Biking with Bill

HOT ONE TO HENRIETTA


The August hot and humid weather was with us today on this the first day of the month. The forecasters were right on the button with their call for an “excessive heat” prediction of high nineties with winds from 15-25 mph from the SSW. We have been quick to learn that ANY wind with a WEST in it is a GOOD wind, as we are , of course, traveling East. We had some good tailwind support today on our 84 mile ride to Henrietta, NY, a suburb of Rochester.

We departed Niagara Falls this morning through an old and “tired” neighborhood and industrial area before 7:00 am. It was 85 degrees by 9:30, so we were anxious to get in the miles early. The country roads were in good condition in the agricultural and dairy farming area. The flags along a fence in Wheatland (see photo) were a reminder that we are back in the States, with our biking days in Canada now behind us.

I rode with Kirk (MN), a college professor in St Paul, for awhile this morning. He is a very interesting man, a friend of mine on the trip, and the brother of a Naples friend and neighbor. He is a “birder”, which I define as one who is interested in birds, seeks to find birds when traveling, and one who can quickly identify birds. He told me that he has identified more than 100 different birds on our cross country tour, mainly by their “calls”. In Minnesota he has a “life list” of 338 birds he has identified in the state. Yesterday he spotted 2 Peregrine Falcons over the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. (I saw the same birds. I thought “eagle”, no, “hawk”, no, oh well “unidentifiable”. Kirk has now cleared up that question of mine.)

I took a picture of Eberhard and Anja (Germany) at the SAG stop enjoying the cookies sent to us by my sister, Ann. Those same cookies helped me get my hotel room in Niagara Falls made ready earlier than normal. I offered a the housekeeping manager a cookie during the wait for the room –she promptly gave instructions to get my room ready immediately. Keep them coming, Ann.

The heat and humidity were a bit draining during today’s ride. We kept hydrated, and requested an additional SAG stop be set up today by ABB. They complied . It was a hot and sweaty biking day in the Empire State.

I photographed the map that appears in our hotel lobby daily. It shows the black line of our completed mileage. We have watched the line move East for 44 days now: through the mountains in the West, the high plains, the farmlands of the Midwest, a section of Canada and right into central NY State. I look at the line everyday–and continue to be amazed at what we have accomplished. It is truly an unbelievable experience.

Bill