jppe

67 miles with 3000' of climbing.......but no grades over 7-8% so smooth sailing. Another really gorgeous blue sky, low wind great temperature day to ride.

Started the day at a small local diner in Richfield Springs. Huge serving of French toast, eggs and bacon. My wife left part of her blueberry pancakes so absorbed that as well. Fueled up for the day!!!

It was really fun listening to the locals talk about daily stuff. The owners school aged kids came in for breakfast before walking down the street to school. Kids just don't seem to want to finish their breakfast in a timely manner. Nothing new there!!

We stopped for lunch at another diner and it was pretty much the same story. Hearing the locals pick at each other cracked me up.

It's becoming routine for folks to ask "how far are you riding?" Seeing the reactions when they hear where we started and where we hope to finish is while predictable it's still humorous. They look at my white hair and think I should be in rocking chair.

After yesterday's pretty brutal day I was worried how quickly I'd bounce back. I made sure I didn't push too hard a gear and everything turned out great. I was pleasantly surprised at how the ride went overall. It probably helped that it was a shorter day. Maybe the daily recovery drink really does work or helps???

Followed Hwy 20 all the way into Albany. Traffic picked up as I got closer to town but no issues.

There must be a mobile home/office manufacturer west of Albany. I was passed numerous times by oversized loaded vehicles and those were the cargo. After they'd pass me the sides of the buildings would hang across the whole shoulder. I didn't like it when pilot cars came by me as I knew what was coming up next.

While not a huge day we're closer to Boston and the Atlantic so all is good.

Breakfast Diner






Starting out into the sun.......just like the last 30+ days



I got really excited when I saw this city limit sign but then realized I was still in NY and not Massachusetts......




A nice lunch stop right on Hwy 20. I've eaten more French fries on this trip than I've eaten the last 10 years!




My office the last 30+ days

AlexCyclistRoch

I've been to that diner in Richfield Springs. Sorry, but I don't share your admiration.....

deacon mark

So I have to ask.........what is the fastest speed you have recorded on the trip. BTW, I think your trip and threads have been the best thing on the forum a real treat.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by jppe

...Started the day at a small local diner in Richfield Springs. Huge serving of French toast, eggs and bacon. My wife left part of her blueberry pancakes so absorbed that as well. Fueled up for the day!!!...

We stopped for lunch at another diner and it was pretty much the same story.Hearing the locals pick at each other cracked me up.

…It's becoming routine for folks to ask "how far are you riding?" Seeing the reactions when they hear where we started and where we hope to finish is while predictable it's still humorous. They look at my white hair and think I should be in rocking chair…

While not a huge day we're closer to Boston and the Atlantic so all is good…

Back on 8/19, I mentioned for your amusement this question I asked as we began our cross country ride,

Quote:

Originally Posted by jppe

...505 miles done.Just 3000 more to go!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

At the start of our cross-country ride in 1977, I mused at what point the people we met would be more amazed at how far we had come vs how far we had to go. I never noticed that point.

Speaking of diners, on the third to last day of our trip, we were having lunch on Friday at a diner in an Appalachian hollow (“holler”) in West Virginia, and the John Denver song “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” came on the jukebox. It was so perfect. I’m not sure if I consciously realized it then, as I do now, that our seven week adventure of Living on the Road was nearing an end, and I'll never forget that song,

“Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River.
“Life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze.

“Country roads, take me home to the place I belong.
“West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads.”

Two days later on Sunday we easily rode over five Shenandoah Mountain passes ("gaps") in Virginia. That night we stayed at an inn in Middleburg VA with the name "Fox" in it (? Red Fox Inn), where Elizabeth Taylor had married VA Sen. John Warner. We finished Monday into Washington, DC.

jppe

Timing is everything!!!

BlazingPedals

I'm not responding to the trip posts very much but I'm enjoying them a lot. Thanks, jppe!

TakingMyTime

Thank you for sharing. It's be a lot of fun reading about your trip.

AlexCyclistRoch

BTW, the reason why those mobile homes are taking the surface roads is that they are not permitted (generally) on the Thruway.

indyfabz

If you are on U.S. 20 between Crescent Mills and Russell, MA, watch out for a giant killer cat ready to pounce on you from an elevated position along the side of the road. He nearly got me last week, but I was too fast for him:

berner

This thread seems to be producing in me an itch to travel.

jppe

I went by it today!!!!! I have scratch marks all over my legs.....

indyfabz

I toured through there last week. Good thing you didn't turn right on Blandford Stage Rd. in Russell. 4.1 mile climb with some very steep grades.