Monday, August 31, 2009

Day 90- Aug 27

Vermont is as beautiful as anything we have seen all summer'

Day 90- Aug 27

Only 2 more states! And these are quick ones!

Day 90- Aug 27

Heading over on the ferry to VT!

Day 90- Aug 27

Quite comforable here holding down the fort! But we must head on!

Day 90 -aug 27

Day 90- Aug 27

Look at the cannons mom!

Day 90- aug 27

Little demo on blowing things up!

Day 90- Aug 27

Day 90- Aug 26

Fife and drum Corp performing 18th. Century tunes!

Day 90- Aug 27

Taking on all the history we could absorb!

Day 90 - Aug 27

Beautiful grounds at the fort.

Day 90- Aug 27

The fort at Carillon was the former name before the Americans took the
fort and where the French fended off the English with earth walls and
stchs in jagged formation. A red cross was painted on the battlefield
by Malcalm after the victory, now marked with this cross.

Day 90 - Aug 27

Riding into the fort's grounds we learned about the battles that
occurred higher up from the fort. Even though the French were out
numbered 5 to 1, they managed to fend off the English and repeated
this again. Thanks to the Pell family, this fort has been beautifully
restored back to nearly its original state. We enjoyed the cool "fall
like" day and took in a bit if the history of this beautiful spot
along Lake Champlain.

Day 90- Aug 28

On our way to Vermont today and another beautiful day! Riding down
into the Lake Champlain valley was spectacular! The green mountains
with farms in the foreground were beautiful. We were excited to spend
some time in Fort Ticonderoga before heading over on the ferry to VT.

Day 89- Aug 26

As we approached this Bison farm, Rebecca actually remembered this
from the first trip 13 years ago. She said, "I remember being on a
deck looking down at the buffalo." Nice gift shop and bakery where we
ate a quart of fresh blueberries and baked goods with tea while
watching the bison. Met a couple from NYC who were kidfree for the day
and enjoying adult conversation! They summer in Schroon Lake, a nice
spot off our route unfortunately! We are headed for Severence on
Paradox Lake tonight.

Day 89- Aug 26

Rained on us most of the day today. All of us had the full gear of
goretex on and such. Yuck. So the campground we originally were
suppose to stay at up 14 miles was closed! The angels again! I really
think my mother watches over us saying, "that crazy middle daughter of
mine, she always did have some wild ideas! Need to keep watch over
her!" Rain wasn't horrible and we do feel lucky that we haven't had to
ride in it too much!

Day 88- Aug 25

Riding to Long Lake. When we got to Long Lake we found there were no
campgrounds to stay at. We were suppose to go further today but there
was a miscommunication. As everything has gone on this trip, angels
watching over us, we ended up at the "Corner Motel". Mike went back to
inquire about rates while I bought stuff to cook. He was still talking
to the owner when we got there. Nice older gentleman who had just lost
his wife to complications arising from diabetes. He was a character
Mike said. Was a fighter pilot in WWII. He gave us the room for free
and thanked us profusely for doing the ride. No amount of money raised
can compete with the goodness we feel when we can share stories with
others and they with us. This disease affects so many people and our
world gets so much smaller when we can share with others each and
every day some hope that one day they will find a cure.

Day 88- Aug 25

On our way to Long Lake we passed many beautiful lakes!

Day 88- Aug 25

Seventh Lake- of Fulton Chain Lakes in NY. Another banner day biking
through the Adirondacks!

Day 88- Aug 25

Inlet, NY

Day 88- Aug 25

Are these 2 related or what? What's with the faces? This was after the
best Gelato in Inlet, NY!

Day 88- Aug 25

Leaving Old Forge and met this family who made a donation to the lab
for us! Thank you Steeles!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Day 87- Aug 24

Old Forge- the owner of Clark's Beach Motel gave us a special rate
which made it easier for us to stay and get laundry done and switch
out my trailer tires that were worn through! Thank you!

Day 87- Aug 24

Old Forge- quaint town with lots of shops and water park and other
attractions. Too cold for water park! The day was like a perfect fall
day!

Day 87- Aug 24

Rebecca- always waiting for others! Keep offering her my trailer to
even things off a bit but no luck! She flies up the hills! She is so
strong! We are so bumbed about the school not letting her play
volleyball this year because of missing tryouts. She needs regular
exercise to help control the diabetes and team sports is the only way
that will happen. Rules are rules! She is handling it better than me
with thoughts of maybe getting involved in the school musical! I told
her as long as there is lots of dancing! She takes lemons and makes
lemonade just like her dad...right Aunt Susan? I would love to see
both kids run xcountry to see what these new muscles could do!

Day 87- Aug 24

Beautiful ride over Moose River Rd. on the way to Old Forge. The smell
of damp pine reminded us of home!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Day 87- -Aug 24

Leaving Dan Styshe's brown barn campground after a very nice stay.

Day 86 - Aug 23

On the way to Booneville where we stayed in a barn!

Day 86- Aug 23

End of the day that rained on us. Made it to West Leyden and no place
to stay except with a farmer that saw us come into town and hopped in
his car to offer us shelter from the rain at his place. We took his
name and number and waited for the boys to get into town to make a
decision. We decided to press on another 9 miles to a campground that
had a barn we could stay at. I had a feeling it was a barn we had
stayed at last trip and one of our best nights of that trip. It was
the same one where we entered a potluck dinner in progress and they
fed us and then had a singalong where 3 yr. old Rebecca enjoyed the
older grandmother types and they her. We enjoyed this stay as well. We
had the whole barn with kitchen, bathroom, showers, tv, pingpong, and
lots more to ourselves. We set up our wet tents which dried out and
spread the rest of the wet gear around to dry. The owner was very
hospitable and even dried the remaining wet clothes the next morning
in his personal dryer in the house.

Day 85 -Aug 23

Pulaski, NY. The last time we rode across, we stood here with hundreds
of fisherman enjoying the ease of fishing for salmon who were
spawning. I have a picture of 3 yr. Old Rebecca nose to nose with a
30" salmon among folks stuffing large coolers and trash bags with
salmon and ice as fast as they could! The salmon's energy is
contagious! Today it was just a peaceful river babbling along.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Day 85- Aug 22

Met these folks who showed us to the beach! Swimming in Lake Ontario
was refreshing!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Day 85- Aug 22

Brandon and dad saying so long and good luck. We saw them down the
road later that morning when they were at a marina getting ready to
fish and kayak. Mr. Emil helped me secure my worn out trailer with tie
wraps! Thanks!

Day 85- Aug 22

Our neighbors saying goodbye! Thanks again!

Day 84- Aug 21

What! We could have taken a boat?!?

Day 84 -Aug 21

Fairport, by

Day 84- Aug21

Fairport along the canal. Great town but while checking it out we lost
daddy!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Day 84 - Aug 21

James just flying on those trails!

Day 84- Aug 21

Had a great time in Rochester last night and very proud of the girl!
she deserves a break today! Iced the knees in the hotel and road with
g&g to Palmyra. James is here in front of a cool building on
Rochester's campus. Recognize it Fitz? We got back on the canal route
and James got to enjoy riding traffic free today. We had a nice ride
except lost Mike in one of the ports while we were looking at a draw
bridge in operation. Then James went ahead so we were all riding alone
and it was not as enjoyable. We hooked back up in Palmyra with
everyone. At lunch I kiddingly asked if g&g were going to stay another
day. They offered to drop off the gear and Rebecca at our next spot
which was Sodus Point. Thank goodness they did! We had a nice rolling
ride towards Lake Ontario through farms, peach orchards and by farm
stands. We had to pick up the pace the last 7 miles due to a storm on
our heels. I took a right at a farm store to get some dinner stuff and
the boys went on. We were surprised by Rebecca having set up the
entire camp. Soon after I arrived and started making dinner, the skies
opened up! If we had spent the time transfering stuff in Palmyra and
Rebecca hadn't gotten to camp early and set up we would all have still
been biking and gotten poured on. Not so bad biking in the rain but
setting up would have been horrible. I cannot believe how lucky we
have been with weather over the summer and timing! The folks camping
near us, the Shields, Masons, and Emils, (sp?) yelled for us to come
share their awning and try to stay dry. They were great folks and fun
to hang with. Brandon Emil (14) talked about dirt bikes, four wheelers
and lots of things James enjoyed hearing about. Nice kid! Thanks for
the hospitality! Tents and sleeping gear got pretty wet but we all
slept good.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Day 83- Aug 20

Starting to lose the light on the way to Rochester. Mike was behind us
finishing up at the bike store. When we started hitting the city, the
trail was not as clear and it was getting very dark now. We spent a
lot of time marking out chalk messages for Mike. We got to the hotel
around 8:30 to find a worried grandfather in the lobby! He was glad to
see us. I was worried that Mike wouldn't find us but 1/2 he later
rolled in while I was unloading the van. "honey, I'm home!" I was so
glad to see him! We went out and celebrated Rebecca's big day and we
had a great Italian dinner. James fell asleep. He had done a lot of
walking that day. Rebecca wasn't too thrilled with his complaining of
being tired! Her turn for a break tomorrow...Pat and Jim will meet us
at the end of the canal route in Palmyra, get Rebecca another book and
we will pick up our gear and no more sag vehicle! It's been nice
having the van but mostly great having grandma and grandpa with us to
enjoy the adventure with! We'll miss them when they leave tomorrow.
Nice for the kids to see family and also have a break. With the 100
mile day too, we are in good shape to get on Labor Day weekend
sometime. We'll know better as it gets closer. I'll keep everyone
posted so if you want to celebrate with us you can! We can't wait to
see everyone!

Day 83- Aug 20

Rebecca did great on her first 100 mile day! Mike broke another spoke
and we had called ahead to a bike store in Brockport. The "sag
vehicle" planned on meeting us there. When they heard we had bike
troubles, they figured we would be ending there. We got to Brockport
at 5:30 or so and with Rebecca laying on the sidewalk exhausted, Jim
and James announced they had reserved a room in town. Rebecca said
"no, we still have 19 miles to go and we are doing it!" so you know
what we did from there!

Day 83- Aug 20

Day 83 - Aug 20

A tugboat.

Day 83- Aug 20

So peaceful along the canal. So much more to see than along the rail
trails we were on for so long in Ohio.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Day 83 - Aug 20

Beautiful homes along the canal with boats to get around. How sweet
would that be? Locals would probably say "check it out in the winter!"

Day 83 - Aug 20

Happy Birthday sister Cindy! Today was a milestone day with Rebecca
bagging her first century along the Erie Canal! We followed the Niagra
Parkway up to the Queenston Lewiston Bridge over to USA with a bit of
a mistake in directions that added 4 miles to our day! Man! Then I got
in the commercial truck lane going into customs but the guy was nice
and dealt with the blonde and family behind! We checked out this lock
in Lockport after 25 miles of road we entered the Erie Canal Trail for
75 miles to Rochester! It was stone dust but not a bad surface. The
day might have been a bit faster had we had pavement and maybe our
bikes wouldn't have been so grey from the dust either. We are dreaming
up a vacation for future that includes a houseboat, bikes, kayaks, and
fun along the Erie Canal! Great towns or ports to visit along the way
and dock up at marinas for overnight. Pretty country up here. We went
from wine country to orchards...peaches, apples, as far as you could
see. Along the canal were beautiful farms and barns. Not sure how the
swimming is with the cows so close???

Day 82- Aug 19

And Day 82 ended with fireworks that we could watch from our balcony!
Great day!

Day 82 - Aug 19

James found a girl. She's very quiet...I know I just opened the door
for many adult men's comments on that one!

Day 82 -Aug 19

View from dinner. If you haven't been to Niagra Falls, it is a must see.

Day 82- Aug 19

Skydon building where we went for a great buffet and view of Niagra!

Where in the U.S. are the O'Donnells?


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