got the grease behind his ear...must be really getting aero!?

Now wait a minute...I was raised on a farm!

Bill wanted to show me that I was in err when I said he had been wearing only one glove like Alan.  But I see the problem I think...he needs two right ones...he has two right hands.

These lighthouses not only keep ships from bumping into the rocks, but they also keep us from riding off into the Lake!

Damn the road closures, full speed ahead!!!

Bummer, this place isn't open...and for quite some time it appears.

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