Today I left Ticonderoga, NY and made it to the Blue Ridge Motel near North Hudson, NY by mid-afternoon. It was only about 23 miles, but I was climbing for nearly three hours into the Adirondack Mountains at the beginning of the route and it was quite challenging. At one point, a driver with a bike rack on her car who saw me standing by the side of the road to catch my breath pulled over, pointed to her empty bike rack, and asked if I wanted a ride to the top. I thanked her for her kindness but told her I was planning to get to the top on my own.

As I got to the high point, I had some downhill stretches, but nothing as dramatic on the way down as what I experienced on the “other side” of the passes in the White Mountains or the Green Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont. This was a sign for traffic heading the other direction, which confirmed my distinct impression that this was a steep and challenging climb.

Another aspect of the day’s ride that made it challenging is that there were no amenities like convenience stores, restaurants, or even a park bench or picnic table along the way. By the time I had been biking about four hours, I knew I needed to get off the bike a bit, so I finally stopped at the post office in Severance, NY, where I sat on the sidewalk and ate a few snacks I had with me.

I passed a flower grower near Paradox Lake, where the names of their flower varieties were posted on a fence in front of the business. I love these names. They include “Playful Discourse,” “Ruby Spider,” and “Almost Indecent.”

I also love the names of some of the towns I’ve passed through. Although there wasn’t much there, Paradox was the first town on the map past Ticonderoga.

This sign at the post office in Severance helpfully showed the directions to Paradox and Severance.

Here are a couple of photos of the Schroon River that I took from the road near tonight’s motel. Still lots of water in this part of the country.

Trudi came into town for a visit around dinnertime tonight and we went to Flanagan’s Restaurant in Schroon Lake. There was an Adirondack Fur Fish displayed on the wall above our table. I didn’t see this on the menu, though.

It was wonderful to see Trudi again. I hadn’t seen her since July 6, when she headed home from Bath, Maine. Trudi flew into Albany and will be tagging along in a rental car until Sunday, when I hope to reach Pulaski, NY, near Lake Ontario. Her encouragement and support are a blessing. Onward!