June 24, 2023
From the Lake to the Ditch
Wolcott to Macedon
While writing yesterday’s post, I conked out for 2 1/2 hours. I woke up and finished the post around 11:30 last night. While I was writing two sirens went off outside. I figured it was just the volunteer fire department summoning its members. Only 12 hours later did I realize that it was a test of the accident sirens for the nuclear power plant a few miles away on the shore of Lake Ontario.
In the morning I walked to the diner next door in the rain. I had eggs, bacon, home fries, and coffee augmented by a single pancake.
After fueling I packed up and carried all my gear down to the lobby. Then I half carried, half rolled The Mule down the stairs. At 9, I loaded up the bike and headed west in a misty drizzle or a drizzly mist. These things are hard to sort out.
Going east to west involves riding up and down small hills every mile or so. I think the bottoms are streams and creeks that glow to the lake. My legs did not appreciate the climbs. I turned north and headed to Sodus Point on the lake. It’s a typical waterfront place with marinas and bars catering to vacationers and weekenders.
After exploring greater metropolitan Sodus Point and gawking at the lake (which was socked in with misty fog or foggy mist) I headed west again.
I passed the site of a World War II prisoner of war camp. It was a small operation that was only used for a couple of years. All through the day I passed houses that were shelters for escaped enslaved people on the Underground Railroad. This is the northern part of Harriet Tubman’s route to freedom in Canada. (Runaways had a bounty on their heads. Nowhere in the United States was safe.)
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After 25 miles I stopped for first lunch: a fish sandwich, coleslaw, a bag of chips, and an unsweetened iced tea.
The mistiness had turned to warmth-and-mustiness as I rode away from the lake. The forecast called for intermittent rain. I had tried to get a Warmshowers host but was turned down. After eating I booked a motel near Macedon, just off route.
Then I headed south. Adios, Lake Ontario. The route was mostly between the annoying hills making for easy going. This area is notably more densely populated than the Adirondack foothills that I rode through yesterday. It is also more agricultural.
Most of the crops are just getting started. There are many fruit orchards, presumably apples (I can’t tell an apple tree from a pear tree from a peach tree). Other than some hay, the only other crop that I could identify was hops.
After 40 miles I stopped for second lunch at a Byrnes Dairy gas station in Palmyra. I wanted a roast beef sandwich but all they had was ham. I had half a ham and cheese sandwich (which is the size of a normal ham and cheese sammie) and saved the other half for dinner. I also had a cup of ice cream and a Diet Pepsi.
I took the canal towpath another seven miles west before hitting NY Bike Route 5 to the hotel. (Bike Route 5 is an on-road alternative to the canal.)
The motel is fine. My room is on the first floor. There is no continental breakfast offered so I’ll ride to Fairport, a canal town, and get brekkies tomorrow.
My planned destination for tomorrow was Brockport but that is barely 40 level miles from here. I think I’ll just ride to the end of the canal at Lockport. This will put me about 20 miles from the bridge to Ontario for Monday.
Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 1,861 miles (2,995 km)
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