Day 54- Lake Erie State Park to Buffalo- 70 miles

Today's weather was beautiful. Cloudy, drizzly, a tailwind, cool (a little too cool at times), puffy clouds in all shades of gray...

You can't see it here, but we stopped at the top of a hill and could see the skyline of Buffalo, sinister and black under the clouds. It was really cool. 

Traffic really began to pick up 10-15 miles from Buffalo. Drivers don't know what to do with cyclists. They don't realize we're going more than two miles an hour. They don't respect us as a slow-moving vehicle. We're just people on bikes, and they need to be somewhere RIGHT NOW. 

Stopped in Hamburg, for taco salad and a delicious broccoli pizza. Called a Warmshowers host in Buffalo who appeared on his profile to be okay with short notice. So we called him up and scored the backyard of our dreams. After winding our way through downtown, not without confusion, we arrived to meet Cliff and Carol, set up tents, went to the grocery store, and enjoyed supper on the porch.

Thanks, Cliff and Carol!

Day 53- Fairview to Lake Erie State Park (New York)- 50 miles

On the road again! Jamie's brother and dad, Brian and Ron, joined us for the ride today, after breakfast and goodbyes. 

The wind was at our backs and a beautiful day was before us. 

Acres of grapes in the breeze had us breathing a sweet scent all day.

A brewing storm kept it cool. We stopped for a bit when it started thundering and lightning-ing. The wind was incredible. 

Then we crossed into New York!

Rolled into camp at 3 o' clock. Jamie's mom, Debbie, arrived shortly after to pick Brian and Ron up, so with the car, we all rode to Dunkirk and enjoyed dinner out. 

Back at our campsite, after goodbyes, the three of us enjoyed throwing rocks on the beach (guess who hit the beer can several yards away on her first try?), a gorgeous sunset over the lake, showers, and conversations. 

Rest.

We've been partying, lazing about, eating food, drinking beer (mostly Jeremy), sleeping, sight-seeing, and generally having a grand old time for the past several days. 

Eating popcorn.

Pittsburgh was awesome.  Jeremy's aunt and uncle are hilarious. I wish there had been a voice recorder on the entire time. Laughter was plentiful. 

Pierogies in Pittsburgh. 

Cool bridges. 

These cutie patooties. 

Peanut butter milkshakes and curly fries.

Jamie and me. With pink toenails. In Lake Erie. 

Presque Isle. 

Jeremy getting his luscious locks chopped off by his hottie wife. 

Tomorrow we are back on the road. 

Day 52- Cleveland to Fairview (to Erie)- 96 miles

After waiting out a mean rainstorm in Cleveland Heights, with two breakfasts and lovely conversation with our gracious hosts, Edie and Marty, we were on our way at 11:15. We had hemmed and hawed, considering taking the day off, doing fifty miles, or trucking all the way to Jamie's grandma's  house in Fairview, Pennsylvania. The latter didn't seem very likely, as it was already late, and Fairview was "84" miles away. Well, obviously, we went for it. It was epic, and it was more than 84 miles. Along the lake we rode, the terrain fairly flat and enjoyable. 

Rode through the charming establishment of Geneva-On-The-Lake, a 1950's-style tourist destination. 

Stopped at a farmer's market stand for peaches and plums. Stopped at Subway and wolfed down sandwiches, trying to beat sunset. Sunset came, and we were movin'. At the top of an exhausting hill, Jamie's brother, Brian, was pulled over with Gatorade for our burning legs. Six more miles, and dusk was turning into darkness, but with our lights flashing and legs trucking, we pulled into Fairview in record time. 

After chicken stir fry, rice, rolls, peach pie, and a Bud Light (thanks Grandma!), we threw our panniers into Jamie's mom (Debbie)'s car, and rolled out to her house in the Erie area. 

Ah, PA. Ah, sleep. 

Expenses:

$7

Day 51- Avery to Cleveland- 63 miles

We are in Cleveland. This place is RITZY. 

Today's ride was good. We are all looking forward to 4 days in Erie, PA, where Jamie's family lives. So we were all a little tired. 

We are in a home in Cleveland heights. I have never seen a house so neatly packed with color and character. 

Expenses:

$8

Day 50- Bowling Green to Avery- 69 miles

Delicious breakfast.

 Homemade donuts at a small town bakery with Jamie and Jeremy's friend. A nice, flat ride with a tailwind. It was a good day.

Expenses:

$6 food

Day 49(?)- Paulding to Bowling Green- 66 miles

I'm way behind on this whole blogging thing. Don't judge. 

Today was weird. Got a bit of a late start. Had some headwinds. 

We went to an ice cream shop (oh, excuse me, it was an Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe), where a nice lady gingerly balanced a few tablespoons of ice cream atop a plain old cake cone and charged us $2.25 for it. 

^this is after exactly 2 licks 

Plans to meet a friend of Jamie and Jeremy fell through, after we booked it to Bowling Green.

But our very hospitable hosts got us pizza, tomato bread, and stuffed breadsticks for dinner. 

I'm really tired. 

$8 groceries

$2.25 ice cream