Bicycling New England, the
Erie Canal, & around Lake Ontario 2005
Oswego to Fairport NY

August 3, 2005
Distance 70.3 Miles

Because it was going to be a hot day we got up early ate breakfast and started riding the bicycles by 7:15 AM. We were all tired after yesterdays ride which ended in many steep climbs up a hill and an equally steep decent down the other side. This went on for at least the last 10 miles. Well today started right where yesterday left off. For the first 10 miles we went up very steep hills, some with 10% grades which we walked due to our tired legs from yesterday. We would get to the top and down we went on the other side. We usually did not reach great speed on the downside because we were riding into a headwind for the second day. Even so, on a couple of these hills at the bottom our speed was greater than 35 miles per hour. At the 10 mile point we had the choice of staying on a route that kept us close to Lake Ontario and the hills or taking a different route that would take us away from the lake. We chose to go away from the lake and in just a couple of miles the hills disappeared. For the rest of the day we traveled on fairly flat roads and made good time.

We found a good restaurant with homemade pie and hamburgers for lunch near Williamson. We don't know if the food was exceptional good or we were just very tired and hungry. Either way it was a great meal.

We reached Fairport and found out that this city did not have any motels. We stopped at a gas station to get information on lodging and after 20 or 30 minutes we started to ride our bicycles another 5 to 10 miles to get to a motel. On the way, Jim spotted a bicycle shop and he stopped to purchase a new mirror to replace one of Mary Kay's which was broken. Scott and Barbara came into the bicycle shop and as we talked to the lady at the counter, she said we could stay in the city at a nearby bed and breakfast. She called and made arrangement for our stay. She then told us how to get to the bed and breakfast and away we went. Instead of another 5 to 10 miles we only had to go another ½ mile.

We settled in, took our showers and headed out to eat. Below is a picture of Mary Kay and Barb in front of the B&B

We found that we were in the same town where we stopped for lunch on our ride from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal. In fact, the bed and breakfast is only a block from the Erie Canal. We ate supper at the same place that we had eaten lunch a couple of weeks earlier. We even got to see the bridge go up to let the boats through.

We then returned to the B&B to prepare for an early start. Today the humidity was in the 90's and the temperature was not far behind. Tomorrow should be another hot day. I think we will all be in bed by 8:30. So we can leave for breakfast by 6:30.