Day 11 Mexico Bay Beach, New York to Pultneyville, New York 100km

We clocked up the miles in the early morning with not much to see apart from passing through the town of Fulton. After lunch we were passing through a lot of vineyards and orchards. It broke 30c in the afternoon which made it quite tough going and at half 7 here it is still 28c. We are staying alongside Lake Ontario once again. Tomorrow we hope to reach the Erie Canal.

Ducks crossing

This is for the Fultons

Vineyards next to Lake Ontario

Lunch next to Lake Ontario in Sodus Point.

More orchards and vineyards

On the road to Pultneyville.

Drive thru ATM

Our campsite next to the lake

Day 10 Boonville, New York to Mexico Bay Beach, New York 95km

We left the Adirondacks behind us today and made it to the shores of Lake Ontario. The area between Boonville and Osceola seemed to be mostly populated by rednecks and hillbillies. The closer we got to the lake the more farms we encountered. We also came across some Amish communities. We got a campsite right next to the lake which is free for cyclists. We went for a swim in the lake which was pretty warm. The last few days have been very pleasant with temperatures in the low 20s but the nights have been quiet chilly. Now that we have dropped down From the mountains we are hoping for some warmer nights.

Silage time just outside West Leydon

Osceola

Sunday boating on the Salmon River Reservoir.

Amish warnings

Big farm with its own water tower

Some fishing in Port Ontario

The view from our campsite

Swimming in Lake Ontario

Sunset over Lake Ontario

Sunset over Lake Ontario

Day 9 Raquette lake, New York to Boonville, New York 75km

We were both asleep by about 8pm last night so we got about 11 hours sleep. We stayed in a state park and had squirrels and deer roaming through our site all night. After breakfast in Inlet we had a mostly downhill cruise for the day to Boonville. We had most of our cycling done by 2pm so we got lunch in town and then stocked up in the supermarket before heading for the campsite. The campsite we are staying has a big dance hall for square dancing. The campsite owner is 86 and she has kept the hall in the same condition as it was in the 60s although it is no longer used.

The Black River outside Boonville

Lunch In Boonville

The dance hall

Day 8 North Hudson, New York to Raquette Lake, New York 102km

Today was another very hilly day. We are both starting to feel the effects of all the climbing we've done over the last few days. Our legs felt very heavy today. It didn't help that we had a big climb to start the day and after that it was hill after hill. The scenery was beautiful once again  and the lakes are stunning. We are camped for the night in a state park which only cost 4 dollars each, but there is no signal or WiFi up here, so this post will be a bit late going up.

The Niagara Brook in the Adirondacks

Brunch in Newcomb which is known as the heart of the Adirondacks.

Source of the Hudson River

Hudson River heading for New York City.

Swampland in the Adirondacks

Long Lake, New York.

Another climb

Blue Mountain Lake, New York.

Raquette Lake, New York.

Dinner time. Spam and cheese

Day 7 Middlebury, Vermont to North Hudson, New York 75km

Another day another mountain range. Today we entered the Adirondacks and New York State. We spent the morning rolling through our final few miles of Vermont countryside with the smell of dung and hay in the air. We met Clyde from Boston who is cycling a recumbent. He gave us a tip to take the Katy Trail in Missouri which we might consider. We got a ferry across Lake Champlain to the town of Ticonderoga in New York where we had lunch. After a long and steep climb out of Ticonderoga we finished the day in North Hudson which is known as the "Hub of the Adirondacks".

The Green Mountains of Vermont behind us.

Vermont farmland and the Adirondacks ahead of us.

Clyde from Boston who we met on the road.

The Lake Champlain ferry

Lake Champlain

New York State

New York State

Ticonderoga

Steep climb out of Ticonderoga

Eagle lake, New York.

A waterfall next to the road

Our campsite in North Hudson, which we have all to ourselves.

Day 6 East Thetford, Vermont to Middlebury, Vermont 122km

If started a lot cooler today with thunderstorms overnight clearing away the stifling heat. My tent collapsed on me during the storm, while Brian thinks he heard what we hope was a moose grunting in the forest. So it was a restless night. Conditions were much better for cycling today and we did a massive 122km over the green mountains. It was a very hilly day with the steep Middlebury pass to finish the day. Half way through the day we came across an underpass which was closed for repairs. Instead of taking a long detour we had to lift our bikes and gear up a steep ditch, through some bushes and over the railway tracks to get around. The campsite we were aiming for was closed so we are staying in a motel just outside of Middlebury.

Our first covered bridge

Store in Vermont

Hilly Vermont

The White River

A detour we had to make due to a closed underpass

Steep climb

Brian falls again

A poor attempt at a pano of a Vermont valley

Descending down the Middlebury Pass