Wimps and quality abuse

Day 4
From Poughkeepsie, NY
To Port Jervis, NY
Mileage estimated 68
Mileage actual 68
Top speed 41 mph
Riding time 5hrs 23 mins

Last night at Route Rap a member of the group turned up, as he has done for all the meetings after riding, in what, to my untutored eye, looked like a pair of tights / leggings / wet suit trousers. I finally got the courage to ask him what they were as I thought he was either a) wearing them for a bet or b) wearing them because his mother-in-law had bought them for him and his wife would kill him if he went home having not worn them. I was advised that they were called 'compression pants' and these helped muscle recovery after exercise by supporting the muscles in the legs, I suppose a little like support hose. The hotel last night had a bar where we held Route Rap and it looked like this person had spent a little too much time in there. So much so that he could probably have done with a full body compression suit. So much for drinking on an empty stomach after a day's riding.

Breakfast today was in the hotel and the Grand Hotel again lived up to its name, providing us with a great start to the day. We were all there by just after 630am with the exception of one rider, Scott. Shane, the Ride Leader rang his room and was assured that he was on his way down, and my, what an entrance he made. In fact, I don't think he had slept in one of the hotel rooms; he looked like he had slept in a paint factory that had exploded as he put his clothes on. Talk about bright! I know I wear some pretty gaudy stuff but this! I finally got a picture of Scott outside when he was competing with the early morning sunshine and winning hands down. He got some stick for this outfit, I can assure you.




For the weather at the start of the day, please refer to previous entries because it was the same sunny, crisp day. The only difference today was that some of the wimps thought it was a bit on the cold side. Mr. Wellard, representing England was dressed in sleeveless shirt, shorts and sandals with no socks. Imagine his incredulity when he went outside into a beautiful sunny morning to see others with coats, arm and leg warmers and full finger gloves on. What happened to the all American boy who can take on the whole world? Where are they? Are there any out there?

We rode out of the hotel at 7.30am and crossed the Hudson River on an impressive suspension bridge that then took us onto a bike track out of town. The day took us through the Shawangunk valley and along that valley's wine route. We did pass a number of wineries. Yes, I know I put pass and we really did for a couple of reasons. Firstly, alcohol consumption is banned during the riding day and secondly, we were at them so early that they hadn't opened. We intended looking for one round lunchtime to try and eat there, but, of course, there weren't any about when we were ready for lunch so we had to make do with Subway again.

I seem to have settled with the same riders and we are enjoying each other's company. Connie and Ann are friends from a cycling club in Michigan and they are to be joined by another friend later in the ride; Johnny works real estate in some way or another in Alabama and John is a retired school teacher who is riding for Alzheimer's charities. He has ridden over 16,000 mile in the USA raising money for them. If you want to you can read about his rides by following the link that I have put alongside the posts.

The first SAG stop today was a change from the normal. It was held in the 'yard' of a man who had been on the 2008 Across America North ride that AbB run and finished two weeks ago. As his home is on the route of our ride, he offered to host the SAG for us and it was good to meet with him and his wife. Their hospitality was great and it was nice to have a change from the normal SAG food. Certainly freshly cut and cubed pineapple and peaches from his garden were a joy, and his 'yard' wasn't bad either!





We also rode through some pleasant fields of sunflowers. Some of the riders lost their sense of direction a little and took the phrase 'rode through' a little too literally. Never mind, soon got back on the road.



There were a couple of Big Boys' Rewards today that gave a chance to dry the clothes but overall today was not too testing a day. Just as well as Shane informs us on the way in, and again at Route Rap tonight that today was a recovery day in preparation for tomorrow. That will take us into another state, New Jersey, or Noo Joyzee as the locals pronounce it and that is within a couple of miles of the start of the ride.


The only things that gave us slight problems today were what the locals call 'Road Construction'. If that was what they call it I would hate to see what they call Road Destruction. The first one we went through was about 1/2 mile and like riding on soft earth and stones - really difficult and enough to turn my front wheel unexpectedly once or twice and almost cause me to fall. The second was a contraflow for about 500 yards then another 3/4 mile on a surface that had been 'scraped' ready for resurfacing. That was extremely uncomfortable to ride a bike on and I guess it wouldn't have been much fun in a car either, but we had to ride the whole length standing up as it was impossible to ride it sitting down. Don't moan about England and the condition of the roads. We really are second division!


We have also maintained a record of abuse, both verbal and in manner of driving, that is quite unenviable. "***holes" is one of the commonest, "freaks" is another preceded by an expletive beginning with 'f' and one of us has almost been run off the road every day. I really don't know what it is with some of the people here. One woman actually shouted, 'Get off my road you freakin' idiots' today. Judging by the car she drove, she wasn't particularly rich, so how she owned the road I don't know. Such are the joys of cycle touring in a foreign country.

Got to the hotel at 3.30pm today which is early for me, but that meant I was able to do my 'smalls' (or in my case, my 'bigs')


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Thanks for reading.