September 2, 2013

September 2, 2013 - Rest day in Lake Placid, NY
Heard it storming through the night. However, when I awoke it had stopped raining. I took my time with my studies and savored the good coffee. Then I spent the next couple of hours journaling some thoughts, observations and insights I have had while on the bike ride.
Although overcast, the 60 % or so chance of rain was not materializing. I checked the weather channel and it appeared that I might have a 2 hour or so window before probable afternoon storms, so I decided to walk downtown for some breakfast and check out the Olympic Center.




Had a terrific omelette at The Breakfast Club, then headed for the Olympic Center. Walked right in to the skating rink where the 1932 Olympics were held. These were the Olympics of Sonja Hening. Next door was the skating rink where the 1980 Olympics were held. There were all sorts of photos and large posters on the walls commemorating these Olympics. What was a little strange was that I was the only person in the skating rinks. Had the whole place to myself. I keep forgetting that it has been over 30 years since the 1980 Olympics and there aren't huge crowds of people lining up to see these venues anymore.








I moved to the Herb Brooks Arena - home of the "Miracle on Ice" upset of Russia and Al Michaels' famous "Do you believe in miracles?!!" I remember the chills I felt as Donna and I watched and cheered. Yes, I do believe in miracles. I believe that I have witnessed quite a few in my lifetime.












I returned to the motel and started planning the route for the next few days and checking out possible accommodations. Then called my new friend Ron in Burlington to see if Wednesday or Thursday might be a convenient time to meet. He enthusiastically answered the phone and we made arrangements to try and hook up on Wednesday. If he is free, Ron plans on biking south towards Shelborne and meeting up to ride part of the way together into Burlington. I think that would be a lot of fun.
By now it was late afternoon and the sun was shining! Go figure. Spoke with my friend Dawne in Denver, LaDonna in Georgia, and took care of some emails. Before I could get out to grab a bite to eat, a strong thunderstorm hit and it began pouring rain - finally. So, I settled for an apple, peanut butter crackers and MM's for dinner with green tea to drink. Actually not bad.
Will try to make it an early night and get rested for tomorrow. I am thinking Westport, NY via the High Peaks Scenic Byway. However, as always, routes and destinations are always subject to change.

September 1, 2013

September 1, 2013 "Rest day" in Lake Placid - 18 miles

I awoke in a lovely town to clean clothes, a comfortable room, and good coffee with half and half. I felt happy and excited to start the day. After my morning studies and quiet time, I started planning the week's riding schedule. I decided I would definitely stay over in Lake Placid until Tuesday morning, then ride approximately 38 miles to Westport, NY via the High Peaks Scenic Byway. Shoot for Burlington, VT via the Lakes to Locks Passage and ferry on Wednesday, and reconnect with Ron and Tom if they are available. Then resume riding east through Vermont on Thursday, looking to reach Bar Harbor in about a week. Wow - the end will be here before I know it.

Next up was planning the day's activities. Due to the impending forecast of rain, I felt compelled to do any outdoor activities today. Top of the list for me was the bobsled experience. And after getting a decent night's sleep I was feeling more open to the notion of biking the 16 miles roundtrip to get to and from the Olympic venue. I kept thinking it would be good training for The Amazing Race. If I got my act in gear, I could be there when they opened and possibly get back in town in time for the Lake Placid cruise that had been so highly recommended. Newly inspired, I hustled to get ready. But as I started to wheel my bike out of the room, I realized with some dismay that my rear tire was flat. Which seemed strange since I had just spent a good bit of time cleaning and doing maintenance last night. Changing the tire took about 15 minutes - found a little "wire" that I assume was the culprit. By then, it had started gently raining. Undeterred, I hopped on the bike and started riding. I reasoned that it was a piece of cake since the only thing getting wet was me - the panniers and all my belongings were safe and dry in my room. Luckily, the rain stopped within 5 minutes as I reached Main Street and headed out Highway 73 for the 8 mile ride to the venue.

Along the way I passed many of the Olympic venues. The Olympic Center, which was the site of the Miracle on Ice hockey win; the speed skating rink; the ski jump hill; the equestrian center ( not a winter sport, but I later learned the Olympic flame was there). In the distance I could see the mountains where the downhill skiing was located. I had to climb a few fairly steep inclines to get to my destination, and it was if my legs were talking to me and saying, "Rest day, huh? Promises, promises..." I kept thinking how worth it it would be, and I was DEFINITELY not riding on "real rest day Monday." This was just too good an opportunity to pass up. I was right.


The road to the bobsled, luge, and skeleton venue passed by the areas for biathlon and cross-country skiing. There was a big mountain bike activity of some sort going on. Also, another equestrian center located on the road.

I was among one of the first groups they took up the hill today for the bobsled ride down. We went down the actual track they used in both the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. They had to stop using the track because as the newer sleds have developed, they go almost 90 mph and are too fast to negotiate the curves. So, they constructed a new track adjacent to this old track where the US teams now train. The only other track in the US is in Salt Lake City. Each year, Lake Placid hosts World Cup competitions here.


As I was waiting for my turn, I struck up a conversation with a nice woman named Joann from Toronto. She was kind enough to take some pictures of me. Joann's husband Sam was waiting at the bottom of the hill. Since I was just in Toronto a week ago, we chatted about the city and I asked her about the CN Tower "Edge Walk." Joann had not done the Edge Walk, but told me a little about what they do up there. Apparently, they have you lean out forward and backward. I mentioned that it looked like good training for The Amazing Race. By the way Joann's face lit up, she is acquainted with The Amazing Race.


They packed four of us in the bobsled, with a driver in front and a brakeman in the rear. We took off on the 42 second ride down at about 55 mph. It was a blast and over way too soon. The most fun was the hairpin curves near the end. It looked just like it does on TV when they show the sleds going up on the side of the wall and jerking back the other way. After the bobsled stopped, a photographer took each of our pictures with the "crew". They gave us our T-shirt, a lapel pin, a copy of our picture, and one of those little day bags with the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience logo. Then, they loaded us up in a little bus and took us for a tour of the real track where they now train and hold the World Cup competitions. We stopped a couple of times and were able to take some nice pictures of the mountains. You could see the ski jump hill off in the distance. And the sun had come out! Sam and Joann took some pictures of me and I took a few shots of them together.


At the conclusion of the tour, we took each others' pictures on the Lake Placid victory stand. Before Sam snapped my picture, Joann shouted, "Think of it as if you're the winner of Amazing Race!" Thumbs up to that. They were fun. I told them a little about my ride and gave them one of my "business cards."





The 8 mile ride back to Lake Placid was a blast and I fairly flew - partly because it was mostly downhill (grateful legs). But I suspect my adrenaline was still in play and I just felt happy. Randy and I used to describe these type of days and experiences as "pure joy." On the way back I stopped at the equestrian center to take a few pictures for my sister, when I noticed that it was also the location of the Olympic flame. There was this really neat plaque out front commemorating the 1989 Olympics. I was the only person there, except for a local family who had brought their young children out there to ride their bikes. They struck up the usual conversation with me regarding where I was going, how many miles each day, etc. I could see the longing in their eyes... The young father even told me that at one time he had bought some panniers... Once again I was reminded of how blessed I am to have the opportunities to live my dream. Do I sound like a broken record?








When I got home, I went to ask the motel owner if I could stay and pay for another night. He said that would be fine - we had gotten quite friendly and I found him to be very helpful, accommodating and cordial. Although the weekday rate is about $10 less than the weekend rate, he went beyond that and gave me an additional $10 off - a total $20 off the already reasonable rate. I told him how much I appreciated his kindness, and that I would recommend the Alpine Air Motel to anyone I knew who might be coming to Lake Placid. Gave him one of my "business cards" about the ride.
I changed clothes, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and walked back to town to catch the 1 hour boat cruise around Lake Placid. It was quite lovely, and the boat driver did a good job pointing out who owned the various mansions and houses - they are all called "camps" regardless of their cost. Randy would fall in love with this style of "camping." The boat driver also gave some good historical background and threw in a few good stories as well. Nicely done.








I returned to town and walked around the shops a little before finding a restaurant next to Mirror Lake for dinner. Then, hiked the mile back to my motel. End of running around all day on rest day. Worth every minute. I had a blast and love Lake Placid.

So, I really am going to take a rest day tomorrow. Honest. Just checked the weather forecast and there is a 40% chance of rain tonight and 60-80% chance of rain and storms tomorrow. You will find me hunkered down dry and warm at the Alpine Air Motel.

August 31, 2013

August 31, 2013 Cranberry Lake --> Lake Placid, NY - 55 miles

As anticipated, I awoke to a steady rain. What I hadn't anticipated was the bright pink water coming out of all the faucets and in the toilet. I suspected that it was nothing harmful, but wasn't willing to take the the risk. So no hot shower to loosen up these old joints for the follow up to 72 miles yesterday. Pull out the Advil. Luckily, I had enough water in my water bottles to heat in the microwave for my Starbucks Via coffee to accompany my morning studies. Afterwards had breakfast at a cute little diner across the street, and hit the road in a light drizzle by 8:00 a.m. in hopes of getting to Lake Placid early enough to enjoy some of the afternoon there.

It rained the first 20 miles to Tupper Lake and I was pretty well drenched from the combination of rain and sweat. It was warm and very humid, but I had on my bright yellow bike jacket in order to be as visible as possible. Despite the rain, the riding itself wasn't so bad as I continued on the Olympic Scenic Byway with its nicely paved and broad shoulders. I stopped at a McDonalds in Tupper Lake to get a cup of coffee and use wi-fi to send the blog entry from yesterday. Cranberry Lake Lodge's internet wasn't working and there was no cell service, so I had been cut off from communications with anyone for a day. The non-functioning internet service and pink water (none of which the motel proprietors told me about beforehand) somewhat revised my earlier glowing opinion of Cranberry Lake Lodge. That, coupled with the proprietor's attitude as if they were doing me a favor. They seemed to know I had no other options.

The remaining 29 miles from Tupper Lake to Lake Placid were pleasant enough. However, I began to encounter those long gradual inclines, followed by the fast downhills with more and more frequency. Not drastically steep climbs, but I was definitely feeling it. Although it remained overcast, the rain had pretty much stopped.










The weather continued to improve and the sun actually started coming out by the time I entered Lake Placid and found the Alpine Air Motel, my home for the next few days. I found that the motel was in a terrific location. Within walking distance of downtown Lake Placid and situated across the street from a grocery store and very nice laundry mat. Lots of nearby places to eat and a bicycle shop just up the street.




After taking a hot bath and re-grouping for a few minutes, I rode into town and checked everything out to see what I might want to do during my down time in Lake Placid. Lots of cute shops and stores to explore and an abundance of appealing restaurants. I stopped in at The Black Bear Restaurant and had one of the best pasta primavera dishes ever with hot homemade bread. My seat was right alongside Mirror Lake with its gorgeous view and I was in heaven. I think there is a very good chance I may be back at that restaurant before it is all said and done.

After dinner, I found a place that had information on Lake Placid and things to do, etc. Met a very nice lady who was extremely helpful in helping me plan what I wanted to do that was logistically doable given that I am on a bike. What immediately caught my attention was the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience held at the site where Olympic athletes still train for bobsled and luge events. I was also interested in seeing the Olympic Museum and Olympic Center. A young man who worked with the lady assisting me strongly suggested I take the 1 hour Lake Placid boat cruise, saying it was well worth it. Only about a mile walk north of Main Street. They started peppering me with questions about the bike ride, since I told them that whatever I did had to be within reasonable biking distance. I told them a little about the ride and gave them one of my "business cards."

I returned to the motel full of excitement about the possibilities during tomorrow's "rest day" and decided to go ahead and do laundry to get it out of the way. While my clothes were washing, I performed routine bike maintenance and gave my bike a good cleaning since it was caked with dirt after riding in the rain. The owner of the motel had graciously given me some old rags to use on my bike. I returned the bike and clean clothes to my room and decided I wanted pie. So, I walked across the street to HoJo for dessert. No apple pie left at this point, so I opted for NY style cheesecake.

When I checked the weather forecast as a prelude to starting to plan the next few days riding, there was a 60% chance of rain and storms forecast for Monday. I started thinking about staying an extra day until Tuesday. That way I could essentially sight see and window shop all day Sunday, then stay inside and actually rest on Monday. I decided to ask my motel owner if I could stay an extra day.

Another great day of adventure. So far, I am loving Lake Placid.

August 30, 2013

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!

August 29, 2013

August 29, 2013 Kingston, ON --> Watertown, NY - 46 miles

BACK IN THE USA!

Met Randy for an early start and we rode 6 miles through morning traffic to downtown Kingston, where I was to catch the ferry to Wolfe Island and Randy was to resume riding the Waterfront Trail. When we reached the downtown area, we found a cute and rather eclectic restaurant called The Sleeping Sheep. I had a cheese, mushroom and broccoli omelet with wonderful homemade toast. It felt like Randy and I were savoring those last moments together, because in truth we didn't really want to stop riding together. But we both realized and agreed that we had different areas that we wanted to see. And, as I mentioned previously, I had been to Montreal and wasn't excited about riding a bicycle through another big city when I could be enjoying a new experience in the Adirondack mountains.




Randy accompanied me to the Wolfe Island ferry and we said our goodbyes. A little awkward because we don't know when/if we will see each other again.

I had a 45 minute wait for the ferry, and took a short ride around the immediate downtown area for a quick look. Nice small city with some interesting sights and buildings.










The ferry to Wolfe Island took about 30 minutes. There must have been 50 vehicles or so on the ferry, including several large trucks. What struck me most as we disembarked were the many wind turbines nearby.







I got on my bike and headed east for the 10 kilometer ride to catch the Cape Vincent ferry to the USA. The ride was similar to the previous two days, with the exception of the wind turbines right next to the fields. Mostly flat roads and I made good time.




The Cape Vincent ferry is privately owned, and has been in the Horne family for I think 100 years. As I waited, I watched various boats in the distance and the flight of gulls and Canadian geese as they passed by. Also watched a large tanker go by. It was very quiet for the most part and I sort of gathered myself for the next phase of my journey alone. There was only 1 car on the small ferry boat with me, and the ride was all of about 10 minutes.




I quickly cleared customs and headed for the information center, where I picked up a NY state highway map and requested information on the Scenic Adirondack Byways. The lady at the office was extremely helpful, and I left with a new sense of direction. Instead of cutting across east to catch the Adventure Cycling northern tier immediately, I decided to take the more northernly Olympic Scenic Byway route through Lake Placid. That plan excited me since the Lake Placid Olympics were among my favorites. I was staying with my sister Donna in Atlanta at the time and every night we would hunker down for Olympics watching. It was great fun to share that with her.

Got back on the bike and rode 25 miles to Watertown, NY, where I found a lovely locally owned and reasonable motel for the night. Spent the next 2-3 hours going over the route for tomorrow and exploring accommodation options - there weren't many since it is Labor Day weekend. And it is 125 miles to Lake Placid and I needed a stopping place somewhere near halfway for Friday night. Also, there is a strong probability of rain/storms in the immediate forecast. The only possibility was Cranberry Lake, some 72 miles from Watertown, and I could only find 1 possible room there. So, I booked it. Decided I would have to gut it out the 72 miles, imagining a ride through rain and possible mountains. Then, I was fortunate enough to find a locally owned reasonably priced motel in Lake Placid for Saturday/Sunday, where I will take a rest day. It will be fun to explore the area a little.

Heard from Randy tonight - still on the WT trail and said he missed me. The last thing I told him at the ferry in Kingston was that if he came to his senses he should turn right and find me in the Adirondacks. Not likely, as I know he really wants to see the big cities, but one can hope. In any event, I know I made the right decision and am looking forward to the challenges of the next few days.

August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 Trenton --> Kingston, ON - 68 miles

Randy and I had decided to get off to an earlier 7:30 am start since we calculated approximately 75 miles to Kingston. What we hadn't counted on was the dense fog that greeted us. With blinking red tail lights and wearing my bright yellow bike jacket, we took off towards Belleville, which was 8 miles away. Then, another of those "parting of the sea experiences." A fire had broken out in a small shopping center and the police closed down the road to traffic - that is, motor vehicle traffic. We were waved right through and essentially had the entire highway to ourselves. A broad, smoothly paved highway along which we fairly cruised.




Within 15 minutes we arrived at a very nice breakfast cafe in Belleville and had a wonderful breakfast. Not quite up to Dimitri's standards, but very good none-the-less. I told Randy that I was considering returning to the US from Kingston and getting back on the Adventure Cycling northern tier route through the Adirondacks in NY and continuing through Vermont as we originally planned. I knew he had decided that he wanted to go through both Montreal and Quebec City, but the thought of negotiating the traffic through two more congested big cities was not appealing to me. Plus, the reality is that when you take a "rest day" in a big city, what you usually end up doing is laundry; spending a significant amount of time planning the next phase of the ride; trying to actually rest some, and; trying to see what you can of the city in what is left of the day and with limited transportation since we usually stay in hotels on the outskirts of the city. We do the best to see as much as we can within the limitations, but more often than not it is more like an overview. Or, maybe we will focus on one thing to see. But, for me, I prefer biking through the charming towns and talking with the people you encounter along the way. Just taking in the scenery. Randy's point was well-taken - he did not know when he would have the opportunity to be in the area and visit these cities. Plus, he doesn't like biking in mountains, and the AC route does go through the NY Adirondacks - not exactly flat. But, I realized the same reasoning applied to me - I don't know when I will have the opportunity to bike this portion of the country along the northern tier route during the fall season. I like mountains. And I have always been interested in biking Vermont this time of year. Randy and I like and respect one another, and support each other's choices. As we discussed the possibility that we would continue on separate routes, we both had tears in our eyes. Because it is rare to find really compatible travel companions and friends that seem to bring out the best in you. That is what I have always liked about riding with Randy - I think we seem to bring out the best in each other. And I know we want the best for each other.

We continued on for approximately 30 miles to Picton, where we again resumed riding the Waterfront Trail towards the Glenora Ferry. There were quite a few rather steep inclines on the way to the ferry, and my legs were feeling a little tired. Along the way, we greeted several other people out for rides on their bikes, and I received a number of good wishes for our trip. You can often see the longing in the eyes of these folks - we are living their dream.

The Glenora Ferry was a 15 minute boat ride across the upper end of Picton Bay. A delightful interlude.










We resumed riding along a beautiful two lane paved road along the shores of Lake Ontario that was somewhat similar to yesterday's ride. There was the scenic farmland and countryside interspersed with occasional shoreline views. It was quite humid, and that took its toll. But we made really good time and arrived in Kingston by mid-afternoon. I realized that we had miscalculated the mileage by probably 10 miles, and the ride was more along the lines of 65 miles or so rather than 75 miles. All in all, another very enjoyable ride.










We found a motel on the north side of town and plan to meet for breakfast. For me the Tour of the Leaves journey takes on a whole different direction tomorrow.

August 27, 2013

August 27, 2013 Port Hope --> Trenton, ON - 56 miles

This was one of my favorite days of the ride to date!

It was quite foggy and overcast as we pedaled the 3 miles into Port Hope, but fortunately no rain and none forecast. Port Hope, like many of the towns along the Waterfront Trail, is a quaint and very interesting looking town. Lots of interesting stores and cafes. The Main Street is a long fairly steep downhill that ends at a bridge over a stream. Very picturesque.

We stopped at a cafe called Dimitri's and had the best breakfast of the trip. Dimitri's had a breakfast special for $7.95 that included a pancake, eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes and toast. The food was exceptional and just what we needed after the rain day and exile in the middle of nowhere at the Budget Inn. Really good coffee too. The restaurant itself had a very European feel to it. All in all, a great way to start the day, and we left in high spirits to continue our ride along the WT.




The ride along the WT was along varied paths again, similar to yesterday's ride except no rain and no dirt trails. In a word, delightful. Some of the ride was along the shore of Lake Ontario itself, some wove through neighborhoods, some along Hwy 2 (with very well marked bike lanes), and much of the ride was through picturesque countryside along farms. The constant turns to follow the WT necessitated periodic stops to check the "WT bible" as we called it - a terrific book that Randy found in Toronto that has maps and descriptions of the WT. The ride was mostly flat, and often a slight tailwind. What I loved about the ride was you never ever got bored as you were constantly engaged with following the WT signs and enjoying the changing scenery. Most of the day we felt exhilarated. I have to say that the Waterfront Trail has far exceeded my expectations. And I am particularly impressed with the signage that keeps you on track. We have had very little trouble with getting lost since we started riding the WT.







As we were riding through the town of Cobourg, a group of bicyclists passed us. They appeared to be a local bike club out for a ride. A woman came alongside and enthusiastically started asking about our ride. She said that she did long distance touring. At the next interaction, we parted ways as our map indicated the WT went straight. After a couple of blocks, a man from the bike club group rode up behind us and yelled that he thought we might have missed the turn. He was trying to help. We showed him that we were, in fact, still on the route and he shook his head as he realized the WT actually went that way. Turns out his name was Bryan and he was a local. He said he never realized the trail went that way and he had learned something. We chatted a while and Bryan talked about a drive he had made from Mississippi to Texas and New Mexico, and especially recalled the heat. An interesting man and yet one more example of a kind stranger who went out of his way to track us down and try to help. Amazingly, we were actually on track and able to "help" him learn something new about the bike route in his town.



I had told Randy that morning that if we passed one of those fruit stands along the road during the day, I wanted to stop and get some apples for snacks. Low and behold, on one of the isolated country roads we came upon an orchard full of beautiful apples ready for the picking. The orchard was huge and literally extended as far as the eye could see. Looked like millions of trees densely packed and loaded with fully formed and healthy apples. I yelled "hooray" and leapt off my bike to go pick some apples. They looked so good and inviting that we decided to test eat one - they were delightfully crisp and juicy. Not sure what type of apples those were, but the apple experience itself was magic.




I had also been wanting to get a picture of Canadian geese flying in formation, as they would often fly close by overhead while we were riding. Or sometimes you would see them flying out low over the water. The problem I ran into was that by the time I saw them, stopped and got the camera out, it was too late and they had flown by. Well, today I started seeing the V formations with some regularity. I happened to see one in the distance that appeared to be flying my way so I just stopped and waited. I was not disappointed and was able to get a few shots as the flew overhead. The only glitch was that they changed direction slightly just as they got to me and I had to twist around backwards to get the shot. It made me so happy to finally get that shot - the simple joys really are the best.




By now, the sun had come out, just adding to the festive feel of the day. We stopped for a snack at a little roadside store beside a canal. There, with a For Sale sign was a large red boat named "Georgia Peach II". Must have been owned by a misplaced Georgia bulldog fan. Made me laugh.
We finally ended up in Trenton around 3 p.m. and found the Bayside Motel, a delightful locally owned motel right on the water with gorgeous views of the harbor. After cleaning up, I walked down to the water's edge and spent almost an hour watching the Canadian geese and gulls congregating on the huge lawn. Their interactions and antics were fascinating and entertaining. Out on the water, groups of swans paddled by. It was the perfect way to end what was, for the most part, a magical day.








Tomorrow we head for Kingston, some 75 miles away. I started looking at the maps again and am beginning to have second thoughts about Montreal. Another big city - ugh. Hate big city riding on bikes. Plus, I have been to Montreal on trips with my family. I am contemplating crossing down into New York and getting back on the Adventure Cycling northern tier route over to Maine. This would take me through many national forests and a different type of scenery. The Adirondacks - which implies more mountains and some climbs. A change at this point would also mean parting with Randy - who really wants to go to Montreal and Quebec City. I would prefer to keep riding with Randy - we are proven good traveling companions - but I also am having this feeling that the New York / Vermont route is the way I want to go. I will discuss with Randy and we'll see.