It was a lazy start to the day. Just before 9:00 AM, we wandered down to the breakfast area and were disappointed with what we found. The last two Days Inn & Suites we stayed at had hot breakfasts. This one not only didn't have that, the selection of cereals and other cold items was quite limited. They didn't even have decaf coffee. This was an older property but that is no reason to skimp on the food. I'll have to dock them a couple of stars for this. Sandy took some yogurt and we checked out.
I needed fuel went to the Mobil station at a No Frills store. The GPS voiced this as Number Frills, thinking the No was an abbreviation. Then we stopped at Mickey D's where Sandy got a strawberry creme muffin and decaf while voicing her unhappiness with the cancellation of her favourite cranberry/orange option. I got coffee and had turkey bites and cheese in the car. It was 79 F as we headed out of town at 9:20 AM under mixed overcast skies.
It is a nice little place
Arnprior is where the divided highway starts
Feeble Whinney Farm - there must be a story
We followed 17 to Arnprior and then 417 (4xx series highways in Ontario are divided restricted access roads - aka freeways) to Ottawa, where we turned south on 416. When we arrived at the bridge to the USA over the St. Lawrence River/Seaway, I wanted to stop for a bathroom break before hitting customs. It doesn't look good if they send you into secondary inspection and you immediately ask to use the facilities.
We followed Highway 2 to and through Prescott without finding a single fast food place. I resorted to the GPS which took us to a McDonald's next to the 401. After using the facilities, Sandy got a smoothie and I ordered my first ever Seniors Coffee. Then we proceeded to the bridge.
Downtown Prescott
Downtown Prescott
Ogdensburg Prescott International Bridge
The first time we did this 1.5 mile steel grate bridge on the bike, it was raining and there was a strong gusting crosswind from the west. I swore I never wanted to do it again on a bike and the US Border Agent agreed it was a challenge. It was even unstable driving it today in the Equinox.
A treacherous bridge
Port of Johnstown
We're back
Quiet crossing - no waiting
After a couple of typical question, we were admitted to the USA once again. From Ogdensburg, we headed southeast on NY 68. Not many others were going the same way.
Amish or Mennonite?
This is a good motorcycle road
Flat farmland
Pastoral scenery
New York National Guard
Canton New York
Sandy likes places that have flowers
Grace Episcopal Church - Canton New York
After canton, it started raining. There is a way to fix the focus on the new camera on infinity, preventing it from focusing on the raindrops on the windshield. Unfortunately, you need to do it every time you turn the camera on. We followed 68 to Colton where we turned onto NY 56. The flat farmland gave way to rugged rolling woods. When 56 ended, we turned left on NY 3 to Tupper Lake.
Raquette River
Holy Name Catholic Church - Tupper Lake New York
The Main Street Restaurant in Tupper Lake looked pretty good. I failed to read the part about the tight parking lot and pulled in without taking a good look. I ended up stuck in the far back corner next to a railway track with no clear idea how I was going to get out. Oh well, eat first, worry later.
Another fine mess I've gotten me into
Sandy had a Caesar salad while I opted for the chef salad. It was ample and quite good. As I was paying the bill, I suggested they might want to watch the show outside as I tried to extricate our vehicle.
My chef salad
Lucky for me, the GM Terrain had left. With an empty space beside me, it was a lot easier to maneuver. Sandy was outside watching my clearances and, of course, the rain picked up substantially. As I was getting closer to an escape, one of the staff came out and moved the Nissan SUV right behind me. Home free and thank you, bud.
Leaving Tupper Lake in heavy rain, we encountered a stretch where one lane was closed due to guard rail installation. The flagman didn't look too happy.
Road work in the rain
Nice looking boat house on the Raquette River
He wasn't smiling
Oncoming traffic finally arrived
No sooner had we cleared the first single lane than we came to a second one. This one was a shorter wait.
The Raquette River a third time
Water cooled bicyclists
Someone flashed their lights and warned me
Long Lake New York
St. Henry's Catholic Church - Long Lake New York
This was funny
Low lying clouds on the hills
From Long Lake, we followed Highway 28N (nothing to do with direction) and Highway 28 to State Route 9. On the way, we stopped for a bathroom break, fuel and cough drops at a Mobil station/mini-mart in North Creek. State Route 9 took us through Warrensburg, where we missed the Super 8 the first time around. Because the GPS was told that we don't want U-turns, it took us all the way to Lake George to find a block to go around. If I had realized what it was doing, out trip today would have been nine miles shorter.
Floyd Bennett Park - Warrensburg New York
The Original Lincoln Logs - Warrensburg New York
Once we found the Super 8 and got checked in, I parked the trailer at the far end of the lot. Juanita said they would have a full house tonight and this was the most out-of-the-way spot I could find.
There was a good sounding pub not far away and I offered to take Sandy there for a birthday supper. She said she wasn't feeling well enough so we went next door to Price Chopper where she got snap peas, hummus and a large butter cream filled cupcake to take back to the room. I ended up with (you guessed it) turkey bites and string cheese.
The birthday cupcake
On the way into town, the car Infotainment System sounded a weather alert. It seemed that Rensselear and Columbia Counties were under a severe thunderstorm warning. People were asked to go to the interior of the lowest floor in their structures. The problem with these alerts was that we had no idea where these counties were. I thought they were north of us but they were actually just to the south.
As we were coming back from Price Chopper, I took a moment to photograph a few ominous looking clouds of our own. They spawned some rain but not much more where we were.
Tomorrow, the bike is scheduled to go to Barry for 8:00 AM. He is about a ten minute drive from here, so we will do that and then go for breakfast, Checkout here is not until 11:00 AM and the bike should be done sometime after lunch. We will leave the trailer at the shop and go sightseeing for a few hours.
Today's Route (275 Equinox/Trailer miles):
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