ride archive: July, 2006

After having three days with amazing friends at Farm Sanctuary and around Ithaca - a very friendly place for vegans, I packed my trailer and headed into the Ithaca co-op around 8am. After grabbing a 'breakfast burrito' and a couple muffins I said my final goodbyes.
The day had not started as well as one would wish - my cycling shoes were nowhere to be found in the hotel room where I had stayed with friends. There was little I could do but wear my sneakers and push off. Luckily I have picked up some $3 the plastic inserts (that normally come with new bikes/clipless pedals) before I left Hamilton - if I did not have these I was destined to have very sore feet.

I arose a little before 5am — after a very broken, sticky sleep. After packing my gear, l departed a little before 5:30, deciding to give the NY State bike route (i.e. road riding) another attempt. I headed south to bike route 5/highway 31A. I followed this to Spencerport before detouring a little south, then east following route markers and trying to avoid Rochester. I ended up on highway 252A/252 and followed this through to Pittford.
I changed to highway 96, heading southeast, and stopping for breakfast around 9am (3 hours, 70km) on the south side of the Erie Canal. It was a nice post to have a short rest and some welcome food in the company of some local ducks.

After hitching up my trailer, I left Westdale (Hamilton) a little before 8am. I rode along Aberdeen towards the base of the escarpment rail trail. At the end of the rail trail, after the ride up the Niagara escarpment, I turned east along Stone Church Road. I missed the turn at Winterberry Drive, ending up riding through Valley Park to make my way back to Highland Road — I have missed this turn on a number of rides now.
My intention was to follow Highland Road to its end and head towards Smithville. Finding myself further North than planned — and having passed Smithville — I cycled along some back roads around Pelhem and Effingham. It was at Effingham that I rode a very steep climb — hard work given the quite warm conditions. I think the climb was the steepest I had attempted with load (until further on this trip)! I ended up on Route 20/ Lundy's lane and followed this (often with no shoulder) all the way to Niagara Falls — arriving at around 11am.