Railroad Run Trail outside of Saratoga Springs, NY

Into our second week on the road, we’re still trying to find a daily rhythm that works for both of us.  We’ve been focusing on the basics:  riding, eating & sleeping.  It sounds simple enough, but in reality, all three take some planning and forethought when you’re first starting out, especially if there are two of you, with potentially different ideas or expectations about how things will be done.  We’re calling this our “adjustment period” – a transition into the life of full-time travel by bicycle.

That being said, we’re taking it slowly, and haven’t had any problems with injuries or breaking in our saddles, which can make the transition to bicycling even more challenging.  We’re also experiencing some sunshine and milder weather, and we had a great start to the week.

After our short stay in Wilton, NY, we headed toward Saratoga Springs, where we stopped at one of the many public mineral springs to fill our water bottles.  Each spring has a unique taste, determined by it’s mineral content.  The water is naturally carbonated, at varying degrees, depending upon which spring it comes from.  It took us awhile to get used to taking a swig of carbonated tangy water as we rode along, it always came as a bit of a surprise.

Public Mineral Spring coming into Saratoga Springs, NY

We stopped off at the library to catch up on email and then made a quick trip to Four Seasons Natural Foods to fill our food pannier before heading toward McConchie Heritage Acres for the night.

Road to McConchie Heritage Acres Camping, Galway, NY

McConchie Heritage Acres Campsite

McConchie Heritage Acres Campsite, evening falling

We decided to head toward Route 5 and the Canalway Trail, so we weaved our way toward Amsterdam on some gorgeous backroads of New York.  After a quick night off the trail right outside of Amsterdam, we woke the next morning to find flooding had damaged the trail.  Despite the signs that the trail was closed, we pushed on, hoping we could still navigate by bicycle, or at least find a detour further up the road.

Around Galway, Ny

Canalway Trail to Fultonville, Closed

The river, the morning fog, and the grittiness of the bridge provided a great backdrop for a morning photo session.

Sheila’s Bicycle, outside Amsterdam, NY

Kai on the bridge, outside Amsterdam, NY

The flooding damage was extensive and sobering.  Construction crews we met beyond the bridge directed us onto a road closed to regular traffic and away from the parts of the path that were washed away.  The fog, the scenes laid before us, and the lack of traffic on the closed roads was a bit eerie but the quiet start to the day was welcomed.

Flooding Damage, near Amsterdam, NY

Soon we found ourselves back on the trail heading toward Fultonville, NY.  There, we were able to catch a glimpse of an Amish family/community working in the fields.  The horses would move a few feet every few minutes then stop, while the farmers would move alongside and throw the already bundled stalks onto the wagons.  It was fascinating to watch and it prompted a conversation about how the Amish could teach us much about sustainable farming methods.

Kai riding the Canalway Trail

Canalway Trail Signs along the Trail

Watching an Amish Farming Community

We hadn’t seen anyone on the trail all morning, so it was a pleasant surprise when Steve and Dian pulled up beside me while I was taking a water break.  Riding Bike Fridays with trailers, they had traveled from Washington to partake in the self-guided Inn-to-Inn tour and had started, of all places, from Vermont!  They were an enthusiastic and fun couple to talk with and share stories with.

Within minutes of our conversation with them, another touring couple pulled up beside us, and you won’t guess where they were from – yes, Vermont!  Bryan and Debi of thrubike.net had quit their jobs and headed south to Mexico two years ago, bicycling for 10 months, then returned to live in Vermont for another year before deciding to embark upon an open-ended tour of the States.  We ended up cycling together for awhile and then met them later in Canajahorie, NY for lunch.  It was wonderful to spend some time talking with another couple that understands what it’s like to tour.  (Thanks for the company Bryan & Debi – we wish you the best of luck on your journey!)

Bryan & Debi

While at the Canahajorie Library we were excited to discover there were campsites available at designated locks along the trail.  As Bryan & Debi rode on, trying to beat the forecasted rain, we decided to make a run into town to pick up grocercies then headed toward Lock 15, just outside of Fort Plain, NY, to set up camp for the night.  When we arrived, we found very nice camp grounds and a super friendly lock operator, who made our evening with the offer of a hot shower in the lock house.  Not a bad end to an already excellent day!

Making Dinner at Lock 15

Next Stop: Second Part of Week 2 – Continuing on the Canalway Trail