Monday, June 13, 2005
I parked by the intake towers, at the foot of the Robert Moses, and took off down the trail, along the river. You really don't notice the Hooker plant, and focus instead on how the river starts picking up speed. It's buggy over that stretch-- I ended up looking like the grill of a car after a long road trip, and I learned pretty quick to keep my mouth closed.
After the Falls is when it gets really cool: there is a dedicated parkway for bikes and pedestrians, three lanes of smooth riding along the gorge all the way to the Power Vista. The Rainbow Bridge, and Fort Niagara beckoned, but I didn't want to over commit-- it was hot, and there is a lot of difference between 20 miles and 30 miles. Riding back I encountered a deer, who ran alongside me for about a hundred yards-- as close to me as that. If I'd had a brick, I'd be eating venison. I rode down past where I was parked, to the bridge, where there were kids swimming, and jumping off the lower parts of the superstructure. It looked inviting, and it sounded the way you remember summer sounding. I went home and had a beer instead.
I'm composing arguments in favor of a lighter bike, and one good argument is that a lighter bike would be a lot easier to take on and off the rack. Oooof is putting it mildly. In a funny way, I owe it all to Hal Higdon-- becoming serious about cross training has opened up a whole new thing for me.
After the Falls is when it gets really cool: there is a dedicated parkway for bikes and pedestrians, three lanes of smooth riding along the gorge all the way to the Power Vista. The Rainbow Bridge, and Fort Niagara beckoned, but I didn't want to over commit-- it was hot, and there is a lot of difference between 20 miles and 30 miles. Riding back I encountered a deer, who ran alongside me for about a hundred yards-- as close to me as that. If I'd had a brick, I'd be eating venison. I rode down past where I was parked, to the bridge, where there were kids swimming, and jumping off the lower parts of the superstructure. It looked inviting, and it sounded the way you remember summer sounding. I went home and had a beer instead.
I'm composing arguments in favor of a lighter bike, and one good argument is that a lighter bike would be a lot easier to take on and off the rack. Oooof is putting it mildly. In a funny way, I owe it all to Hal Higdon-- becoming serious about cross training has opened up a whole new thing for me.
