Day 54: NY to CT

122.38 mi max 52.0!! 10:11.27 avg 12.0

Another great day of riding. Things are starting to hurt though - my left shoulder the most, a little bit in my hips, my left knee clicks sometimes. 3 more days. Only 3 more days. And tomorrow will be the longest.

Tough hills today, all day long. I got rid of my panniers in New Hyde - the first town that I went through with an open post office. As I crossed the mid-Hudson bridge, just before Poughkeepsie, there was a tour coming the other way. 144 people, on all kinds of bikes. One of the projects their group is working on is to convert the railroad bridge into a pedestrian bridge. That would be very cool. The traffic on the Mid-Hudson is loud and it's right next to you and it makes for a less-than-pleasant ride. Actually, you can't even ride across the bridge, you have to walk.

I had a very irritating episode in a convenience store today. In general, I've noticed that the quality of the facilities has decreased sharply as I've travelled east, despite the fact that "civilization" has become more "evident". A greater population is NOT indicative of a greater civilization. I asked the 16-year-old clerk in the store if I could use the bathroom. I must have looked like a great (smelly) threat, because he said it wasn't available. I really had to go...I'd have gone in the woods if it hadn't been for the rampant poison ivy along the road where there weren't any houses. I explained that I had just biked 100 miles. He looked at me and replied, feebly, "It's broken..." Probably a line his manager had told him to give to difficult customers. Exasperated, I asked where the nearest restroom was. He shrugged his skinny little shoulders, suggesting that I go back up the steep, winding hill I'd just come down - in the lane of traffic because there was no shoulder. It took a lot of self control - some of which was being diverted to other pressing matters - to say thank you, smile wanly, and step outside.

Tonight, I'm in Windsor Locks. It's awesome to be on roads that I've travelled before. It's like I'm home!