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Back to North Meet the Riders Bamacyclist Home Day 47
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Back to North Meet the Riders Bamacyclist Home Day 47
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| ROUTE: Little Falls to Troy NY | DISTANCE: 80 Miles | WINDS: SW 5-10 |
| WEATHER: Threatening but dry until we finished...muggy...high 89 | TERRAIN: Big rolling highways, mostly flat on the bike path...oh yeah...one steep one on the path | TOTAL CLIMBING: 1200 Feet or so |
DAILY REPORT: I
painted so many arrows today, I feel like I should be made a member of a tribe
somewhere. I don't know how many times I got on and off my bike today to mark
the course, but it must have been at least 150. I think I wore out a set of
cleats and a set of pedals...plus we'll see how my back feels in the morning.
Well, enough of my woes...here's the news.
We got an early start today because we felt the weather may affect our day. The afternoon was supposed contain thunderstorms and they weren't wrong. My plan today was to shuttle ahead of the riders so I could mark the bike path to make it a bit easier for them to follow. With the bike route bouncing back and forth off paths and city streets, it's always hard to read a cue sheet when many times there is no street sign to follow. That was a pretty good plan and Karen and I got about a 10 mile lead on the group when we got out to research a new section of route and mark the path with directional arrows on our way.
Our
route took us out of Little Falls on hwy 5 where, just after passing through
Amsterdam, we crossed the Mohawk River and found our way to the Mohawk Bike
Trail. I really like this portion of the ride as we pass through lots of little
river towns and start seeing mountains again. The bike trail took us to
Schenectady and northwest across the Mohawk River to Scotia, where we picked up
the trail again. Even though the path rode us along the river, we didn't see
that much of the river until we neared Albany. The biggest surprise was the
hills on the path...a couple of steep ones to say the least. On one, I painted,
"Wasn't that fun" on the pavement near the top of the climb. There were
portions of the bike trail that were a bit bumpy because tree roots and weather
had heaved up the pavement, but since the last time we rode it, they have made
tons of improvements with new pavement. The path was much better than last
time we rode it and it was well marked even when it dumped us out into city
streets. Most of all, I think everyone enjoyed the time away from any traffic
and the opportunity to sit up and ride at a leisurely pace...we didn't see one
dump truck on the path...imagine that.
Riding
on the path was leisurely for the riders, but a challenge for the staff in the
vans. It was hard to find roads that got us close to the paths at various
points so we could support everyone if they had problems. There were a couple
places where the riders had to go for several miles before coming parallel with
a road the vans could use. Jim did a great job navigating through the streets
of Schenectady to find the common points. Luckily, no one needed
assistance and all got in before the lightning show started.
We were in threatening weather
most of the day, but it held off until just after everyone got in for the
evening. We planned maintenance at 4:00 but Mother Nature had other plans
for outdoor activity. The skies opened up with torrential rain, lightening
flashed, and fierce winds rocked the motel as we started to prepare to do
maintenance. It gave us all a real taste of reality of what it would have
been like had we still been on the road. But as I said, we were threatened
all morning as we were pushing to get across NY, but we only got a little
thunder at one point with a little sprinkle of rain. I love it when a plan
comes together...get 'em all in and then let it pour. It looks like our
weather will be pretty good the rest of the way...can we make it all the way
across without any "rain during riding time?"
The riders are starting to realize that the ride is quickly coming to an end...only 3 more riding days. I think many of them are starting to feel the emotions of the end...some are glad it's about over, but most hate to see it end. The reality of the real world looms before us. The next two days are pretty tough as we enter Vermont and the Green Mountains. We'll have plenty of climbing over the next two days to wake up their legs and remind them that it's not all downhill to the beach just yet. I told them that tomorrow would start their "Final Exam." We'll get up early and get on the road...the first climb is about a half mile from our front door. Everyone is really apprehensive about the climbs, but they fail to realize that although the days won't be easy by any definition, they are so much stronger than when they started and if they pace themselves they will make quick work of anything we'll throw at them between now and the beach. Tune in to see how we do...I think they'll be surprised at how well they'll do tomorrow...see you then.
| DID I REALLY SAY THAT?: "If someone asked me how to prepare for this ride, I'd say sit on a belt sander while watching TV to get your butt in shape." "I hear tomorrow there are only two directions...up and down." |
DID I REALLY HEAR THAT?: We're in the land of wonderful maple syrup. It's so good you just don't want to waste it. In Indiana when they find a dead squirrel in the collect pot, they look around to see if anyone is looking and if not, they take the squirrel out, throw it into the bushes, and then empty the syrup into their bucket to be processed. But they wouldn't think of that up here...Nooo, not up here! Here if they find a dead squirrel in the collection pot, they take it out, look to see if any one is looking and if not, wring it out into the collection pot, and then empty it into the bucket for processing. Just too good to waste any of it. |
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DID I REALLY SEE THAT? |
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 Penny and Jan said they came on this ride to find their "Knight in shining armor." And they found one with a sensitive side. |
 Our study shows 50% of riders ride a bike path without incident. Luckily, the right 50% have practiced tumbling at some point in their lives. |
 Did we have an alien encounter at the SAG? No, just a bike laying on the pavement during the sprinkles. |
 IT'S
RAINING!!! Where's my bike!? |
 Enjoy sitting on a bicycle seat so much they have to have one to sit on for dinner. |
 We did have some sun today. |
Copyright © 2007 by Bamacyclist
All rights reserved.
