Leaving Watertown
August 30, 2013 Watertown --> Cranberry Lake, NY - 72 miles
This was one of those almost magical days where you just feel as if you are in the "flow."
Woke up to a wonderful surprise. The forecast had changed somewhat overnight and now there was only a 10% chance of rain through mid-to-late afternoon. After that, it went up to 40% chance of thunderstorms. So, my plan to get an early start and arrive in Cranberry Lake by mid-afternoon or so took on even more urgency.
I had a quick breakfast at the little diner next door, loaded up the bike and left the Relax Inn by 8:00 a.m. Decided to stop across the street at Subway and pick up a Veggie Delight Sub (my new favorite) to take with me so I would have something decent to eat during the 72 mile ride and I wouldn't have to take much time to stop. The route I planned to avoid downtown Watertown and get on Hwy 3 went without a hitch. It was a little overcast, but not a drop of rain in sight. Yeah!
Highway 3 runs all the way to Lake Placid, and is called the Olympic Scenic Byway. Although it is almost entirely a two lane highway, it is smooth pavement and has a huge well-maintained shoulder. Although I am not good at estimating lengths, I will go out on a limb and say these smooth shoulders were a good 10-12 feet wide. That really adds to your comfort factor as a rider. No "riding the white line" for me today. So, I fairly cruised along all day, stopping occasionally for a snack or something to drink. While there were some fairly decent inclines and a few rolling hills, it was not what I would call mountain climbing. I will admit, though, that my legs were fairly shot by the end of the day just due to several long rides over the past week. I am really looking forward to a day or two off the bike. The scenery was pretty, but not what I would call that unusual or stunning. While probably still a little early, I still saw some evidence of the turning of the leaves.
About 5 miles from Cranberry Lake, I came up on two men changing a tire on the side of the road. They were all decked out in bike riding gear and had loaded touring bikes. I think the three of us almost jumped in the air with joy at the sight of other riders. Seeing other riders has been a rarity during both our rides. Meeting other riders and sharing experiences is one of the most fun aspects of touring. These two, named Ron and Tom, are in the final days of an "inaugural" 1 week bike tour. They live in Burlington, VT. The really cool thing is that after retiring at age 55, Ron founded a non-profit called "Bike Recycle Vermont." This organization fixes up donated and old bikes to give away. Ron said that he sort of just happened into this endeavor, but is very passionate about it. That, of course, piqued my interest since I have been on this "quest" for a while now to find an endeavor I am passionate about as a second half of life career. Ron gave me helpful information about biking in and around the Lake Placid area, and offered me a place to stay in Burlington if I happened to ride that way. Sort of planted the seed. We exchanged contact information, I took a picture for the blog, and I rode on to the Cranberry Lake Lodge up the road.
As I came out of the office after checking in, Ron and Tom rode up and stopped. They still had another 20 miles to their destination town of Tupper Lake, but decided to stop at the Cranberry Lake Lodge for pie and coffee. I put the bike in my room, and returned to the restaurant to resume our visit. They told me a little more about the ride they are completing, and some other ideas for future rides. They are more inclined to take rides in length of 1 week or so from Burlington, since there are so many neat rides in this area. It dawned on me that Vermont Cycling Tours is headquartered in Burlington, and I told them I had been on several VBT tours and even interviewed as a possible tour leader after my cross-country ride. Ron told me that VBT President, Greg Marsten, had been supportive of "Bike Recycle Vermont." I started asking more questions about "Bike Recycle Vermont" and Ron said if I come visit them in Burlington I have a place to stay and he will give me a personal tour of the organization. He then asked about my plans for the end of the trip, and I told him the goal was Bar Harbor and I planned to fly out of Portland, Maine. They both said Bar Harbor and surrounding area was beautiful and I should plan to spend a couple of days there. Ron asked if I had a contact in Portland, and when I said "no," he gave me the name of a friend there who can help me with the last minute details and getting the bike packed up for the flight home. That is a HUGE help. Reminds me of the huge help I got on the front end of the cross-country trip last year when Jaime Schlueter picked me up in Portland and took me to Fort Stevens for the ceremonial tire dipping and send-off.
As Ron and Tom readied themselves to resume their ride, we agreed that I will re-route (once again) and see them in Burlington at some point after New York on my way to Maine. It dawned on me that in the space of 1 hour, my journey and life had been changed dramatically by this chance meeting. I now have new friends, new info to enhance my visit in Lake Placid and Bar Harbor, a new destination to visit (Burlington), and help for the endgame. The stuff adventures are made of!
My room at Cranberry Lake Lodge is a wonderful combination of rustic and comfort. The best part is that it is steps from the lake, which provides a fabulous view through the window. As I finish this post, I am sitting just outside my room as the sun goes down. Clouds are starting to gather a little, and I wonder if it will storm tonight, and pray that it does not rain before I finish the 54 mile ride to Lake Placid tomorrow. It is quiet and I feel happy and peaceful.
What a great day. Randy would have loved it - except for the hills!
