Beautiful sunny day to ride on our last day! WE ride out of Cayuga Lake SP and head up and down rolling hills past the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.
Breaking camp at Cayuga Lake State Park
Group shot- our last morning ride together!
Riding the rolling hills of New York state enroute to Syracuse! Betsy is driving the van today and will meet us at the lunch stop.
After riding up and down the rolling hills all morning- Greg finds us an ice cream stop!
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| Betsy finds us a cute little gazebo for lunch. |
Here they come!
Emma!
Catherine!
Heading in to lunch
The Bicycle Dump
Lunch at the gazebo
Betsy has set up a nice spread of sandwich meat, breads, fruit , chips and drinks. The job of van driver is not always appreciated as much as it should be. The van driver buys all of the groceries, gets supplies, often secures camping or hotel reservations, picks up riders who need a break, and the van carries all of our gear. It is crucial to the success of our trip! All of the adults on our trip have taken a turn at being the van driver.
Liz and Emma
Lyle getting some grub
Joe, checking in on the rest of the world.
Greg embroiled in conversation
Our last afternoon along the Erie Canal.
The kids making the destination at the end of the Erie Canal in Syracuse.
Some shots of the Erie Canal on our last day of riding just outside of Syracuse.
The towpath runs alongside the canal all the way from Albany to Buffalo, except for a few areas where riders need to use the backroads.
Lyle leading the way.
Parting shots on our last day.
Christopher- bringing it home!
David on the canal trail in Syracuse.
Joe riding the last few miles.
Greg- easing on down the canal trail to Syracuse.
Jack and Emma- on the last leg of the ride.
Liz- First bike trip under her belt!
Victory! We have made it!
We are at the end of our journey with just a 3 mile ride to the Best Western Hotel where we will stay the night.
Here we are.
As traditional, we will go out for a team dinner for our last night together. We found a restaurant not too far away and were able to taxi everyone in two short trips in the van.
Such a great trip! Highlights- For the kids, many of them said their favorite day was the rainy day! I marveled at the growth we saw in all of the kids from our last trip two years ago. For all of us it was an accomplishment in challenging ourselves physically, mentally, and to beat the elements. More importantly, and as bike trips always are- It was a chance for a unique camaraderie to continue to grow and develop, among friends and three families. When Betsy and I first had this dream of taking a bi-family bike trip a number of years ago we were not sure if we could do it and how things would go- After this trip the kids were actually asking if we could go on a longer tour next trip. So, where will we go next time? ??? Possibly the Katy Trail - Hello to the Show Me State, or will it be somewhere else? Not sure yet- but we will figure it out! And I am again so amazed by the ease and flexibility of our friend Jack Freas, who adapted so easily into the intricacies of two families, who now see him as a close cousin. As a veteran of many bike trips over the years, I have always told people- " If you are bummed about our country, just get out on your bike." This trip did not disappoint- as we met so many varied and interesting people who extended their hospitality to us in different ways- the guy we met under the bridge in a rainstorm, the Christian motorcycle club whom we shared a prayer with to begin our trip, the Rochester police force members, who escorted us through their fine city and the tour guide of the "It's A Wonderful Life Museum". All of these folks reached out to us in one way or another. There are so many great people to meet out there in our country- and you tend to find them more easily when you are on your bike.
