Todays Distance: 79 miles
Cycling time: 5 hrs 08 mins
Average Speed: 15.3 mph
Distance so far: 3586 miles
Centuries so far: 13
Punctures so far: 10
Today’s Route:
Dedication: Today I cycled for Andreas, Bashisha, Albert and Daphi that they will make great progress while in Providence. Providence [6] The rationale of Providence is based on the vision of Edmund Rice who wanted to enable liberation through education when he founded the Christian Brothers in Waterford in 1802. The same need is still there but in a different location.
The big event in Syracuse over the weekend is the National Car Show in the New York State Fairgrounds and classic cars had been arriving all yesterday evening and cruising along 7th North just by the motel. Some owners stayed in Super 8 and their machines looked beautiful as we loaded this morning. Over 6,000 of them and more than 80,000 people are expected at the event.
It was 7.30 by the time we got away through the suburbs of Syracuse. Met a few impatient drivers cutting across in front but nothing that was too serious. A climb that registered 9% caught our attention within a mile of the start. Thankfully it didn’t last for too long.
In general today our route followed the course of the Erie Canal and downthe Mohawk River valley. Parts of the original Erie canal remain with the tow-path on the right-hand side. At one point a river passed under the course of the canal and the tow-path at right angles.
In 1918 the Barge Canal was an improved version of the Erie to accommodate larger barges with the competition from the railroads. Freight traffic on the canal reached a total of 5.2 million tons by 1951, before declining in the face of combined rail and truck competition. The vanquished Erie still runs quietly under it’s victor the Interstate.
A lot of today’s cycle was through residential areas though not heavily built-up. Quite clearly people were arriving at holiday homes for the weekend. Farms were of the small variety and producing for the local market 
I have been fascinated by the various designs of post-boxes I have seen along the route. Most are of a uniform design; some are bought creativity and some are definitely one-offs with a personal touch.
So many houses fly the Stars and Stripes on the porch or on a flag-pole in the garden. (Also in cemeteries the national flag seems to be the only element of colour on every grave.) We tend to fly county flags near the house in the same manner especially during the championship season
No rain today and not a sound of thunder. As the day wore on the temperature continued to rise. At the finish it was 90 degrees with no wind and feeling very humid. Stopping at the SAG stops was uncomfortable (but welcome) and the only way to keep cool was to keep moving. Once moving it was quite pleasant.
There was very heavy traffic as we came towards Little Falls but it didn’t pose any threat once the cyclist abided by the normal traffic rules. Little Falls(pop 1500) is named after a local waterfall whereas Great Falls is further east where the Mohawk enters the Hudson River. There is a strong Irish element in surrounding area and a 3-day irish festival kicks off here next Friday. Irish entertainers (although I don’t regognise any on the list) and possibly Irish weather. Their publicity states that it will go ahead ‘rain or shine’. Tickets are $8 but if you attend the Irish Mass on Sunday you get in free.
I arrived at the Motel at 1 pm. it is a new member of the Knights Inn group but the original name is still up – Casey’s. The early arrival gives me a chance to catch up on things without burning the night oil. Plenty of sleep required now to ensure concentration over the last days.
An enjoyable day’s cycle but with no brilliant scenery. I suppose you can’t expect that every day.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.
