Last night as I was getting ready to climb in my tent, the guy I'd talked to on the phone came to lock the gate. He asked if someone had checked me in. I told him that I had called, but the guy across the way said this is where they put tents. Well, that was not true according to Kevin. But, he said since I was by myself, I could stay there, and if I was gone before the boss man got there in the morning, I'd have a free night of camping, and he wouldn't say anything. So, I set my alarm for 5:30 to make sure I'd be long gone before the boss man arrived at 7:00. In fact, I was out of there by 6:10, and went to the pier to cook my breakfast at one of the picnic tables. I was on the road by 6:40.
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| Breakfast on the pier |
It's a shame, really, because I didn't have that many miles to do today. At least the roads were pretty quiet to start with. By 9:00, and 22 miles, I crossed into New York. There was a golf course called (no surprise here) Stateline Golf Course. I talked to a couple of ladies, told them this was state number 8!
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| New York! |
Both Pennsylvania and New York grow lots of grapes in this region. Instead of corn fields, it was vineyards. Except for this one field. Notice what's different?
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| Grapes |
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| Corn with tops! |
Since I'd not had wifi yesterday, I wanted to stop at a library. The only towns with libraries were off route. I chose Westfield because it was the least off route. There was even a diagonal short cut.
As I got closer to town, I could smell a kind of vinegary grape smell. A moment later I saw why. Westfield is where Welch's grape juice is made. I stopped to take this picture.
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| My Grape Juice factory |
I continued into town, and quickly found the library. It was another really historic looking building. It was also part art gallery.
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| Patterson Library |
I used the wifi, then asked the librarian where was a good place to eat. She said the Westfield Diner just around the corner was good. The other librarian seconded that. So I rode over (it was really called the Main Diner). This time I hoped for quicker service, and ordered more of a second breakfast of cinnamon roll pancakes, instead of lunch. They were very good!
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| Main Diner |
As I was riding back to the route, I saw my building! Okay, they got the middle initial wrong, but everything else is right! Maybe I should have tried to use my name to...I don't know...score some free grape juice? Except, I don't really like grape juice.
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| My building |
I rejoined the route at a place called Barcelona. It is still part of Westfield. They had this cool lighthouse.
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| Barcelona Lighthouse |
From Barcelona, it was just another 8 or so miles to Lake Erie State Park. This is a much nicer park than Geneva, and there is even laundry. I decided it was time, so I went to get some quarters at the park office. She could only give me $2.00 worth which left me .50 short (I already had .75). I got one quarter from the people next to me, and another from the people across.
Showered, and laundry going, I was sitting in my chair looking over the next map section. Two cyclists rode by on their way to their campsite a few over from mine. After a bit, Mark came over to talk to me. Him and his 15 year old son, Cameron, are doing a circumnavigation of Lake Erie. This is their 4th day. They also stayed in Erie last night, but at the other campground.
Mark is from New Zealand, but lived in Sacramento before moving to Louisville, Kentucky just recently. He's done some other touring, namely, the Pacific Coast. When, later, I asked Cameron if he was enjoying the trip, he said, "Sometimes." Dad says he's got some learning still to do about shifting, but otherwise he's doing good.
There were a number of rollers today, but that's okay--just getting in shape for the mountains that are coming soon.
I think Mark and Cameron are riding a similar pace as I am. Perhaps we can ride together tomorrow, although they'll be picking up the Lake Erie Connector while I will continue on Northern Tier--but that's a few miles down the road.
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