A serendipitous event: I was inquiring about someone's Burley trailer at a farmer's market. When they happened across me later the same day and asked if I hadn't been the one asking about the Burley, another couple asked if someone was interested in buying one! As a result, I am now the owner of a Burley solo. The hitch is so superior to the one on my old kids' trailer, that I am rather shocked by its simple design. Traveling further to buy groceries by bike is now possible.
Though it would be an unlikely distance travel buddy, the Burley serves extremely well around town. It carries a far greater load than either panniers or a BOB, however it has a tendency to "lurch", especially when starting from a stop.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Well, after riding my "new" bike for two months now, I have come to one conclusion. Updating an old bike has its disadvantages. The down side is that with the increase in the number of gears, my bar end shifters have greater difficulty with the increments required to sustain a specific gear. The upsides entail a greater impact on my riding comfort/ability.
Still using panniers to cart groceries, I have not landed a trailer. In addition to the cost, reuse is very important to me. Searching for several "junk" bicycles, I would like to make my own trailer, loosely based on this well developed tutorial. Creating this homemade trailer would also be a practice for holding workshops on how low income and bicycle reliant individuals could reproduce them. A two wheeled design would probably be more practical for Buffalo and for carting things around (the BOB has a weight limit of about 70lbs). Also, a two wheeled trailer would create less stress on the rear hub.
I am spurred on by the experiment conducted by the Durning Family, on the feasibility of going without a car. So far I have been commuting to work, probably better than 50% of the time, sometimes changing schools three times. There are no shower facilities in the elementary schools, but I generally work in an airconditioned setting, so even on 80 degree days, I cool adequately after the ride. I do bring "work" clothes, and when I feel it will not appall people (out of sight), I dry my sweaty clothes by hanging them on the crossmember of my bike. My laptop resides in my backpack; a jostling in the pannier would not be good for it. A lunch, external harddrive and clothes go into a single pannier. The bike itself can be housed inside each school.
The whole concept creates quite a stir and gets people to talk about alternative forms of transportation and car/bike awareness and safety.
Still using panniers to cart groceries, I have not landed a trailer. In addition to the cost, reuse is very important to me. Searching for several "junk" bicycles, I would like to make my own trailer, loosely based on this well developed tutorial. Creating this homemade trailer would also be a practice for holding workshops on how low income and bicycle reliant individuals could reproduce them. A two wheeled design would probably be more practical for Buffalo and for carting things around (the BOB has a weight limit of about 70lbs). Also, a two wheeled trailer would create less stress on the rear hub.
I am spurred on by the experiment conducted by the Durning Family, on the feasibility of going without a car. So far I have been commuting to work, probably better than 50% of the time, sometimes changing schools three times. There are no shower facilities in the elementary schools, but I generally work in an airconditioned setting, so even on 80 degree days, I cool adequately after the ride. I do bring "work" clothes, and when I feel it will not appall people (out of sight), I dry my sweaty clothes by hanging them on the crossmember of my bike. My laptop resides in my backpack; a jostling in the pannier would not be good for it. A lunch, external harddrive and clothes go into a single pannier. The bike itself can be housed inside each school.
The whole concept creates quite a stir and gets people to talk about alternative forms of transportation and car/bike awareness and safety.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
I had my local bike shop, Campus Wheel Works, do a major overhaul on my road bike. They added another sprocket? to the front and two to the back, changing my 10 speed into a 21 speed. New front and back derailleurs, a new crank set and a new front wheel rounded out the upgrade. In addition, they realigned my brakes (my son had crashed my prized bike). I rode it for the first time yesterday. Until now the mountain bike was used. Accepting that a bike ridden in the snow/slop would get beaten up, the road bike had stayed dry and inside until all muck was off the roads. I had added a rack to the mountain bike so I could still grocery shop.
The transformation of the road bike was amazing. For $350 the bike rode like new. This does seem like a lot of money, but in the long run, when you have a comfortable bike with features you like, it is much less expensive to upgrade/update it if possible. A new comparable bike would have cost me $650. The biggest problem with my road bike was the lack of a "granny" gear. Very happy.
The transformation of the road bike was amazing. For $350 the bike rode like new. This does seem like a lot of money, but in the long run, when you have a comfortable bike with features you like, it is much less expensive to upgrade/update it if possible. A new comparable bike would have cost me $650. The biggest problem with my road bike was the lack of a "granny" gear. Very happy.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Since the summer of 2006, I have vowed to use my car less. I live in a large urban area, relatively flat with long stretches of feasibly bike friendly weather. Yes, I am talking about Buffalo, NY. Unlike many cities, Buffalo is moderately easy to get around on a bicycle, and though it snows, the streets are usually plowed to bare pavement. I have paniers, but am thinking about a used BOB trailer, which has a single wheel. For this reason, they track behind a bike very well, and keep you from sticking further into traffic.
I have been doing a large amount of my shopping via bicycle, though since I only have rear paniers, I also take advantage of a bookbag.
In late summer I managed to purchase a mountain bike to use as a beater in the winter and for bad weather. I paid $35 for a low level Diamondback at a police auction. Amused that the auctioneer ( an officer) stated the chain was shot and the brake broken, I took it home, cleaned it up and reconnected the quick release on the brake. Great find! bikes cycling touring commuting
Friday, July 21, 2006
Last day of the Trek; Sunday, July 16th
Today I only had one thing on my mind. I wanted to get home in the least amount of time, with the least amount of hassle. Our little group of three seemed also inclined, so we ate breakfast with the mass at a catering hall and set off quickly.
The bridge to the first rest stop was closed, so we had to reroute ourselves, finding the bridge off the island and taking the route from there. It was a little disappointing, because I wanted to see Peebles Island State Park, but I am not always the best with directions/ orientation and wanted to stick with the group. This was especially true because we had to find our own detour; we were out before the route marking person had come through to check the route. This last section is very nice. Most of it is on the streets. The trip organizers routed it so you couldn’t miss Cohoes Falls; very interesting geologically.
At the end, we had beaten the luggage trucks. I had not wanted this to happen, but it was not long before they appeared. A previous Buffalo City native was waiting for his family at the end, and asked me for my autograph; I was the first woman to finish. To me it was not a race, or I would have finished days ago, but I was amused. It is difficult to see anything if you speed along. We helped unload the luggage trucks. A weight limit for bags should be put in place, because some of those bags were incredibly heavy.
One of my little group kindly offered to take me to the bus depot. In the beginning I had calculated that I could make it there on my own, but for the large cardboard bike box I had to lug about. He stuffed my box in his car quite effectively. We said our goodbyes.
At the depot, I started dismantling my bicycle to insert it into the box, but was flustered by my partner watching me (he did come back to help me). It is funny how I can do something until I find someone watching me (especially men), then I look totally incompetent. I did manage to mostly stuff my bike in the box, but had to take both wheels off to do so. Even then, the box did not close properly. This whole endeavor took me the entire 50 minutes before the bus arrived, and I was still trying to tie string around the box, even while moving in line to get on the bus. To Greyhound’s credit, they were very good to me. They laid my bike on top of everyone else’s luggage, so it would not get crushed. I had a seat all to myself.
In Utica, I was deeply into my book, when a really annoying person got on the bus and asked me if this was the part of the bus reserved for stinky bicyclists. When I looked up, it was the second of my partners in crime. He had gotten a ride from Albany to Utica, with his stuff, then his wife had grabbed him Utica, relieved him of his bike and luggage and dropped him at the bus depot for a ride to Buffalo to retrieve his car. The bus ride was surprisingly pleasant, but the company was a nice addition. On the ride home, we could look out the windows and see many of the places we had ridden past. We could even see the Canal Trail in some places, and recognized landmarks in others. It was a little surreal, like rewinding the last eight days. In Syracuse, there was a 1 hour, 20 minute layover. The station there is pristine, and right next to a flea/produce market. Again Greyhound was very kind and stored my bike and luggage securely for me, while we walked around the flea market and got something to eat. I can’t say enough about the bus company. They are everything the train company is not. It is too bad, really, for I enjoy getting up and walking around on a train. Amtrak seems to discourage riders at every turn, and this does not apply just to bicyclists. I swear they could have filled an entire rail car with cyclists if they were more flexible. Too bad.
In Buffalo, my husband kindly picked us up and returned my partner to Nichols school to get his car. I have ridden my bike a lot in Buffalo since my return. The trip has given me an appreciation of how bicycle friendly Buffalo really is, and I hope to commute full time this coming school year. In addition, the trip boosted my confidence about my stamina. Someday I hope to ride across the whole country, unsupported.
Click here to get the pdf of the directions- note that they were scanned and one of them had gotten quite wet.
Today I only had one thing on my mind. I wanted to get home in the least amount of time, with the least amount of hassle. Our little group of three seemed also inclined, so we ate breakfast with the mass at a catering hall and set off quickly.
The bridge to the first rest stop was closed, so we had to reroute ourselves, finding the bridge off the island and taking the route from there. It was a little disappointing, because I wanted to see Peebles Island State Park, but I am not always the best with directions/ orientation and wanted to stick with the group. This was especially true because we had to find our own detour; we were out before the route marking person had come through to check the route. This last section is very nice. Most of it is on the streets. The trip organizers routed it so you couldn’t miss Cohoes Falls; very interesting geologically.
At the end, we had beaten the luggage trucks. I had not wanted this to happen, but it was not long before they appeared. A previous Buffalo City native was waiting for his family at the end, and asked me for my autograph; I was the first woman to finish. To me it was not a race, or I would have finished days ago, but I was amused. It is difficult to see anything if you speed along. We helped unload the luggage trucks. A weight limit for bags should be put in place, because some of those bags were incredibly heavy.
One of my little group kindly offered to take me to the bus depot. In the beginning I had calculated that I could make it there on my own, but for the large cardboard bike box I had to lug about. He stuffed my box in his car quite effectively. We said our goodbyes.
At the depot, I started dismantling my bicycle to insert it into the box, but was flustered by my partner watching me (he did come back to help me). It is funny how I can do something until I find someone watching me (especially men), then I look totally incompetent. I did manage to mostly stuff my bike in the box, but had to take both wheels off to do so. Even then, the box did not close properly. This whole endeavor took me the entire 50 minutes before the bus arrived, and I was still trying to tie string around the box, even while moving in line to get on the bus. To Greyhound’s credit, they were very good to me. They laid my bike on top of everyone else’s luggage, so it would not get crushed. I had a seat all to myself.
In Utica, I was deeply into my book, when a really annoying person got on the bus and asked me if this was the part of the bus reserved for stinky bicyclists. When I looked up, it was the second of my partners in crime. He had gotten a ride from Albany to Utica, with his stuff, then his wife had grabbed him Utica, relieved him of his bike and luggage and dropped him at the bus depot for a ride to Buffalo to retrieve his car. The bus ride was surprisingly pleasant, but the company was a nice addition. On the ride home, we could look out the windows and see many of the places we had ridden past. We could even see the Canal Trail in some places, and recognized landmarks in others. It was a little surreal, like rewinding the last eight days. In Syracuse, there was a 1 hour, 20 minute layover. The station there is pristine, and right next to a flea/produce market. Again Greyhound was very kind and stored my bike and luggage securely for me, while we walked around the flea market and got something to eat. I can’t say enough about the bus company. They are everything the train company is not. It is too bad, really, for I enjoy getting up and walking around on a train. Amtrak seems to discourage riders at every turn, and this does not apply just to bicyclists. I swear they could have filled an entire rail car with cyclists if they were more flexible. Too bad.
In Buffalo, my husband kindly picked us up and returned my partner to Nichols school to get his car. I have ridden my bike a lot in Buffalo since my return. The trip has given me an appreciation of how bicycle friendly Buffalo really is, and I hope to commute full time this coming school year. In addition, the trip boosted my confidence about my stamina. Someday I hope to ride across the whole country, unsupported.
Click here to get the pdf of the directions- note that they were scanned and one of them had gotten quite wet.
Saturday, July 15th
We set off together in the morning, but soon parted ways. I needed to attend to some SAG duties. I did meet up with one of my partners at the PM rest stop at the Mabee Farm. This is a small group of buildings dedicated to recognizing the part farmers played in the development of the Erie Canal and detailing the way they lived. My husband is related by marriage to the owners of this farm, so I recognized it from pictures I had seen.
I had a relaxing finish to my ride into Scotia. Again one of my partners in crime had saved us tent spots. We joined together and visited an ice cream shop, where I had a root beer float. We then visited the local library, where one person stayed to check his email and we moved on to a drug store, where I purchased wet wipes- there are no showers at the end of the ride tomorrow, and I will be traveling on a bus. We then landed ourselves at a nice local bar, which had a surprisingly good selection of tap beer.
I had researched the possibilities for my return trip to Buffalo. Two women from Canada were going to rent a minivan, but not leave until Monday. This would have entailed my share of the vehicle, tolls, gas, an overnight stay in a hotel, plus a dinner and breakfast; too much money. The Amtrak train with a baggage car was sold out. Amtrak stinks- you can only bring your bike on certain trains, and they can only be removed at certain stations. I settled on going back by bus, about which I had major trepidations.
I hung out in tent city, talking to people and watching the bike repair guy do his stuff. By the time I was ready for a shower, it had started to pour. Oh, the irony of it all. Unwilling to move from under the shelter of the information tent (not alone), I waited it out for almost 45 minutes. By that time, my phone was beeping and one of my partners was paging me for dinner company. Showering had to wait until after dinner. Later in the evening, there was a goodbye celebration, with awards for the most flats in a day and for the whole trip. I must admit that it is odd to recognize frequent flat tires, for to me it indicates something embedded in the tire or incorrect tire inflation, but who am I to judge?
The mosquitoes were voracious, making people hide in their tents in the early evening.
We set off together in the morning, but soon parted ways. I needed to attend to some SAG duties. I did meet up with one of my partners at the PM rest stop at the Mabee Farm. This is a small group of buildings dedicated to recognizing the part farmers played in the development of the Erie Canal and detailing the way they lived. My husband is related by marriage to the owners of this farm, so I recognized it from pictures I had seen.
I had a relaxing finish to my ride into Scotia. Again one of my partners in crime had saved us tent spots. We joined together and visited an ice cream shop, where I had a root beer float. We then visited the local library, where one person stayed to check his email and we moved on to a drug store, where I purchased wet wipes- there are no showers at the end of the ride tomorrow, and I will be traveling on a bus. We then landed ourselves at a nice local bar, which had a surprisingly good selection of tap beer.
I had researched the possibilities for my return trip to Buffalo. Two women from Canada were going to rent a minivan, but not leave until Monday. This would have entailed my share of the vehicle, tolls, gas, an overnight stay in a hotel, plus a dinner and breakfast; too much money. The Amtrak train with a baggage car was sold out. Amtrak stinks- you can only bring your bike on certain trains, and they can only be removed at certain stations. I settled on going back by bus, about which I had major trepidations.
I hung out in tent city, talking to people and watching the bike repair guy do his stuff. By the time I was ready for a shower, it had started to pour. Oh, the irony of it all. Unwilling to move from under the shelter of the information tent (not alone), I waited it out for almost 45 minutes. By that time, my phone was beeping and one of my partners was paging me for dinner company. Showering had to wait until after dinner. Later in the evening, there was a goodbye celebration, with awards for the most flats in a day and for the whole trip. I must admit that it is odd to recognize frequent flat tires, for to me it indicates something embedded in the tire or incorrect tire inflation, but who am I to judge?
The mosquitoes were voracious, making people hide in their tents in the early evening.
Friday, July 14th
Our group did have a bicycle stolen last night. Last year two were apparently stolen from a Syracuse museum. I had commented about all the unlocked bicycles to someone last night, just before I retired and feel I jinxed us.
Breakfast was eaten at the local YMCA. I tried to get out early, but there were many flat tires and I stopped many times to perform SAG duties. The first time was just a mile or two outside of Rome. I think the vehicle SAG thought I was calling about some hotshot racing off to the next town, because he said most of the group hadn’t even left the YMCA yet. In fact, it was somebody who was probably trying to get an early start to avoid the heat of the day. She had a hole in her tire and there was nothing I could do for her, but wait until someone picked her up. Most of the route was on roads today, and the weather was warm and dry. In Schuyler, one couple reported they were pursued by a dog, which had given them a scare. They had called the police, who picked up the dog.
I had wanted to tour a brewery, but I had to stop so many times that I was too late. At Little Falls I was shown a temporary repair for a broken spoke. I believe it was a string made of Kevlar, with special nipples, that took the place of a spoke. In addition, I got the chance to practice a neat trick to repair a hole in a tire. I placed a folded dollar bill between the tire and the hole. This patch lasted the gentleman, whose tire I fixed, the rest of the trip.
Between Rome and Canajoharie, you could see the mess and destruction caused by the flooding in the last week of June 2006. Click here for pictures of the flood waters. As a result of the flooding, the lockhouse at lock 10 was swept off its foundation.
Already at Canajoharie, one of the gentlemen I had met saved two tent sites in a prime location for myself and the man I had drafted on earlier in the week. We enjoyed each other’s company for dinner and the evening. I spent a good portion of the rest of the trip with these two gentlemen.
Our group did have a bicycle stolen last night. Last year two were apparently stolen from a Syracuse museum. I had commented about all the unlocked bicycles to someone last night, just before I retired and feel I jinxed us.
Breakfast was eaten at the local YMCA. I tried to get out early, but there were many flat tires and I stopped many times to perform SAG duties. The first time was just a mile or two outside of Rome. I think the vehicle SAG thought I was calling about some hotshot racing off to the next town, because he said most of the group hadn’t even left the YMCA yet. In fact, it was somebody who was probably trying to get an early start to avoid the heat of the day. She had a hole in her tire and there was nothing I could do for her, but wait until someone picked her up. Most of the route was on roads today, and the weather was warm and dry. In Schuyler, one couple reported they were pursued by a dog, which had given them a scare. They had called the police, who picked up the dog.
I had wanted to tour a brewery, but I had to stop so many times that I was too late. At Little Falls I was shown a temporary repair for a broken spoke. I believe it was a string made of Kevlar, with special nipples, that took the place of a spoke. In addition, I got the chance to practice a neat trick to repair a hole in a tire. I placed a folded dollar bill between the tire and the hole. This patch lasted the gentleman, whose tire I fixed, the rest of the trip.
Between Rome and Canajoharie, you could see the mess and destruction caused by the flooding in the last week of June 2006. Click here for pictures of the flood waters. As a result of the flooding, the lockhouse at lock 10 was swept off its foundation.
Already at Canajoharie, one of the gentlemen I had met saved two tent sites in a prime location for myself and the man I had drafted on earlier in the week. We enjoyed each other’s company for dinner and the evening. I spent a good portion of the rest of the trip with these two gentlemen.
Thursday, July 13th
The weather started out cloudy, but cleared by late morning as we headed towards Rome and Fort Stanwix.
I took time to check out the Chittenango Landing Boat Museum, which though very local was extremely nice. Cool stuff was displayed related to the Erie Canal, including an actual bilge pump, with a description of how it worked. So many ingenious solutions to the problems presented at the time. Different types of local products were also showcased, with original signage and advertising from the period. The town had a little welcoming committee of two, and the town is obviously trying very hard to realign itself to tourism- successfully.
We were welcomed into the Rome Erie Canal Village, but it was at the end of the day’s ride and my feet were uncomfortable, still being wet from the rain yesterday. I must admit that there was no one in the main museum building, for most people wanted to view the houses and barns, so I wandered around in my sock feet, carrying my shoes to get some relief. Having seen similar buildings and displays in Mumford/Genessee Country Museum, I skipped most of the other buildings and moved on to Rome.
At Rome, we encamped right on the grounds of Fort Stanwix. In hindsight, I am very sorry I did not take the time to go on a tour of the fort or spend more time in the National Park Service interpretive building, for I got a glimpse into the interpretive building and the exhibits were well done.
We were on our own for dinner, and since I could not find any of my previous pals (and did not feel outgoing enough to find new ones), I walked to a grocery store nearby and bought blueberries, chocolate milk, rolls and cashews for dinner. I have done this before and find it quite fulfilling. An amusing gentleman camping near my tent asked me to get him some lime vodka from a liquor store next to the grocery, with which he was happily mixing lemonade.
Earlier in the day I had been asking people how to adjust the front derailleur, for the dust had entered the cable housing and I could not shift in front. I had searched the front derailleur for the adjustment screws I seem to remember seeing, but thought I was wrong, because there were no screws. It turned out that I did know what I was doing, but the screws had been concealed under the stone dust. I paid the bike fix-it people to clean my bike of stone dust. Can’t be good for the chain/cogs. It was well worth it, because my bike was again white.
The weather started out cloudy, but cleared by late morning as we headed towards Rome and Fort Stanwix.
I took time to check out the Chittenango Landing Boat Museum, which though very local was extremely nice. Cool stuff was displayed related to the Erie Canal, including an actual bilge pump, with a description of how it worked. So many ingenious solutions to the problems presented at the time. Different types of local products were also showcased, with original signage and advertising from the period. The town had a little welcoming committee of two, and the town is obviously trying very hard to realign itself to tourism- successfully.
We were welcomed into the Rome Erie Canal Village, but it was at the end of the day’s ride and my feet were uncomfortable, still being wet from the rain yesterday. I must admit that there was no one in the main museum building, for most people wanted to view the houses and barns, so I wandered around in my sock feet, carrying my shoes to get some relief. Having seen similar buildings and displays in Mumford/Genessee Country Museum, I skipped most of the other buildings and moved on to Rome.
At Rome, we encamped right on the grounds of Fort Stanwix. In hindsight, I am very sorry I did not take the time to go on a tour of the fort or spend more time in the National Park Service interpretive building, for I got a glimpse into the interpretive building and the exhibits were well done.
We were on our own for dinner, and since I could not find any of my previous pals (and did not feel outgoing enough to find new ones), I walked to a grocery store nearby and bought blueberries, chocolate milk, rolls and cashews for dinner. I have done this before and find it quite fulfilling. An amusing gentleman camping near my tent asked me to get him some lime vodka from a liquor store next to the grocery, with which he was happily mixing lemonade.
Earlier in the day I had been asking people how to adjust the front derailleur, for the dust had entered the cable housing and I could not shift in front. I had searched the front derailleur for the adjustment screws I seem to remember seeing, but thought I was wrong, because there were no screws. It turned out that I did know what I was doing, but the screws had been concealed under the stone dust. I paid the bike fix-it people to clean my bike of stone dust. Can’t be good for the chain/cogs. It was well worth it, because my bike was again white.
Wednesday, July 12th
Today was the day on which I was assigned the task of sweeper. Most of the SAG volunteers take a turn at sweeping, in which you hang at the very end of the pack of riders, making sure no one is left behind. It poured all day, and we were quite wet, despite our rain coats. Sweepers are paired, for safety, and I found myself paired with another very pleasant gentleman. I found a large number of the men I encountered to be extremely polite. It is delightful to find such qualities in today’s men, for sometimes I wonder if manners are a lost art among both sexes. We rode slowly and hung back at the rest stops until all were far ahead. Today a portion of the Erie Canal Trail had to be closed to our riders, for it became a hazard, particularly for those with road bikes. As a result, some riders went where we did not follow, and we waited outside the town of Jordan (where the trail and detour converged) for a vehicle SAG to make sure everyone had left their lunchtime haunts and passed us. The last few miles coming into Syracuse became difficult, as we caught up with several dejected people, worn out, cold and some with mechanical difficulties. I must admit however, that people showed amazing resilience. People of all different body types are participating and succeeding in this ride. The last bit, coming into Syracuse University’s tent city area, was quite a climb uphill. At the top, we were confronted with a thunderstorm and torrential downpours and most people took refuge inside some of Syracuse’s dormitories.
Today was the day on which I was assigned the task of sweeper. Most of the SAG volunteers take a turn at sweeping, in which you hang at the very end of the pack of riders, making sure no one is left behind. It poured all day, and we were quite wet, despite our rain coats. Sweepers are paired, for safety, and I found myself paired with another very pleasant gentleman. I found a large number of the men I encountered to be extremely polite. It is delightful to find such qualities in today’s men, for sometimes I wonder if manners are a lost art among both sexes. We rode slowly and hung back at the rest stops until all were far ahead. Today a portion of the Erie Canal Trail had to be closed to our riders, for it became a hazard, particularly for those with road bikes. As a result, some riders went where we did not follow, and we waited outside the town of Jordan (where the trail and detour converged) for a vehicle SAG to make sure everyone had left their lunchtime haunts and passed us. The last few miles coming into Syracuse became difficult, as we caught up with several dejected people, worn out, cold and some with mechanical difficulties. I must admit however, that people showed amazing resilience. People of all different body types are participating and succeeding in this ride. The last bit, coming into Syracuse University’s tent city area, was quite a climb uphill. At the top, we were confronted with a thunderstorm and torrential downpours and most people took refuge inside some of Syracuse’s dormitories.
Tuesday, July 11th
Breakfast was as delightful as dinner and we awoke to beautiful blue skies. The ride to Seneca Falls was calm and there were no real troubles to note. The National Women’s Hall of Fame was rather disappointing, no more really than a bunch of writing on the wall. I could have gotten as much from a book. I hope they improve this museum, for the concept has much promise. The National Park service has a museum in Seneca Falls, as well, dedicated to chronicling the women’s suffrage movement, as well as other civil rights movements to a lesser extent. This museum was incredibly detailed and multi-media and had a temporary? exhibit on the lives and careers of women members of congress, offering a glimpse at how different their experience is from that of their male counterparts.
There was a wine and cheese party in celebration of our ride, on which I passed. Instead I sought out potential dining partners, for dinner was not provided on this night. There were many groups of people searching together for restaurants, but I found that the bigger the group, the more difficult consensus becomes. Instead I found a very pleasant gentleman. I was afraid he would find me to be boring company, but he was very aware of what was going on around him in the world and was happy to discuss a wide variety of topics. Though there was a shuttle operating, we chose to walk back to the school together with my bike.
Breakfast was as delightful as dinner and we awoke to beautiful blue skies. The ride to Seneca Falls was calm and there were no real troubles to note. The National Women’s Hall of Fame was rather disappointing, no more really than a bunch of writing on the wall. I could have gotten as much from a book. I hope they improve this museum, for the concept has much promise. The National Park service has a museum in Seneca Falls, as well, dedicated to chronicling the women’s suffrage movement, as well as other civil rights movements to a lesser extent. This museum was incredibly detailed and multi-media and had a temporary? exhibit on the lives and careers of women members of congress, offering a glimpse at how different their experience is from that of their male counterparts.
There was a wine and cheese party in celebration of our ride, on which I passed. Instead I sought out potential dining partners, for dinner was not provided on this night. There were many groups of people searching together for restaurants, but I found that the bigger the group, the more difficult consensus becomes. Instead I found a very pleasant gentleman. I was afraid he would find me to be boring company, but he was very aware of what was going on around him in the world and was happy to discuss a wide variety of topics. Though there was a shuttle operating, we chose to walk back to the school together with my bike.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Monday, July 10th
Zipping and unzipping of tents wakes you up around 5 AM. It was very dry this morning, a pleasure when packing up a tent. After packing up I went to breakfast. The group is provided breakfast, two rest stops with snacks and dinner (every night but two). I have found that this is adequate, and I don't bother with lunch. At the rest stops there is fruit (usually cut), junky carbohydrates (cheez-its, peanut butter crackers, cheetos...), Gatorade and water. I did not lose any weight on this trip, but I was definately firmer at the end. I met a gentleman who was riding while talking on his phone. I reprimanded him for violating the NY law about driving while talking on a cell phone. I also met a gentleman who was riding a hybrid bike on the crushed stone path. I found that if I drafted on him, I could average 3 mph faster than on my own. These two gentlemen provided me with most of my entertainment along the route to Albany. People come from all over the US for this tour. There were people from Alaska, California, Colorado, Nebraska and other northeastern and mid-western states.
We headed for Pittsford, just outside of Rochester, NY.
Near Rochester, I embarked with a group for a tour of Rochester. It was led by a man riding a 3 speed Schwinn. It was most amusing to watch our group, all decked out in bicycle attire, with our fancy, multi-speed bikes, struggling to go slow enough behind the basic Schwinn. We got to see the aqueduct used to cross the canal over the Genessee River. It has since been converted twice, once into a subway tunnel (now defunct) and currently to an auto bridge.
We stayed at Nazareth College. In the end, I voted their food to be the best. After setting up my tent, I went in search of the showers. Though I don't stink at the end of the day, I am rather gritty and my skin feels stiff from all the salt. I thought I would be sore and stiff, but was not. I do own a Terry seat and wear bike shorts. As for the shirts, I own one bike shirt with the longer tail, but my other two shirts are just synthetic running shirts. Cut longer than usual, they cover my back fully.
I took my evening occupations with me (phone, book, trail notes), for I thought it looked like rain and I might get caught at the showers or dining hall. The heavens did open up on us, and we were inside for a long time, while a band of heavy thunderstorms raged over us. We spent the time listening to a lecture about the womens' sufferage movement and the geology of the canal area. Afterwards, at around 8:00 PM, there was a beautiful, huge rainbow and the clouds were fantastically colorful and shaped. People just leave their bikes out, which washes the stone trail dust off the bike. Then they just re-oil the bike and ride.
Zipping and unzipping of tents wakes you up around 5 AM. It was very dry this morning, a pleasure when packing up a tent. After packing up I went to breakfast. The group is provided breakfast, two rest stops with snacks and dinner (every night but two). I have found that this is adequate, and I don't bother with lunch. At the rest stops there is fruit (usually cut), junky carbohydrates (cheez-its, peanut butter crackers, cheetos...), Gatorade and water. I did not lose any weight on this trip, but I was definately firmer at the end. I met a gentleman who was riding while talking on his phone. I reprimanded him for violating the NY law about driving while talking on a cell phone. I also met a gentleman who was riding a hybrid bike on the crushed stone path. I found that if I drafted on him, I could average 3 mph faster than on my own. These two gentlemen provided me with most of my entertainment along the route to Albany. People come from all over the US for this tour. There were people from Alaska, California, Colorado, Nebraska and other northeastern and mid-western states.
We headed for Pittsford, just outside of Rochester, NY.
Near Rochester, I embarked with a group for a tour of Rochester. It was led by a man riding a 3 speed Schwinn. It was most amusing to watch our group, all decked out in bicycle attire, with our fancy, multi-speed bikes, struggling to go slow enough behind the basic Schwinn. We got to see the aqueduct used to cross the canal over the Genessee River. It has since been converted twice, once into a subway tunnel (now defunct) and currently to an auto bridge.
We stayed at Nazareth College. In the end, I voted their food to be the best. After setting up my tent, I went in search of the showers. Though I don't stink at the end of the day, I am rather gritty and my skin feels stiff from all the salt. I thought I would be sore and stiff, but was not. I do own a Terry seat and wear bike shorts. As for the shirts, I own one bike shirt with the longer tail, but my other two shirts are just synthetic running shirts. Cut longer than usual, they cover my back fully.
I took my evening occupations with me (phone, book, trail notes), for I thought it looked like rain and I might get caught at the showers or dining hall. The heavens did open up on us, and we were inside for a long time, while a band of heavy thunderstorms raged over us. We spent the time listening to a lecture about the womens' sufferage movement and the geology of the canal area. Afterwards, at around 8:00 PM, there was a beautiful, huge rainbow and the clouds were fantastically colorful and shaped. People just leave their bikes out, which washes the stone trail dust off the bike. Then they just re-oil the bike and ride.
Sunday, July 9th
I got to Nichols school at 6:30 AM. Since I live in Buffalo, I did not camp out in the field, but instead went home for the night. I put my two small duffels on the luggage truck and had breakfast.
As a SAG, I had to attach a "fish" windsock to my bike, so I would be easily identifiable as such. I left shortly before the "official" start, because I was unsure how to ride in a group and felt it might be easier if leaving with a smaller group than the mass. After only about one mile, I experienced my first duty as a SAG. A rider had a tire blowout and this had caused him to lose control of the bike. His rim was badly bent and I had to call a vehicle SAG to pick him up. He would be driven to the first rest stop, where a professional bike repairman fixed him up and sent him on his way.
The route follows the Riverwalk, which I have experienced many times, then winds its way along Tonawanda Creek, which is integrated with the Erie Canal. We went to Lockport, where there is a big downhill, followed by a right turn at the bottom. Good brakes are a necessity. Here I met a gentleman riding a single speed bike. These bikes are all the rage in Buffalo, and apparently around the country. They have no freewheel, and thus can't coast. Asked about how he copes with the downhills, he replied he "pedals like a madman". Many of these bikes have no brakes, though his did. One slows by resisting the forward movement of the pedals.
There were tickets available to ride a boat in the canal at Lockport, but since I live here, I have done that before. The journey to Medina was moderate and without mishap. At Medina schools there was a pool and showers. I think I arrived about 12:30. My average speed was probably 12 mph. I set my tent up in what would be shade and talked with those camped around me. Most evenings there are one or more speakers, who talk about the history of the canal in the area through which we will be traveling.
I got to Nichols school at 6:30 AM. Since I live in Buffalo, I did not camp out in the field, but instead went home for the night. I put my two small duffels on the luggage truck and had breakfast.
As a SAG, I had to attach a "fish" windsock to my bike, so I would be easily identifiable as such. I left shortly before the "official" start, because I was unsure how to ride in a group and felt it might be easier if leaving with a smaller group than the mass. After only about one mile, I experienced my first duty as a SAG. A rider had a tire blowout and this had caused him to lose control of the bike. His rim was badly bent and I had to call a vehicle SAG to pick him up. He would be driven to the first rest stop, where a professional bike repairman fixed him up and sent him on his way.
The route follows the Riverwalk, which I have experienced many times, then winds its way along Tonawanda Creek, which is integrated with the Erie Canal. We went to Lockport, where there is a big downhill, followed by a right turn at the bottom. Good brakes are a necessity. Here I met a gentleman riding a single speed bike. These bikes are all the rage in Buffalo, and apparently around the country. They have no freewheel, and thus can't coast. Asked about how he copes with the downhills, he replied he "pedals like a madman". Many of these bikes have no brakes, though his did. One slows by resisting the forward movement of the pedals.
There were tickets available to ride a boat in the canal at Lockport, but since I live here, I have done that before. The journey to Medina was moderate and without mishap. At Medina schools there was a pool and showers. I think I arrived about 12:30. My average speed was probably 12 mph. I set my tent up in what would be shade and talked with those camped around me. Most evenings there are one or more speakers, who talk about the history of the canal in the area through which we will be traveling.
Saturday, July 8th
I went to the pre-ride gala at Nichols school in Buffalo, NY. I am not the best , socially, and I had to force myself to mingle. The people were very nice; a very socially inclined group. I just found an empty seat and asked if I could join. Not having companions probably forced me to meet more people than I might have otherwise. I met other solo riders as well, so I was not alone in being alone. I am a vegetarian, and the ride does manage to successfully arrange for this. There was Bully Hill wine, provided by Frontier Beverage, a local beverage shop.
Initially I thought my youngest child would be interested in coming along, and so had requested statistical information about the age demographics. There had been many children on the past year's ride. Unfortunately, I had put a training mileage requirement on my son of 200 miles, and he had not been motivated to come even close. In hind-sight, he probably would have made it anyways. The average age on this ride this year was announced to be 48. 60% are male (I am female). Along the ride, I found most of the single riders to be male. Most of the women were in groups of some sort, families or friends.
I should also mention that I volunteered, which technically waives your fees. There was a meeting for volunteers, at which they explained each group's function. My function was to provide bicycle SAG (Support And Gear). Bike SAG travels along with the group, offering motivational and bike maintenance assistance (fixing flats, reattaching chains...). On Wednesday, I would be required to "sweep", which entails lingering at the end of the group to ensure no one gets left behind.
I went to the pre-ride gala at Nichols school in Buffalo, NY. I am not the best , socially, and I had to force myself to mingle. The people were very nice; a very socially inclined group. I just found an empty seat and asked if I could join. Not having companions probably forced me to meet more people than I might have otherwise. I met other solo riders as well, so I was not alone in being alone. I am a vegetarian, and the ride does manage to successfully arrange for this. There was Bully Hill wine, provided by Frontier Beverage, a local beverage shop.
Initially I thought my youngest child would be interested in coming along, and so had requested statistical information about the age demographics. There had been many children on the past year's ride. Unfortunately, I had put a training mileage requirement on my son of 200 miles, and he had not been motivated to come even close. In hind-sight, he probably would have made it anyways. The average age on this ride this year was announced to be 48. 60% are male (I am female). Along the ride, I found most of the single riders to be male. Most of the women were in groups of some sort, families or friends.
I should also mention that I volunteered, which technically waives your fees. There was a meeting for volunteers, at which they explained each group's function. My function was to provide bicycle SAG (Support And Gear). Bike SAG travels along with the group, offering motivational and bike maintenance assistance (fixing flats, reattaching chains...). On Wednesday, I would be required to "sweep", which entails lingering at the end of the group to ensure no one gets left behind.
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