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DAY 47

Rolling along the river . . .

RIDE OVERVIEW: Our route took us out of Little Falls on SH 5 where, just after passing through Amsterdam, we crossed the Mohawk River at Rotterdam and found our way to the paved Mohawk Bike Path and thence through Schenectady and Albany/Colonie, to Troy. On this portion of the ride we pass through lots of little river towns (Johnsville, Nelliston, Fonda, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Scotia, etc.). These river towns all have a Front Street (a street that fronts the river) and are very old and a bit "crumbly," most having at least one building (church, tavern, etc.) erected in the 1700s or early 1800s). We also start to see tree covered hills and mountains again. The view, when there was one, was of distant layered hills and fields, progressively more hazy.

The bike path took us to Schenectady and then across the Mohawk River to Scotia, where we picked up the trail again, eventually riding back across to the south side of the river on Freeman Bridge. Since the river is part of the Erie Canal system, it has several neat and tidy locks, Lock 8 being the one most easily seen and visited from the path. We saw more of the river and it became much broader as we neared Albany. The biggest surprise were the hills on the path . . . a couple of steep ones, both up and down. These, of course, did not follow the old railbed but were built to get riders to and from other connecting points. Last year Mike painted, "Wasn't that fun?" on the pavement near the top of the steep climb. It was still there this year, and my answer is still the same. Hill Slugs do not like hills. The bike path was well marked even when it dumped us out into city streets. Most of all, we enjoyed the time away from any traffic and the opportunity to sit up and ride at a leisurely pace. 

Shortly after entering the bike path, riders came to Apple Junction, a quaint country store and pie & ice cream place. Len bought a whole strawberry rhubarb pie and then ate only one piece, so the rest of us vultures got to divvy up the remaining slices. I had mine with peach yoghurt but most had vanilla ice cream on theirs. It was absolutely delicious. Here I also bought a Gatorade and some more water because despite rumors of a cold wave coming through, none materialized. We heard that it had rained for about twenty minutes in the night and I saw two puddles in the motel parking lot this am, but all that served to do was raise the humidity level. I was gasping from the get go. We got a few drops of rain around noon. When they landed on my skin they evaporated with a sizzle.

Riders are starting to realize that the ride is quickly coming to an end. Yow only 3 more riding days. I think many of the riders are starting to feel the mixed emotions that signal the end . . . some are glad it's about over, but most hate to see it end. The responsibilities and reality of the "real" world looms before them. The next two days will be pretty tough as we enter Vermont and the Green Mountains.  We'll have plenty of climbing over the next two days to wake up riders' legs and remind them that it's not all downhill to the beach. 

In Fonda, a car crowded Murray into an fall that will require some days of recuperation, so he will be leaving the ride.  There were short portions of the bike path that were bumpy because tree roots had heaved the pavement, and it was on one of these that Jim Critchfield also took a fall and broke his collarbone. Seems that the unexpected bump wrenched the handlebars from his grasp. Jim will ride the remaining days in the SS van. In trying to avoid Jim, Joe also crashed, but he landed on his shoulder on the grassy shoulder of the path. He gritted his teeth and finished the day's miles, but when he got to Troy he has his shoulder checked out. Nothing broken or separated, just bruising. Joe is going to try to finish the ride. What a let-down for all three, however, with just three short days before the finish. This is a reminder for all the riders to stay focused as they pedal to the ocean.

Luggage load is at 6:30 tomorrow morning, so 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, riders are much stronger than when they started. If they pace themselves, they will make quick work of anything we'll throw at them between now and the beach. Tune in tomorrow to see how we do. Susan

HEARD ON THE ROAD:

DUH! OF THE DAY: goes to Chips who dislikes climbing. He climbed the big hill out of Little Falls and go to the top only to discover that he'd forgotten his glasses. (DUH!) We all were surprised to see him emulating Matt (Opie) and racing back down the hill . . . to climb it again.

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