Todays Acronym
WDNTS/WFIC*****
crossing into Pennsylvania
The day started out with 7 miles along the Western Greenway Trail, a lovely smooth bike trail. The only handicap was an occasional passing shower, and one fallen tree from last nights storm. One of the bikers who had gone over earlier had carefully removed the poison ivy and left a note warning other bikers to step over carefully. The note had withstood the rain and so we all crossed over very gingerly, well aware that any remaining poison ivy oils or leaves would be hitting us in very vulnerable parts of our body.
The bike trail ended in Ashtabula, and because of construction issues, we were riding from hand written notes which took us around the construction. These notes were a little less than crystal clear, but we we were lucky in that other bikers had already gone through and so by the time we got to the confusing part, there was an old man sitting out on his porch with a cold drink pointing out the turn, while on the other side of the road, the construction crew was all cheering and pointing and waving us on. It was sort of a "Tour de France" moment. We joined up back on the cue sheet and word came down from previous riders that the Underground Railroad Museum that we might or might not be passing, depending on where it was on SR 7 in reference to where we rejoined it after being off cue, wasn't open until 11:00 AM. None of us felt like waiting around for two hours in the alternate bouts of rain and hot humid sun so we pushed on.
Conneaut diner
We found a traditional neighborhood diner, right at the corner where we had to turn and since it was almost 10 miles since the SAG stop, we pulled in and settled in for real old fashioned malts, frappes, root beer and coke floats. Before we even finished ordering, another pack pulled in and then another.There was only one waitress and each time the bell over the door dinged and more bikers walked in she looked more and more distraught. We decided among ourselves that asking her for separate checks for 17 different orders was more than could be expected of her so we all sat down, ordered figured out how much we owed plus tip and tax and exchanged bills and coins among ourselves while she scurried to make old fashioned malts, shakes, root beer and coke floats and onion rings while still keeping up with the regulars' orders.
The poor waitress finally asked how many more were coming and should she call for more help. We assured her that we weren't in any hurry and convinced her that she should just put the water, glasses, and eating utensils out and we would pass them out among ourselves. There was much hilarity as we sipped and in some cases munched and argued over the bill, but finally full of ice creamy and soda pop goodness, we settled up, left a hearty tip for the poor dear and moved on.
enjoying malts at the State Street diner, Georgia, Debby and Vickie
Just a couple of miles more down the road we passed into Pennsylvania and a few more miles after that we turned onto Lake Road and got our first glimpse of Lake Erie. The terrain was long gentle rolls and the hillsides covered on the shore side with dense hardwood growth and on the lake side with summer camps, cottages and some permanent residences. At one point we passed a small field that looked like it had about a dozen white boulders in it. When I remarked on it, about a dozen black sheep heads popped up out of the grass, sort of like pelicans upending in a feeding circle. I guess I disturbed their morning nap with my rowdy behavior.
On the shores of Lake Erie, Georgia, Vickie, me, Rebecca
Lake Erie was impressively large, with no shore line anywhere else to be seen, and because of the calm and now sunny day, a lovely assortment of blues and blue greens. There were only a few clear patches where the lake could be seen as the rest of the shore was covered with verdant greenery, but it continued to peek through the trees and between cultivated areas all day.
Just as we were thinking it was about time for another SAG stop, we passed an ice cream stand offering fresh black raspberry soft serve. The sudden left turn across the road caught several off guard but the rest of us peeled in and lined up at the window. I was happy to note that it was the type of place that served plates of doggy ice cream with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped by a dog biscuit. It seems to be more common to do this in the north than in the south. Probably because it is usually too hot to take the animals in the car, although when we lived in Massachusetts, we didn't dare go to the local ice cream place without the dog or we would have to live with long reproachful looks and heavy sighs as she smelled the ice cream and wondered why she hadn't been invited.
ice cream beauty
While we were stopped, both the SAG vehicle and the van pulled in so everyone got a treat. The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful until we pulled in to Erie.
A goodly part of the approach was through an older part of the city with large houses. When I remarked it looked like a college town at this point, Rebecca mentioned that this area was home to Gannon College which she had attended. As we got closer into the center of the town, the traffic became more difficult.Fortunately the town of Erie is fairly bike friendly although I cannot say the same for the drivers. Although we were in a clearly marked bike lane, drivers thought nothing of cutting in front, in between or behind us and then honking madly. We passed several large frog statues, and it soon became apparant that at one point there had been some sort of a city theme or competition about frogs as each was unique and impressively decorated.
an Erie PA Frog
When we reached the town square, we pulled off onto the sidewalk for a cue sheet consult and noticed a farmers market going on on the other side of the square. We called a spur of the moment lunch/hot dog SAG stop and walked across to leave our bikes in the shade while we munched tube steak and fries and walked through the boothes. There were flowers, plants, herbs, handmade soaps and lotions, beach glass jewelry and popcorn and lemonade. We had come at the end of the market so everybody was starting to shut down but there was still enough going on to make it an enjoyable stop.
The motel was a couple of miles further on, and in holding with tradition, was at the top of a hill. At least the swimming pool was open and very refreshing, and the glassed in balconies give us plenty of room to put the rooms' ironing boards, minus their covers, out in front of the AC vents to dry our daily laundry on.
This sort of says it all about Erie, PA
Today's Acronym
WDNTS/WFIC= We don't need the SAG/ we found ice cream
Today's Stats
Distance 56.68
ride time 4:08
Speed 13.7 mph (can we tell it's flat?)
No comments:
Post a Comment