Heading out from Niskayuna to go to Grafton Lake SP is a bit on the folly side of enterprising, so I drove to the Cohoes power station on the Mohawk, just off Route 9 a couple of miles south of the bridge.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ny/cohoes/911124614943660492

At first I thought I'd be in the sun, just coming out from a rather dreary start to the morning, but nope--the clouds from the east rolled in and started to dim the light. Just as well; I didn't want the ride to be hot. I went south on the river road following the Mohawk into Cohoes.

I took the standard Route 32 across the 787 to 7 feed route to follow the Mohawk Hudson bikeway signs into the town of GreenIsland. I went to the Green Island bridge, a bit too far, actually, crossed the river, and started up the hill. I managed to lock onto Federal. Up to 15th Street, Peoples, too. On to Route 7, Hoosick Street. I'll take the other route next time.

Once out of town, I searched for the turn off to Grafton Lake SP and gratified when I found it. I saw the Route 142 entering from the north. That was the way we took, last time, with David Mika and Jonathan.

Soon I'm truly enjoying the country ride, but uphill all the way. There are places along the climb that feel like a permanent rain is taking place. Very odd.

A wall of water is advancing toward me as I top the hill to just see the park entrance so I turn and head back down. Route 2 is really rough. Take care. Watch for larger potholes. Mostly it is simply bumpy.

Instead of taking 287 back over to 7 then on into town, I follow Route 2 west into Troy. I pass more than a few Victorian places on the hill to the right or north side of the road. A huge cemetary with impressive monuments.

Back in Troy I cross on the lift bridge, turn north on 32, go on into Waterford, and cross the Champlain canal to get onto Rte 97 going north, then 96 then onto the road that will take me into Halfmoon, Crescent at Rte 9. I'm only 2 miles from the car and pass Saratoga Winners on the left, the ashes of Saratoga Winners. The 'owner' who is suspected of setting the fire, is being judged or is waiting for the court date.

Suspicious circumstances.

Knox from Tawasentha Park, Guilderland

I said I'd be gone for a short one, but mis counted the time to return. I started at Tawasentha Park, on John's advice. Good thing I showed up before they manned the guard shack--when I returned it was posted "$20 parking"

Yikes.

I'd never seen 146 end to end, as one route, so I decided to run west with it.

Guilderland to Altamont by 146 seems familiar; we've probably taken it a dozen times. Soon I had passed through Altamont, and started up the hill to the plateau. By the time I reached East Township slope had abated; I was on top of the hill. The slope runs the other way starting with West Township. And it is a fun downhill. I drank and tanked up on water, Gatorade and stopped at Larry Hill Rd. to check the map.

Someone stopped on the opposite side of the road, "You lost?"
"No," I answer, "But I'm trying!"
A laugh, and he leaves.

I'm planning to return on Route 443 and think I can manage it in 1 h 10 m, but it takes a lot longer.

Rte 443 is slower than I remember. There's plenty to huff up in spite of my recall to the opposite. Even sailing down 85 to Stewarts, left to hit the turn-off to the J. Boyd Thacher Park, on down into New Salem, Voorheesville, it's getting to be well past my scheduled time of arrival, to the intersection of Grant Hill Rd and Wormer. I happen upon a weekend cyclist. We exchange a greeting then I'm left onto Wormer. Wormer to Ostlander, Ostlander to 146 then right to the park.

Hoo haw... like I said longer than I thought -- 72 km. 2.5 hr. or so.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ny/guilderland/658124552251665987

Tuesday's Ride 16 June 2009

Tuesday, 16 June 2009, I went out on a standard two bridges or Route 9 Loop ride. Nice day, cool and nothing by way of wind. Clock-wise, viewed from above.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/rexford/743147367

Squashed turles line the road. It went fast in spite of the week's lay-off while I was out of town. Then there was a weekend completely taken by a reunion with a couple of high school buddies, Wes and Colin.
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/573046193LgkYTI

We had a blast. We went to breakfast together, the three of us, at the IHOP on Wolf Rd. and nearly forgot the day's plans. Gisele arrived and we took off for the Hancock Shaker Village NOT located in Hancock, MA, but closer to Pittsfield. We find the place, have lunch, and go through the village and its historic treasures. There is an introduction to the Shaker Community, its history, and final disposition.

We came back to Troy, NY, then to Brown's ale house. We take the two home and promise to reassemble Sunday morning. We do and go north to Saratoga Springs for a visit to the State Park then the race course, Yaddo, and the Battlefield. With one eye on the clock and one eye on a visit round the battlefield, we do lunch from another well-packed basket fournished by Gisele.

We're off on the rounds, and when 2 pm rolls around, we leave the circuit, and take Colin to his Troy hotel.

1 h 30 min for the 30 miles = 20 mph.

Next day: my legs felt funny.

The ADA Century

Sunday arrived. We piled into the car, lashed the third bike to the carrier on the back door, and started to roll. We managed to line up behind someone who'd never been to Saratoga Springs, was reading from the instructions, and generally kept the speed down to a safe value.









We talked everything of importance: Cub Scouts, meetings, the weather, buying a Schenectady home, NOT buying a Schenectady home, car stuff . . .









Once in the high school parking lot, saw Nicole and said 'hello', and once we found a spot to park we piled out to go register. Once done, loaded up on water, a couple of energy bars, bib numbers pinned on our jerseys, we managed to line up about three minutes before the 'gun' went off. Actually, it was a countdown of the ways that diabetes can decimate a society's life -- chronic conditions, hospitalization costs, incapacitation. Poor health in general for entire lifetimes.

Sobering thoughts.

We leave en masse. We're wayyyy back in the pack. We have to weave in and out to get to the front. We pass James. 'You guys -- see you at the end.' It worked.

We finally found Nic up front in the lead group. It took us a while. We were in Ballston Center area before we had a chance to talk. We were blasting along on the Charlton Road. As we ran up the hill to 50 we lost a few, like two years ago, but this time I stood the rise. And stayed with the peloton.

By the time we reached 147 to jog north then west, I was still in the group but when the Glenville Hills arrived, I couldn't keep pace. I lost 50 yards on the group. But I couldn't keep up. Then another hill, and that was it. The twelve were gone. Last time I saw them they were 200 or 300 yards ahead.

ShawRd. and its cool shady overhanging trees in full leaf of summer. I saw a mink-like creature carrying a young one in her maw. She had dark, weasly black fur. Rolling--not bad pace.

A north then east-bound section of farm road in bad shape rough on the surface. I'm following the 'trail' of wrappers, bottles and a folded set of queues for the 100 mile route!

The trail crosses Route 67.

I recognize roads around Middle Grove. Indicators and flagmen want to steer me into the food and water stop. I have to shout 'Where now!' Which trail? '100' is my answer. Someone waves me back the way I came. . . then right. There is a tightening in my chest; I'm on my way up to Lake Desolation.

I remember thinking it's a nice day for a camping trip . .. it was the wood smoke and hilariously rattletrap houses, backyards that looked like some Scouting trip. Homesteads, trailers, fixed-er-uppers, and some suburban home designs plopped down in the country. We could also see a couple of cars up on blocks and wood piles, too. One crawled with a happy band of kids, a dog on leash and an active pair of parents repairing something outside on this cool and cloudy day.

Here the sun would come through and warm a spot here and there. Real hope.

Someone on the side of the road fooling iwth their bike. I shout "Are you OK?" and a look back. Oh. It's Siavash! Hey wait. I pull a 180, peeling off of some guy I've been trading leads with, chatting about honking car drivers and where are you from topics.

S's seat was loose and he was stopped for a repair and adjustment. He was feeling good but 28 miles ahd been his longest ride to date. He's trying 2 times that today.

We ride comfortably together. I'm happy to be first. We get to some hills and he gives me permission to take off if I want. Not there, but a bit down the road another rise comes up and I'm on to catch up with the other dude.

Corinth: "Gate-way to the Adirondacks" with fishing and hunting stores, brick buildings and a ride along the Hudson that looks like a lake.

After an exit from town and a piece of road out in the country. I top a rise near a fork in the road and pull off to take a leak.

Getting ready for the ADA Tour de Cure tomorrow

We are preparing for the ADA Tour de Cure that will take place tomorrow, Sunday, 7 June 2009, by loading up on the carbs and proceeding with the taper.

Tapering is engaged. I feel ready. Here is the route, in case you plan on joinng us, or simply want to view the planned ride.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ny/saratoga%20springs/168124430550597232

All the way to Hadley, NY, then turn south.

Two years ago the Tour de Cure was a lot of fun. The weather was cool, the route was OK, and it was undertaken with guys who stuck together. The mini-peloton included Clickn Knee on the Bianchi, TiMan, and Juan Filkinos. Great team. We started out in Stillwater or Saratoga Springs, headed north along the Hudson River in the early morning. The weather was calm, no wind, and the river was beautiful. I managed to grunt and push to the front where there was a crew of State Police bike team dudes sailing along. In the group, one feels no wind, and you can hear only the spinning of sprockets, changing of gears when the slope changes.

TiMan warned me that these guys can roll all day and never stop for water, so we dropped off the pace at Argyle, had some chow, took a leak, then moved over the table for a chat with the volunteers. The Bianchi whipped past. 'Let's go get him!' was the rallying cry, so off we went.

On we went through little burgs moving north to the turn-around point and a noticeable degradation in the pavement. In 2008 this is where the flats sprouted up. We were having none of it until . . . ffft .. ffft .. ffft we all heard the sound of air escaping from a tire going around.

We slow to stop and engage the quick-fix-the-flat dance. Bike on ground. Wheel off the frame. Hands pushing down hard, running round the rim, pulling the tire and tube off the rim.

Someone flips Juan the spare innertube and someone inspects the innert surface of the tire to make sure the offending piece of glass or sharp metal object isn't still stuck in flat-producing position.

Soon it's all reassembled and someone's loosened a pump from its perch and is pumping it up, checking for proper seating before going all the way to 8 bar pressure.

There is a short pause while everyone puts helmets back on, picks up assortment of plastic tools, pumps, caps, and nuts, zipping shut the little repair kit bags underneath seats, and clips back in.

Done is good time; when everyone helps, it's kinda fun.

We can see the mountains in Vermont nearby here and the weather is gradually warming up. An enjoyable ride so far. Soon we have managed to catch up to the Bianchi, we say hi, gather him into the peloton, and spin back up.

By now it's approaching mile 80 and we're no longer so chatty. The work is wearing on us a bit, and I drop a piece of watermelon off the stack I take -- it hits the gazebo deck in Greenwich, was it?, I felt like a dope. A tired dope.

We saw Chris W. and Rachel there. Mounted up and moved on home. I don't think we stopped until the end. . . repeating to ourselves, 'this is just a noon time ride -- that's all that remains -- yeah, not much at all!' Talking to ourselves, building our courage, cause it had already been a good 4 and a half hours at that point.

So we finished in 5 h 35 m roughly. A good time.

We were happy to be done.

The Mile 80 Stare. The mid-distance, about the focal plane yardage used to make sure you don't run over something in the road.

Absorbing liquids.

Thinking about philosophical implications of wailing on pedals from 7 am until nearly 1 pm, while mere mortals stared from inside passing cars and trucks.

Rensselaerville from Stewarts at 443 and 85

Into the teeth of the fiercest wind we've seen in a while, I go up Wolf Hill on 85. Sunday's little trip started at 1:30 pm with a 30 minute drive out tot he starting spot. I parked the car in a short pull-out on 85.

So up the hill, into the wind, building character, I think I was traveling 13 kph until the top of the plateau. following 85 west for another 12 miles.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/new-scotland/382124381302513183

I'd planned a ride to Middleburgh, but it was not in the cards or in the direction of the wind. I took Route 6 north to Berne, and following a right turn onto the route 443 followed a rolling, green, route all the way to the 443 - 85 intersection I'd passed an hour 50 minutes earlier. It's all downhill from there. But scary in view of the wrecky pavement.

Fun!