June 16, 2008
Day 35: Newcomb, NY to Old Forge, NY
62.39 miles, 5:00:52 Ride Time, 12.44 Average Speed, 35.2 Maximum Speed
Amazingly, it didn't rain last night, despite the forecast I heard on the radio before I went to sleep. As usual in the tent, I woke up a few times, and was up for good at 5:30.
It looked rainy, so I got things together as quickly as I could; the black flies were out in force this morning. Both tires seemed a little low, so I pumped them up while trying to wave the flies away. Clearly the "Off" spray is worthless.
(I probably don't pump up the tires as often as I should - like every morning - because I once somehow broke the valve and caused a flat while pumping one up. So, I'm probably riding on underinflated tires much of the time. Still, no flats on this trip yet!)
After about fifteen miles, notable only for the beginning of a mysterious clicking noise on the bike which troubled me the rest of the day, I stopped in Long Lake and had breakfast at a local cafe, where the waitress informed that it was possible to do some sort of massive spraying to eradicate the Black Fly, but it wasn't done in this area because the spraying could "hurt the old people." What!? I say let the old people take their chances - just get rid of the flies.
I felt a little queasy after my breakfast burrito and home fries, and that, combined with a headwind, slowed me down as I rode through the little towns of Blue Mountain Lake and Raquette Lake. At least it wasn't hilly (or hot) like yesterday. The clicking noise continued to bother me, but I just couldn't figure out what was causing it. When I arrived in Inlet (pop. 406), I stopped at the "Pedals & Petals" bike/flower shop (the husband deals with the bikes, the wife handles the flowers, I learned). The owner and his helper were nice guys who offered to quickly check the bike for me, but their cursory inspection (which was all I felt I had time for) didn't reveal the source of the clicking. I did buy a small bottle of supposedly high-powered insect repellant from them.
It was an easy ride to Old Forge (pop. 1,061), a town with a friendly welcome center. Old Forge clearly caters primarily to tourists, but because the season had not yet started, I was able to get a good deal on a motel room - one of the few times that has happened on this trip.
By the time I got settled in the room, and walked to a supermarket to buy groceries, the sun finally came out for good for the day, and I felt a little dumb for stopping so early. The weather forecast for the next several days did not look promising, however.
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Today's ride: 62 miles (100 km)
Total: 2,514 miles (4,046 km)
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