I love sitting in public libraries, they are always interesting places. Right now I am sitting next to some old guy in black high-tops who insists on listening to really bad metal on head phones that everyone can hear; I am hoping he will be finished here soon it's been a long a day.
We're in Lockport, NY about 20 miles from Niagra Falls where we will be tomorrow for the Fourth (or "forth" if you are in rural New York).
(Also, if I might add, there was a sign posted in a small town the other day stating "no pubic restrooms". Take a look at the word before "restroom" it was actually spelled that way.) So, Lockport is a cute little town with some shops, restaurants, and at least one office building that is more than three stories. Todays ride was rough, it poured for most of the trip. We left Rochester, NY this morning with overcast skies. The entire morning we battled headwinds and slight rain, by the time we got to lunch it was absolutely pouring. Being that we had only 60 miles to ride today some of us figured we would just grin and bear it. Others decided to stick it out. The woman, in front of whose home we stopped, decided she would let people in from out of the rain to watch The Price is Right. The few of us who decided to go had to deal with pelting rain which is not easy to ride in, but we did it and made it into Lockport safely.
Rochester was relaxing - we spent two days there staying at the Rochester Institute of Technology which I must say is one of the ugliest campuses I have ever been to. Keep in mind that I graduated from Rutgers which is notorious for having one of the ugliest campuses in the country. We got into Rochester on Tuesday evening after an 86 mile day - which was sunny - and spent the evening doing nothing except eating and sleeping. Yesterday was a build day in an inner-city Rochester neighborhood where most of us spent the day clearing brush from behind houses. It was hot and those who were in charge of ordering lunch from Habitat ordered only enough pizza to allow each of the 30 riders two small pieces, people who are used to taking in about 5000 calories in a given day. It worked out, but the afternoon was hard.
We'll be out of New York on Sunday into Ohio and across to Chicago. We'll arrive in Chicago in 10 days which just amazes me considering we haven't even made it to Buffalo yet. From there we will move up through Wisconsin and Minnesota and across the forgotten states of North Dakota and Montana. People are still getting along and the trip has been a great experience thus far.
Keep commenting or emailing, I hope people are actually reading these long boring posts....
4 comments:
Your posts are being greatly anticipated and appreciated. The descriptions and antecdotes are most enlightening and amusing. It is good to know that America is alive and well, that there is room for growth in pubic education, and that folks are still kind enough to invite you in from the rain. From what weather.com tells me, you have a break from rain today at Niagara Falls, if not straight ahead sunshine. We anticipate sun for our Astabula rondezvous on Sunday.
You are missing some good, old-fashioned Central Ohio rain this holiday weekend. I am not sure if they were able to do Red, White, and Boom, but I do know I didn't hear it from 320 S. A... It also rained for the 25th anniversary of the Doo Dah Parade - for which High St. is closed until 9pm for dancing. I am working now, but I may actually drag your dad down there later to meet up with some new friends.
Much love and admiration. Can't wait to see you. MOM
I've been reading your posts, Ian. In fact I been keeping up with the posts of your fellow trekkers, too. I can always tell when the group gets to a place where you have time and internet access for posts. My Reader gets flooded with new posts, lol. I even wrote a post about you guys on my blog.
Keep up the good work and posting and I'll keep up the reading.
Good luck on the next 7/8's.
Greetings Ian.
I remember when you and I visited Rochester a few years ago; the trio was playing a concert there and you joined me for the event. The previous evening we stopped in Erie PA and ate a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts.
I had been in Rochester in the 70's--I almost took a gig at the University of Rochester--and in those days the city was vibrant. But Rochester goes the way of Kodak and Zerox; I guess things were better then than they are now. You and I walked around downtown and the city was without pedestrians or any other activity. We decided that Columbus is a more interesting place. Hmm.
Robin and I look forward to seeing you in Ashtabula OH tomorrow (Sunday). Some of Robin's friends grew up in that area and sent me a list of restaurants, parks, and other places worth visiting. So it ought to be fun checking out that part of Ohio. I hope they have some fine old architecture.
Oh, one more thing if you're still in Rochester:
You want to check out the Times Square Building, at 45 Exchange Boulevard in Rochester. It is a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture in downtown Rochester. The Times Square Building was built in the late 1920's for the Genesee Valley Trust Company, a prominent bank at that time. The Times Square Building is located at the corner of Exchange Blvd. and Broad Street, near the Hall of Justice, Blue Cross Arena and Gannett newspaper. There are huge wings on top of the building. It is a very unusual, whimsical design, great fun to look at: the essence of Art Deco.
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