Utica? Wait, weren't you headed for Boonville?
Too bad I didn't figure out that I was going to bike to Utica before I got off of route 28 this morning!
I had a late start today because it was going to be a short riding day. I slept until 8 - what bliss. Then I packed up and headed to the Pancake House for a pecan pancake breakfast. My waitress was very interested in my trip. She said she thinks she'd like to do a cross-country trip by bike too, although she wasn't sure about hauling gear. I told her about Adventure Cycling and suggested that she call for information on their maps and on their trips. Once I finally got on the road, I headed to Boonville. The route to Boonville starts out on route 28, but then goes via back roads for the last 17 miles.The route to Utica from Old Forge - the one that makes sense at least - stays on route 28 until it intersects with route 12. I did a few extra miles because I went all the way to Boonville, then decided that it was a beautiful day for riding, and that I should ride to Utica to visit with my folks instead of having them come up to Boonville tomorrow. Of course the fact that it was only 1PM when I pulled in to Boonville had something to do with my decision to push on. It was a good 59-mile day today instead of a very short 27-mile day. Right now I'm about 30 miles south of the Northern Tier - but I think it will be a one-way detour because I'll probably get a lift back to Boonville to continue my trip.
I'm pretty sure that the last 7 miles I spent on route 12 weren't a legal place to bicycle. North of there route 12 is a marked bike route. At one point, the bike route sign pointed off of the road, but it didn't say "bicycles must exit", so I stayed on the road. I got off at one point, then realized I wasn't where I wanted to be. I started to get back on the road and saw the "pedestrians and bicycles prohibited" sign. Interesting though that a state trooper saw me on that section of the road and did not stop me.
I called my dad at that point to get directions to his business - and he just laughed when I told him I couldn't get back on route 12. Then he told me how to find him. Once I was pointed in the right direction I found my way without getting back on the highway.
It's days like today that make remind how much I like traveling by bike. It was a beautiful weather day, and the first day since last Thursday that I was able to focus on something other than getting to my destination before I got wet and cold. I was able to stop and take pictures without getting swarmed by black flies, which was a pleasure. And I had a bit of a tailwind on the ride from Boonville to Utica, which was a nice change from yesterday when I had a cold headwind.
I stopped by the side of the road to take some pictures of some wildflowers. The next thing I knew a policeman stopped to make sure I was OK. I told him I was fine, and thanked him for stopping. It's nice to know that people will stop to ask if aid is needed.
Animals today - I saw several deer, some wild turkeys, and some Canada Geese with their teenage offspring. Unfortunately they all scattered before I could grab the camera.
Something I've noticed over the past couple of days in the Adirondacks... When I was in New Hampshire and Vermont there were sections where there were no houses, but where there were houses there were also people. In the Adirondacks, there were sections where there were houses but no people. I guess I was up there too early to see people during the week, although I didn't see a lot of people around on the weekend either (maybe a factor of the rainy weather). These were all camps that are used mainly on weekends in the summer. The other thing I noticed is that people who live further north in the Adirondacks don't consider the southern section of the mountains to be "in the Adirondacks". I was talking to some people from Keene (south of Lake Placid) when I was in Schroon Lake. They asked about my biking route, and when they heard I was heading east said "oh, you're not going into the Adirondacks". Technically I was already there!
I discovered when I got to the house that Brandy & Caesar (my parent's crazy dogs) either like sweaty skin or bicycle grease, because they promptly tried to clean my legs.
Good dinner tonight - spinach and tofu and fresh vegetables, with homemade blueberry pie for desert. That's a lot closer to my normal diet than what I've been eating on the road. My dad loves cooking, and we love eating his cooking.
Tomorrow is a rest day - and a laundry and bike-cleaning day.
Still on Moose River Road. I had this road to myself most of the time. Pleasant views, but a rough road surface. When the road smoothed out as I crossed a county line, I remembered how much I like smooth roads!
