September 19th: Long Lake to Ticonderoga, NY

Long Lake to Ticonderoga, NY Sept 19 (75 Miles)

Started the day off a little cold. I was grinding my way up a short but steep hill into Long Lake. I was a cold and my right knee has been hurting and I was thinking about what I could do to fix it. A car passed me pretty close so I decided I better move over a little to the right and so I moved over and I then I caught my pannier on a nice 10 inch sidewalk curb sticking up out off the side of the road. I had a nice roll over the side walk. Now at least I have a reason for my right knee to hurt. Smashed my right ankle on the sidewalk and now that hurts too. I guess that is what I get for whining. I wish I knew how to ride a bike a little better. Maybe I could get to Maine a little faster if I would spend more time pedaling and less time rolling around on the ground with my feet sticking up in the air. Oh well.

I continue to pedal up and down big rolling hills. People have told me that the Adirondacks were going to be tough to get over, but I don’t think so. Some of the hills are steep and I am in first gear to get up them, but they only last 20 minutes or so and I am up. Anyone can ride a bike and grunt a little bit for 20 minutes. These mountains are for girls.

However, these mountains are very beautiful. The cold weather is closing in. 40 degrees or so the last couple of mornings and the nights are chilly. The leaves are just beginning to turn colors. I am beginning to see orange and red colors in the woods.

I was riding along today and saw a beautiful mink walking out of the edge of the woods onto the side of the road. My bike is pretty quiet so he did not see me until he was several feet into the road and I was almost on top of him. He looked up and turned around pretty quick. I did not have time to get a photo. I did get a nice photo of a mole or a shrew or something like that. I am not sure exactly what it was but he was very cooperative and posed for me very nicely. He even moved his right paw forward when I asked him too. Pretty nice shrew if you ask me. Of course it was a little easier to work with the shrew than the mink since the shrew was dead when I found him. But he still looked very nice and fluffy and he did not really look all that dead so it was still a nice photo.

I made my first big mistake with my map today and it cost me about 15 miles in my ride. I was going down highway 28N and I was supposed to turn on Blue Ridge Road to go to Blue Ridge town. The road does not have a sign on it and my map shows the roads as light gray lines and I did not see the turn on my map. This morning was gray and cloudy and cold and I just didn’t realize what was going on. I was looking for Blue Ridge and it seemed that it was coming way too slowly and then – presto – I was in the town of Minerva. Minerva was not on my Map. I then realized I missed my turn – 13 miles before Minerva. Real Nice!

I decided I could go back 13 miles and start over or find another route to Ticonderoga. I rode into Minerva and asked some locals and they helped me come up with another route to Ticonderoga. I saw some very beautiful country that very few cyclists ever see. How lucky for me. I also got to ride an extra 15 miles on my way to Ticonderoga but that was better than backtracking 26 miles, I guess.

I got to Ticonderoga and called Lori on the phone. I had not had cell reception for almost 2 days so I touched base with her. She misses me. She loves me a lot. A loveable Tadpole on Stilts. What’s not to love? I love her too – very much! She has been a great support for me on this trip.

I decided to keep moving and get in a few more miles past Ticonderoga since I still had a little daylight left but I came to another Ferry to get me across Lake Champlain and the Ferry had already closed for the night. I guess I am not going any further till 8:00 AM in the morning. I don’t like traveling on Sunday and haven’t so far but I am about 70 miles from Lori’s parents and I have been in the wood for 2 nights now, so I will probably push on to their place tomorrow and try and get there by the evening.

I am stuck at the Ferry crossing so I found a place to stay at the Amtrac waiting station here in Ticonderoga. The small building has electricity to charge up my stuff and there is a bathroom ¼ mile down the road at the ferry landing. The building was open and it is quite a bit warmer in the building than it is outside and I won’t wake up with a wet tent. So I will stay here tonight. Hopefully someone won’t come and get mad about me sleeping in the Amtrac Train Station waiting depot. If they do then oh well.

Regards,
Dan

Shrew or Mole Long Lake NY Sept 19 to Ticonderoga NY 02