Low Flying Chair's West to East Adventure

End of Trip

2007-11-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

Tuesday October 30th

I departed the motel at 10am and rode downtown to the Post Office to send the laptop to Bar Harbor and some more unwanted equipment home. Today was the day I had to make my own route to Middlebury, VT because the ferry service had closed a few days earlier for the season. As I headed out of town I stopped at a natural foods store and purchased some organic raisins and cashew butter. The lady at the store generously accepted the cash I had in my wallet (less than the price of the items) as she had no facility to process credit cards. The hills to the west were just beyond their peak colors and I took a few photos.

I was soon at Crown Point and then crossed the bridge over Lake Champlain into Vermont. Traffic was light as I followed route 125 to Middlebury. I ate lunch outside a gas station and talked to many people about my trip as they entered the convenience store.

I reached Middlebury just before 3pm. It was a busy little town with many students walking around the town. It was here that I again followed the Adventure Cycling maps. The route took me through Ripton and at 6:20pm I arrived at Bread Loaf, a summer school for writers. I studied the map of trails at a rest area and decided to stay along a cross-country skiing trail not far from where I was. I had a very nice a peaceful sleep.

Wednesday October 31st

I packed up the bike then filtered some water from a stream before departing at 10:40am. Just after I reached the top of Bread Loaf mountain I was cruising down the hill into Hancock beside Robbins Brook. On the other side of Hancock I met Robert who was riding back home on a day trip. We had a nice conversation about bike touring as we rode towards Rochester. We stopped at the bicycle store and talked to the owner. I excused myself and went to the bank and the supermarket. Then I returned to the bike store with some money to pay for the puncture repair kit. I then went to the laundromat and was able to launder some clothes, change in to the clean clothes then launder the ones I was wearing. This took some time and after another conversation with Robert and eating lunch, I departed at 3:21pm.

As I was riding through Sharon just before it was dark, some kids were walking along the street with their parents going from house to house doing “trick-or-treat”. One kid asked me what I was supposed to be doing. I didn't answer as I didn't have time to explain. Instead one of the parents said hello and I said hello back. I hope the parent explained to the young child later what I was doing. Or maybe the child forgot about me! I was hoping to get further than Sharon but it was hilly and I decided to find a spot to camp nearby. After a number of cars passed me and it was silent again, I could hear a stream nearby. I pulled off the road and walked down an embankment to a stream. It was a perfect spot to put up the tent and not be seen from the road. Again I was soothed to sleep by the sound of water flowing over rocks.

Thursday November 1st

All Saints Day!

I departed at 9am and passed through South Strafford and stopped at East Thetford for a hot chocolate drink. I crossed over the Connecticut River into New Hampshire near Lyme. As I was passing through Orford it started to rain. It only lasted 30 minutes. I had lunch in Piermont and after I resumed riding the sun came out. I rode through North Haverhill and reached Lincoln at 7pm. I inquired at few motels and found the going rate to be $110 for a room. That was beyond my budget limit so I decided to continue. Just out of Lincoln the State Forest begins. It was not long before I found a nice tent site by the Hancock River. I was in bear country again so I decided to cook away from the tent. I was not disturbed during the night.

Friday November 2nd

Since I wasn't in a designated camping site, I packed up the bike before daylight and cooked my breakfast at a rest area beside the river. A guy in a green forestry truck passed by me but didn't stop. I had been thinking of not taking a day off the next day to make up time as I'm due back at work on November 6th.

I departed at 9:46am on the Kancamagus highway towards the pass. The road was nicely graded and I steadily pedaled towards the pass. I reached the pass at 12:30pm and stopped at a few rest areas to look at the information boards and the views. By 2:13pm I reached Conway. I decided to stay the night in Conway and I spent some time at the library catching up on emails and searching for accommodation in Conway. I called the youth hostel at 5pm to see if a room was available. The lady suggested I come and check the place out. I found it to be very nice with a kitchen and laundry very close to my room. I couldn't bring the bike inside so it sat in the drive outside my room. It was bit noisy with people arriving late at night so I slept with earplugs.

Saturday November 3rd

After departing at 8:30am I reached Maine at 9:15am. Now I was in the final state of the trip and I felt I was getting close to finishing.

It was a cold day. I rode through Lovell, Sweden, and South Waterford. At 12:30pm in Waterford I stopped at Springers General Store for 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and a cup of hot chocolate. The store had fired up their stove for the first time that day and the store was toasty warm. I was able to get my feet warm again and that felt good. After 45 minutes lingering in the warm environment, I departed.

I passed through East Waterford and Norway. I stopped in Paris to buy supplies from a food co-op store. At 2:30pm it started to rain. It was still raining when I reached Turner at 6:30pm. My waterproof shell gloves were leaking even after I sprayed them with a coat of proofing. They were probably leaking from the stitching seams. I turned on to route 4 as I saw a gas station. When I was out of the rain in the convenience store I looked at the Adventure Cycling map for somewhere to stay. I called Nezinscot Farm and the lady offered me a comfortable couch to sleep on. I was very happy to arrive at the farm and find such nice welcoming people. I quickly felt at home there. I was able to put all of my wet gear in the drying room, have a shower, and cook a meal. I was offered a piece of apple pie and I didn't have to think twice before saying yes! The area where I was staying was the farm store and family living area. Everything seemed integrated and well thought out. The couch was comfortable and I slept well. I got an extra hour of sleep as daylight saving was due to “fall back” that evening.

60 miles traveled today.

Sunday November 4th

I didn't want to leave the farm but the end of the ride was near so I departed at 8am. Weather was fine and cool. I passed through Litchfield Corner and Richmond. At Dresden I stopped for 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and resumed at 1pm. My journey took me through Newcastle, Waldoboro and West Rockport. I stopped at a gas station for a hot chocolate and called a motel in Rockport for a room. I arrived there at 6:16pm.

82 miles traveled today.

Monday November 5th

My final day on the road had arrived. I estimated it to be 90 miles to Bar Harbor taking the quiet roads on the Adventure Cycling map. I decided to take the busy route 1 and departed at 6:40am. Just out of Rockport I got my first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. At 8:30am in Northport I stopped at Moran's Hideaway Diner eating pancakes and tea for breakfast. I reached Bucksport at 11:30am. I bought a new set of earphones for my MP3 player and checked emails at the library. I ate lunch outside the library then departed at 12:18pm. In Ellsworth I stopped at a natural foods store for a hot chocolate and cookie. I reached Bar Harbor at 5pm. The Post Office closed at 4:30pm so I couldn't pick up the laptop computer. I ate dinner at the Thirsty Whale and called many motels to find most of them had closed. After 8 calls I found a room at Atlantic Oakes motel by the ferry terminal. It was dark and I wanted a photo dipping the wheels in the Atlantic Ocean. That would have to wait until the next morning.

Tuesday November 6th

After breakfast I packed the bike in the room once the laundry was done and departed for the pier in the rain at 10am. I dipped the wheels in the ocean which signified the end of the trip.

I rode to the Post Office, picked up the laptop computer and rode to the bike store. I stripped the bike of everything I was going to take with me in the car then called a taxi to take me to the airport. I had been thinking of how I was going to get back home from Bar Harbor for half of the trip. I decided that it was too much work to box up the bike and take a bus and a train back home.

A pickup truck rented from Enterprise was my next idea. After trying to contact the agency at Bar Harbor airport in Trenton I found out that the only company renting cars this late in the season was Hertz. Hertz didn't rent pickup trucks.

Okay, what about a U-Haul truck? Too expensive!

Okay, the last idea was to get the local bike store to box up and send the bike back home. That freed me from having to rent a large vehicle to hold the bike. I was able to pick up a Mazda 6 for the price of a Ford Focus. Just after midday I packed the car and started on the trip home. Ever since high school days I was intrigued with a song we used to sing called “Riding Down from Bangor”. Since I was so close to Bangor I decided to drive there before heading south. It looked just like any other city – maybe there were woods to do hunting in somewhere nearby. The song goes “Riding down from Bangor on an eastern train after weeks of hunting in the woods of Maine....”

I stopped at a supermarket and bought enough food for 2 meals. I ate lunch in the car then followed I95 south with a small detour on I125 to Freeport to visit the LL Bean Bike, Boat, and Ski store for a hour. Then it was back on I125 to I95 and south through the outskirts of Boston in Massachusetts, then on I90 to I84. I then followed I84 all the way through Connecticut to Middletown in New York. From there it was 40 minutes on route 17 to where I live in Hurleyville. I arrived at 10:45pm. Thoughts about the trip The trip was a complete success. I traveled across the US within 3 months being in nature for most of the time and thinking about what I was about to do for the rest of my life. I now realize that the “world is my oyster” and I can do anything I want to. Now that I'm back at work I've decided to stay for a while until I get clear about the next step in my life.

And I have a wee scar above my right eye as a memento of the trip!

After a little trim...

Food

Being a vegetarian did not create a problem for me. I could find enough food to eat along the way. In the US there are plenty of places to buy a good variety of food. My favorite places were the food co-ops and natural food stores I found along the way. Next time when traveling in the US I'll compile a list of these stores making it easier to find them. I'll also spend more time dehydrating food at home before a trip.

Equipment

One thing kept resounding in my head – on my next trip (wherever that is) I need to think about backup systems for my bike and camping equipment in case it fails. Possibly I will have spares boxed up at home ready to be sent to wherever I am at a moment's notice. Or if it is light enough, carry a spare with me.

The Marmot Firstlight 2 tent performed well and kept me dry on the wet days.

My Big Agnes insulated mattress worked well but required 40 lung-fulls of air to inflate. And during the trip it started to leak and was half-inflated by the time I woke up. I found it difficult to find the leak even after dipping it in water and looking for the bubbles. I'm certain I'll buy a new self-inflating Thermarest mattress for my next trip.

Some nights my 20 degree MEC sleeping bag was not warm enough. After buying a 6' by 6' piece of fleece for a blanket I was able to cope with the frosty nights okay. The fleece blanket was bulky. A warmer sleeping bag could be purchased for my next fall trip.

I bought a Thermarest pillow for the trip and I'm glad I did! It rolled up to a small size and was light.

My Peak1 Apex II multi-fuel stove failed during the trip. Three of the five legs broke off making it difficult to support a pot of water. This was the 3rd trip I had used this stove. It performed well for me. I was able to make a tripod out of tree branches and rope until I could buy a replacement. I really liked its ability to simmer.

The MSR Whisperlite Internationale multi-fuel stove performed well for the rest of my trip. I wished I had brought along my flame spreader – this would have helped prevent food burning in my cookware. This stove is difficult to simmer.

Even though a bike mechanic checked the bike before I departed, the rim on the rear wheel failed (possibly from brake wear.) I was lucky to be in a city with a bike store when the wheel failed. The new wheel worked well and even though 2 spokes broke I was still able to keep the wheel aligned until the spokes were replaced. I think a few spare spokes and the rear cassette removal tools will be in my tool kit for the next big trip.

I replaced the chain and rear cassette before the trip and they performed well. The 4th cog was slipping a bit towards the end of the trip.

The Kool-Stop brake pads worked well.

I broke 2 rear derailleur cables. A spare cable could have shortened the delays I experienced. I'll definitely carry a set of spare cables with me for the next trip.

The Shimano Deore XT rear derailleur failed twice during the trip. It is nice and light for people that want to ride fast. On a touring recumbent bike something more durable is needed. The heavier (and cheaper) steel Shimano Acera derailleur performed well for the rest of the trip.

I wore multiple layered clothing for the trip. On cold days my merino wool sleeveless Ibex under shirt worked well. I had a few pairs of spandex cycling shorts with leg warmers, arm warmers, campmor travel cargo pants, campmor travel shirts, wicking underwear, and my 66 Degrees North Iceland fleece jacket.

On warm days I wore my Exxus sandals and Crank Brothers Egg Beater clipless pedals.

For wet days I had a Marmot Preclip jacket, We Got Gear pants, 3 layers of gloves, wool socks, waterproof boots, nashbar platform pedals, headsweats helmet liner, and an Illuminite helmet cover.

My Giro Mojave helmet has seen better days and is due for retirement. I hesitate to guess what injury I would have had if I wasn't wearing the helmet during my accident. A small scar is a good reminder to me to keep wearing a helmet when riding.

The Take A Look mirror performed well and I;d never ride on busy roads without a mirror.

My Support Team

Any trip is easier with a support team. Since I was riding by myself self-contained and with no support vehicle, many people offered me help out of the generosity of their hearts.

I want to acknowledge the following people who through offering a bed, food, or a few kind words helped me on my way:

Guys on Phred Touring list for suggesting route from Seattle to Anacortes.

Jim in Seattle – picking me up from the airport, accommodations for a few days, driving a friends truck to pick up the boxed bike, some sightseeing, and for sending some of my gear home and for disposing the bike boxes.

Chet in Port Townsend, WA – for the encouraging talk about bike touring.

Jesse in Anacortes, WA - letting me look around Anacortes Telescope store and the chocolate.

My friend back home who wants to remain anonymous for sending the energy bars to Post Offices along the way.

Friends Ken, Mary, and David for encouraging words.

Ruchir, Bindu, and Krishna who stood in for me while I was away from where I do my voluntary work.

Ken from Arizona – stopped me on road to Rainy Pass, WA for a talk on bike touring and recumbents.

Janice & Gary on bike trip – nice talk about bike touring, and riding together for a few miles.

Chris on bike trip east to west – nice talk about bike touring.

Cyclists at Libby Dam - taking interest in my bike ride.

Mike, Chuck and Jamie near Eureka, MT – nice talk about bike touring.

Scott in Grand Rapids, MN - taking interest in my bike ride.

Floyd outside Columbia Falls, MT – nice talk about bike touring.

Ralph and Pat on bike trip to South America near Glacier – nice talk about bike touring.

Supervisor at Cambridge Fairgrounds Campground - waiving the tent fee.

Ken and Sue on bike ride to Florida – nice talks about bike touring, riding together for a few days, and sharing a few meals.

Mick in Williston, ND – accommodations for a night, use of kitchen and laundry, ride to Roosevelt National Park, treating me to meals.

Steve in Minot, ND – treating me to a meal, ride to bike store, nice conversation.

Matt on bike trip east to west - nice talk about bike touring.

James and Susan in Fargo, ND – accommodations for a night, use of kitchen, shower, and laundry.

Sam at Lake Itasca Bike Rental, MN – replacing my bike spoke for a minimal fee.

Phil in Wabasha, MN – warm showers accommodations for a night, use of kitchen and laundry.

Bob & Larisa in Winona, MN - suggesting bike routes in Wisconsin.

Lea in Winona, MN - accommodations for a few days, food, and the good discussions and suggestions.

Staff at Bluff County Coop Natural Foods in Winona, MN – allowing me to fill my herb capsules in a warm place.

Dennis in Guttenberg, IA – stopping to talk about bike touring.

Lady in Luxemburg, IA – giving me directions to the city park.

Sherriff in Orion, IL – suggesting a more secluded city park to camp.

Rusty, truck driver near Henry, IL – bringing First Aid materials to clean up face after accident.

Dr Faber in Henry, IL – stitching the cut above my right eye.

Jack, Mayor in Iroquois, IL – accommodations in park office for the night.

Warren, Community Council in Monroeville, IN - accommodations in community hall for 2 nights, use of shower, laundry, and kitchen.

Dr Giant in Monroeville, IN – taking out the stitches.

Bike mechanic in Bowling Green, OH – repairing the broken spoke, great talk about bike touring and recumbent bikes.

Mike near Avery, OH – recommending detour around road with bridge under repair.

Guy at camping ground in Fort Erie, ON, Canada – letting me stay in closed camp ground, giving me some water.

Richard in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada – showing me the way to Whirlpool Bridge, nice fast ride on the way there.

Ed, cyclist on Erie Canal near Macedon, NY – suggesting I eat at Muddy Waters cafe in Palmyra.

Two guys that stopped to help me in the dark on my way to Fair Haven State Campground, NY.

Families in cafe at Osceola, NY – words of encouragement on a cold and wet day.

Lady at natural foods store in Ticonderoga, NY – accepting the money I had for some supplies.

Robert, cyclist near Rochester, VT – riding with me and nice discussion about bike touring.

Family at Nezinscot Farm, ME – making me feel part of their family during my overnight stay.

All the librarians at libraries across the country that allowed me access to the internet.

Thank you everyone!

Ticonderoga, NY

2007-10-30T01:42:00.001-04:00

Wednesday October 24th

I spent a few hours in the Medina library updating the blog and I departed Medina at 1:30pm following the Erie canal path, passed through Albion, and reached Rochester at 6:50pm.

It felt great to be riding on the canal path again after my ride on it in October 2001.

I followed the canal path through Rochester and reached a road under construction. I had to retrace my steps back to the other side of the canal then lost my way.

I decided to head north on route 15 until I reached route 31. Then I headed east and reached Pittsford at 9:30pm. I followed the canal path and again reached a bridge under construction and had to detour to route 31.

At Fairport I followed the canal path again and reached a suitable tent site near Macedon at 11:45pm!

78 miles traveled today.

Thursday October 25th

I let the tent dry and departed at 11:37am following the canal path.

I met a few bicyclists and pedestrians on the path. One cyclist, Ed, recommended that I stop in Palmyra at the Muddy Waters cafe. I stopped there at 12:30pm.

In Pultneyville I stopped for lunch at a nice park which is right on Lake Ontario.

I reached Sodus Point at 5pm and at 8:10pm the gears were not changing and I found that one of the two arms on the rear derailleur had broken. A guy stopped in his car to help. I was able to get the derailleur working again and the guy suggested I stay in Fair Haven which was about 7 miles away.

On the way to Fair Haven I discovered that the rear tire was losing air. I pumped up the tire and it held enough air to get me to Fair Haven State Park by 10pm. As I rode around the park I discovered that the camping site was closed. I discovered that there was room beside the bathrooms to put up the tent.

61 miles traveled today.

Friday October 26th

During the night I was woken by a raccoon getting into my left pannier where the food was located. I discovered that the varmint got my nice 6 slices of swiss cheese I bought the previous day for lunch. It also helped itself to 2 of the 6 raisin boxes and left the empty boxes for me to see. Still, it was a cheap nights accommodation!

The rear tire was flat and I repaired it.

As I woke up duck hunters guns started to pop nearby. I departed at 10:15am and reached Fulton at 12:30pm. I found the bike shop and the guys there had a derailleur to replace my faulty one. It was cheaper because it was made of steel and heavier than aluminum which would be more durable.

An hour later I departed and it started to rain. It rained all afternoon and I arrived in Richland after dark at 7pm.

I didn't feel like taking any photos in the steady rain.

I decided the best place to stay would be the cemetary since all private campgrounds were now closed.

54 miles traveled today.

Saturday October 27th

I had a nice peaceful stay at the cemetary and departed at 9:30am. It was still raining and there were lots of rolling hills to pass through.

In Osceola I stopped at a cafe for a snack. The folks there were very friendly and were interested in my bike trip.

As the afternoon progressed the rain dried out and the sun came out. I got interested in taking photos again.

At 5pm I saw a sign welcoming me to Adirondack Park.

I passed through Boonville, McKeever, Thendara, and arrived in Old Forge at 7:30pm.

I was wet and wanted to dry the camping gear out so I decided to stay in a motel.

The soak in the bath was very much appreciated!

73 miles traveled today.

Sunday October 28th

After the laundry was done and the pancakes demolished at a local diner, I departed at midday.

It was a cold day. At Blue Mountain Lake I stopped at 4pm for a hot chocolate at a gas station.

I reached Newcomb at 8:45pm and couldn't find or call the B&Bs listed on my map. I found a city park but the sign stated no camping. I continued on a side road and reached a golf course where I decided to camp the night.

I cooked dinner and got into the sleeping bag as soon as I could because it was so cold.

65 miles traveled today.

Monday October 29th

I woke up at 7am and decided to stay in bed until 8am because it was so cold.

After cooking breakfast and packing up the gear I couldn't keep my feet warm. I stayed in my long underwear and departed at 9:30am, replenished my water supply at the city park, and passed through North Hudson and Severance.

I'm thinking of buying some warmer boots in Ticonderoga.

The temperature was warming up and at 2:15pm I stopped at Paradox for lunch. My feet were toasty warm again! The store was closed so I sat on one of the nice chairs and ate my lunch.

There were some nice lakes that I passed on the way.

I arrived in Ticonderoga at 5pm and decided to find a motel with internet access.

The motel owner let me know the ferry to Vermont was closed for the season. I searched on the internet for a bridge to cross and found one that takes me about 8 extra miles further than taking the ferry.

I had a few exhilarating downhill rides today. The maximum speed for the day was 48mph!

I've also decided that this will be the last post before I reach Bar Harbor around November 5th.

I'm going to send the laptop computer forward in order to keep the bike weight down while climbing hills and mountains in the next few days.

52 miles traveled today.

Medina, NY

2007-10-24T11:32:00.000-04:00

Tuesday October 16th

It had rained overnight and it was still raining in the morning. I departed for the library at 8:48am and spent the next few hours updating the blog pages. I finished them at 2:30pm and departed at 2:41pm.

At 3:30pm I entered Ohio and arrived in Defiance at 7pm. I had dinner at a Subway restaurant then continued in the dark to Independence Dam State Park. I arrived there at 8:30pm and found a nice campsite by the Maumee River.

Wednesday October 17th

After departing at 9:25am and riding back to the dam for breakfast, I rode along the canal tow path to Florida and arrived in Napoleon at 11am. A nice lady originally from Holland stopped and asked if I needed help. I asked for directions to the bike shop and she offered to drive ahead of me and show me the way.

When I arrived at the bike store she gave me a bottle of water.

The bike store owner could not change my broken spoke and suggested I stop in Bowling Green at the bike store there.

I arrived in Grand Rapids at 12:58pm and had lunch by the river. At the junction of Tontogany Rd and Poe Rd I took some photos of some wind generators.

At Pemberville I stopped at the library to have a snack and check my email using their wireless internet connection.

At 8:51pm I arrived in Fremont (after dark) and found the start of the North Coast Inland Trail. It is a very nice paved bike path. I found a suitable place to camp for the night at 9:50pm.

I don't know how I did it but I was able to put my tent right next to a very busy railway line. There were goods trains hourly during the night! And it rained during the night.

Thursday October 18th

I woke at 7am, meditated, and departed at 9:51am. It was raining lightly as I departed. There were many cyclists using the trail. I passed a huge Whirlpool (home appliances) factory.

I ate breakfast at a cafe in Clyde a few miles away.

Around 11:26am I saw a bridge out sign on the road I was about to ride. I was stopped at an intersection working out how to detour around the bridge when a guy called Mike stopped and helped me with the navigation. He owned a Rans recumbent bicycle and would have invited me to his home for lunch except that he had a commitment to teach chess to some children.

I managed to get around the bridge and arrived in Avery for lunch at 1:38pm. I saw another road closed sign and followed the detour. I arrived in Huron at 3:06pm and was able to pick up the 3 packages at the post office. I sent my ayurvedic herbs here from Winona, MN and my Nashbar and Campmor orders had arrived.

I passed a harvester similar to the one that caused my accident in Illinois.

I had a nice meal in Vermilion at a restaurant around 5pm and arrived in Lakewood (just west of Cleveland) at 8pm. I decided to stay in a motel that evening. I spread out the tent to dry in the room.

Friday October 19th

I had breakfast in the motel and when I was reading the weather forecast in the US Today newspaper I saw that one can send a text message to 4INFO (44636) with W and the zip code to get a weather forecast. Neato!

I stayed in the motel putting my herbs into capsules for the next 2 weeks. I departed around 11:30am and went directly to the post office to send the herbs back to the ashram.

At 12:30pm I arrived in Cleveland and followed the bicycle path to Mentor. I decided to ride to Madison on busy highways rather than find the many turns that were on the Adventure Cycling map. I stopped at a Quiznos Sub restaurant for dinner and arrived at Geneva State Park at 8:15pm.

Saturday October 20th

I departed at 10:30am, visited the nearby beach, and arrived in Conneaut at 1:19pm. As I was coming into the city I broke the rear derailleur cable. This means no gears at the back end. I didn't have a spare cable with me so I adjusted the derailleur to be in 3rd gear which is like riding a single speed bike. I was able to continue on with a strong tail wind assisting me.
I decided to defer having lunch until I bought the replacement cable in Erie as the store was closing at 4pm.

At 1:30pm I entered Pennsylvania and arrived at the bike store in Erie at 3:45pm. I bought 2 cables and installed one of them outside the bike store.

I stopped at Panera Bread for some soup and to access my email using their wireless internet. Alas, I couldn't get a connection but the soup was good!

Around 5pm I was stopped by a guy who was looking to buy a recumbent bike. We talked for a while and I gave him some web site links to visit for more information.

At 7:32pm I entered New York state and arrived in Barcelona at 8:5pm. I stopped at a restaurant to ask for directions to their city park. Barcelona didn't have one but Westfield did and it was only a mile away. One person in the restaurant suggested camping down by the beach if I couldn't stay at the park. I got to Moore Park in Westfield and called the police for permission to camp in their park. The policeman arrived 15 minutes later and said the town officials didn't want anyone camping in their park. I suggested the beach in Barcelona. He said it was okay to camp there as long as I stayed away from the pier. So I rode back to the beach and found a nice tent site. I was soothed to sleep by the waves on the beach.

Sunday October 21st

I departed at 8:50am and arrived in Dunkirk at 11am. I bought some groceries from a supermarket. It seemed like the supermarket was the only place in town that was open. A lot of the people I saw in town looked as if they were of European descent. I tried getting onto the internet outside the Dunkirk library but couldn't find an unsecured link.

I tried at the Silver Creek library as well but didn't find a good link.

I passed through wine-growing country with grape vines everywhere.

As I got closer to Lackawanna I passed by giga-dollar mansions. I arrived at Lackawanna at 5:11pm and followed the route to the Peace Bridge over to Canada. Along the way I stopped for dinner at a park on the bike path. After departing I was stopped by a lady asking for information about recumbent bikes. I gave her some internet links too.

The entry into Canada was simple and after getting to Fort Erie I got lost. I stopped at a gas station for directions. The guy gave me a simple "down the hill to the water then turn left" direction. I was soon following the Niagara Recreation Trail alongside the Niagara River.

After a few miles I arrived at a campground. After asking a few questions I found that the campground was closed but since I was on a bike and it was after dark the guy said I could stay. I just had to depart before the owner returned the next morning. The guy gave me 2 bottles of water when I asked if I could fill my camelbak water bladder.

I put up the tent and walked around the campground. I found a cabin that was open so I filled up the camelbak bladder then returned to the tent and had a nice sleep.

Monday October 22nd

I got up early, had a shower in the cabin, packed up the tent and departed by 7:30am. I walked across the road to a picnic table where I ate breakfast.

I continued riding along the Niagara Recreation Trail and reached the falls around 10am. I realized that my front bike light had fallen off. I had fixed the bracket that held the light after the accident in Henry, IL and finally it had failed. I was not going to go back and find it. So I decided to continue and buy a new light later in the day.

At 10:40am I had my tourist trip on the "Maid of the Mist" boat which I thoroughly enjoyed. I took lots of photos and video on my camera. I still don't know how the videos turned out as I don't have Apple Quicktime installed on my laptop.

Shortly after departing I was stopped by 2 cyclists. Richard Robinson and his friend were out for a ride towards where I was heading so I followed them as best I could. Richard was riding a Bachetta Aero recumbent and his friend an upright Trek bike. There was a bit of a hill where I was a bit slow but I kept up with them on the flat and downhill.

We eventually arrived at the Whirlpool Bridge and we said our goodbyes. I was able to find my way onto the bridge and rode with the vehicle traffic to the US side. Again the entry into the US was a simple procedure and the customs officer wished me well for the rest of the trip.

At 2pm I had lunch along route 104 at a cemetary. One of the headstones was made into a bench seat and it was very nice to sit there eating lunch.

I arrived in Lockport at 4:30pm. After finding that I had to ride 5 miles to get to the bike store I decided not to buy the bike light that day. I spent a few minutes at the Lockport library transferring some money in my bank account so that I could get some cash from an ATM machine.

I bought a few grocery items then rode along the canal path. I passed a lot of pedestrians and arrived in Gasport just before dark. I wanted to replenish my water supply before going to find a tent site. I found a laundromat with a tub and taps and filled up the camelbak bladder and an empty chocolate milk container I had purchased earlier.

I rode past a pub and a couple of Harley Davidson bike riders stopped to talk to me about my trip. They wished me a safe and successful rest of the trip.

I found a nice camp site about a mile out of town on the canal path. I put up the tent and cooked a meal. Shortly after getting into the sleeping bag it started to rain. It rained consistently all night.

Tuesday October 23rd

Today was going to be my rest day. I decided to meditate and rested until 11am. The tent was wet and it was still raining. I decided to have a snack instead of a regular breakfast and would find a restaurant to have a nice meal in later.

I departed at 11:59am and at 1:13pm I arrived in Medina. I found a nice bistro with some vegetarian dishes on their menu so I stopped there to eat brunch.

Around 2pm I departed and found my way to the motel. I spread everything out to dry in the room and went to the Weather Channel on the TV to find the local weather forecast. Cloudy tomorrow and fine the next day. Yes!

I spent a few hours cropping photos for the blog site, bought some food for dinner, and cooked it in my room using the multi-fuel stove (I kept the door open for a while.)

Only 11 days to go! Some of those days will be riding up and down hills and mountains.

Bye for now.

Monroeville, IN

2007-10-16T13:31:00.001-04:00

Friday October 12th

After a few miles after departing at 8:53am I entered Indiana. No welcome sign.

I've started to collect names of corn seed manufacturers to see if any of them are not GM (genetically modified.) Becks, AgVenture, Crows, Pioneer, Dairyland, Frontiers, Hritage, AgriGold, BrodBeck, and Garst.

I went off route into Monon to the library to update my blog. I was in there for quite a while then the librarian said they were closing in 15 minutes. I was able to load lots of photos but no text - so the blog is not posted yet.

After looking at my Adventure Cycling map I now realize that I'm in the Eastern time zone!

As it was 6pm when I left the library I quickly purchased some food for dinner then headed back to the cycling route.

I rode through Buffalo at dusk not finding a city park to stay in so I headed out of town. Within a short ride of Buffalo is the Camp Buffalo Boy Scouts Camp. I rode in and was allowed to camp in exchange for a donation. I had to be out of the camp before 9am as many cub scouts were arriving for their first camping experience.

52 miles ridden today.

Sorry about the drab looking photos. Maybe someone can make some suggestions about how I can improve them. I don't have photoshop. I could download JASC Photopaint. What do you think?

Saturday October 13th

The rear wheel had a thorn puncture which delayed my departure until 10am.

On the outskirts of Royal Center I called the library but they did not have internet access.

I collected more corn seed manufacturer names. Corn Genetics, ChemGro, Pfister, Great Lakes, and Dekalb.

Today for most of the day I rode away from big towns. I needed to get some groceries so headed off route into Wabash.

I reached Lagro at 6.15pm and had a milk drink at the gas station.

I reached my destination of Salmonie River State Forest at 6:58pm and selected a nice tent site in the trees. Being the weekend lots of people were in the camp and were palying their radios and music until 11pm. I put my earplugs on and went to sleep at 10:30pm.

Sunday October 14th

I awoke at 7am and meditated before breakfast. Everyone else in camp was still asleep. I let the tent dry for a short time before departing at 10:45am.

I thought I had to get back on route 524 but I realized once I was there I had to ride back bast where I stayed the night. The serendipity of riding back to 524 was that I disturbed 5 golden eagles feasting on something on the side of the entrance road. I rode along 524 and noticed 15 golden eagles hovering ahead on the air currents. I took a photo then headed back to the forest rode.

I passed over the Salmonie River Dam and stopped in Zanesville for lunch at the cemetary. Heading out of town I couldn't find the County Border Rd so I turned around to find it and was stopped by a local couple who wanted to feed me and offer me a shower. Such generosity from total strangers! I love it when that happens. They gave me directions to Yoder Rd. I passed through Yoder (sounds like something from Star Wars!), Poe, and Hoagland. I bought a drink in Hoagland at the gas station and signed their visitor book.

I reached Monroeville at 5:20pm and met Warren who showed me to the community park building where I would be staying for 2 nights. This accommodation is listed as bicyclist only. It has a kitchen, shower, bathroom, and laundry all for cross-country bicyclists. I'm feeling quite at home here.

Monday October 15th

Today is a day off for me in Monroeville.