YWCA-NYC 33rd Annual Salute Luncheon

Well, Rach has done it again. The YWCA of the City of New York is recognizing Rachel, amongst several other notable women of New York, as part of its Salute to Women Leaders. Congratulations, Rachel!

More bicycling

I've recently discovered the Westchester Cycling Club, a group of recreational bicycle riders here in Westchester county, just north of Manhattan. It's taking me a little to get used to riding in a group with a faster pace (I'm used to riding slowly all day long), but I'm having a great time and learning nice routes around here.

ABT City Center Season

American Ballet Theatre, ABT, opens its City Center Season Wednesday, which continues through November 5th. ABT's City Center Season gives the company a chance to demonstrate a broad repertoire of more modern works, in contrast to its more traditional full-length ballets that mark its Metropolitan Theater performances.

If you are in New York and get a chance, come visit ABT at City Center. It's well worth it.

Columbia University Award

Tonight Rachel is being recognized by Teachers College of Columbia University as one of four distinguished Alumni for her accomplishments since getting her graduate degree from Columbia. (Her admittedly-biased husband notes that she's reached this accomplishment more quickly than the other three distinguished alumni being recognized tonight.)

Congratulations, Rachel.

Bicycle trip overview

It's official. Today, after 4,413.9 miles, my rear wheel having been dipped in the Pacific 90 days ago, today I completed my TransAmerican bicycle tour when my front wheel touched into the Long Island Sound, which flows around Long Island to the Atlantic. This brings closure to my adventure in which I've enjoyed the people, the wildlife, the scenery, and the history of America. I complete my adventure with wonderful memories, but even more, a greater appreciation of what I have here. I'm thrilled to be back, to be with Rach, and I'm ready to get back to work.

Here are all of my blog postings for my 2006 bicycle trip across the country, listed in chronological order. Hopefully this gives you a flavor of my adventure this summer. Feel free to click on a link and then just hit your browser's "back" button to return to this page:

• 06/11/06 - Moving on and bicycling across America
• 06/11/06 - Technology on bike
• 06/13/06 - Bicycle route
• 06/23/06 - Reliving history on bicycle trip
• 07/04/06 - Departure
• 07/06/06 - Thanks to Charlie and Bruce
• 07/07/06 - Napa County
• 07/08/06 - Sonoma County
• 07/09/06 - Rest Day
• 07/09/06 - Bike Breakdown
• 07/11/06 - Redwoods and Pacific
• 07/12/06 - On the Pacific
• 07/13/06 - Little Red Mountain
• 07/14/06 - Benbow and Myers Flat
• 07/16/06 - Eureka!
• 07/17/06 - Dipping Wheel in Pacific
• 07/18/06 - Leaving California
• 07/18/06 - Entering Oregon
• 07/19/06 - Brookings to Port Orford
• 07/21/06 - Port Orford to Bandon
• 07/22/06 - Bandon to Lake Tahkenitch
• 07/23/06 - Oregon Coast
• 07/23/06 - Rest Day
• 07/24/06 - Forging Along the Oregon Coast
• 07/25/06 - Roaring Fire
• 07/26/06 - Reached Columbia Gorge
• 07/28/06 - Eastward Bound
• 07/28/06 - Entering Washington
• 07/30/06 - Columbia River
• 07/31/06 - Entering Oregon (Again) and Entering Washington (Again)
• 08/01/06 - Walla Walla, Washington
• 08/02/06 - Climbing Towards Idaho
• 08/03/06 - Entering Idaho
• 08/04/06 - Lewis and Clark Route
• 08/04/06 - Generosity of Strangers
• 08/05/06 - Along the Clearwater
• 08/06/06 - Climbing out of Idaho
• 08/07/06 - Entering Montana
• 08/09/06 - Big Sky Country
• 08/10/06 - Preparing for the Continental Divide
• 08/12/06 - Continental Divide
• 08/13/06 - Great Falls to Geraldine
• 08/14/06 - Lewistown
• 08/18/06 - Eastern Montana
• 08/19/06 - Continuing in Eastern Montana
• 08/21/06 - Heading out of Montana
• 08/22/06 - Entering North Dakota
• 08/23/06 - Along Lake Sakakawea
• 08/24/06 - North Dakota Storms
• 08/25/06 - Newtown
• 08/26/06 - Minot, ND
• 08/27/06 - Center of North America
• 08/30/06 - Eastern North Dakota
• 08/31/06 - Waiting out storms west of Fargo
• 09/01/06 - Starting a new Page
• 09/03/06 - Fargo, ND
• 09/05/06 - Entering Minnesota
• 09/07/06 - Pedaling through Minnesota
• 09/13/06 - Bicycling (and not bicycling) in Wisconsin
• 09/14/06 - Wisconsin Dells
• 09/16/06 - Milwaukee
• 09/18/06 - Ups and downs of Milwaukee
• 09/21/06 - Welcome to Michigan
• 09/23/06 - Michigan family affair
• 09/25/06 - Michigan wildlife
• 09/26/06 - Mechanical failure in Michigan
• 09/27/06 - Visiting friends in Detroit
• 09/28/06 - O Canada!
• 09/29/06 - Lake Erie
• 10/03/06 - Rain, rain, go away
• 10/05/06 - New York!
• 10/08/06 - Niagara Falls and Erie Canal
• 10/09/06 - Upstate New York
• 10/11/06 - Upstate NY Part II
• 10/12/06 - Short ride despite morning rains
• 10/13/06 - Through the Catskills
• 10/14/06 - Poughkeepsie and beyond
• 10/15/06 - Home!

Home!

Well, at last, I've made it home, riding 65 miles from Poughkeepsie to Bronxville. It was a hilly day, and was foiled on several occasions by New York roads prohibiting bicycle traffic, but after a few detours, I made it home, safe and sound. It is great being home again after 4,400 miles on the road for the last three months. After a quick tour of our house's renovations, Rach and I ran out for a great dinner at Zafran, our local Indian restaurant and we're calling it a night. Tomorrow I hope to complete my trip with a short jaunt to the ocean and back.

Poughkeepsie and beyond

Today was another 50 mile day, as I rode across the Hudson River, through Poughkeepsie, just shy of Wappingers Falls. This puts me, with great anticipation, within one day's riding from home, merely another 55 miles. I plan on another day's riding after that to dip my front wheel in the Atlantic (having dipped my rear wheel in the Pacific those many weeks ago), but my excitement in seeing Rach, the cats, and home is palpable.

Today, like tomorrow's forecast, was very cool, in the 50's, and the number of riding hours is starting to be limited by the shorter days. I had a spot of rain today, but none is forecast tomorrow. Regardless of the cold weather forecast, my numerous layers of clothing keep me warm, just as the anticipation of getting home warms my heart.

Through the Catskills

Today was a nice, 50-mile ride from Schoharie to Catskill, along the northern edge of the Catskill Mountains. It was hilly, but not unduly so, and the next two days should be more level as I will ride along the Hudson River, back to home. While I have avoided the snow storms that have recently struck Buffalo, my ride today was through cool, yet pleasantly sunny, weather, as I enjoyed more wonderful views of the fall colors.

Short ride despite morning rains

It turns out that today's rains tapered off by mid-day, so I actually logged 30-or-so hilly miles through the northern extremities of the Catskill Mountains from Palatine Bridge to Schoharie. The weather was cool (low to mid 50s), but the sun peaked through the clouds briefly and the autumn colors were in their full glory.

Upstate NY Part II

Yesterday's hilly, 60-mile ride in cool weather from Syracuse to Utica was pleasantly uneventful. Today's short, 40-mile ride on to Palatine Bridge was marred by both a flat tire (easily fixed) and cold, rainy conditions (not as easily fixed). My spirits were buoyed today, though, by yet another demonstration of the generosity of strangers: A grandmother offered to buy me dinner, which simultaneously reminded me of the kindness found in America's heartland, as well as made me realize how haggardly I must have appeared in order to generate this sort of spontaneous sympathy. I thanked her profusely and finally convinced her that I really wasn't some random, down-on-his-luck itinerant.

Sadly, rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, too, but I should hopefully be able to hit the road the day after, marking the final stretch of my Tour de America as I turn south at Albany with only a few more days of riding left.

Upstate New York

On Sunday I enjoyed a wonderful morning with Lee and Andrea Moore, and their two children, Lindsay and Daniel (pictured here). We fed the barn animals and then enjoyed three extremely scary trips through the haunted teepees constructed with corn stalks that featured jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, goblins, and skeletons. Fun was had by all (except, maybe the skeletons).

That afternoon, I enjoyed the best riding weather in over a month as I rode from Penfield to Newark (NY, not NJ). Monday's weather also smiled upon me as I rode on to Syracuse, just ticking over the 4,100 mile mark in the process.

In Syracuse, I visited Tipperary Hill, a formerly Irish neighborhood that has the distinction of this unique stoplight. Legend has it that the Irish immigrant youths took exception to the stoplight in which, as customary, had the green light (the "Irish" color) below the red light (the "English" color). These plucky immigrants repeatedly shot out the lights until authorities yielded and installed a light with the green light above the red light (see pictured here). As far as I know, it's the only light of its kind in the U.S.: I was introduced to this intersection when I bicycled from Rhode Island to Michigan in the 90's and I felt compelled to visit again, celebrating both my Irish heritage and my bike tour from all those years ago.

Niagara Falls and Erie Canal

As I have cycled across the United States, I've seen many impressive sites. Witnessing the sheer magnitude of Niagara Falls inspires true awe, matched by few destinations. This, combined with the emotional release of entering the U.S. again, made this a special day.

After enjoying the falls Friday morning, I cycled to Lockport, NY. On Saturday, I proceeded along the Erie Canal to Penfield, to visit Rachel's cousins, Lee and Andrea Moore. The canal connects Lake Erie with the Hudson River through a series of locks across New York (Lockport being home of some of the great locks). The banks of the canal feature former horse-pulled barge tow paths that now serve bicycles and pedestrians. I therefore enjoyed 80 miles of riding along this quiet, secluded path, hugging the canal, entirely free of motorized traffic. My only company was the occasional heron with majestic 6' to 9' wingspans that, as I approach silently on my bicycle, languidly take off, glide above the still waters of the canal, alight on the canal's shores a hundred yards ahead, only to repeat the process as I once again approach them.

I would like to thank Lee and Andrea, as well as their beautiful children, Lindsay and Daniel, for hosting me last night. I had a wonderful time!

New York!

I re-entered the U.S. today as I cycled from Port Dover, Ontario, over the Rainbow Bridge overlooking the spectacular Niagara Falls, and into New York. The rains have yielded to bold, brisk northern winds, the fall colors are close to peaking and it's wonderful, albeit chilling, cycling weather.

As I approached Niagara Falls, I had a choice: While the Canadian side offered greater variety of lodging and tourist attractions (and an amusing study of kitsch), I was eager to hit the U.S. It is an emotional milestone to reach New York: While Rachel and I have moved frequently over the years, many of which I have spent commuting across the country, now that we have settled in New York, my arrival rewards me with a satisfying sense of belonging and well-being. There are hundreds of miles yet to ride, yet I am already home.

Rain, rain, go away

After a good day riding through the autumn colors two days ago from Blenheim to Port Burwell, my arch nemesis, the rain, cut short my ride yesterday on my way to Port Dover. Worse, rain is forecast for all day today and tomorrow, so I probably will not make any forward progress until Thursday! New York is tantalizingly close, but I probably will not hit Niagara Falls until Friday. Port Dover is charming, but a bit short of amenities, so I have been flying through my books and having a chance to relax the legs.