Slept with the heater on lowest setting. part way thru night I turned it off as it was like summer sweating season. Traffic noise abated late at night & picked up again around 5:00. Chilly out from under the covers. Fixed bfast but didn’t dally as I was concerned about being in a school parking lot with beer & Scotch out of site.
Drove down Hudson Valley to Peekskill home of Blue Mountain. I crossed the Hudson West to East. Mistake driving with the commuters as I drive slower than their harried schedule permits. Some trees still have leaves. Back in the low hills in the valley.
Found Blue. Getting ready & 3 rigs with bikes pulled in and got ready to go. I beat them and asked if I could join their ride. Guys a bit younger than me. Said yes. I was prepared to ride the Chainstretcher race course or numbered trails. They promptly took off and dove onto fun technical rocky trails. Lots of logs across the trail that are rideable if I would just get with balance. Pretty good ride, 9.27 miles & 1610′. Remember in the East, the length is shorter but the average miles per hour are lower also. Takes longer to cover less ground. Comment: this East Coast riding requires balance, legs to horse up a rock face, ability to continually thread a needle line over rock faces, ability to make tight turns, in short, way more technical than West. Elevation comes in short pieces, always climbing, descending & traversing. Much different than a big grinder climb and long downhill. To say nothing of the tree cover. Now that the leaves have dropped the forest floor is open but the tread is sometimes well hiden by fallen leaves. Sometimes a leaf gets stuck near a wheel and it makes the sound like when we put baseball cards in the spokes. Another comment: Says something about middle aged men still riding bicycles.
Interesting rider, Buzz. I asked about his name if it was a childhood nickname. He said, no, he had it from get go from a war buddy who saved his dad’s life in the big one. He is an ER doc at a Bronx hospital, one of the busiest in the country. And an accomplished mtn bike rider.
Headed West to Jersey. Climbed Bear Mtn a tight, twisty road up and over and then crossed the Hudson again. Still pretty.
Saw sign for camping as I headed down rt 94. Lost it in whatever town. Stopped at lumber store and asked for directions, just 5 mins away. I drove in and walked into office and asked for a shower. Older than me man said he didn’t know if he could allow me and owners weren’t around to give him advice. I challenged him to make the call. he said ok and pay as much as I felt was appropriate. I paid $4.00 and showered.
Continued drive into Sussex, NJ. Found bike shop right along hwy. Stopped in & learned of rides at Wawayanda back North.
Drove on & stopped at an A & P grocery store. Did some shopping. I think this was the first time since a kid in Mansfield have I been in an A & P.
Found a parking spot behind a closed bank branch just off highway which is way noisier than past. Cars with exhaust issues. Big shop guy said that only police are state so I should be secure.
World Series is on. XM Radio. ist inning Phillies up 2-0.