Skaneateles, Elbridge, and Jordon

October 4, 2012

Having a foldie makes it possible to take trips that, otherwise, would be more than my fitness allows. At the top of, what we in New York call, one of the fingerlakes, is the village of Skaneateles (pronounced Skinny-atlas). It is a monied place with really fabulous restaurants, shops, and lake views. And by bus it's only about 25 minutes away.

This morning I rode to the bus station and folded up for a short wait.

The weather cooperated: about 65 degrees and partly cloudy. The bus was $3 and a narrow fit to the aisle. It's a coach style bus, rather than a city bus, so the seats are close together and all set facing front. The brompton fit in the space in front of the seat next to me.

Fortunately there were very few other passengers, so it was not a problem for the bike to take a seat.

The bus dropped us off in the center of the village by the library. I spent a few minutes riding along the lake, enjoying the view.

Then I started out of town to the north toward the village of Elbridge. There was one section of a bike path not far north of Skaneateles that only ran for about 1.5 miles. The roads were wide and open, and the traffic was light. As an added bonus that felt a little like cheating, the roads all followed a gentle slope downhill. 

I stopped for a photo op in the village of Elbridge. 

One semi-steep hill loomed up on my way north out of Elbridge on my way toward the village of Jordan. I rode through farmland and woods. This fall has been amazingly beautiful from the seat of a bicycle.

In Jordan I snapped a photo of a mural celebrating the canal that was the start of this village many years ago. The text describes the rules for right of way on the canal.

In Jordan I picked up the Erie Canalway trail. This photo shows what used to be an aquaduct along the canal. It's still very pretty, as is the whole canal path. This might be the most beautiful time of year to travel the path. Most parts are packed crushed stone and make for a pretty easy ride. The brompton's small wheels do get a little bogged down when the surface is loose.

I came across this memorial between Jordan and Warners.

This sign celebrates the life of Bryan McNeill Place. I searched on line and was only able to find his obituary, here. There is a story here; I wish I knew more.

Again, a photo of the beautiful day!

I ambled home, via the village of Camillus, enjoying the ride. It's the farthest I've gone to this point on the bike. I am tired tonight, and loving it! The idea of taking public transportation to a location and riding back, means I get to see more, find new places, and still ride inside my level of fitness. Life is good!