Day 38 – Rochester to Weedsport, NY

Day two following the Erie Canal and another truly beautiful day of perfect weather and great scenery. There were at least three unforeseen incidents today: a puncture, a bicycle seat failure and a boat rescue, all of which underline the importance of including contingency in your plans, as well as the need to think your way around problems.

We had only been going for under an hour when we heard a small pinging noise come from Simon’s new bike, and then another a few seconds later. It was about then that he realised his seat was slipping from under him. Close analysis of the bike path revealed a lost nut; but most of the metal parts that held the saddle to the seat post had disappeared for good. There was no way he could ride without anything to sit upon. This was potentially quite serious, but by an unlikely stroke of luck, this happened right outside a large branch of REI, a major cooperative chain of outdoor stores in the USA. They have a big bike department and workshop and were able to find Simon a replacement seat post with all the necessary fixings to reconnect his seat. And all for ten dollars. If it had happened almost anywhere else, we were in trouble. Amazing.

The day continued with pleasant riding, always close to the canal, passing through towns large and small, where we stopped a couple of times for sustenance. There was nothing not to like. A few boats came past as we rode by and friendly waves were exchanged. It was that kind of morning.

Later in the afternoon, a couple of men aboard a smallish boat called to us for help. They were trying to pull up against a dock to moor but had managed to get their keel stuck in the mud and couldn’t move. They were stuck several metres out in the water, stranded. They threw us a rope which Simon tied up on the quayside. With their engine in reverse, they were then able to wind in the rope until it was taut, pulling them free.

Rescue complete, we pushed on and found that the final section of today’s ride was back on the road, although it had a shoulder wide enough for us to ride two abreast. Twenty minutes into this, I suffered a sudden flat tyre on my front wheel. Since this was the first of the trip on this wheel, and today I passed 3,000 miles of cycling, I think that is good going. I changed it with surprising ease and efficiency and we were back on our way, reaching the hotel in Weedsport ahead of our bags. In the circumstances, I think we can be forgiven for heading back along the Main Street to the local brewpub to enjoy an Oktoberfest pint.