the number of days you could take off on sick leave if you were genuinely ill

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Neil is struggling with the cycling. Andy and Alex (the AA) have been kicking some A and zooming around all over the place. The last few miles to Ithaca, all uphill, took it out of them, but after a short recovery period they seemed about as tired as me and my entire days exercise consisted of a mid-day cycle on Leo’s bike, some elbow grease pumping tires, a session on a treadmill and a brief swim. Leo is sticking with Neil and also seems to be finding it harder than the AA. However, Neil’s bike is a bit of a mess and one of the front gear cogs has been replaced, the chains have been oiled and the wheels are still misshaped. Hopefully, when all the problems are fixed, he will find it a bit easier. Anyway, it was decided to add an extra day, missing out Deposit where there was nothing to see anyway.

Ithaca - Binghamton (NY)

There was nothing to see along the way to Binghamton so we returned to Tatucunanny Falls or whatever they were called and drove down to the lakeside, walking along the shore until we reached the tributary river delta. The water quantity being low and the river bed being very wide and made of rock, it was possible to walk up the latter. At first I had to climb over rocks but then when it flattened out, Rob joined me. There were some lovely waterfalls and a whole host of very small ones. The drive to Binghamton was uneventful with nothing worth stopping at along the way, although there was plenty of countryside and forested hills to look at. Despite setting off at the same time as us, the AA reached the motel shortly before us, having cycled the fifty-odd miles without stopping. As their journey was so very tiny they were refreshed and willing to go to the Botanical Gardens nearby but Neil’s bike issues thwarted these plans.
In the evening, we went to the cinema (for about three pounds) and watched Michael Moore’s new film ‘Sicko’. Neil and Leo stayed behind, worn out. I don’t think any of us quite realised how little the American health care system actually provided for uninsured Americans and indeed, how insured Americans were screwed over on a frequent basis, landing them in massive debt. It was interesting to hear the incredulous laughter that swept over the audience when you heard that the French had things like six months paid maternity leave or no limits on the number of days you could take off on sick leave if you were genuinely ill. However, the inclusion of Tony Benn (legend), Cuba, French protestors etc. seemed a little stupid to me, as the Americans have clearly been told a million times that their system was good and all others were worse and the way to persuade them was not publicising left-wing ideas and personalities any more than was necessary.

Afterwards, we had a McDonalds. I had eaten but decided to have a parfait (as in ‘parfait has layers’ from Shrek) from the one dollar menu. You could also get two fruit pies or a double cheeseburger for the same price of 50p. It turned out to be a yoghurt and fruit mix with neither constituent ingredient tasting like it was supposed to. I went back for a Big Mac, solely for comparison with an English Big Mac you understand, and was disappointed to find it was very similar. I ordered and the McWorker said “Seven Eleven?” “Sorry, what’s that?” I asked very confused, then I realised that this was the price. “Oh sorry, you said it like it was a question.” She replied, “It’s just not a price you get very often”. How odd.

Binghamton - Scranton (Pennsylvania) (Saturday 14th)

I was awoken at six when Neil and Leo got up and then when I awoke again at 8.30, I found them both asleep on the floor. They claimed it had been raining so they went back to bed after breakfast. A likely story. I had Bran and Raison for breakfast and not even a trace of sugar or fat. The AA set off and Rob and I visited the local diner. Rob had been too busy organising everything on his computer (he’s very good) to come to breakfast with us and missed it. I didn’t think places like that had existed since the fifties but apparently they are everywhere. There were soft, semi-circular leather seats, glass and bead lampshades above every table and a breakfast counter with several people sat at it. After that we popped up the road to the Botanical Gardens. Aside from being surrounded on three sides by busy highways and being about five percent of the size of Durham Botanic Gardens, they were lovely and featured chipmunks.

Taking a detour down dirt roads surrounded by forests and lakes, we slid into four wheel drive mode, which seemed to make no difference at all, and headed for Factoryville. To my disappointment there was not a single factory or indeed anything of any interest so we promptly got back on the road for Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Many of these roads operate an ‘Adopt-a-Highway program’, in which organisations such as the ‘Nicholson Heritage Association’ sponsor a stretch of road. Nicholson Borough, a ‘zoned community’ declaring that their ‘curfew ordinance’ would be enforced featured a Scenic Overlook site. We pulled in and eagerly looked for the scene but it seemed to consist of two crappy bits of stone honouring a couple of local senators. What’s more, we later passed down ‘Senator Ed Jones Highway’. This reminded me once again of a Stalinist cult of personality, perhaps similar to a regional party leader, and I was beginning to see how US politicians get to do exactly what they want to. ‘The Presbyterian Church USA’ appears to be a frequent highway sponsor whilst bizarrely, ‘Friends of the Environment’ decided this program would be a good way to spend their resources. We drove on to the motel where we await the big men.

Bloody hell this is getting long. Just one more comment. I have been considering growing an American style handlebar moustache however I have decided against this as my facial hair grows in such a way that there would be several stupid looking gaps. Shame.

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