Bon Ton Roulet: 7/22 The Routine and Variations Thereon

It's now Day 3 of the Bon Ton Roulet (Seneca Falls to Canadagua via Geneva with a side trip down Seneca Lake) and the routine is second nature.
1. 5:00-5:30 - wake up
2. Breakfast
3. Gear up - bike clothes, food, etc.
4. Pack personal stuff and remove from tent
5. Pack tent
7. Carry tent and luggage to van (Being sure to note whether we're throwing our stuff into Van 1, or Van 2.
8. Check bikes
9. Check route
11. Roll out and ride!
12. Ride
13 Rest stop (ie Snacks!)
14 Ride
15 Rest stop (more Snacks!)
16 Arrive at camp site
17 Site perfect tent spot among 300 other tents and various ponds, marshes, outhouses and assorted obstacles.
18 Set up tent
19 Hang up cloths to dry
20 Shower
21 Locate info for night events and next days ride
22 Dinner
23 Check out event
24 Sleep

And there are the Variations on the Theme/Routine

Today's first variation came around mile 12. It was a Real Coffee Shop in Geneva. About 50 of us stopped and luxuriated in a cup of real Coffee. Ahhh. It was excellent! While we were sitting outside enjoying the drinks, a break in the rain, and conversation with a couple from Middletown, CT, a large group of riders heading east rode by. The Bon Ton Roulet was crossing paths with FANY. Several stopped for coffee also (guess poor coffee is a common hardship of these tours)

From there we headed South alongside Lake Seneca, then turned West and up, across the land between the lakes. Lots of fields, corn, fruit, vegies. It's hard to stop once the bikes get rolling but we did stop at one farm stand for some fresh apricots, and once again at a bike shop. We needed lube and a map holder.

When, what had been one of the sunniest days of the trip so far suddenly turned cloudy we picked up the pace. Pedaling the last mile through a solid downpour we arrived at rest stop number 2 where we spent 1 and three-quarter hours waiting out the rain. (And eating Lebanon Bologna!)

And now, with the tent all set and dinner eaten, we're watching a thunderstorm approach. Seems just like old times in Hector where we'd sit on summer nights and watch the clouds sweep in from the West.

Bon Ton Roulet: 7-21 Downhill Day

After a small 300 ft climb this morning on the Bon Ton Roulet the day pretty much went downhill. Literally, we ended 700 ft below where we started. Figuratively there were other downhills as well.

1. The biggest and steepest downhill ever descended (not just for me but for many of the others. It felt like my rear wheel could just lift up and over the handlebars at any second.
2. Millard Fillmore, the 13th president of the United States was born just outside Morovia, NY. Along the route. He was the 1st president not elected to office but once in the whole thing went downhill from there.
3. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge - where we took refuge from a huge downpour.
4. Tylenol PM - At night I discovered why I haven't been feeling as energetic as usual. (Also why you really should read the label of the medicine you take). Seems I've been taking tylenol PM, instead of regular tylenol.

All in all however, it was a great day. We ended at Seneca Falls. A lovely little town with a bit of history.

Oh - and another funny downpour story! When we arrived at the camping site for the night it was nice and sunny. Our bags and those of 500 others lay in the field waiting for us. As we sorted among them the sky darkened. As I went to put the bikes under the bleachers and S. carried the bags out to our spot on the field - surprise! - it started to pour - torrentially. I looked out from the bleachers to where S. should have been but saw only a blue blob in the field. A moving blue blob. From which a head them popped out. S. had grabbed the floorcloth from the tent bag and covered himself and all our gear! We were saved from a very wet night.

Tomorrow, after about 24 miles of relative flats we climb 500 ft in 5 miles. (Real flats to follow.)