New York State & More

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Thursday 22^nd:



Leaving Hancock we were in full rain wet gear. Not only was it raining but it was only 11 degrees.

Immediately, following our BDR Route, we were on a gravel track through a forest with very dark trails. The weather was seriously gloomy and with overhanging trees it was like night time. Our GPS’s didn’t adapt so the glare from them really affected our vision. I changed my GPS to 50%!b(MISSING)acklight which solved the problem. After quite a few miles on this “dark” trail we came to a road closed sign on our route. We decided, discretion once again winning out over valour to backtrack and work our way around this road closed situation.Not always as easy as it sounds but it worked out ok in this instance, albeit with a big loop. We stopped on this road to don an extra layer as AGW notwithstanding it was quite chilly.

Shortly after we had togged up we came upon a covered bridge built 168 years ago . As Bryan pointed out, according to the sign board it was like Paddy's axe. New handles & heads but still the same axe! The Bridge which was built 168 years ago was actually completely rebuilt in for $1mil in 1998. Never mind, it was a reminder of what had gone before. Onwards onto a gnarly rocky trail, where towards the end, Ian’s bike lost it’s clutch. More accurately, it gained a clutch when not required. i.e the clutch was permanently engaged. We initially thought, broken cable or problem in the clutch. Because the clutch appeared to be permanently engaged we thought the main nut had removed itself from the clutch. Laying the bike over and removing the clutch cover, we found nothing wrong, we then determined the problem was likely to be in the clutch activating mechanism. Replacing the clutch cover, and removing the countershaft cover, we found a rock had jammed in the clutch activation mechanism stopping the clutch from deactivating. Simple issue easily resolved.

After this was fixed we had miles of great roads with the best autumn colours. We were riding winding roads, through forests alongside streams with only the occasional deer to worry about. After a few hours we stopped at the tiny village of Fleischmanns for a late lunch. A really nice couple who had recently moved here from New York city had always holidayed here but during covid shifted permanently and had set up a café here.

After a great late lunch and leaving Fleischmanns, we saw a sign “If Biden is the answer the question must have been stupid” we are seeing more and more of these anti-Biden signs even in democratic states. We rode up and over a Mountain on a trail with with loose rocks, water courses and wound our way to our digs in a small town called Hunter in NY state, having travelled around 196 miles. Local pizzeria for dinner and as usual an early exhausted night.

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Comments

[Bill]

Thanks
Thanks for the great updates Had trouble responding to the last two entries Don’t know why Probably a rock in my crutch 🙈🙈😳