49.6 mi / 4:53:09 time / 10.2 mph avg. / 1129 ft. climbing
Staying at Lighthouse Inn

Despite not being able to walk all that well in the morning, Rett managed to hobble out for one last lake view of the lake at Lakeview on the Lake, and discovered a baby bunny for a reward.


Breakfast at Freeport restaurant, 5 miles in, and at the bottom of a giant valley, was enormous, though not really by design. The place made their own sausage and bacon, so we had to try some of that (and it was damn good), and one order of sweet potato pancakes would have been enough for the two of us had we known. But hey, put the food in front of us and we’ll snarf it down.

About 5 miles later, we crossed into Rett’s home state, New York. Our reactions, while expressing emotions of similar degree and kind, couldn’t have been more different. She was leaping about with unadulterated joy, so happy to be “home”, and transported there entirely under her own power. I, on the other hand, had tears welling up in my eyes, so proud of her for getting herself in a position to be able to feel that unadulterated joy.

The part of the Pennsylvania lakeshore that borders New York is as pretty as the Ohio-bordering side is depressed. And crossing the New York border, things seemed even better. Greening vineyards stretching towards the dark turquoise lake under the bright blue sky; rarely have I done more beautiful riding than this.

Even better, the border was a shot of adrenaline and pain relief to Rett’s aching knees. Both speed and excitement picked up, and even the frequent creek crossings (that meant another hill to climb) were far more beautiful and natural than they had been even earlier in the morning.

The original plan had us heading for Evangola State Park, but in the interest of keeping various body parts on the mend, we decided to stop at a motel a little shorter, that would also save us some miles the next day. Late lunch was at Demetri’s in Dunkirk, and then we got provisions in Silver Creek, where the grocery store and the liquor store were separated by one of our biggest and steepest hills to date. I expected the $60 Lighthouse Inn to be a standard 1950’s era run-down motel, which it kind of was, but it was also lovingly decorated with a nautical theme, including sailboat lampshades, and a live plant! A thermos full of ice from the office treated Rett’s knees, a found tub-stopper let her get a soak, and we had a nice bed picnic of wine, blueberries, cheese, crackers, bread, and pepperoni. Mmm.

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