The rain forecast for last night arrived on schedule. When we awoke at 5:30 am, it stopped. Some our gear got wet in the tent. We carted all of our stuff to the porch of the camp office and packed. In spite of the dismal forecast of rain all day, we decided to start biking. We’ve noticed on our trip that such forecasts overstate the likelihood of heavy rain. We don’t mind biking in light rain. After breakfast, we biked into the hamlet of Long Lake to get coffee and a donut at a C-store. We headed east on Hwy 28N for a 15-mile ride to Newcomb for breakfast #2. The scenery along the way consisted mainly of deciduous forest on the drier areas, and coniferous forests in wet sites.
At Newcomb, our breakfast dreams evaporated – there was no cafe. The earlier drizzle had ceased, so we stashed our rain gear. We continued east, crossing the nascent Hudson River(see photo). When Hwy 28N turned south, we continued east on Blue Ridge Road for 19 miles. There were many ups and downs, along miles and miles of forest, with few intersecting roads or homes. A wilderness area lay south of the road. The most unexpected sighting of the day was a small herd of bison 5 miles west of North Hudson. A local farmer raises them for meat. In North Hudson, we stopped at a C-store and ate lunch on a bench in front of the store- Betsy had crackers and cheese and I ate trail mix.
We biked south on US Hwy 9 for 6 miles, and then we ventured east on Hwy 74, toward Ticonderoga. As we reached Eagle Lake, rain fell in earnest. We biked the last hour of the day in our rain jackets, being extra careful of holes and other hazards in the road and shoulder. We pulled into a Super 8 motel in Ticonderoga thoroughly wet, but not cold. We hung our wet clothes in our room to dry and showered. What a difference that made! After planning our next few days, we rode into town under clearing skies for pizza and beer. Delightful!
7/17/19 - Long Lake, NY to Ticonderoga, NY: 64.8 miles
