Back Home Again!

Our journey to the Adirondacks for Alex's family reunion took us through three college campuses: Allegheny College, Penn State, Union College in Schenectady, NY.

I saw a lot of dilapidated bikes on the campuses, but this one at Penn State was in the worst condition. Apparently, when some kids graduate from college these days, they leave their bikes on campus, locked up.


Once we got to Friends Lake in the Adirondacks, Alex and I took a trip to Blue Mountain to the Adirondack Museum. This is a very high quality museum that documents the history of European settlement to present times.

There was a separate building just for canoes and boats. A professional canoe builder was on hand building an Adirondack guide canoe.


Here's an old Adirondack guide canoe on display, which the canoe under construction above will look like when done.



I rode my bike every day, but only 0.8 mile down to the boat house to fish, then back up the hill. Being from northeast Indiana, I was in no condition to attack these hills. This placid scene below hides a screamer hill to the lake. The return trip each night was made in granny gear, at 4.5 mph.


Here's Georgia at "The Rock" way above Friends Lake, looking down at the Hudson River. Friday I built up the courage to ride the hill from down near the river up to the cabin, about 450' elevation gain in 0.7 mile. I had little trouble with the first .5 mi of the hill, the next .1 was miserable, and the last .1 I walked.


Anders, my brother-in-law, was happy catching largemouth, while I concentrated on sunfish and yellow perch.


These two loons popped up close to the boat and hung around just long enough to get a good shot of them. I later realized the camera lens was dirty, so the picture is cloudy. Sorry about that.


My nephew Austin lives in Marquette, MI, and lives to ski and mountain bike. He works at a bike shop and assembled this bike for his extreme downhill biking. I took this shot after he returned from Whiteface Mountain, just north of Lake Placid.


While I rode only 20 miles for the week, I filled my days with family and fishing. Here's a look at Friends Lake from the boathouse. It was a great week.


Tomorrow I'm planning to ride the Three Rivers Festival Bike Tour, if I can get up in time.


Happy riding!