Memorial Day

I'm still mulling this over in my mind, but I'm thinking about heading to Cooperstown/Hartwick area to plant some flowers at my Grandfather's grave. His name was Dannie "Boone" Weir and he was born on the same day as me but died 4 years before I was born in a tragic car accident. My Great-Grandparents and some of his siblings are buried there as well. We still don't have my Mom's cremains - she donated her body to the Anatomical Gift Program at SUNY Upstate Medical Center and is apparently being very helpful! As always! My Grandmother and Yankee both did the same, but their cremains came back within 6-9 months.

It may be a drive around and visit places that we used to go to....I really miss my Mom and our adventures. Her Geo Metro could climb mountains! Monday may be memory day for me and trying to honor my Mom and her life.

Canal Trail from Little Falls!

Bike Ready - Check!, Canal is out there (kinda high) - Check!, My legs are ready - Check!

Water Falls - that don't normally exist off the trail - we've had a lot of rain!

We don't usually have to go through running water on the trail.

Used to be able to walk through where that water is coming from - it used to be a small trail.

Made it to Mindenville - but realized the old trail was no longer there - at least the part that went across the stream that must have become a river. This happened last year....so I'll have to go again soon and investigate the rest of the changes.

The clouds are coming, the rain was coming and the headwinds were brutal. But...It took me about 10 minutes of riding to get back to the blue skies and sunshine.

See! Blue skies and only 2 miles left...

Same view but now you can see the trail! Gorgeous day. Glad I went. 19 miles down! Yeah!

On way home.

Wind and rain were not my friends!

But I used stick-to-it-iveness to do it! New word!

Canal trail

Holy moley bad picture! But great canal ride day!

Canal Trail - I'm starting over...

A few years ago I used to ride the Erie Canal Trail all the time and post pictures of it. Well I fell out of the habit in a hard way and with the new bike I'm at it again. Thursday night I rode (with my friend LM) 9.82 miles on the trail from Whitesboro/Marcy to Utica and back. The bugs were amazing! LOL - hair, ears, eyes - they got in everywhere! This morning I decided to head out again but I started in Utica - the trail ends there heading east until you get to Herkimer area (there may be a few little bits and pieces open). And actually Little Falls is where it really opens up all the way to Albany. So I went to Utica, hopped on my new bike and headed west. I got to meet Bill Kardas, our local weatherman from WKTV and his dog Buddy at the beginning of the ride - then I went to business and pushed myself. There were times when 17MPH and 15MPH felt great and others when 9-10MPH was all I could do. The wind was pretty strong and changeable so it wasn't easy at times. But I rode all the way to Oriskany - took a short water break and rode back. It felt fantastic. So...now that I'm "back in the saddle" I'll start posting from on the trail. Happy Mom's day!