In the last update we spoke a bit about the safety
issue as we enter the last week. Well, this morning,
before things hardly even got started one of our
riders was hit by a motorcycle while leaving the
hotel. I’m not quite sure how it happened but he was
banged up enough to have to spend a few hours in the
hospital. He will be OK but it is questionable as to
whether he will be able to finish the ride. It’s very
unfortunate because he was one of the nicest guys and
a very strong bicyclist.
We’ve ranted about the current Harley-Davidson types
but there is another type that is on the other end of
the spectrum. They are the young guys who ride what
are called “crotch rockets” that look like racing
motorcycles. The cycle of choice for these guys are
Suzuki’s. They have ultra high performance and 99% of
the people riding them can’t handle them. It was one
of these that hit our rider.
Today was a 94 mile ride from Henrietta (Rochester),
NY to Liverpool (Syracuse), NY. About 30 miles of the
ride was on a trail along the Erie Canal. When we say
“along the canal” that is literal. In many places if
you got knocked off your bike you would end up in the
canal. It was a nice ride with some beautiful scenery.
It has been getting hot in the afternoons but with the
wind a bike creates, it is quite tolerable as long as
you stay hydrated.
According to the weather reports we’re staying ahead
of the thunderstorms. Tomorrow we bike to Little
Falls, NY. We’re something like 3,300 miles into this
trip which seems unbelievable even to those of us that
have pedaled every mile.