Windsor Locks, CT, to Fishkill, NY

"Cloudy with scattered showers. Areas of fog in the morning. Humid with highs in the mid 70s. Northeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent."

No, make that partly cloudy skies with no rain at all! ;-)

Photographic evidence that I can indeed stop to smell the roses.

"Truck on cheese" sign.

Peter fills his water bottle with high test! A Big Dog technique.

It's been unseasonably warm in New England. Yesterday, I saw a bank sign that said it was 81 degrees. It's also been very humid - even when it hasn't been raining. Weather Underground says there's a stationary, low pressure located over Chicago that is pulling warm, moist air up from the south. Although riding in the rain isn't as much fun as riding when it's dry, it hasn't been a cold rain and for that I am very thankful.

Today's ride was a long one - 95 miles, with some long, steep climbs. Faced with a long day, I like to break it down into smaller, consecutive rides: first SAG, next SAG, Dairy Queen, etc. Today's route took us down winding, country roads through the forest. This was what I had thought much of our cross-country ride was going to be like in 2009, but wasn't until we got near the east coast. Today is Sunday and there was very little traffic on most of the ride.

The usual suspects left the hotel together. Not far into the ride, Al had a mechanical problem and fell off the back. Jack got another fl*t and got left behind. Somewhere, we lost Mike, so that left just Peter and me, riding together down country roads, chatting about this, that, and the other. Somewhere along the way, we missed a turn and found ourselves off route. We stopped at a gas station and asked for directions (yes, men DO stop to ask for directions.) The unintentional detour resulted in our getting into the first SAG stop after most of the other riders (a first). Leaving the SAG, we called "on your left" and sped away from the group on a long incline. I'm much lighter and faster on the hills than many of the other riders, so I just kept going. Eventually, I spotted Michel ahead of me and asked him where Sam was as I rode by. Michel said, "ahead of us." Well, ahead of us was a long way. I eventually caught Sam and we rode into the second SAG stop together. After that, I was on my own for many miles. At 93 miles, I stopped at a deli for a ham & cheese and a full-sugar Coca Cola! Don caught up with me and the last seven miles were over quickly. A long, beautiful day of riding.

Oh, yes. As Don and I rode the final miles into the hotel, we crossed over Fishkill Creek and we both commented that it was redundant.

Tomorrow, we have a relatively short day and will leave an hour later than usual. I can use the extra hour of rest. I'm tired.

Fishkill, NY (1735)
Pop 1735 elevation 220'
"Kill" is Dutch for "creek." Home of the Hudson Valley Renegades, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays.

100.1 miles; 6:18 riding time; 5,475' of climb; 5,903 Calories.