by Greg | Jun 17, 2019 | Training
As I rode into Cayuga, Ontario, I noticed a small, bakery/coffee shop establishment and was drawn to it by the aroma of fresh coffee. As I was looking for a way to prop up my bike, I watched a young man and his smiling little girl enter the cafe for a father daughter breakfast. The owner/cook/server greeted me with a warm smile and began asking questions about where I was headed. Jordan and the other young man Adam, were good friends and avid Toronto Raptor basketball fans. (Both Jordan and Adam we’re headed to Toronto on Monday to watch the parade celebrating the Raptor’s NBA championship.) All three of us chatted about Alaska, the Cayuga area, the NBA and traveling by bicycle. Both young men had grown up in the area, moved away and were now back for good. I asked, “Why did you chose to settle in this tiny town of 1,700 people, and in the middle of Ontario?” Adam smiled while looking at his daughter eat her chocolate zucchini mini muffin and said, “My wife and I have aways dreamed of owning an art gallery, wanted to start a family, and live in an area with lots of outdoor recreation. So living in Cayuga is a life style choice.” Note the word dreamed! Jordan quickly added, “My wife and I came back to work the family farm, but have always dreamed of opening a restaurant with produce and meat from our farm. The Carolinian Cafe will be celebrating it’s one year anniversary this summer!” Note the word dreamed again. Anyone, regardless of age, physical limitations, or employment status is capable of “Dreaming and Doing!” Thanks Jordan and Adam for the time you gave me, the insights on life in Cayuga and for believing in yourselves and your talents to make your dreams come true.
“Gold is just a windy Kansas wheat field…” John Denver (My all time favorite singer.) The above is not Kansas, but a wheat field outside Tillsonburg, Ontario. A single photo cannot capture the enormity and beauty of this wheat field. On the other side of the roadway was a field of corn just as vast and gorgeous! Oh, the beauty of the Ontario farmland is breathtaking!
“Back in the US, back in the US, back in the USS … Oops, terrific Beatles song, but wrong country! I am back in the United States in the town of Port Huron, Michigan, and once again my ever present Guardian Angels were looking out for me. My plan was to cross the border via the Sombra ferry, but I neglected to do my research on ferry travel into Michigan. The Sombra ferry suspended operations last year, which meant I had to pedal to Sarnia, Ontario to cross back into the States. The Bluewater Bridge which connects Canada to the US is a car/truck only bridge, and according to the internet, crossing over via bicycle is problematic, at best. Enter Mike and his Bluewater Bridge Authority truck. Outside the town of Sarnia I had stopped riding and called a few numbers I had found on the internet. Within minutes Mike returned my call and said, “Once you get to the Ontario Travel Information office, call me back and I’ll meet you there.” Mike met me, helped load my bicycle onto his truck, called the US Custom’s office, and drove me over the bridge to Port Huron, Michigan! Instead of waiting in a long line of vehicles, Mike pulled into an empty “Bus Only” lane where a friendly US agent looked at my passport and said, “Welcome back to the US.” I thanked Mike for his kindness, shook his hand, took the above photo and watched him drive back to Sarnia, probably to assist someone else! Thank you so much Mike, you saved the day! Thanks also to all the warm, friendly and helpful Canadians I met as I pedaled through magnificent Ontario! I will long remember the sights, sounds and warmth of the people of Canada!
The next post I write will describe in detail the absolute best day of my Journey so far! How’s that for a teaser?
As always, Greg
by Greg | Jun 14, 2019 | Training
Niagara Falls from the Canadian side! Yes, I made it to Canada and as you can see from my map, I changed my route! The main reason for changing is for the scenic beauty of Canada versus the traffic congestion around Cleveland! So, westward I go.
No Guardian Angel stories this go around because it was mostly Snowstorm and myself on the quiet, serene Erie Canal Heritage trail. I did encounter the following people and would like to share a bit on each.
Brockport Police officer Elliott: Trail construction presented numerous detours and at one point I found myself approaching one of Brockport’s finest. I have never had a lot of contact with police officers, but Elliot’s “look” and mannerisms reminded me of my good friend Ken Hopkins. Ken and I worked together for years in Whittier and through him I learned first hand about the life of a police officer. Under the gruff police officer exterior lies a humble, caring, highly intelligent and gentle individual. After officer Elliott heard my story, he was ready to do anything to assist. He even said he would get his best buddy out of bed to open his bicycle shop if I needed any bike help. As with 99.9% of all police officers, Elliott probably just wants to assist, serve and make their community feel safe! Thanks to Ken Hopkins, I see police officers in a totally different light.
Debbie: I was standing in the same parking lot drinking my new “Go to” beverage, chocolate milk, when a lady approached me. She had seen my photo of OMJSN on my bicycle and asked about my Journey. I briefly told her about my journey and about my little Guardian Angels. After listening to my story, for the next twenty minutes Debbie told me she was moving to Tennessee, leaving her Mom for the first time ever and was worried about her decision. I just drank my chocolate milk and listened as she talked about the pros and cons of moving. After the twenty minutes Debbie looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, “I think I was suppose to meet you today. For some reason I now know I am making the right decision. Thank you for listening to a perfect stranger!” She gave me a hug, got into her car, waved and drove off to tell her Mom of her decision! The power of just listening is awesome.
Canadian Custom’s office Bradley: The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is one of the busiest border crossing areas in Ontario. Bicyclists are expected to ride across the bridge with semi trucks, cars and motor homes. The day I crossed there were at least ten inspections stations with 5-10 vehicles per station. When I got to the booth, Bradley asked the usual questions, scanned my passport and then noticed I was on a bicycle. His “Inspector personality” did a complete reversal. Even with ten cars behind me he took time to ask about my Journey, made sure I knew how to change currency, inquired about my bicycle equipment and then left his booth to show me the right way to get to Niagara Highway and Niagara River trail. Bradley made sure I would enjoy the Canadian part of my journey. My thanks to officer Bradley and his willingness to make my journey successful.
Thanks again to all for commenting and sharing on this blog. The above photo was on my ride today, The Friendship Trail, between Fort Erie and Danville, Ontario. Flowers, farmland and absolutely not another human or animal for 28 miles. Gorgeous!
Greg
by Greg | Jun 11, 2019 | Training
I hesitate to even write yet another Guardian Angel story, but this story comes with an actual photo of two, true to life, Guardian Angels. Jim and Sandy Long live on a small “farm” near Sterling, NY and they came into my life two days ago.
I knew I had to ride faster than my usual butterfly pace since a storm was predicted for the area. Well, I almost made it to Wolcott, but the storm hit when I was 15 miles from Wolcott. With the rain coming down in buckets, and the temperature falling, I decided I needed to find some shelter. I rode past many driveways in the sparsely populate area, but for some reason pulled into the Long’s driveway. I quickly put on my raincoat and found some shelter under a beautiful maple tree. (As I was leaving Pulaski, NY I mailed home a box of items I had not used since leaving Portland, including my rain pants!) I looked down at my OMJSN and said, “Well, here we go again!” Literally two minutes later Sandy walked up and said to me, “Please come up to our house and get out of this cold rain!” Sandy didn’t know who I was, where I had come from, or anything else about me! Sandy is a Giver! In her eyes I was not a stranger, and because she is a Giver, she only saw me as a friend in need of help! Did my plea to OMJSN really have anything to do with Sandy walking out in the rain to rescue with me? To me yes, but …..
I spent the next two hours engaged in conversation with Sandy and Jim, also a Giver! It was such a pleasant two hours I don’t even remember what we talked about. We probably chatted about our children, grand children, Alaska (Jim had visited his nephew in Eagle River a few years ago) and life in rural Central New York State. Sandy and Jim offered food, a place to sleep if the rain didn’t stop, and even said they would be glad to drive me to Wolcott. As the storm slowly passed by their lovely farm, I reluctantly said I should be heading west to Wolcott. We shared photos of our grandkids, exchanged addresses, gave each other heartfelt hugs, and then I sadly pedaled away from my Sterling, New York “Givers.” Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Jim and Sandy!
I made it to the Erie Canal Heritage Trail today, June 11, and have enjoyed the smooth, peaceful and flat trail. I will ride beside this gorgeous American landmark all the way to Niagara Falls.
Cheers and thanks again for all your comments, prayers and support!
Greg
by Greg | Jun 9, 2019 | Training
“When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a road straight ahead with no mountain to climb!” It is almost a “Catch-22” situation when I think about the mountain ranges I have pedaled up and over the last few days. I won’t miss the long hard climbs, but I also won’t receive that emotional “high” one gets when accomplishing difficult tasks. Oh yeah, just like life itself! I leave behind the White, Green and Adirondack mountains, but the magnificent scenery will be forever etched in my brain.
Inlet, NY was my next stop, but AT&T is not the most reliable carrier in Central New York. I stopped for a late breakfast at Long Lake and called the Marina Motel to see if by chance they had a room for the night. (Black flies are now my least favorite critter. I passed a small church on the way to Inlet and their sign read, “I wish Noah had swatted both the black flies.”) Anyway, my conversation was like the old cell phone advertisement “Can you hear me now?” I walked around a small deck looking to get the best signal. The owner said, “I don’t think I have a room, but you pedal on to Inlet and I’ll find something for you!” As always, I glanced down at OMJSN and thought, “ Here we go again!” I rolled into Inlet and started looking for the Marina Motel. A few seconds later, I heard a lady yelling at me from a car pulling up beside me, “Are you the man who called the Marina Motel from Long Lake? I was getting worried so I have been parked at the corner looking for you.” She actually did have a room and escorted me to the motel. I am so embarrassed that I either did not hear her name, or had a senior moment and it slipped my mind, but as the late Paul Harvey always said, “Now the rest of the story.”
The next morning I went down for breakfast at the motel and encountered Grace, the teenage daughter of the owner. Now, it was 6:30am on Saturday and yet Grace greeted me with a bright, shining smile and a “Welcome to our breakfast area!” I told her I was a retired teacher and her she started asking questions about Alaska and what grades I had taught. We had a delightful conversation as she busied herself making coffee and cleaning up tables. Remember, this a 13 year old teenager who was working at her parents motel while her friends were probably either still in bed, listening to music or getting ready for a day in the sun! What a delightful, charming and out going young lady. The Dr. Seuss quote, “Oh, the places you’ll go” fits Grace perfectly. (Grace is an exact copy of my own Olivia.) Their enthusiasm for life, caring personalities and intense curiosity are examples of how loving parents can and do mold young adults. Grace, thank you for shining your light on me last Saturday morning.
I know, I am long winded, but the beauty and uplifting individuals I am meeting truly brighten our world. Even though I can’t for the life of me remember Grace’s Mom’s name, I think I have an even better name for her:
Grace’s Mother – Filled with grace. Thank you so much for helping to make our world a better place, and for entering my life.
I have seen the names of many places of worship on this journey in just 450 miles, but this one caught my eye! Oh the scenes we see traveling at 8 mph.
Greg
Pulaski, New York on the shores of Lake Ontario, almost.
by Greg | Jun 7, 2019 | Training
”Are you visiting Middlebury? If you are a visitor to Middlebury, tables at Rosie’s are for eating but, counters are for eating and visiting. So set yourself down here at the counter and share you story!” That was my introduction to Doc, and the ways things are done at Rosie’s Diner. During our 45 minute “visit” I learned Doc truly was a doctor and had retired at age 75 as Chief of Surgery at the Middlebury Hospital. Doc served the community of Middlebury and the surrounding area because he “Liked the people, countryside, and the small time feel of Middlebury!” We shared stories about our families, Alaska, exercise (He shares many of the same philosophies as my good friend Alex Monterrosa) and life in similar communities! I reluctantly pried myself away from Doc, paid for both our hearty meals and gave him my web site address! He just had to have a photo of me on my bike and we bid a fond farewell! Doc is one of the reasons for this Journey!
As I pedaled westward, I decided I should maybe take some time off and visit Fort Ticonderoga! After all, this Journey is more than an enlightened, white haired man riding a bicycle 50-60 miles a day. I ended up spending 3 hours at the fort taking in all the tours offered during my short visit. As I left the Fort, the sky darkened and it started to sprinkle, thus cementing my plan to take Wednesday off! It rained most of Wednesday, but I still walked the streets of Ticonderoga! While eating breakfast at Libby’s Cafe, I noticed a huge pencil hanging from the ceiling as part of the homey decor! As a former elementary teacher it all came back to me in a flash as to the real reason I think of Ticonderoga! The yellow, #2 Ticonderoga pencil with the black bands around the brassy looking eraser holder! That is, and always will be my most vivid image of Ticonderoga!
Now George enters the blog! George is a local business owner and chief entertainer in “Ti!” George escorted me through his small Adirondack Furniture “store” and chatted about the same topics as Doc the day before. I learned he was, and still is, a power lifter! While showing me an old photo of himself pressing a barbell he said, “One day a kid at my gym asked me why I continue to lift at age 80. I told him that I wanted to look so good at my funeral, they won’t be able to shut the lid of the coffin!” He drew himself in the picture he is holding after his knee replacement surgery! If you can’t read the message, it is written out below!
“I wanted to same money on my knee replacement so I asked our local veterinarian if he could do the surgery! I saved a lot of money, but now I can’t pass a fire hydrant without lifting my leg!” Oh the memories I will carry in my heart and mind regarding George and Ticonderoga!
I have rambled long enough, but with no WiFi in Ticonderoga and camping last nigh, I wanted to catch everyone up on my journey. My days while riding are filled with magnificent scenery, interesting local residents and sounds that can only be heard pedaling along at between 2.7 and 10 mph. I was so slow today while climbing a super long pass, I was able to stop talking to my OMJSN picture and share stories with “Mable Sicklefork,” a gorgeous yellow and black butterfly. Eventually she decided I was going way too slow and flew off, but not before wishing me a safe journey!
Thanks to all for reading my excessively long dissertations, and your heart warming comments! (Inlet, New York)
Greg
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