Pictures are here.Miles: 82
Total Miles: 3413
Time: 4:31
Average: 18.3
Max 31:5
Flats Today: 0; Total flats:8
Climbing: Pretty flat along Lake Erie.
Weather: Cool and rain all along the way.
Yesterday's day off was much needed and laid back. A walk to the lakefront in downtown Erie with Zero, a leisurely lunch and a great time chatting. Some blogging, a little baseball on TV and then dinner with Tom, Zero, Jim and Dan at an Irish Pub.
We woke this morning to gray skies and wet downtown streets. A good day to try to get to "point B", that is Hamburg NY, just outside Buffalo, as fast as possible. And that is just what I set out to do. It rained moderately on and off the entire 82 miles but never real hard. I stopped for a photo op at the NY state line and for a light house along the way and a pit stop at a Tim Horton's in Dunkirk but that was about it.
It was 12:15 when I arrived at the Comfort Inn Suites. The room was ready, rags were out to clean the bike and the motel featured Versus, so I could catch today's exciting mountain TdF stage.
Cleaning the bike after the rain on the road involves moistening it with a hose and then wiping it down to remove all of the road grit that gets kicked up. The wheels come off and get wiped down including each spoke and the hubs. The rear sprocket set gets flossed. The rag is inserted between each pair of sprockets and is pulled back and forth all around the circumfrence. The wheels are put back on and then the chain is wiped clean and re-lubricated.
In addition to missing home and the person who makes it home -- my very special lady -- I have also been missing everyone at CHM and am looking forward to reconnecting with everyone there. Mitchell preached a compelling message Sunday per reports from several family members. Lunches continue to be well attended from what I am hearing. And, I am also hearing the Friday evening movies for kids is going very well with Eric, Karen, Carusos and Mitchell and I am sure a number of others pouring into that. Also, very much feeling the loss of having been gone so long from Tuesday morning prayer times and the special time that
always is. JohnM, Mitchell, JohnR, Mike, and others who come -- May God bless your faithfulness!Tomorrow its back to more climbing, 3800', and our last day 90+ mile day.
First picture that you didn't look ecstatic as you entered a new state---wet, cold and tired, I'm sure. Scenes around Lake Erie look lovely---too bad Geneva on the Lake didn't look like that! Description of bike cleanup after a day in the rain a nice add-in. Hang in there---home, and the lady who keeps it, are waiting for you:) XOX
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