TdF, TdOC

Tomorrow the Tour de France begins with a prologue in Monaco. In an effort to continue my route finding for an eventual bid to ride from Syracuse to Rochester, I thought I'd do a little stage riding of my own. Even if it will be only one stage...

I eventually did the above loop. I started out thinking I would only go as far as the 173 and 31 intersection but I felt pretty decent so I just kept going. I rode out to Cross Lake, where my grandmother's family had a camp when she was a child. I remember her telling stories of how she and her brothers would go hunting frogs and how one time she got stung on her legs really badly when she stepped on a log where bees were nesting. Her father put mud on her legs to help alleviate the pain from the stinging. I don't know where the camp was located but since I'd never been to Cross Lake, and I saw a sign for the Cross Lake Marina, I thought I'd see what I could see. Turns out, the road I was on doesn't really get too close to the lake so I didn't really see much of it... I stopped and asked directions from an elderly woman who ran what I think was a bait shop. When I asked her how to get to Cross Lake she responded "You're on it!" She was kind and gave me directions to both the marina and how to get to Baldwinsville. 

Cross Lake from Cross Lake Marina

What, no Pepsi? Ok, I guess I'll have to jeopardize my chances of being able to have children...

Upon arriving at the marina, I was glad to see a vending machine full of soda. Gatorade is getting kind of old so I wanted a quick pick-me-up and a change of flavors. I was really looking forward to Coke but the machine was Pepsi. No worries, that'll do... or should I say dew. They were out of Pepsi, I wasn't going to try the diet, so I had my first Dew since probably college. It certainly put the punch back in my pedal stroke but I think it'll be a while before I drink one again. 

Rothko, Onondaga County Series

I continued my Tour de Onondaga and Cayuga counties, heading east to Baldwinsville (no close encounters with crazy drivers this time) and then southeast to Liverpool and Onondaga Lake Park (Google Maps won't let me show that so it looks like I rode 370 the whole way). The parkway is still not a very pleasant place to ride, nor is the "bike trail" that I posted about before. 

All in all, it was a great ride - 50 miles in 3.5 hours. Not breakneck speed but a solid day. One of the more interesting things I saw was a older gentleman mowing his lawn on a riding tractor with his dog slowly plodding along behind him. We both waved. I ended the day by making a salad with some of the red and green leaf lettuce from the community garden, pears, peppers, and craisins to bring to the 3rd of July celebration at Otisco Lake. I had aspirations of riding out there too but decided against it due to the complications of trying to carry the food. Had a conversation with an ex-girlfriend - it sounds like she is doing well. At first it was a bit awkward but I knew this could happen going in to it.

Tomorrow I plan to try out Chenago Valley State Park. With all the rain we've been having, I hear it is one of the few places close by that is rideable no matter what.