The scenery in finger lakes of New York is phenomenal but the roads I was riding on were not that bicycle friendly. No shoulder in most places, high speed limits, high traffic volume, a good many trucks, twisting roads and a ton of steep climbing made it seem like a long day of riding. 4,298 feet of elevation gain in 51.1 miles!
I was very excited about two things today to visit Watkins Glen State Park and to see my youngest son in Ithaca where he had just moved to pursue a PhD in Mathematics.
I don’t think I have ever been to Watkins Glen. I remember seeing pictures in some family photo albums but it must of been before my time.
Watkins Glen was stellar. It was a bit crowded but the beautiful cascades, falls and water carved rock made up for that. And the way the path was built winding along the creek and crossing on stone bridges through the gorge was remarkable.
After hiking Watkins Glen, I ate lunch, leftovers from the dinner I made last night, and then stopped for ice cream before heading to the nearby town of Montour Falls. It had more waterfalls. The only one that I thought worth sharing with you was Eagle Cliff Falls. I thought it was cool the way the velocity of the water going over the falls made it arc away from the cliff. And there were only a few folks there.
Did I mention how the Finger lakes region has gratuitous hillage? I was whooped by the time I got to Ithaca. But then I realized there was another climb to get to my son’s apartment. I stopped at a bakery for an espresso and a croissant.
It was a good climb that went through an old cemetery. I was imagining it was full of all the people who tried to ride up this hill.
Finally I made it to my son Leif’s apartment. I would stay with him two nights so I could have a whole day to visit with him. The timing could not have been better, it was Friday and he started Class next Tuesday.
Slow and Steady 
Leave a comment