Not quite triumphant return
I woke up at 5:30am and didn’t roll over and go back to sleep. Strange. I went for a walk around the campgrounds hoping to find the trail down to the famous gorge. It wasn’t obvious. I started to realize that it was no colder this morning at 5:30 than it had been any other morning at 5:30. Meaning, it was going to be another hot day. Perhaps I didn’t really care too much about seeing this beautiful gorge. There are plenty of nice gorges in Ithaca for me to see. Perhaps I will try to bike over the hill before 10am.
I coasted down the hill to Watkins Glen. Ah. It was 79 degrees at 6:30am. My plan was looking better and better. Breakfast at a cute little cafe in Burdett was a failure, as it was only open Tuesday through Saturday. Eit. That just meant I’d get to Gimme! Coffee earlier. Besides, I had plenty of hills to go up before I got to coast into Ithaca. Much easier on an empty stomach. The fields on the tops of the hills that separate Seneca Lake from Lake Cayuga were beautiful, green and rolling. I only had to struggle up one or two monster hills.
One of the best views of Cornell must be from Rte 79 coming in from Watkins Glen. Except that the day was so hazy by 9am that I could barely make out individual buildings. C’est la vie.
I had a celebratory iced latte with Jofish and Caitlin at Gimme! Coffee, and then returned home to feel slightly less triumphant looking at the dog poo that had been deposited on some of my best clothing. Teach me to leave my clothes on the floor. Cats. I like cats. Even when they pee on the futon.
How was the trip overall? My legs were having fun. But I’ll never plan to bike in 90 degrees again. Not for four days in a row. Mew mew mew.