After a tardy start this morning I finally got on the road. I was surprised how strong the winds gusts were before I even got to the highway. No problem, just loosen up on the grips and let the bike do what it wants. I was wearing full safety gear and flow ventilation “air over-pants” that worked great (thank goodness). I took my time taking back roads and crossed into NY at Niagara on the Lake. There was construction on the bridge and the US side. I’m not sure if I was in the wrong (or construction only) lane or what but I never did pay a toll. Customs took all of 5 seconds. I didn’t even have time to pull out my passport. The Customs Agent said “Where are you going and for how long… sounds like fun, enjoy yourself”.

It was nice to be back in NY and hit the back roads. It has been almost 15 yrs since Martha and I made this bike trip to the Finger Lakes area. All the blacktop was fresh and smooth with very little traffic. The thermometer on the bike showed 28C and I was glad it didn’t get any hotter. My jacket doesn’t have the air flow the pants do. I got to my first nights destination around 5:30 and checked into a local Super8 ($43 not bad).

I unpacked the bike then went exploring for a good place for supper. I ran across this place that had “Soul Food” night. Southern Dipt (not a spelling mistake) Chicken (honey Cajun), collard greens, black-eyed peas, corn bread, and mashed potatoes for $9. I don’t know how the waitress carried it all, I left almost half on my plate, and was fully stuffed. I hit Swaby’s Kangaroo Court (cigar bar and lounge) for an after-dinner drink and take in some of the entertainment. I left to turn in and make up my routes for the next day. Stay tuned and I must remember to take more pictures (sorry too much fun riding) [edit] Photo album found here…