Saturday, September 18, 2004

Ithaca to Elmira, NY to Old Forge, NY

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Somehow, as we headed south to Elmira on the final day of the tour, the prevailing winds had changed and now came from the north, giving us another day of tailwinds. Before the ride, Kerie and I went foraging for breakfast. We found a great bagel shop that was bustling at 8 am. We ordered a couple of bagel sandwiches to take back to the room and eat while we packed.

This was the last day of the tour. Some couples were anxious to get an early start so they could finish early and begin their drives home. We took our time and tried to decide which of the three routes to take. We originally planned to take the short route, but it involved riding on busy route 13 for around 15 miles which wasn't very appealing. The next longest route, 45 miles long, included a couple of brutal, very steep climbs. The longest route of 54 miles followed the major valleys and the climbs appeared to be not too steep. Conrad and Barbara and Stuart and Susan were riding the long route so we decided to join them.

Jim and Cheryl and Stuart and Susan and Kerie and I left at the same time, one of the few times during the trip when we rode with others.
Bruce at
Buttermilk Falls
It was a relief to be able to follow Jim who was very familiar with the area. We dodged the potholes and standing water in the streets of Ithaca as we made our way to the first stop of the day, Buttermilk Falls State Park. The falls were impressive after the all-day rain the day before; a massive amount of water flowing over the stairstep falls to a swirling pool at the bottom which is a popular swimming spot in the summer.

The longer route turned off of Route 13 soon afterwards and we rode within sight of Stuart and Susan for much of the rest of the day.
Stuart, Susan and Bruce
outside Beaches Diner
There were a few moderate climbs and a couple of nature breaks for me in the first 20 miles. We stopped once at a market for drinks and snacks. Lunch was at another classic diner, Beaches. As we entered, one of the locals said that we had just missed another couple, Conrad and Barb.

The place looked like it would fall down at any time, the kind of place that if you didn't know anything about it, you would likely pass it by. Stuart and Susan had been there before and Susan said it was worth the stop; not great but OK for lunch. Stuart wasn't quite so generous in his review, but agreed to stop anyway. A grilled cheese sandwich was $1.15. Our lunch total was less than $7.00 and was very adequate. The place was packed with locals taking advantage of the great prices and good food.

At about the 36 mile mark we turned south again to enjoy the tailwind.
Church near town
of Catharine
But first we had to climb. Once over the top of the relatively steep climb, we raced downhill and up the next few short climbs with little effort, aided by the strong tailwind.
Following Stuart and Susane
on downhill run to Elmira
The last 10+ miles sped by as we flew along the ridge toward Elmira. As we approached our destination the roads deteriorated and the traffic picked up, but we soon were at the base of the final climb just below Rich and Lindy's house.

After a shower and snacks, generously provided by Rich and Lindy, we said our goodbyes and were on our way north to Old Forge, NY. We had a great tour, visiting some interesting places and riding along the excellent shoulders of the New York State roads. The accommodations we acceptable, generally clean with OK beds. The Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles was the splurge, although it had it's downsides (construction in the driveway ourside our window, kitchen noise at night, and no hot water upon check-in). Rich didn't pamper us with lots of rest stops during the day or by carying our bags to the rooms, but the wine and cheese parites were very fun, and the meals were good, and the price was right.

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