the Way of the Turtle

19.6 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, August 16, 2009

Ordinarily I would stay in MA after finishing the Savoy trail race and either hike or ride... but today I didn't plan ahead and left my guide books and bike at home. So after finishing the race and chatting with a few folks, I headed back to Albany to clean up and then get out for a ride.

I started out heading west from Lock 8 along the bike path. For once the CSX track was clear at Scrafford Lane, so I was able to cross and head through Rotterdam Junction to ride the short extension of the bike path on the west side of town, then I headed back to Lock 8. No beavers in sight tonight, though I did see two herons and a number of wood ducks and ducklings, as well as a group of turtles in the old canal. I didn't dare stop for very long anywhere, since I'd left my bug spray at home and whenever I stopped moving they rapidly descended on me for a free meal.

One nice thing about riding on a hot, humid day - you generate your own breeze. As I was heading back to Lock 8 clouds moved in and it started looking dark north of the river. That continued as I rode the path down to the SCCC parking lots and out to route 5. My trip up the hill past Gateway Landing rewarded me with the sight of five egrets roosting in a tree across the way. As I stood there trying to get clear pictures of them, a storm moved through north of the river. The wind picked up and I could see occasional flashes from lightning far off in the distance. The wind was particular troublesome to the egrets, who had to work to keep their balance as the branches they were perched on blew back anf forth.

I pushed fairly hard to get back to Lock 8, partly because it was getting dark and partly because the edges of the storm were dropping occasional spatters of rain and I didn't want to get caught out in it if it started to come down any harder. My legs were definitely feeling the effects of this morning's 11 mile trek up and down the hills of Savoy Mountain State Forest and almost 20 miles of riding... but I'm still glad I got out for a ride this evening. It definitely beat sitting around sweating in the heat and humidity now that our typical summer weather has finally reared its ugly head.

JMH