My Warmshowers stay in Erie was yet another success. Two meals, a private bath, a queen-size air mattress, secure bike parking, and a chatty hostess is hard to beat.

I hit the dusty trail around 8 and headed west out of Erie. Before leaving town I took a roughly 20-mile spin through Presque Isle State Park. The park occupies a peninsula that protects the Erie harbor. It was here that Commodore Perry built the ships he used to defeat British naval forces during the War of 1812.

On this weekday morning the park road was a delightful place to be. Views of the bay and lake alternated with wooded fresh water marshland. As I rode to the end and back I was entertained by countless birds tweeting and chirping and calling.

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I stopped to check out the Perry monument and have a chat with a family of Canada geese.

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After a couple of hours I was back on my route headed west. After a stop for coffee, muffin, and pie-in-a-box, I made it to the end of my westward journey. I turned south for the final leg of the tour.

Up to this point the day’s ride had been on level ground but now I began to climb away from the lake. Except for some down and up river crossings, I was riding uphill on a one or two percent grade for about 12 miles. I gained 500 feet of elevation in the process.

The smoke seemed to diminish as the day progressed (although it appears to have returned as I write this in the evening).

I gave up 100 feet with a short down hill before riding once more on level ground until I arrived in Meadville and went back up.

In town I had a humongous lunner or lupper. A big bowl of broccoli and cheese soup and pot roast on bread with mashed potatoes and gravy, all washed down with my usual unsweetened iced tea.

I checked into the Holiday Inn Express a few minutes later. The desk clerk handed me a cold bottle of water and advised me that there would be complimentary popcorn in the lobby at 4 and ice cream and cookies at 7. This will be dinner.

Tomorrow the hilly stuff begins. I’ll climb to 1,550 feet before giving the elevation back in fits and starts until I reach Mercer. I hope to score another Warmshowers situation but, failing that, there are two motels in town. If I’m feeling my oats, I could continue to New Castle which has beaucoup hotels.

My front tire is starting to show signs of battle fatigue. It has about 7,000 miles on it so I’m not surprised. I carry a spare tire and can always buy a new tire if need be.