The Last Jedi

September 20, 2024

Amsterdam to Albany

We had our in-room coffee and Dollar General snacks (Clif bars) for some pre-departure calories and then made our way to retrieve our bikes from the storage area. We told the front-desk manager our plans to get breakfast from Stewart's Shop and he said we should eat at the Hungry Chicken a few miles down the road. So that's what we did.

Had a good "knight's" sleep at the castle.

Now, "a few miles down the road" is a reference from a non-cyclist automobile driver which actually turns out to be 12 miles. Glad we had that Clif bar prior to the castle departure.

A stay at the castle was worth the experience for one "knight"

Quiet trails on the way to second breakfast

Gravel plant. Good thing I'm touring on a gravel bike

The route parallels the Mohawk River as it makes its way to Schenectady. Just about an hour after we leave Amsterdam we're at the Hungry Chicken - the area's "best breakfast sandwich" - and it is. It's so good I devour it and barely come up for air. Breathe. Just Breathe. Now reach out. What do you see? I see another sandwich which Kath has just barely started eating.

The "area's best breakfast sandwich" truly was. We watched loads of vehicles enter and exit getting their morning breakfast fix from the Hungry Chicken.

Full with breakfast we encounter more pedestrians as it's a greater populated area. The trails in this area are more focused on daily recreation than long-distance traversal of a country. We spy a fitness station and take a short break. Kath asks if we want to go through the fitness course and I tell her I'm not interested because I'm busy. Why not? I've seen your daily routine. You're not busy.

After visiting the fitness station we head back onto the trail.

Going through Schenectady we have some inner-city road riding. Nothing we can't handle. We're hailed by a gentleman outside a bar asking us if we need water or anything he'll be glad to get us some (we presume he'd the owner, not just some random passerby). We thank him but we're all good with water. The kindness of Americans gives us hope we'll survive the next four years.

Riding through downtown Schenectady. Lovely old town homes painted in blues and yellows

Departing Schenectady we encounter a "wall" of 9-11% grades going up a hill. Kath doesn't grab a low gear fast enough and stalls out on the climb. I get into the lowest gear I have and keep pushing up the hill. I can't see where it tops out but I believe I'll make it. Hope is like the sun. If you only believe it when you see it you'll never make it through the night. I dig deep into the pedals as my breathing intensifies and my thighs are barking like crazy. I summit and look back at the sign indicating "WARNING! Steep hill ahead. Children should walk bikes." and felt a sense of pride. Sometimes you have to battle a steep hill in order to see the view/destination at the top. We're going to win this tour not by fighting what we hate (gut-busting climbs), but saving what we love (the tour).

While not the toughest climb of the trip, it was the toughest rideable one

Kath gets into the descent leaning her left leg into the wind.

We make our way into Cohoes looking for lunch. There's a McDonald's right on the Main strip where we know we can grab a sandwich and an outlet for the eBike.

Once along the river, the route takes you under the Adirondack Northway bridge

After lunch we navigate our way along the old Erie Canal path towards Waterford and the Waterford Harbor center. We ride The Last Jedi (few feet) of the trail before the Erie Canal ends and the Hudson River starts. We have completed the East-West portion of our trip and now link up with the North-South Empire Trail. We can get ride of all the information about the Erie Canal and start looking forward to the Hudson Valley. Time it is for you to look past a pile of old books, Hmmm?

Erie Canal and E-W portion of Empire Trail complete!

Once out of Waterford, the route heads south along the Hudson River, and towards Albany, our destination for the night. We check in to the Fairfield Inn, clean up and then meet friends for dinner. We're picked up in a Volvo SUV, quite the difference in transportation than what we've been riding in for the last 8 days.

Navigating our way into Albany along the Hudson River.

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Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 420 miles (676 km)

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