Let me start this post off by saying how nice it was to see that people actually care we make it past Buffalo. Let me continue by thanking everyone that gave Mike food to bring on the trip; my thighs are starting to feel much stronger. Thirdly, an addendum: henceforth Michael will be known as Fatman, not Fat Man, a la Batman (previous two posts unchanged to document the error). Lastly, I apologize for the lengthy post to follow; my editing skills are not up to snuff yet.
On to stuff you all would actually like to hear. Unfortunately, I will not be able to include any photos this time around, the library here in Fort Erie is sadly lacking in USB ports.
Last night we did make it to Lockport. Around noon-time when we stopped for lunch a nice (I believe) Mennonite man offered us his back yard to camp in. Again, the kindness of strangers. As it was around noon and we still had some ways to go before Lockport, we declined.
We camped out behind a great drive in burger type joint: the Wide Waters Drive In. Aptly named because of the wide water canal marina facing it. Cook Steve made us a dinner of a burger and fries. It was amazing (picture to come). If you're ever in Lockport, stop here for a huge mound of fries and great burger. After a long planning session for today's ride, we managed to fall asleep.
After what seemed like a short nap, Fatman was shouting at me to get out of bed and get ready.. I asked him what time it was, which of course he didn't know, but he'd assuredly "been up for hours." What. It was 6:00 am.
After breaking camp, and having a light breakfast (enhanced by the thermos-preserved Darjeeling tea from our wonderful hosts in Holley) we prepared to set out. Mike shortly found out two things: the gremlins had attacked his gear, and after much trouble fitting his helmet on his head, that his head had swelled. I'll have you know my ribs were hurting from laughing so hard listening to his monologue reaching these conclusions. Not to mention I'm having a hard time keeping quiet in the library as I type this.
The night previous we were given directions how to leave Lockport, and were informed of a hill we would be climbing very early on during our way through Lockport proper. Hill does not begin to describe this veritable Mt. McKinley.. I didn't even bother trying to climb it sitting, and my legs were screaming when I reached the top.
Crossing the border in to Canada was uneventful. The ride down the Niagara Parkway towards the falls was gorgeous, and was made all the better by our liesurely pace for the middle of the day. We stopped overlooking the falls for lunch. While Mike was away at the washroom, a gull we had previously snubbed by not giving food to managed nearly a direct hit poop-bomb fly-by.
Shortly after leaving the falls, we encountered our first real mechanical failure: Mike's front derailleur was knocking his chain right off his smallest cog-wheel. A quick adjustment and we were back on our way. Tonight we are staying at the Riverside Park campground just north of Fort Erie. Tomorrow the plan is to make it another 30 or so miles to the next nearest campground. The next few days need to be planned around various campgrounds on the lake, so we may end up making longer or shorter days depending on this.
Thanks for making it all the way through this post. The next internet access we'll have will probably be Cleveland sometime early next week. Unless this changes, I bid you adieu until then.
9 comments:
Great post, Beardo. We can almost hear you at the library and are laughing along with you!
Only a few days into your trip, and you have already known the kindness of strangers. May this exchange of goodness between traveler and host continue throughout your journey.
Traveling has not always been this safe. Our tradition composed a prayer to the Creator known as the Traveler's Prayer (T'filat Haderech [Prayer of the way]) for safety on all extended journeys.... In our haste to get to the JCC-lock on time, I left the prayer at home and could only recite the shortest version before you started out. Here it is now in its traditional form, for anyone who would like to recite it on behalf of our guys' excellent adventure.
"May it be Your will, Eternal One, our God and the God of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, emplace our footsteps towards peace, guide us toward peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush, bandits and wild animals along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to Earth. May You send blessing in our every handiwork, and grant us peace, kindness, and mercy in your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our supplication, because You are the God who hears prayer and supplications. Blessed are You, Eternal One, who hears prayer."
Ye-hi ra-tson mi-l'fa-ne-cha
A-do-nai e-lo-hei-nu vei-lo-hei a-vo-tei-nu
she-to-li-chei-nu l'sha-lom
v'ta-tsi-dei-nu l'sha-lom
v'tad-ri-chei-nu l'sha-lom,
v'ta-gi-ei-nu lim-choz chef-tsei-nu
l'cha-yim ul-sim-chah ul-sha-lom.
V'ta-tsi-lei-nu mi-kaf kawl o-yeiv
v'o-reiv v'lis-tim v'cha-yot ra-ot ba-de-rech,
u-mi-kawl mi-nei fur -a-ni-yot
ha-mit-ra-g'shot la-vo la-o-lam.
V'tish-lach b'ra-chah b'chawl b'- ma-a-sei ya-dei-nu
v'ti-t'nei-nu l'chein ul-che-sed ul-ra-cha-mim b'ei-ne-cha
uv-ei-nei chawl ro-ei-nu.
V'tish-ma kol ta-cha-nu-nei-nu
ki Eil sho-mei-a t'fi-lah v'ta-cha-nun a-tah.
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai
sho-mei-a t'fi-lah.
For the text in Hebrew letters, visit the "JFK shul" at this URL: jfkshul.com
~ and click on "Tefilat Haderech Traveler's Prayer" at the airplane icon.
Derech tzlicha,
...Abbs
Strangely, Dave just told me yesterday about the plight of the big-headed Bernstein. Strangely-er, it was during a conversation about bike helmets. Does anyone else smell a conspiracy?
Hi Beardo (do I have to address you this you?:),besides giving me the lift I needed just now,
Abba expressed the feelings that I had when I read your post much more edequatly than I can, so I would just say deto (I think that's the word). Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, and lettign me feel a part of your journy. Kol Hakavod to you both, and I join Abba with T'filat Haderech. (you have to excuse my spelling errors:)
Imma
You're really quite a good writer, Yoni. Since I've been working with English teachers, I've noted with some dismay that even they aren't able to write terribly fluid, complex sentences, much less heed the rules of grammar. You do both quite well, and have a unique narrative voice besides.
Couldn't hurt to brush up on your (lack of) hyphen use, though (pffft, like I could give a compliment without saying SOMETHING snide).
Hi guys. This is from Iwona and Jurek. Good read, it's almost as we are biking with you. Especially Iwona, I would not made it past Spencerport for sure. For Mike's preparation they rode to Letchworth Park and I drove to pick them up. I was impressed by the effort. Keep it up guys! Although right now Iwona is complaining about the weather. It is getting oppressively hot around here. Hope you get a better deal up there. J&I
woo woo! I am loving this blog. Better than HBO.
Just a reminder- if you guys get lost or don't know which direction to ride- head toward the scent of margaricheals (or would they be margaronis now?).
Whatever we call them, they will be waiting for you here. We're cheering you on in oregon.
Hi Beardo and Fatman,
I wasn't able to get an internet connection for the past few days, so I kind of was looking forward to find and even expected (what else immas do:) to find another post to bring me up to date on the parts that I have missed. I know that you are working hard in getting into shape, but please, please, please keep us in your journey.
Imma
fantastic commentary beardo. i like laughing. i do have a question though; how does fatman keep his ultra-powerful legs from shooting him right off the back of his recumbent?
and when homeland security tries to stop you from coming back in to the country....
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