I began the ride on schedule on Saturday, 6 June 2015.  Actually, events began the night before, when family and friends enjoyed a simple barbeque and a bon voyage cake.

An extremely supportive group of friends and family rode along as we left my house in New Haven and started up the Farmington Canal Greenway.

Lisa (middle) and her sister and niece Willa.

They watched as I dipped my rear wheel in the Mill River, not far upstream from where it enters Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.  I felt this was an appropriate spot, as I am on the board of directors of the Mill River Watershed Association, and it has a special place in my heart.

My cousin, Jenn, is accompanying me the initial week.  The first day ended up being rather grueling after we left the bike trail, with lots of steep hills.  My app kept directing us onto dirt roads, and climbing on them was really challenging.  We finished the day really worn out, but were hosted by dear friends Jodie Schwartz and Rick Jones in Poughkeepsie.  Yes, we left Connecticut on our first day out.

On day two, it was clear that Jenn had contracted a bad cold.  Terrible luck and timing.  I set off alone on day 2 after saying good byes to everyone on the rail trail.  It’s located high over the Hudson, and was developed on a former railroad bridge.  It is very cool and worth a visit.

Jenn went on to visit her sister, Gretchen, in Kingston, planning to rejoin me the next morning.

My day 2 was hard pedaling, but a great experience.  Again it was very hilly, and I seemed to be going either 6 mph or 36 mph all the time, depending on the slope.  Part of it was a climb over the Shawangunk Ridge and then a descent for miles with speeds sometimes over 40 mph.  That feels really fast on a bike!

I also rode by a huge prison.  There was a Shawshank Redemption era brick building and lots of warehouse looking additions.  But mainly there were very tall fences and razor wire. (Note to self: Escape via a tunnel.) Not a person was in sight.  I couldn’t help feel the contrast between me on a bike, unencumbered in almost any way, and those poor souls inside.