September 15, 2023
Farmland Stroll
Hammondsport to Geneva, including a “dead ex”, free range chickens and a “cornado”
Aside from going to the wrong motel when we arrived in Geneva, this was a wonderful day of riding. The morning air was brisk (45) but warmed up as the day progressed, approaching 70 by mid-afternoon. The sky was almost cloudless and the air quality superb.
After a hearty breakfast, we left Hammondsport heading north on the highway on the east side of Keuka lake. The road had a good 6 ft shoulder and the pavement generally excellent except for the rumble strip stupidly placed about 6 inches inside of the white line. However there was plenty of room to ride and traffic was light.
Although there was a minor climb out of Hammondsport, the road was pretty flat along the lake. The homes were quite lovely and many, if not most of them, appear to be vacation homes. It was along this stretch where we encountered and got a laugh out of the “Dead Ex.”
In Penn Yan, at the northern tip of the east arm of Keuka lake, we had a great lunch at Parker’s Grill, then turned east to traverse towards our next digit, Seneca lake. Our destination for today, Geneva, is at its northern tip.
The land between the lakes was all farmland, primarily smaller family-type farms. The views from the roads we were riding were expansive. Crops were corn, corn, and more corn. I did see a little bit of soy and a Cole crop (maybe cabbage, and a few orchards of stone fruit and apples. One farm raised organic free range chickens, who looked very happy. The houses and barns were very well maintained and, as is the norm here, surrounded by expansive and impeccably mowed lawns.
At one point we were riding along a field where the corn had been cut down and a swirling little tornado of wind developed right beside us, filled with soft, dried corn leaves. It persisted for several minutes and passed over Amber and Rich. At first we called it a “corn devil” but then Jim coined “cornado” and that stuck.
We entered Geneva through some pretty upscale ‘burbs and wound our way down to the hotel indicated on our RWGPS route, 41 Lakeside Inn. It looked quite nice, right on the lake. But…our reservations were at a Microtel, about 1/2 mile away as the crow flies, but by bike, avoiding a very busy street with no shoulder for bicycles, it was 2 1/2 miles away and up a short hill. Jim recalls that from the time he originally looked at the Lakeside Inn to when he was ready to make reservations, the price literally doubled, so he switched us over to the Microtel.
So we rode there and it is fine, just not on the lake.
We are off to dinner soon so I’ll stop here. Tomorrow we ride down Seneca Lake to Watkins Glen and purportedly, some of the best waterfalls.
Ride along with us:
Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 236 miles (380 km)
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