Apples and Cookies and All Things Round

I am drawn to round things; there is a sense of generosity to them. Bicycle wheels are beautiful, as is the sun.

Yesterday’s ride was infused with roundness. That is not to say there weren’t moments with a strong wind blowing at me, and moments of grumping and lamenting the wind’s tugging at my handlebars, but the blue skies above and apples in the orchards seemed to be enough to balance the forces working against my forward progress.

In the name of honesty, I will disclose that the day began with a challenging coursing of a bridge on which no pedestrians or bicycles were allowed. Unfortunately the signage indicating the restriction was halfway down the ramp, and by then I was sailing along and could not go back, so I gritted my teeth and rode across the Irondequoit Bay on the 104, and then got on the Irondequoit bike trail that took me along the lakeshore.

From there I rode on the Lake Ontario State Parkway, which is a four lane divided highway that sounds like it should be busy, but which was all but empty. It was beautiful. I stopped at Hamlin State Park, which was huge, and also empty but for a few people walking their dogs on the beach.

With the wind rising off the lake, I decided to cut south to Route 18, which I stayed on for the rest of the day. The road had very little traffic and a much lower speed limit, so it was quite peaceful but for the winds gusting across the open fields. Still the orchards, of which there were many, were very cheering, and I confess I stopped and picked one apple.

I guess Adam and Eve could give me an earful on the dangers of picking just one apple, but I am glad I did, as it fuelled me through the final hour to Wilson, where I stopped to get groceries and met two wonderful women running the charming Cookie Cottage. The front of the long narrow store was filled with kitsch trinkets, so I entered with some trepidation, but at the back of the store was an industrial sized kitchen and shelves upon shelves of cookies. I was in knots trying to decide what to choose. I narrowed it down to three, selecting molasses, peanut butter, and hot cocoa (one of the women’s favourite). I barely made it out of the store before biting into the molasses cookie which, at 4 in the afternoon, was still warm. How glorious.

It was just what I needed to finish the last half hour to Lakeview motel and cabins, where I had rented what turned out to be a very charming cabin complete with a wee kitchen and bathroom. What are the chances the owner would be from Canada, and a competitive cyclist back in the early 70s? He was originally from Germany, I believe, but came to Canada in the 60s. Clearly he passed on his athletic genes to his children, as he told me his daughter played volleyball for an American college, and his son played football for Edmonton Elks for 8 years. I learned all this while he checked me in and walked me over to my cabin, in which he had generously turned the heater earlier in the day. A little too generously.

As you can see in the photo, the door is wide open. That’s because the cabin was about 100 degrees. However, with the door and windows open and strong wind blowing off the lake, it cooled off quickly enough, and I had a great night with a cider I had saved from the night before and a salad and pasta from Wilson. Oh and two more cookies.

I went to bed listening to the wind gusting away, relieved to know that it was coming out of the north and that I will have it at my back as I head to the border this morning.

My destination tonight is Port Dover. Yes it is west of Guelph, but I wanted to stay somewhere charming on my last night of the trip, and I plan to have a delicious perch dinner. Fish and chips may not be round, per se, but there is something round about all comfort foods, isn’t there?

When to Say When

I was too knackered after yesterday’s ride to  put pen to paper, so to speak, or, more literally, to put thumbs to my phone and tap out my daily missive.

It was a long day on the bike, but that was not the issue so much as I didn’t drink enough water, and didn’t stop enough to stretch. I just kept hammering away, ignoring the throbbing muscles in my neck and shoulders, because traffic was picking up, and I just wanted to be done.

In essence, yesterday was just one of those days of pedaling with few highlights. I thought I might get some great views of Lake Ontario, but the glimpses I did get revealed a vast body of water that under gray skies was less than inspiring and difficult to photograph with any sort of effect.

One of the highlights of the day, however, was seeing deer grazing in the fields. The first pair I saw gazed back at me, far enough away to feel no compunction to bound off into the forest. Then there was the young deer who loped along on the field beside me. I slowed right down, not wanting the deer to dash across the road in an effort to escape. Luckily it went in the other direction, finding some woods by a stream.

There was something about the first part of the route yesterday that left me uninspired. I felt like I was in boating and hunting country, neither of which spoke to me.

As I approached Oswego, the traffic really picked up, which I attributed to being close to the city, but which I learned was due to Super Dirt Week at Oswego Speedway,  meaning race track participants roaring around the track and town.

I got on the sidewalk as I navigated the strip, and then as I road through downtown, I was thrilled to the see a banner for donuts and to discover the most charming little shop, Heidi Ho Donuts. Heidi was busy packing up donuts for the farmers’ market, the last of the season, which was clearly a big deal, as I had seen signs on the outskirts of town for free shuttles to the market. She had been up since two (I asked of course) to  be ready to open for 7 am. She used to get up at 1, she said, so she could open for 6 am. Wanting to celebrate autumn, I chose two different pumpkin donuts, inhaling one immediately (they were just as good as they looked), and packing up the second one for later in the day.

From there, I had about 110 kms to go, which I

rode straight through, stopping only to switch up my water bottles. I should have stopped more to stretch, but there was nothing inspiring to photograph, and the closer I got to Webster, the busier the traffic got. I rode Route 104 for most of the day, and when I got on it originally, it had been a quiet road. By the time I got off at the exit for Webster, it was a four lane divided highway, but at least it had an incredibly wide shoulder, so I was far removed from the traffic, even if it was abrasive in volume.

What a relief to roll into Webster, and then to travel to West Webster on a road with a clear bike lane. By the time I found the Relax Inn, I was finished. Done. Knackered. But I changed and walked down the strip where less than a km away, I was into a mecca of stores, one of which, a wine and spirits store, offered individual cans of local ciders. Finally.

I also found a small restaurant, Bento-Ya, where I was able to get a great salmon teriyaki bento box.

With dinner in my possession, I went back to my room, which was newly renovated, and had the best dinner of the trip. After that the weariness of the day overwhelmed me, and I called it a day.

Waking this morning, I feel much more myself, and am looking forward to a shorter day, and to staying at a family owned place, where I have booked a cabin for the night.

I don’t always know when to say when, but as my friend Carrie Anne always says, today is another day, and thus there is always another opportunity to learn.

Full Speed Ahead

Having seen that the winds were going to rise throughout the morning, and that Watertown was predicted to get rain starting around 2, I was determined to get on the road as early as possible, and to ride at a good clip with a minimum of breaks. It was a very different than yesterday’s sedate pace, but I felt rested and strong.

The winds were calm when I began, and I benefited from a gradual net downhill, meaning I climbed 900 meters throughout the day, but descended about 1300 meters.

With the air so still in the morning, the fog lay heavily over the rivers and lakes, making for some spectacular views as I crossed Raquette River. It really was the highlight of the day, other than the fact that Route 3 is also an official bike route, so once again I had a nice wide shoulder, and almost no traffic.

Other than stopping a few time for supplies and bathroom breaks,  I flew along, until about 30 km outside of Watertown, when the wind started to kick up, and the first drops of rain fell.

I tucked down over the bars, and battled through the last hour. My final gauntlet was Watertown itself, as I rode from its eastern boundary right across to its western end, seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly in between. There were some beautiful old homes and some lovely buildings downtown, but there were also quite a few weary looking houses, and people. I pushed onward until I reached the strip where I saw the red Ramada sign shining through the darkening sky. How happy I was to arrive.

The lovely woman at the desk let me check in early, and I was soon showered and doing my laundry. That may seem like a banal task, but when you are travelling, the joy of clean clothing is much greater. While doing my laundry, I watched the downpour begin. It was brief and fierce, and it would not have been pleasant to navigate in it.

Once the rain stopped, I headed out to shop at the grocery store beside the hotel. I got some fresh pasta from the deli counter, and lots of treats for tomorrow, so I am all set. It is only 6:30, but already my eyes are feeling heavy.

Tomorrow will be a big 200 km ride to Webster, so once again, I will leave as soon as it is light, especially as I am going to have some wind with which to contend. For now, though, I am going to enjoy my pasta, and a bevy, and maybe enjoy a few reruns of MASH.