We joined the Erie Canal Cycle Way today, which we will follow for 300 miles or so to Albany. The canal is wide, around double the width of the canals we cycled along back home, although there was very little traffic. The path was stone dust, much like the crushed limestone of the Elroy-Sparta Trail back in Wisconsin. With no rush to cover miles, we took it easy, soaking up the scenery and enjoying the freedom from cars.
We stopped early in Middleport for a cup of tea, after a passer by shouted that there was a nice coffee shop in the town. It was the first place in America that made the tea correctly! On leaving the coffee shop we were passed by a Harley-Davidson motorcyclist with a great white beard blown up over his face in such a way that we wondered how he could see!
We rolled on for an hour to Albion for lunch at the Burger King, with locals approaching us all the time of ask about our travels. It was a very friendly town.
A casual ride in the afternoon heat took us to Rochester, with plenty of breaks in the shade as we rode. We met our host for the night on the South side of town, just off the canal. David and Nancy are academics, teaching at various institutions locally and abroad. David teaches photography at the liberal arts college and had lectured in Yale and worked for the International Baccalaureate in Wales and Cyprus. Nancy teaches high school English.
They treated us to a spot on their lawn for camping, with use of the facilities inside their house. Once set up, they drove us to an Indian restaurant, which we have been craving for some weeks now. It was a little taste of home almost, having a curry, rice, naan and beer.
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