Day 06: Utica, NY to Skaneateles, NY

Total Distance: 73.2 mi
Moving Avg: 9.3 mph
Moving Time: 7:52
Climing: 4000 ft
Elev Gain: 500 ft

Route Summary:
NY 5[A] W to
NY 173 to 
NY 92 N to
NY 5 W to
NY 174 S to
NY 175 S

Today had the potential for disaster, but it all worked out. At about
6:30 I started looking for a motel to stay the night. A local told me
there were a couple about 2 miles down the road. But there was a fork
about half a mile down the road, with one fork leading back to the
highway in about half a mile. So I chose the other one. I was wrong
(or maybe he was wrong, but I think it was my bad). Anyway, to make a
long story short, there was not a motel for about 10 miles, and I
didn't actually make it there till about 8. I almost missed the
Simpsons! 

Today I made a lot of miles, which is really cool. The sun really
really helps. It just makes everything better. There were lots of
headwinds in the morning, but they faded in the
afternoon. Unfortunatly, the sun also meant I got a bit sunburned,
even through the SPF 30 sunscreen. 

Also, this afternoon I learned another lesson: always check the
profile, even of alternate routes. I climbed about 700 feet of steep
steep hill for no good reason. Oh well. Despite this, I was still in
pretty good spirits for the rest of day. Although the climbing did
set off my left knee. 

And although I didn't get through to the people in Syracuse, I did
get through to a Brother in Canandaigua/Macedon, so I have a place to crash
tomorrow night! Yay! 

Also, I managed to get myself on a decent stretch of limited access
road (no bikes allowed) today by accident. Oops. I guess it is
practice for the interstates later.