Day 102 Point Sodus to Port Ontario (Selkirk SP) 102km

Not wishing to repeat the mistakes of yesterday we are determined to get an early start. But willing joints and minds to get moving in the frigidly cold early morning is a challenge, a challenge that is eventually met by the need to pee! Our morning routine of pack up and breakfast has had months to develop, we can manage the whole thing as a wordless team. Observing our tent neighbors in their process proves to be both amusing and a little sad. The slower movers are not assisted by their more experienced or better morning person compatriots, who just stand around and watch. After 5 minutes of this, I could stand it no longer, and offered my assistance, teamwork people! With a long day ahead of us, we are off and rolling, but a pervasive feeling of negativity sets in quickly, knowing the distance we want to cover, but faced immediately with a series of very steep climbs, it seems a miserable day is ahead of us. I don't give in to this attitude without a fight, and expend some effort fighting it with positive thoughts, but it is the cheerful sounds of the Mexican fruit pickers who win the battle for me. I may not be able to understand the words, but the joy of a sunny morning, a good harvest, and the company of friends and family rings in every word, and the big smile a wave from the quintessential Mexican man on the tractor is the nail in the coffin of my negativity. By morning tea time we have already done a third of our intended mileage, and reward ourselves with a hot chocolate. The cafe is busy with a large group of cyclists from Rochester, whose interest is piqued by us, but more specifically our bikes. What is it with middle aged male cyclists and gear? We feel a bit out of step with this type of cyclist, having very little common ground, trying to explain we cycle to travel, that it's not about the best bike or the fastest speed or the most direct route from Seattle to Boston. So they take photos of Audrey and Mrs Robinson, and seem content. We are content to ride, more slowly in the other direction, taking time to notice that the trees have gone from the lush green of summer to the yellow green of early autumn. The day slowly warms up, and we shed layers as we travel, by lunchtime we are down to only two! The hills help to keep us warm, and the countryside changes from orchards to woods and grassland, the roadside stalls also disappear, and prospects for dinner look slim. The final approach to the Selkirk State Park is a less than pleasant ride, steep ups and downs on a busy road. As we turn into the park we are enveloped by the peace and quiet of the woods, only the scurrying of the chipmunks breaks the quiet.


For dinner we, finally, crack open the emergency meal we have been carrying with us since Seattle. Not really much of an emergency, it just seems sacrilegious to leave this lovely park, and our legs are tired. A cup of tea, a brownie and another campfire under the stars, and our evening entertainment is complete. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad