Jewells On Tour

We had a comfortable night under the pavilion but for the fact of needing to go pee after all those beers! Packed up and headed to the nearest diner for breakfast about 5 miles. The usual omelette and home fries with toast but this time they added onion to the fries nothing like variety. The locals last night had told us about the 4 churches on the 4 corners of a cross roads the only place in America to have this apparently.

We were going that way anyway so promised to have a look unfortunately we couldn’t get a photo with all four in.

The days total mileage was 52 winding along the Canal path and hoping onto the road every so often when the path was to muddy

After we had completed our total days mileage we headed to a McDonald’s for a internet connection. We were 60 miles away from the Canadian border at niagara and there’s a travel lodge just over the border for £30 a night cheaper than campsites this side, so we decided to go there tomorrow. Just need to complete our online visas

Application completed time to find somewhere to put up our tent for the night. A old boy in McDonald’s started talking to us about our journey so we asked him for ideas. He told us about a park about 2miles away with pavilions in it and gave us directions. It was on our route so thanked him and set off.

We are the king and queen of pavilion camping! Tent up all snuggled in at 8:45 pm when a voice out side the tent told us we had to move the park was closed it wasn’t a campground and we had to go. We explained that we cannot find a campground and asked if he knew where there was one, he didn’t but we couldn’t stay there. We asked where were we supposed to go at this time of night and we had already cycled 50 miles, please can we stay here we’d be gone at 6am. He protested again and said we had to go and he had to lock the park gates. Ok but it will take us 30-40 minutes to pack away. This worked I guess he didn’t want to wait that long to go home, but he protested that we’d be locked in and that he’d be back at 6am we better be ready to go then. No problem we thanked him and settled back down. He left.

About 15 minutes later a car pulls up next to the tent, great he’s ether changed his mind or called for reinforcements. Same voice outside the tent. Hello I forget to say the building is alarmed and has motion sensors if you set it off the police will come. Great so now we’re to scared to move all night! He leaves.

Another wet start to the day,breakfast at the nearest diner was cheese omelette home fries and toast,after a good fuel up we hit the road ,47 wet miles we pulled into a campground we had earmarked,only to find it inches deep in mud,so no go there.pushing on we looked on google to find a small motel up the road ,reaching it found that to be closed. Pushing on again mike spotted a VFW (veterans of foreign wars ) building with a tank outside,next to it was a large pavilion,Mike went in to ask if ok to camp up there overnight ,the said no problem,then told us to come back in for a beer

Tent all up and changed out of our wet clothing we headed in to the bar,the people in there were intrigued to hear our story,they filled us up on free pizza and beer ,loving the America hospitality.

We managed to put up the tent last night in a pavilion so had a dry night. Packed it away in the morning and cycled in the rain to the nearest diner for breakfast. Cheese omelette, home fries (part boiled then fried potatoes) and toast. We seem to be living off this at the moment. It sets us up for another long cold wet cycle ride. We pull into a petrol station just missing Ervin pulling out. He never saw us I guess he is doing similar distances to us.

After a quick coffee break we get going the weather still not being kind. We do in total today 47miles keeping a look out for some shelter for the night. Luckily we spot a ” veteran of foreign wars” building with a large pavilion in its grounds. We go over to investigate and find that it has a bar in the building it’s open, so we go in and ask if it’s ok to put up our tent under it. No problem. So tent up, change into dry cloths and go for a beer in a warm bar.

In the warm bar there are 5 people and a barman we order 2 draft beers and then the locals start to quiz. We tell our tell and that’s it free beer and free pizza bonus so far people are so friendly.

Been wild camping the last couple of nights so no internet sorry.

Friday we only cycled 20 miles. We woke up in our nice warm motel room,looked out of the window to see rain and lots of it. Breakfast was included so we took our time over that, making the most of the unlimited buffet and filled our pockets with some plastic wrapped boiled eggs and sachets of mayo good protein packed snack thank you. So forever concerned over budget we decided no matter what we had to wild camp tonight. We left check out to the very last minute 10:59 am (had to be out 11am). And cycled into the rain.

We had earmarked a spot on the Canal that looked like it had a pavilion and picnic tables so headed there hoping for the best.

Success the pavilion was there and it had drinking water nearby and the added bonus of electricity. Luxury should be in for a good night.

Food was pot noodle and added eggs from breakfast.

Saturday morning awoke to a fairly nice day, packed up camp and looked over to the other side of the Canal and spotted another camper. We recognised the bike/ trailer combo as Ervin the guy we had chatted to a few days earlier. We crossed over to him to say hi. He never pays for campsites or motels but wild camps all the time. Can’t blame him it’s expensive but sometimes it’s worth it to get warm and shower! He shared with us places along the route that you could camp up and gave us he’s phone number as he’s mum lives along our route and would be happy for us to stay. We bid him farewell and head on 35 miles to do today. More empty roads .

After we had put in the miles we started to look for a place to wild camp. We pulled into a shop car park and decided to ask inside if they knew any good camping spots and they very kindly said we could put our tent up in their backyard.

Another comfortable nights sleep apart from the sound of wild dogs howling in the early hours.

Sunday morning. Not wanting to out stay our welcome we leave early. First stop a diner for breakfast,toast and omelette. I feel guilty not saying goodbye but being a Sunday and Mother’s Day over here I didn’t want to disturb them. We had decided to go 50 miles today it was cold and wet and after 2 nights of wild camping we wanted showers.

We stuck to roads today as the cycle way would of been too wet. Heads down keep pushing on cold,wet and miserable. 52 miles on into a campsite $40 so dear but the shower was hot and there’s WiFi. Also a bar to sit and keep warm in, drinking free refills of coffee putting of putting up the tent in the rain.

Two long days of around 50 miles each.

So Wednesday we woke up to sunshine cool, the 1st job of the day was to buy breakfast and sun lotion in the petrol station next to the motel.

We then push on to pick up the Erie Canal cycle way in roughly 13 miles. We find it easy enough and start to enjoy traffic free cycling.

We had a warm showers host lined up so had to do 50 miles today but at least we could save some money we are spending way too much. Doing well we stop for lunch 20 miles in.

Freshly cooked egg,onion and green peppers in a toasted bun. Lunch break always gives mike the opportunity to study maps and stress more about progress or lack of it!

Back on route we now start to see lots of turtles basking in the sun shine. It is glorious and not to hot but I always burn easily so factor 50 for me.

Cycling along enjoying the sun we see a guy sat under a tree, he was cooking a pasta peanut butter kind of combo and had a loaded bike. So we stopped and chatted. He’s name was Ervin and he was cycling Nova Scotia to Oregon. He had cycled our route previously and assured us we would enjoy it. We left him to his lunch.

After a few miles the path came to a railway line blocking our way, nothing for it we had to cross but there didn’t seem to be a crossing point. Mike had to lift both bikes over the lines. Strange.

I need to make a comfort break, so whilst I am occupied in a portaloo that they provide along route, Mike checks his phone. We’ve done 45 miles out of the 50 so was slightly pithed that our host for the night had e mailed cancelling as he had a emergency. Damn not to worry it’s a nice evening so we call it a day and look for some where to pitch tent. On mile 47 we find a nice pick nick site right between the Mohawk River and Erie Canal with toilet facilities. That will do.

Morning a pretty good nights sleep but got really cold in the middle of the night.

We pack up and cycle on looking for somewhere to eat breakfast.

We find a diner and have cheese omelette the server was the guy who’s house we were supposed to stay with the night before so we chatted for a while and he was apologetic. He was pleased that we still had a good night and pointed us in the direction of the Canal managers office, suggesting that he could tell us where to find lock showers. The manager was super helpful and gave us many many hand outs and two pretty cool baseball caps that was meant to be for the staff. There was a free campground with showers on lock 18. So we decided to head there it’s only 30 odd miles and after yesterday we need a easier day.

More lovely traffic free roads with one small road block

Unfortunately the going isn’t that easy as we’ve run out of tarmac. But it’s pretty so on we plodded hopping for a better surface soon.

Slight detour to find snacks for lunch nothing much as breakfast was filling we check the map again. Our easy 30 miles has turned into a hard push!

Lock 18 yes finally. Bum big diggers and construction workers. They are improving the facilities for a grand re opening on the 17 th we can’t stay here. To top it all one of the workers tell us that there is a storm warning for the area and we should take cover over night. He points us in the direction of town and told us that we would find a cheep motel there. Into town we head a total of 50 miles today over 300 miles in.

The motel is one of the best we’ve stayed right next to a Denny’s so with food in our bellies and a decent roof over our heads we settle down.

This gives us free wi fi and a opportunity to go through the information giving to us by the Canal manager. Mike studies the route for tomorrow, checks the weather and decided that tomorrow will be 20 miles leaving later hoping that the storm will pass.

A day of two half’s. this morning started of great, the sun was shining and we managed to get a good speed going. We met a really cool older guy who had cycled the trans America coast to coast back in the eighties. Could of spoke to him all day. Pushing on passing over a state line into Vermont still with good roads.we also pass into the state of New York.we finally felt that we were getting somewhere and stopped for our lunch on a high.

Straight after lunch we took a turn of the main road that good old google maps sent us, well that was a mistake we should have stayed on the main road traffic was light and terrain was good. So on our new road yep traffic free but it was hilly and it added about 2hours to our journey.

On the plus side stopping to get my breath after panting up hill I saw a chipmunk he was to quick to get his photo but awesome! We rejoin the main road but by now we are both drained the traffic is heavier and it starts to rain.

Our gears have been playing up a bit and I’d had problems with my front break since mike had re assembled them so we pulled into a bike shop. The man very kindly sorted them for free.

We have completed 47 long hard miles today and got cold and wet. Again there is no where to camp so more money spent on a motel. Tomorrow we should pick up the Erie Canal bike route. 250 traffic free miles to Niagara Falls and hopefully a warm shower host. ( not planning to do all 250 miles in one go!).

The sun was shining. We finished off leftovers from last night, packed up camp and left in good spirits.

We did 37 miles and about 20 of them must have been up hill, it was hard going I walked /crawled my sorry arse up, sometimes I actually managed to cycle but it was tough.

Halfway up we met @pedalingwanderlust a guy coming down the opposite way the 1st cycle touring guy on the trip so far a really cool guy. We chatted a while he warned us that the worst bit was still to come and gave us a energy bar stating that we would need it, I did!

We finally made it to the summit and stopped at a cafe for much needed refreshments.

And they catered for vegetarians I had a avocado spinach sandwich lovely and fresh.

We chatted to locals in there for a while.whom were totally in ore with what we were doing. We feel like we are treated like celebrities. The crazy English couple.

After our break we only had 8 more miles to go. All campsites are closed it’s to early in the season, apparently there was still snow here last week so we are staying in a motel tonight.

A welcome sign 4 miles out of our 8 remaining all down, just hope that tomorrow we don’t have to climb them back up.