# Finger Lakes Lemonade



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Now really, what did you think we were going to do?*

Tuesday morning I went out for a quick 20 mile bike ride up into the hills that surround all the Finger Lakes. Since we had the mini van Miss M shuttled some of the others up to the top of the first climb (I didn't find the climb all that hard but I didn't ride the day before either).

It was a nice scenic ride for me but I missed Miss M.

Since we were in Watkins Glen we decided to take the short hike into the actual glen. Again we saw something that enjoyed a lot that we would never had seen if we were doing our usual "Ride All Day" vacation.

After driving all day where we planned to ride Miss M had enough of taking it easy and went out in the evening for a short ride.

The doctor at the emergency room had taken one look at us and the way were dressed to knew what we were up to. Since the dog bite was several puncture wounds that missed all the tendons and bones the Doc just suggested that Miss M take it easy for a day then judge her exercise effort by how much pain she was feeling. Miss M was more concerned about her reaction to the antibiotics than the wounds that were deep but according to her not all that painful.

Anyway after all we had been going through it was nice to go for a short easy ride with the wife.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*An end to all that*

The next morning Miss M raring to go before the sun was even up.

We rode around one last lake before stopping in town for a fairly nice French breakfast (coffee and pastries) and a bit of exploring.

Then it was time for that long drive home.

I'd have to say that all and all we didn't enjoy the Finger Lakes all that much. The roads were fine to ride on (except for that dog thing) and in great shape but there was very little shade. The riding is likely better in cooler months. We found that since we like to get in at least 100 miles a day the routes were pretty boring-day after day each lake and the roads surrounding them were pretty much the same.

The folks we were riding with rode less and explored more so they seemed to enjoy the area more but it just didn't work all that well for us and our riding style.

Even though we didn't have any memorable meals it turned out to be a fairly expensive vacation for us. Since we spent a lot less time on the bikes we spent a lot more time shopping (and driving (gas is expensive!)). We have good health insurance so the ambulance ride and visit to the emergency room was completly covered, all we had to buy was drugs and dressings.

All in all, not that great a vacation but a nice break from the routine.

Since she missed out on a whole lot of riding Miss M is already thinking/planning our next vacation.

Anyone know where we can go that doesn't have dogs?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Or perhaps considering where we were riding I should say, when life hands you sour grapes make a grape pie (one of the best things about the trip).

After a whole lot of bother we finally reached our days destination Hammondsport, NY. Miss M was really taking things well considering, I was not a happy camper but what can you do? By some odd chance Hammondsport was only about 60 miles from where we parked our car so I went down and picked it up giving us lots of options for the rest of our vacation.

Monday morning at breakfast we plotted out a revised itinerary for the week.

Quite amazingly Hammondsport is home to a very cool attraction, the Glenn Curtiss Museum. There was no way we would have visited it if our plans hadn't changed but the place was fantastic. It wasn't as well organized or labeled as the Smithsonian Museums we are familiar with in DC but it wasn't near as crowded either. Turns out that like the Wright brothers Curtiss got his start racing bicycles and running/owning a bike shop.

We spent a couple of pleasant hours exploring the museum before heading off to Watkins Glen.

Of course we stopped at several wineries on the way but I kept noticing Miss M sadly looking out at where we would have been riding if things had turned out differently.


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## vol245 (Jan 20, 2002)

Beautiful pictures. I'm glad to see Miss M riding again after the dog incident. I really like the one of her going down the staircase with the canyon off to the left. The only picture missing is the head of the dog.


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## BarryG (Jul 5, 2004)

vol245 said:


> I really like the one of her going down the staircase with the canyon off to the left.


Yeah, gorgeous shot. Is that Watkins Glen?


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Great shots as always*

Hey, I really like the wine glasses shot. Really cool. How's the wine in that part of the country? My wife and I live about 2 hours from (only 85 miles but insane to get there by bike with all the traffic trying to reach Lake Tahoe) some of the best Zin country in the world. We love visiting it. Anyway, glad you guys could still ride after the leg attack.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Can't say about the wine (I don't drink).*



Ridgetop said:


> Hey, I really like the wine glasses shot. Really cool. How's the wine in that part of the country? My wife and I live about 2 hours from (only 85 miles but insane to get there by bike with all the traffic trying to reach Lake Tahoe) some of the best Zin country in the world. We love visiting it. Anyway, glad you guys could still ride after the leg attack.


I can say that the grape pie was fantastic, not at all what I expected.


The wine glasses shot was from our visit to the Corning Glass Works on the drive home. Miss M wanted to see the place; I thought we were going to take the factory tour but she had a shopping jones going on all vacation (after the dog bite that is) so we just visited the factory store. Didn't buy anything there, Miss M said the prices were much higher than what you could get the same stuff for at outlet stores (shows she is as good at shopping as she is at riding).


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## asterisk (Oct 21, 2003)

Awesome trip report, as usual! 

The trees cut back from the road, was that a regional thing? I haven't spent much time on the east coast so I don't have anything to compare it to but that seems like it creates an ugly swath of ground everywhere the road goes... and as you say no opportunity for shade.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*I think it is a snow removal thing.*



asterisk said:


> Awesome trip report, as usual!
> 
> The trees cut back from the road, was that a regional thing? I haven't spent much time on the east coast so I don't have anything to compare it to but that seems like it creates an ugly swath of ground everywhere the road goes... and as you say no opportunity for shade.


As I understand it the Finger Lakes region gets 10+ feet a year of snow and the plows have to put it somewhere. Only the smallest back roads didn't have the vegetation cut back several yards from the pavement.

Everywhere we have ridden in the Mid-Atlantic states trees come right up to the ditches on most back roads.

OTOH it was comforting to have such wide shoulders on the limited road selection around the Finger Lakes. The riding was fine even though there was no shade-we were there in about the hottest time of the year and we understand the heat doesn't last all that long.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*Imposter!*

who is this person calling themselves "Miss M" without the telltale slouched, reflective fanny pack???

<img src="http://forums.roadbikereview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26253&stc=1"border=5>


Nevermind.
<img src="http://forums.roadbikereview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26259&stc=1"border=5>

nice pics


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

*China*

Anyone know where we can go that doesn't have dogs?[/QUOTE]

Chinese eat dogs. They say the meat is very tasty. You may take your revenge if you want to.
Sad to hear Miss M got hurt.


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## spot (Feb 16, 2005)

Sorry to hear about Miss M. Glade she is alright.


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## BarryG (Jul 5, 2004)

. .


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## bw77 (Sep 29, 2003)

*Dogs*

In my experience you have to expect loose dogs in upstate NY. I think it is worse
in the less populated areas like the Mohawk Valley, and better in the more populated
parts like the Finger Lakes. I have not had any bad dog experiences riding in France,
where they seem to have a more civilized attitude about dogs and cycling in general.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyone know where we can go that doesn't have dogs?[/QUOTE]


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## Dereck (Jan 31, 2005)

Hi MB1
A solution to the rampaging canine has, regretably, gone out of fashion with the need to fit two water bottle cages these days. A full length frame pump comes to mind from the depths of time as a good deterrent to aggressive mutts - barely a Sunday clubrun went out in the Yorkshire Dales and Wolds without being set about by a farmyard dog back when I took this cycling thing more seriously, and a rider with a frame pump and a good eye for whacking a dog's nose was a great guy to have around indeed.

Usual legal disclaimers - professional course with a closed rider, don't try this with a CO2 pump, talk to your doctor (sorry, wrong target demographic  yada, yada,.

I always kept close rein on my dogs - Boxers were amiable enough mostly, but boisterous. and my big male was inclined to square up to cars and trucks more than cyclists, being as he figured anything would back down from him and they were a bigger challenge! 

Ms M looks to fit well in that Curtis Pusher - do Waterford's do anything like that? Glenn Curtis was one heck of a character - I recall his favourite type of bike being designed to go very fast in races under infernal consumption power rather than the Wright's pedal driven bikes. The Wrights might have been first, but Glenn was one of those who took the idea of flight and really pushed it out hard. Orville and WIlbur were mostly interested in no-one copying their ideas and sueing anyone - like Glenn - who tried to improve on them.

If the Wrights had won all their lawsuits, 747s would have wing warping controls from a harness around the pilot's middle !

Regards

Dereck
60 miles today over on Kent Island - flat, all flat! I wanna go live on the MD Eastern Shore - MB1 can keep those MD hills


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Did you see my post regarding my new Waterford fixte (over on the General forum-probably moved to the second or third page by now)?

It is sweet, check it out.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Ridgetop said:


> Hey, I really like the wine glasses shot. Really cool. How's the wine in that part of the country? My wife and I live about 2 hours from (only 85 miles but insane to get there by bike with all the traffic trying to reach Lake Tahoe) some of the best Zin country in the world. We love visiting it. Anyway, glad you guys could still ride after the leg attack.


I notice that they stopped at Glenora and Dr. Konstantin Frank wineries. Glenora has a few good wines, several mediocre wines, and several plonks. Their restaurant is pricey and overrated-it caters mostly to the tourists.

Dr. Frank, OTOH, is a world-famous winery, having won more prizes for it's Reislings and Gewurtztraminers as well as having the largest vine nursery in the US. I'm sure they weren't disappointed by that stop.


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