And Then We Were Cold

Friday morning we woke to the sounds of birds' morning songs.

How lovely...until I started to cook pancakes.

It was my first time using the stove to cook anything...and there is definitely a learning curve.

Incidentally, cooking outside with no heat source (the camping stove doesn't count) when the temperature is in the 30s is....NOT FUN.

The pancakes were good, but I only began to appreciate their qualities much later, after my hands had thawed, as leftovers.

As we journeyed through Albion we encountered a couple canal workers testing a lift bridge...

We stopped and chatted with one for a while...or should I say, listened for a while...

We learned quite a bit of history and random trivia about the canal.

Around 5:00 we reached my aunt's house...tired and sore.

We rode 90 miles those first two days!

Saturday, the day we rested, we felt horrible.

Two big, important lessons I learned - drink more than you think you should, and eat more than you think you need!

After I ate more food than seemed humanly possible and drank a lot, too, my headache and stomachache faded into oblivion.

The trip home on Sunday was much faster and more comfortable than our out-bound one.

The temperature was at least 10 degrees warmer, and we were stronger.

We subtracted 4 miles by being dropped off on the canal path instead of riding to it...

I don't really like having my bicycle piled and strapped into the back of a pickup....it seems disrespectful in a way...but we didn't have to ride through city traffic, and that was wonderful!

On the way home we stopped and took a look at the road that goes under the canal...

and took a picture of one of the many creeks that flows under it...

and marveled at the upside-down railroad bridge....

It was made that way to make it impossible for masted ships to sail up the canal.  The train company wanted the business...

I used my little stove one more time...to make Spanish beans and rice for dinner.

It tasted good, but I still have to perfect the use of the camp stove...

Our last night camping was nice...

There was rain in the forecast, but none showed up, thankfully!

During the trip home my right knee started to bother me.

Toward the end of the day it became difficult to keep pedaling my heavily loaded bike.

We did get home early...about 1:00pm, but my knee hurt so bad after I got off the bicycle.  I think it was an overuse injury -patellar tendonitis.  Now I'm icing it a lot and resting it as much as possible.  My dad adjusted my saddle more precisely, so I'm praying and hoping I'll be ready to ride to PA by May...

We all, Mom, sis, and I, had a lot of fun on this little trip.  It was great connecting with relatives we don't see often, and we will joke about and remember this trip for a long time.  We laughed a lot, and survived the damp, freezing cold morning together.  If we do it again...they will be carrying their stuff, though...carrying the supplies for three people was more than I want to do again...

15 miles...and more...on the Erie Canal

Thursday morning we finished loading up the bicycles and rode off into the cold to see if we could make it to Hilton in one piece...

My bike does well even loaded down with more than 60lbs of stuff...but takes some getting used to.  When I first climbed on after she was all loaded, there was an uncontrollable shimmy.  Thankfully that steadied in a short bit.  I even neared 20mph without a wiggle.  Occasionally the wind or road conditions would induce a short-lived shimmy, but I was able to keep the bicycle under control.

When you are this loaded down you need to stay in charge...

Anyway...it was cold and actually snowed a little as we were leaving the city.

I was able to keep warm on my heavy ride...but the others weren't always quite as comfortable.

My mom and sister riding away down  the Pendleton bike path...

Eventually they switched bikes; Kat then rode the loaded one and Mom floated along on the racer...

My little sis did an amazing job riding 40 to 50 miles a day with a load...I was very impressed with her legs and stamina!

In Lockport we saw one of the widest bridges in the world...

and some canal locks.

I've never seen locks up close before...they are so interesting!

Also, they had just started filling the canal the day before we left...it was empty on Tuesday!

We could see the level of water wasn't quite what it would be when full...

After Lockport we ate lunch, and then the canal entered farming country...what a sight for sore eyes!

I miss this type of scenery...

In the evening we reached Medina, and ate our last meal of the day at Zambistro.

It was a pleasant restaurant, but had no place to lock up bikes...we used a small tree.

I tried their escargot...my first time eating snails...they are good!

We 'stealth camped' for the night in a very old graveyard not far from the trail.

There haven't been people buried there since the mid 1800s...according to the headstones.

There was even a Revolutionary war veteran buried there!

Our tent fit nicely onto an area of soft grass.  There was a gentle slope, but it didn't affect my sleeping...

(it may have bothered the others, though)

Around this little oasis were orchards and piles of bulldozed trees...

The heap did make a convenient, but very muddy toilet...

Falling asleep that evening was amazing.  I was very tired after riding 50 miles, and the only sounds were birds and frogs.  So beautiful...and much too cold!  

Too Much Stuff!!!!

Today we finally put together everything for our Erie Canal trip this weekend. 

Wow!  

What a huge amount of stuff!

Everything (except the sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and tent) does fit into my four panniers and a little pack for the white Trek.
We will pile the sleeping bags and tent onto the backs of my and my sister's bikes.

I got to test the rear panniers today in a run to the store for trip supplies.  It even rained...and they did well.
We are completely ready for the trip!

Fully loaded rig...

Today I finished the panniers!!!!!!
Ok, I am excited.
I have been continuously working on them for 4 months, it is time they were finished!

I stuffed most of the clothing and equipment we will need for the upcoming trip with my mom and sis into the two rear panniers and the handlebar bag.  I'm quite sure we will be able to fit everything the three of us need...even food...into my four bags.  Our dear friend and neighbor is lending us his three-man tent and warm sleeping bag, so we will have to figure out how to strap three sleeping bags, mats, and one tent onto the backs of two bikes...since my mom's bicycle doesn't have racks.
Carrying the gear for three people will be a good test for my panniers...