Erie Canal Day 4: Halfway

Yesterday, in Seneca Falls, I was joined in the afternoon by an old and dear friend from Rice days, Michael Tinkler, who drove over from his home in Geneva. He’s been teaching art history at Hobart & William Smith Colleges there for more than twenty years. We would see each other occasionally when I lived in Buffalo, but it’s been fourteen years since the last time. It was great catching up with him.

Michael and I enjoyed a couple of beers at a local establishment that normally would’ve been closed on Tuesday, but the influx of 750 cyclists into town encouraged them to open their doors. Tuesday was one of two nights on the ride when there is no dinner provided at the campgrounds, so the streets of Seneca Falls were filled with bikers in search of nourishment (and alcohol).

Wisely, Michael made reservations for dinner, or we would’ve been waiting. He picked a great restaurant where we were joined by Michael’s partner, Alex, whom I had never met before. The three of us enjoyed a really good meal, and then they dropped me off back at the campsite, so that I could avoid waiting for the shuttle and they could see for themselves the “Scout Jamboree” tent city at the local elementary school.

With a big meal in my belly, I lapsed into a food coma almost immediately upon lying down… and actually stayed in bed until the iPhone alarm went off at 5:30. It rained last night, which meant rolling up a wet tent, but—nevertheless—I was on my bike and riding at the earliest time yet, just 7:07. And with a short ride (40-ish miles) to Syracuse, the tent was up (and drying) by just a little bit after noon.

Along the way, as we entered the town of Camillus, a small group of residents welcomed us to the rest stop by ringing cowbells and shouting congratulations: we had reached the midpoint.

Tomorrow: “We’ll make Rome before 6 o’clock.”