Ithaca and Syracuse

It was a busy morning with lots to see in Ithaca, and a much less busy afternoon with much less to see after leaving. I ate some toasted bagels and cheese this morning, then said farewell to my under-the-weather host.

I biked down the big hill with all its bumpiness, traffic, and stoplights and managed not to die. I realized I had to re-navigate from what Google told me when I nearly ran into a road closed for construction sign, but I dodged it and skidded to a halt like a...well, someone who doesn't hit signs. I biked around the waterfront and saw the edge of the finger lake that Ithaca borders. I went the wrong way and almost accidentally headed out of town. I made my way up the steep hill to Lakeview Cemetery and paid my respects to Carl Sagan's grave (I almost missed it, thinking such an esteemed scientist and educator would have a more elaborate marker). I made my way over to the falls...but missed the famed Ithaca Falls because I had already climbed back up and didn't want to have to go down for it. I parked and locked my bike on campus, and while scared as hell someone would run off with my panniers, made my way on foot along a trail down the gorge, far enough to at least see Ithaca Falls from the top...you know, where you can't see anything. I took in some of the sights of the campus. And then, having spent what seemed way too much time not gaining any ground to my destination, I made my way out of town.

And essentially nothing happened all day after that. I biked along largely flat, with some notable climbs, roads North toward Syracuse through mainly farmland. I got into Syracuse along highway 11 and once getting into the city found my shoulder gone, forced to ride right in the thick of traffic for miles, miles of stoplights and buses and impatient rush hour traffic. My least favorite part of bike touring is biking into major cities (with a few exceptions like Minneapolis). ...And yes, I know, no need to remind me that I'm headed for a massive megapolis on the East Coast. I actually ended up walking for the better part of a mile at one point because I just needed a break from riding in the traffic. Thankfully, once I escape Syracuse tomorrow, I have a lovely trail to recover on for much of the rest of the day.

Even with all the morning sightseeing and the slow pace in Syracuse I made it a little in advance of my host and took the time to do some bike maintenance. Bree seems to be holding up well so far, but we have a lot of miles to go. I had a good time with my hosts, their three year old daughter who was very shy of me, and their dog who couldn't get enough. They made sandwiches and salad for dinner with plants pulled right from their garden, with a rhubarb cake for dessert. It was a good end to a good day. Upstate New York has treated me well so far. I am looking forward to tomorrow. But for now, I look forward to sleep.