Interesting view on the meaning of life. In my 1st-ever journal (also published on this site), I too found the meaning of life from a cross-country bike trip. Bicycle philosophers we be. Enjoyed this journal and the earlier companion one as well.

Type your comment here

It took me well over an hour to set up that picture, so I appreciate the compliment. It just shows the lengths I will go to make a cheap joke.

This is the greatest picture I have seen in my entire life.

Hi Paul,

As usual when somebody writes to me, I feel the need to have a look at their work. So I just got done reading your Erie Canal journal and enjoyed it very much. You visited some interesting places along the way that I didn't even know existed. I really should have done some more research.

Well, I'm going to check out some of your other trips now.

Greg

Enjoyed reading about your trip - sounds like you had a great time. Reading through your journey, you reminded me of my own trip along the Erie Canal (https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/eriecanal2017/) and re-experienced it once again, re-living memories on the trip. Of course you had many more days to travel than I did, as well as many more food and wine reviews.

Hi Kathleen,

That's a good joke about Buffalo. One just never hears anything positive about Buffalo (aside from the chicken wing connection) but I really did enjoy my time there. Somewhere on this journal, I think it was a couple of pages ago, I replied to a message from Keith Klein, who said Buffalo was pretty bad back when he lived in the area. In my reply I added an additional story about why I enjoyed my short visit. I'm not going to repeat it here, but if you're interested you can look back and try to find it.

Great to hear from you and I'm glad your journals found their way over here to Cycleblaze.

Greg

I'm having fun rereading this, Greg.

Your Buffalo bit reminded me of when I was living in NY. Winter of 1977 (or so) was VERY blizzardy, especially for Buffalo. A radio station had a contest of some sort, with the winner getting a week in Buffalo. Second place got two weeks.

-Kathleen

Great bit of trivia on "Pale Blue Eyes." Thanks. Also, thank you for the interesting article on "Luis" Reed and Syracuse U. Good stuff.

I was a semi-obsessive Lou Reed fan for many years, and am disappointed to here that there's no statue or anything in Syracuse. Maybe there's a small plaque on the university campus commemorating the location where he wooed the college girlfriend who was later the inspiration of Pale Blue Eyes?

Here's a decent article I just found about his time in Syracuse: http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/10/lou_reed_syracuse_university.html

Hi Keith,

I was glad to see a couple of your journals appear on this site this morning. I immediately became a "follower."

Yeah, I don't really remember much about Madison--probably because I was still steaming after getting a little lost in Perry, of all places. I do remember thinking it would be amazing to run into a guy I met at a corporate training a long time ago who was from Madison, even though I couldn't remember his name or what he looked like. Maybe you knew him, but I guess we'll never know.

Since you lived in Buffalo, I'll tell you a story I left out of my journal. As I was working my way to the Peace Bridge, I started seeing throngs of people walking in steady streams. I followed them to a big park where there was a big movie screen set up. I thought it kind of strange that so many people would be going to see a movie in a park in the morning hours of a weekday. At the park I asked somebody what was going on and I learned they were showing the USA-Germany soccer match. The USA had made a fairly deep run in the World Cup that year and there was a lot of enthusiasm. I didn't stick around, but I realized soccer was a much bigger thing in the northeast than it is in the midwest.

Greg

Hey Greg!

I have finally gotten around to reading your journal about your MN to MA tour. You went right through the places where I grew up. Before I moved to MN, I mean. I see that the town where I went to high school, Madison OH, didn't rate a mention. It's OK, there's not much there. And what little there is has probably changed a lot since last I saw it. I was born in Buffalo, and believe me, it's nicer now than it was then. Waiting for the rest.

Cheers,

Keith

Hi Jeff, and thank you for posting my first Cycleblaze message. When I read the first sentence, my heart almost jumped out of my throat. This journal has been up over on "that other site" for about four years now and I've been worrying about some kind of retaliatory message from a Warrenite--something like the one you got from Vallecitos.

Honestly, though, I know my description is pretty mean and definitely unfair. I'm sure Warren has some fine features and some friendly citizens, and I shouldn't judge the entire town by a 20-minute visit. Several times I have thought of removing that tirade from my journal, but I've left it in because it accurately reflects just how steamed I was at the time.

By the way, I started reading your "Serpent" journal and it's a fun read so far. As a former Iowan, I hear you on the "are you training for RAGBRAI" question. I've gotten it a few times myself when touring there.

I was born and raised in Warren, and I resent your attack on my beloved hometown!

Just kidding - I'm actually from Kentucky. I've had my share of "Warrens" on bike tours. The last time I complained about a shit-town was after riding through Vallecitos, NM on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

A woman took exception to my description of the place and left me a message calling me a "Complete Asshole" and a "Privileged Jerk."

Hopefully no Warrenites will stumble on your journal here and leave you a similar message!