And the Miles Will Just Melt Away

 We left Brockport heading back to the canal to follow the same tow path that we were traveling yesterday under slightly overcast skies and temperatures a bit cooler that yesterday, about mid seventies.

The air was still in several places resulting in a mirror-like reflection in the canal. Without a tailwind, our pace was a bit more leisurely than the rapid pace of yesterday that allowed us to enjoy the trail more fully.

We exited the path after about an hour or so to a surface road that had more traffic than anticipated before rejoining the canal path about 15 more miles further down. The path alternated between hard packed crushed gravel to paved asphalt. Both surfaces were equally rideable.

Lunch was at the 40 mile mark and we ate and relaxed for maybe 45 to 60 minutes before pushing on for the final 25 miles which was mostly well paved asphalt on quiet county roads.

For a while, I set the pace for others at what I call my cross county speed. Not so fast that you would grow tired of the pace, but fast enough that you're making good progress. For me, that pace is about 17 MPH. You fall into a loping rhythm so that you have almost a constant pressure on the down stroke and constant upward pressure on the upstroke and making smooth circular strokes. The pace almost sets me in to a meditative state of mind as you feel the wind moving over your face, arms and legs while wicking the moisture off your skin keeping you cool as the remaining miles just melt away. 

All of today's photos (link)

Keep the rubber side down,

Brian