Beautiful riding, Betsy’s first day

  Departed Green Lake State Park at 9:14, Betsy in her car me on my bicycletta.   For over an hour, the trail hugged the old canal. With each mile, there lies the abandon canal silted up with fallen trees everywhere giving a saddened look to past times of glory.  Sections were walled off with concrete with stagnant water layered with green algae.  Someday soon I hope an effort will be made to restorer this important part of our country’s history.  Restore it and the people will come.  All it takes is money!
    Betsy and I rendezvoused in Canastota, fourteen miles down the road.  She found this restaurant, The Toast, where everything was divinely delicious and all homemade.  This place is not to be missed; we ate like gods.  11:05 I rode on to meet up with Betsy in Rome. The plan was for her to park at the end of the canal where it entered Rome and ride towards me for three miles, join up for the ride back to her parked car.  It was not to be.  The city had inadequately labeled the route through the city thus leaving Betsy justifiably confused and intimidated by the traffic. The locals were clueless as to the trail and sent her to the wrong location . With no city riding experience she made the wise decision to stay put and wait for my arrival.  The connecting road through Rome was  tense even for me.  Eventually I found her, frustrated and disappointed that she hadn’t been able to ride with me.  Trial by fire and Murphy’s law all in one.  Gathering our composure we moved onto lock Twenty in Oriskany six miles down the road.  Free camping by the lock in a lush spread  of grass with barely a soul to be seen. Decompressing with drinks and chips in the tent followed by a brisk cold water bottle shower left me both relaxed and invigorated for our dinner out on the town.  Finding a restaurant was a challenge.  Pizza, beer and a lively talk with the seventy-two year old owner who had just opened his sports bar restaurant for business six weeks earlier. He had built the place himself.  Two younger men, the  owner  and the two of us had a fun time discussing health, life and whatever came up.  We kept a lid on the politics given that the area is depressed and predominantly Trump country.  Tomorrow, Betsy and I will straighten out the kinks and get in our first ride together.