August 23, 2021
Day 84: Lockport to Brockport
Return of hot and humid weather
“Everyone in our group has ridden across country at least once,” says one of the ladies passing us. We met the group of five cyclists in Middleport when we stopped for second breakfast, and now we are on the trail together. A few in the group are in their 80’s and this lady is 74.
We had a “to go” bag for breakfast from our hotel, but only the granola bars are edible. We did get coffee and orange juice but the full buffet breakfast was not available. We ride a few miles back to the trail and stop at the “Flight of Five locks”. We stop to look at the locks and the wooden boat one of the cyclists from yesterday told us about. There is an interesting work of art based on an 1897 photo, statues of a group of men known as Lock tenders sitting on the steps, and a statue of the photographer taking their picture. The monument honors those who labored between April and November to keep locks open for navigation and delivering freight.
The surface is still paved, but roots have create some interesting bumps. Eventually the surface is hard packed crushed limestone that rolls really well, minus the bumps.
We reach Middleport and go to a bakery and have a fantastic breakfast sandwich. While we are eating a group of older cyclists stop in and talk with us. We end up leap-frogging with them for a while, but then their bikes are unloaded and they are faster than us. We suspect we’ll see them on the trail tomorrow. The afternoon becomes hot and humid. The heat we notice ostly when we stop riding as there is very little wind.
The trail is pretty straight forward, the water and canal higher than the road and land on the side. We see the tassels of the corn from above. Periodically there are huge metal gates that are used to close-off and drain the canal in winter. There are high bridges that the trail and anal go underneath, then there are lower drawbridges that can be raised to allow boats to pass.
We get to Brockport around 1:30pm and find our Warmshowers host. Their house backs up to the Erie Canal. Gloria is ready for us with a pitcher of ice water and a variety of flavors to add, and a bowl of fruit and fig bars. It remains hot and very humid, Patrick does not deal well with this type of weather.
We relax in the shade trying to stay cool. There is nice sitting area and our host has provided a fan. We walk to town and eat at the Stoneyard Brewery, this helps a bit with being in air conditioning. The host’s house is pretty small and does not have a guestroom. We knew in advance that guests can only camp in the yard. Patrick continues to not be doing well with the heat and camping is out of the question. We consider riding south where there are some motels. Gloria is adding a room in the basement and when Patrick helps her a little he notices it is a lot cooler, and slightly less humid down there. So after the floor is cleaned-up we set up our tent in the basement room.
Our plans for the next two days are going to have to change though; instead of camping at Lock30 or Lyons we make a reservation at relatively cheap motels down our route. The weather forecast for at least three more days is hot and humid.
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Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 3,478 miles (5,597 km)
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3 years ago