NIAGARA FALLS AND A FRIEND
Foiled again on an early start. All went well camping and I pulled out of the campground slightly before 7. But my iPhone and Garmin were having a hissy fit and would not talk to each other, there goes 30 min. Then being in the boonies another 1.5 miles out of the way for breakfast. Finally underway on the trail about 8:30.
The ride took me by some nice homes along the lake. I should have taken a pic or two, think big brick mansions with Lake Erie out their back patio.
Onward and in the distance the skyline of Buffalo.
It was a bit surreal for me. Many weeks ago when I started, it seemed like Niagara/Buffalo might as well been on the other side of the Universe! Certainly that was true west of North Dakota. I guess 3,078 miles is near the other side of the universe!
Moving on I finally got onto nice bike trails through most of Buffalo and Niagara, especially along the Niagara River.
One of the off trail diversions, construction, took me by a General Mills factory and a Gold Medal flour factory. I would have taken some pics, but the factories/mills were large brick buildings, and I was up close. not photogenic.
Shortly after, or was it before, I rode by an old Bethlehem steel plant. These markers, two of many, were out front.
Pressing on I came upon several graffiti/wall mural artists. I chatted to one of them for a bit. It takes about 5 days +/- to do one painting depending upon complexity. I like the one on the right best. How does she/he get the 3D effect when working so close?
A bit further on I came across this water pumping station. It is a bit bigger than anything I worked on.
Pressing on, I stumbled onto the Westside Rowing Club and chatted with the coach for a bit. They row in the canal (not Erie I don’t think) and the Niagara River? It is flowing quite fast. The canal is on the right, river to the left. There are locks to the north.
Finally I arrived at the hotel. GEORGE GREETED ME AT THE DOOR!!! Someone else to talk to besides my handlebars.
Shower and a bite to eat and we went off to the Falls. Pretty amazing! A lot of water!
Eventually dinner at an Indian Restaurant. The food was a nice change from the four foods groups I have been sustained on: beer, ice cream, burgers and fries. To crown it off it was buffet - they lost money on me!
By the numbers:
Dist 58.6 miles
Elev Gain 1,300 ft
Elev Loss 1,465 ft
Moving Time 5:12
Total to Date
Distance 3,078.4 miles
Elev Gain 81,721 ft
Elev Loss 80,059 ft
Moving Time 246 hrs 15 min
Final note: I have seen more (COVID) masks in the last 24-hrs than the rest of the trip combined.
Ssusie and I have visited three of the worlds great waterfalls - Victoria, Iguazu and Niagra. All are spectacular, and BIG. Niagra isn't as high as the others, but there is almost twice as much water going over Niagra than the others. It is really impressive up close.
ReplyDeleteYou made it to Niagara Wa! Congrats! Wish you could also see it from the Canadian side - it is truly a wonder of the World! Tim
ReplyDeleteWarren, I’m following you closely, and so glad you reached the next milestone of Niagara. I’m sure it is nice to be alone on some days, but also nice to have a partner to share the journey. Enjoy the time with George and relish these days as you come towards the end of your epic trip. Thanks for keeping us entertained with your adventures. Doug
ReplyDeleteThink about these final 686.6 miles as the last 500 meters!
ReplyDeleteProbably is the Erie Canal≤ or an arm of it at least. A neat town Lockport is a few miles to the east of Niagra, and grew up around one of the Erie canal locks. If you keep going east on the canal, you will get to Syracuse, and Lake Onandaga where the IRA's were held in the 60's. We did many miles on the Erie Canal if the coach didn't want to go out into the lake during the week leading up to the IRA's.
ReplyDeleteActully, you are on the other side of the universe. I thought the water pumping station was a grand monument, something a century or more ago suitable to the Empire State.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had some bike trail through the busy cities and that you actually saw Niagra Falls and didn't try to ride them. They are impressive. The Eire Canal is famous. I'm glad rowing is one more thing it can provide.
I hope your gizmos have reconciled and that you can get a good start tomorrow.