Day 41, Saturday, August 9.
Liberty, NY to Sharon, CT
Daily Mileage: 89.23 miles
Total Mileage: 3,688.8 miles
Daily Time on Bike: 6:32 hours
Average Speed: 13.6 mph
Maximum Speed: 38.3 mph
We tried to get out of our slummy motel as fast as possible this morning. I rode out quickly as David checked out. Ralph, from the gas station across the street, directed us to a café nearby. When we arrived, we discovered it wasn't the Blues Café, and while our meal cost us about the same price, it took about four times longer to arrive at our table.
We started out across New York around 9:30AM; it’s become our usual starting time now (much different from the beginning of the trip when we tried for 6AM). We coasted our first twenty miles, which was a nice start to the day. I can't remember town names anymore. The only ones I know are the ones in out West. We're just traveling through so many now it's hard to keep track. Anyhow, most of our stops don't incorporate food, they're mainly liquid breaks. I'm not quite sure why that's so, but that's the way it has been going. Out West, we stopped in every town along the way because they were so far apart that you had to or you could go without food and drink all day.
One of the first big events today was going through Minnewaska State Forest—people, hikers, climbers, mountain and road bikers were all over the place. There were cars parked bumper-to-bumper all along the road, and it was incredible to see so many people doing outdoor stuff. We stopped at a mountain restaurant, sort of a hippie Stop-n-Go (uh, I have no idea what that means now). From there we were only about thirty miles from Poughkeepsie, NY, and it was a nice coast to more level ground, without many hills.
Our biggest thrill of the afternoon was biking across the Hudson River. Yesterday it was the Delaware River, but the Hudson had a huge bridge to cross. It was also a toll bridge, but they didn't make us pay. They must have figured that anyone stupid enough to bike across the bridge didn't have to pay. On the far side of the bridge David blew out his tire when he hit the expansion joint. We sat on the other side of the bridge right across from the NO BICYCLING/PEDESTRIAN signs and changed the flat. When we finished up, we headed through town to find the nearest Taco Bell. It wasn't an ordinary Taco Bell, it charged twice as much as any other Taco Bell we’d run into along the way.
We started to make our way out of New York State now. The thirty-mile stretch was somewhat hilly, but nothing major though. Five miles from Connecticut we stopped at a BP because some guy was filling up his Ferrari. We both drank a 44-ounce Coke as fast as we could, looked at the maps, and then started down the road. It was a nice ride to Connecticut. We saw terraced hills with vineyards, bike trails, and huge houses.
About a mile and a small hill down the road we entered Sharon, an incredibly beautiful little town. The houses are all old and painted bright white with each flying huge American flags. The grass is all dark green and the cars are foreign and expensive. Few people were on the streets to greet us. Only a boy and his mountain bike were on hand to help with the town information (food and sleep). After we got the information, we started through town and down a nice size hill, past all of the big houses, post office, and exotic car dealership, until we ended up at a café. My meal consisted of grilled cheese, salad and water; however, a famished David ate a little more.
Following dinner we set off to find the Catholic Church we'd heard about. Word was the Father Pilon was very friendly. After a wrong turn that cost us a large uphill battle, we found the church. It was David's turn to beg for lodging tonight. I sat on the lawn while he worked his magic. After five minutes he returned with the Father and a place to stay. We chatted about the musical talents that the three of us shared, and then we put in calls to our parents.
While making several failed attempts, we sat outside of the convenience store and ate Ben and Jerry's ice-cream and read People and Time magazines. Jennifer Aniston was on People, while sharks occupied the front of Time. Finally, we made our way back to the church garage where we are currently residing, nicely on the wood floor, for the last time of the trip.
As the trip nears to a close, our pitstops sound more like the milestones one counts as they approach a graduation… “Our last night to camp,” or “our last full day by ourselves.” While I'm riding it doesn't seem like were that close to the end, but I know sure enough that we'll hit the ocean and it will all go so fast.
(Photo: Tim with the “Welcome to Connecticut” sign.)
Daily Mileage: 89.23 miles
Total Mileage: 3,688.8 miles
Daily Time on Bike: 6:32 hours
Average Speed: 13.6 mph
Maximum Speed: 38.3 mph
We tried to get out of our slummy motel as fast as possible this morning. I rode out quickly as David checked out. Ralph, from the gas station across the street, directed us to a café nearby. When we arrived, we discovered it wasn't the Blues Café, and while our meal cost us about the same price, it took about four times longer to arrive at our table.
We started out across New York around 9:30AM; it’s become our usual starting time now (much different from the beginning of the trip when we tried for 6AM). We coasted our first twenty miles, which was a nice start to the day. I can't remember town names anymore. The only ones I know are the ones in out West. We're just traveling through so many now it's hard to keep track. Anyhow, most of our stops don't incorporate food, they're mainly liquid breaks. I'm not quite sure why that's so, but that's the way it has been going. Out West, we stopped in every town along the way because they were so far apart that you had to or you could go without food and drink all day.
One of the first big events today was going through Minnewaska State Forest—people, hikers, climbers, mountain and road bikers were all over the place. There were cars parked bumper-to-bumper all along the road, and it was incredible to see so many people doing outdoor stuff. We stopped at a mountain restaurant, sort of a hippie Stop-n-Go (uh, I have no idea what that means now). From there we were only about thirty miles from Poughkeepsie, NY, and it was a nice coast to more level ground, without many hills.
Our biggest thrill of the afternoon was biking across the Hudson River. Yesterday it was the Delaware River, but the Hudson had a huge bridge to cross. It was also a toll bridge, but they didn't make us pay. They must have figured that anyone stupid enough to bike across the bridge didn't have to pay. On the far side of the bridge David blew out his tire when he hit the expansion joint. We sat on the other side of the bridge right across from the NO BICYCLING/PEDESTRIAN signs and changed the flat. When we finished up, we headed through town to find the nearest Taco Bell. It wasn't an ordinary Taco Bell, it charged twice as much as any other Taco Bell we’d run into along the way.
We started to make our way out of New York State now. The thirty-mile stretch was somewhat hilly, but nothing major though. Five miles from Connecticut we stopped at a BP because some guy was filling up his Ferrari. We both drank a 44-ounce Coke as fast as we could, looked at the maps, and then started down the road. It was a nice ride to Connecticut. We saw terraced hills with vineyards, bike trails, and huge houses.
About a mile and a small hill down the road we entered Sharon, an incredibly beautiful little town. The houses are all old and painted bright white with each flying huge American flags. The grass is all dark green and the cars are foreign and expensive. Few people were on the streets to greet us. Only a boy and his mountain bike were on hand to help with the town information (food and sleep). After we got the information, we started through town and down a nice size hill, past all of the big houses, post office, and exotic car dealership, until we ended up at a café. My meal consisted of grilled cheese, salad and water; however, a famished David ate a little more.
Following dinner we set off to find the Catholic Church we'd heard about. Word was the Father Pilon was very friendly. After a wrong turn that cost us a large uphill battle, we found the church. It was David's turn to beg for lodging tonight. I sat on the lawn while he worked his magic. After five minutes he returned with the Father and a place to stay. We chatted about the musical talents that the three of us shared, and then we put in calls to our parents.
While making several failed attempts, we sat outside of the convenience store and ate Ben and Jerry's ice-cream and read People and Time magazines. Jennifer Aniston was on People, while sharks occupied the front of Time. Finally, we made our way back to the church garage where we are currently residing, nicely on the wood floor, for the last time of the trip.
As the trip nears to a close, our pitstops sound more like the milestones one counts as they approach a graduation… “Our last night to camp,” or “our last full day by ourselves.” While I'm riding it doesn't seem like were that close to the end, but I know sure enough that we'll hit the ocean and it will all go so fast.
(Photo: Tim with the “Welcome to Connecticut” sign.)
