Day 44 - Victor, NY to Syracuse, NY - 86 miles - 2,661 feet of climbing - 5:10 hours in the saddle

Pacelines….Finger Lakes….Nilla Wafers….Rocky Mountain Raspberry….Limp Lizard

Another great day of riding in “cycling paradise”.  See yesterday’s blog for the my “cycling paradise” criteria.  I was a part of several different pacelines en route to SAG 1 at mile 30.  Pacelines break up for a variety of reasons usually dealing with speed (someone goes fast off the front or someone goes slow and can’t stay on the person’s wheel in front of them).  Pacelines also tend to fall apart on hills as riders approach hills (up and down) differently.  As one paceline would break up, shortly another would form.  I rode with Ron as we approached SAG 1, but then I stopped to take some pics.  I like to get the first 30 - 40 miles done quickly and that usually calls for a paceline.  But in a paceline I don’t have an opportunity to take picks.  Here are a couple of pics I took before SAG 1.

We rode into the Finger Lakes region today, with SAG 1 being in Geneva, NY on the northern end of Seneca Lake.  Our SAG treat today was Nilla Wafers with pudding cups….sweet!  After some treats, pics and a ride to the end of the pier, I lit out for SAG 2 at mile 55.

I rode solo after SAG 1, as I tend to do.  It allows me to go at my pace and to easily stop to take pics.  I pedaled through the quaint Village of Waterloo and Hamlet of Seneca Falls.  I love looking at the stately old brick homes as I ride through these towns.

SAG 2 was at Classic Cones and I got as double scoop cone.  My favorite was the Rocky Mountain Raspberry!  Paula warned us recently that we should begin to cut back on the eating, to wean us off the calories before we re-enter our everyday lives.  But not today!

Next stop was the Erie Canal Park.  Quite an amazing engineering/construction feat for the times.  And the ride above the canal was beautiful!  

      

                              

                

          I ambled into the Syracuse area looking for some food and perhaps a beverage of sorts on this Father’s Day.  In Liverpool, I went off route and stumbled across the Limp Lizard.  I enjoyed a local brew, Montauk Wave Chaser IPA.  I struck up a conversation with a fellow patron, Dave, who showed expressed interest in my cycling garb ( I do stand out walking into a bar in full cycling kit, helmet, gloves and cleats!).  He was amazed when I described the journey we have taken and what is ahead of us.

           Riding the last 3 miles to the hotel, I picked up Paul, who was having some directional issues today (I’ve been there many a time) and we rode in together.

Short ride tomorrow of only 58 miles, so we will leave an hour later.  Then 3 hard riding days (either long or hilly or both) before the ceremonial ride to the beach!

Savor the Journey // Achieve the Goal