Fifty Plus (50+) - The view fom my saddle; October 2010

This is a rather long post as I tried to summarize my entire month into this one post.

I started the month out healthy and feeling great. I also started the month out with a three-week vacation. It turned out to be a wasted vacation as the weather was really bad for the majority of the month, and I caught a nasty cold. For me a cold is usually a six-week event, fortunately I only catch one every three or four years. It wasn’t a total washout though and I was able to take advantage of a few nice days. Read on and I’ll try to share some of those experiences with you.

So I managed to start the month out with a nice little 50-mile ride on the Tour Easy. It had rained all day yesterday, Sept 30th but the sun popped out this morning. It was still quite windy from yesterday’s storm that had dumped up to 5 inches of rain on parts of the Finger Lakes Region of the state.

As you can see in the following pics at the beach the waves are really rolling in under the Lake Effect clouds that are starting to gather already.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3737A580.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3734A580.jpg

The Charlotte Lighthouse looks nice with the clouds floating by….

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3743A580.jpg

Here’s a picture of some early signs of the foliage change along the Lake Ontario State Parkway trail. While I was stopped here, a Turkey flew by in the woods about 15 yards away. He sounded like a gobbling truck being hurtled through the trees!!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3746A580.jpg

Here’s a couple of pictures of a sign that I’ve gone past at least 100 times. Today I actually saw it. Most might not agree but I found it to be very visually interesting.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3732A580.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3733A580.jpg

By the time I rode up my driveway the sky was completely clouded over. We were preparing for some good old Lake Effect rain to add to the 1+ inch we had received yesterday. Fortunately it shouldn’t travel too far from the shores of Lake Ontario, as the mid sections of the state are still flooded from the day before!!


October 3rd: two rides today.
Started the day right with a 20 mile breakfast ride in a light rain.

Later in the day I made a 35 mile round trip to Hilton N.Y, a neighboring town. They were celebrating harvest with their annual Apple Fest http://www.hiltonapplefest.org/ .

It was quite a windy day as a small high-pressure system is kinda-sorta moving into the area (I hope). It was so windy that Fred’s wings were being blown straight up into air for almost the whole ride. If I’d have heard a “Wheeeeeee” like that little piggy does in that stupid T.V. commercial I’d have jumped right off of my moving bike and I would still be running!!!!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3761A580.jpg

more.....

Oct. 14th
I have not been on the bikes much lately. First we had over a week of rain, then the sun came out but I stayed in, with a nasty chest cold. I did manage a few one-day road trips (in the pickup truck) with the bride to enjoy the fall foliage, but the bikes have been idle since the 3rd.

The October road trips have been an annual staple in our lives ever since we drove from Rochester to the Pennsylvania Dutch Country on our Honeymoon some 35 years ago. We try to choose our destinations based on the fall foliage change. This year we managed a trip around Seneca Lake with stops in Penn Yan and Hammondsport, a trip to Angelica N.Y., and a trip to Letchworth State Park. (all good cycling locations, by the way)

http://www.angelica-ny.com/

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/79/details.aspx

http://www.hammondsport.com/



Here’s a shot of my lovely bride striking out in search of some interesting shopping in Angelica, N.Y.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_0999SX20.jpg

Our drive to and thru Letchworth State Park was great this year. I was reminded of TSL as I saw a few cyclists riding through the park. I seem to recall reading a few of his ride reports regarding an annual century ride he does from Rochester to Letchworth and back in the Fall. We also managed to work our way through the gathered crowd around a gent on the Easy Racers Gold Rush at one of the many scenic overlooks. He and I had a nice chat as we compared his new Gold Rush to my older (and absent) Tour Easy. Sorry, no pictures of the Gold Rush but I did slip in a few shots from our frolic in the park!!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_1088SX20.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_1041SX20.jpg

As if we didn’t have enough color to marvel at here’s a double rainbow in the mist of the middle falls. That’s the Glen Iris Inn in the background. It’s within the park and would be a fantastic place to stay during a cycling trip through the area.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_1065SX20.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_1042SX20.jpg

October 16th,
It’s been two full weeks since I’ve been on a bike! Today I’m heading out to see if I can first of all ride, and secondly see if I can clear my lungs out a little bit.

I started out by riding by this house that blew up yesterday. It’s kind of sobering when you think about it. While many of us were busying ourselves wondering what bike to buy next or what color arm warmers to get for cooler weather bike rides, these poor folks were struggling to save themselves from their instantly destroyed home. One minute you turn on your clothes dryer and the next thing you know you’re standing in the driveway looking at where your house used to be. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101016/NEWS01/10160342/1003/news01/Explosion-levels-Greece-home--rocks-neighborhood

Here’s what it looks like today…

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3763A580.jpg


From here I headed over to the 390 bike trail and had a very peaceful cruise northward towards the lake. As you can see, the leaves are changing but not quite at peak this close to Lake Ontario yet. Next week will be georgeous!!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3765A580.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3766A580.jpg

From the north end of the 390 trail I headed east on the Lake Ontario State Parkway trail…

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3768A580.jpg

….to the Genesee river. Then I headed south to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery…

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3770A580.jpg

…and home from there. All told I rode 26.92 miles. I certainly took my time as I left home at 01:00 p.m. and returned at 03:30 p.m. I don’t feel real strong but I am going to try riding to breakfast with the Recumbent Group tomorrow morning. T

October 17th:
I did ride the ‘Hellbent for Beakfast’ 20 miler this morning and enjoyed pleasant company and a beautiful sunrise. So it looks like I’m healthy enough to not only return to work from my not-so-great vacation, but I should be able to commute as well!

October 19th:
Damn lungs just won’t clear out! I’m commuting back and forth to work though I do occasionally stop during short coughing fits. This is nothing new, it’s the normal course of the common cold for me.

Today’s ride home was a tad tough (refer to above paragraph) but I was blessed with a beautiful sunset about a mile from home. I used it as an excuse to stop for a short break, and of course I had my camera in my backpack!!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3778A580.jpg

This is one of the great advantages of commuting by bike. I can easily stop literally anywhere along the route to drink in natures little shows without causing any traffic concerns and raising any driver’s blood pressure. Hell, I even had a lady slow down her S.U.V., glance in the direction I was aiming my camera and then give me a big smile and a “Thumbs Up”. As she rolled slowly away I could see her pointing out the sunset to her young children riding in the back seat.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3779A580.jpg


October 24th:
Sigh, another rainy day…the fifth in a row. Screw it, I’m riding anyway!

Started the day out by doing the Sunday breakfast run with the recumbent group. It was a wet and dark 10 miles out to the Diner, and a dryer 10 miles back to the truck. Other than the usual good time with great people it was otherwise uneventful.

An hour after I got home I went for a 40 mile ride along the Lake shore and river with fellow Bike Forumite gyro. I enjoyed this ride a lot. We hadn’t been able to ride together for quite some time. Life kept getting in the way. Along the way we stopped for a quick lunch. Lucky for my, gyro is a very patient man as I was riding quite slowly today.

Here we are in Braddock Bay Park. I’m the ugly one with the recumbent and there’s gyro with his brand new Trek! He’ll be washing it for sure as we encountered a bit of rain along the way and the roads were quite wet and dirty!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3783A580.jpg

October 27th

Finally a dry day! Of course I had to work all day but I did have my commute to enjoy, and enjoy it I did. Often commuting by bike is just that, commuting. When I’m in the mood to extend the commute into a mini-adventure I have a plethora of directions and areas that I can enjoy. Today I was in one of those moods and turned my 4.5 mile ride home into a 12.5 mile adventure along some local MUP’s. It meant arriving home after dark but riding in the dark is really no big deal.

This MUP is always a pleasure to ride and as you can see from the pics., a popular trail to dog walk and jog on also. It may not be obvious from these images but it is a blacktop trail. It’s well over 25 years old and getting a bit rough in spots, but still a real joy to ride.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3784A580.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_3789A580.jpg

October 30th

Wow! Tomorrow is the end of the month already! I guess I’ll have to start winterizing the place, yech.

I managed to ride 25 miles this morning after work by adding 20 miles to my normal commute. Being a Saturday and early at that, the roads were all but empty.

I’ll ride with the recumbent group early tomorrow for breakfast, probably my last run with them this season. I intend to ride our EZ Tandem with my new bff, Motimer. Here is a picture of us doing a practice run by the house earlier this evening.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r152/crankyolddude/October%202010/IMG_2328M-1.jpg

He caught on to tandeming very quickly. I think he’s a natural. He’ll sit out in the stoker’s seat during breakfast. He doesn’t eat before noon anymore…he hasn’t got the stomach for it. If I try force feeding him it tends to just go right through his system. No he doesn’t wear a helmet either…he’s a real bonehead.

Enjoy your Halloween and with luck I’ll be back with a November installment.

The MUP with the leaves is beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

The pictures are beautiful. Great subject matter, a good camera and a skillful photographer. Thanks for sharing these.

SUPERB - AS USUAL. We have got to visit there someday. Thanks for posting.

Outstanding reports, pics, and routes, Cranky. The shot looking (way) down in the river valley with the green and the turning leaves is really nice.

Our leaves are beginning to turn, but I think it will be a little longer before I can do my annual leaf ride. Unfortunately, the county government chip sealed part of the leaf ride route at the beginning of summer:notamused: I'll probably try it anyway as it's a particularly beautiful route when the leaves reach peak color.

As I've said before, I LOVE pictures of where other people ride. thanks.

Once again you've captured some amazing scenery, Lenny. Do you have any pics of Mortimer before his Gastric Bypass?

I love seeing these pics - quite different from our seldom changing landscapes here in the tropics.

Loved the pictures but the sunset was fabulous!

No pics I'm afraid but 25 years ago I moved from the North Downs of Kent (Downs are hills by the way) to the South Downs of Sussex. The North Downs are covered in trees and the Autumn colour is spectacular. Plenty of Sycamores- Acers- Beech and Chestnut. The South Downs are sparce scrub and what trees there are, are down in the Valleys and quite protected from the weather. The leaves just die of old age and we never get the colour that you have shown us.

You are having too much fun... Keep it up.

Lenny,

Great pics - I really like the ones from Letchworth Park. I'm a sucker for water falls & gorges.

You should get Mortimer his own road bike, he looks like he has the right weight & body makeup for a serious climber.

Thanks for posting the pics, I am inspired to post my own now! I've always thought riding in the Northeast in autumn would be fabulous.

L.

Lenny, where were the last two pictures of the leaf covered MUP from? Can't place them.

Lenny, where were the last two pictures of the leaf covered MUP from? Can't place them.

Northbound on the 390 Trail, just north of Vintage Lane.

Good show! (except for the house that blew up - bad show for the occupants)

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. It's a beautiful time of year to be outdoors and to have the health and spirit for so many rides.

Cranky,

Small world! We were born, raised and worked in Rochester (Greece specifically) until the late 80’s when we moved to NC. We have enjoyed your pictures. A while ago when I saw the picture of the sunrise over Buck Pond, before I read the caption I said to myself “that looks like Buck Pond” and I was right. I’ll bet there are very few people who live in Rochester who can tell you where Buck Pond is. It is also interesting to see how far bike paths have come. When we left there were very few and they were short. None of the Cannel Path was paved. In fact, when I first walked part of it, it was nothing more than two tire tracks with grass in between. Thank you for the memories.

Cranky,

Small world! We were born, raised and worked in Rochester (Greece specifically) until the late 80’s when we moved to NC. We have enjoyed your pictures. A while ago when I saw the picture of the sunrise over Buck Pond, before I read the caption I said to myself “that looks like Buck Pond” and I was right. I’ll bet there are very few people who live in Rochester who can tell you where Buck Pond is. It is also interesting to see how far bike paths have come. When we left there were very few and they were short. None of the Cannel Path was paved. In fact, when I first walked part of it, it was nothing more than two tire tracks with grass in between. Thank you for the memories.

Born and raised in Greece also, near the corner of Fetzner & Ridge! I remember before the towpath was upgraded, what a mess.

Too many people around here fail to see the beautiful surroundings that we're blessed with. I seldom find anyone who knows Buck, Round, & Cranberry Ponds. No one knows Lake Eastman & Lake Durand either.

Thanks for the positive response, you've made my day.

Great photography! Must be either the camera or cinematographer. :)

MARINAS! Go back out there and get us some photos of MARINAS!

Cranky,

The world is getting smaller yet. I wore out my first bike, a 24” Evans-Colson riding around Koda-Vista, the neighborhood behind Hoover Drive School, so I know the corner of Fetzner & Ridge very well.

I first found the ponds along by the lake while working on my cycling merit badge. I wonder how many people on the forum have cycling merit badge?

Since they have fixed the Erie Canal Path we have considered peddling it either on our own or as part of the week long organized tour in July.

One place we usually eat when in your area is Schaller’s by the lake.

Very nice. Thank you so much.