The weekend had the most glorious weather! It was supposed to be pretty warm Saturday (upper 70s), so we decided on an afternoon ride for ice cream! Last weekend, we did a 50+ mile ride and were pretty tired on Sunday, so we backed down a bit and John mapped out a 40 mile ride with hills. We had a destination in mind, so John planned around that to get us to 40 miles. After fueling up with a big lunch, I lathered up with sunscreen and we hit the roads.
We probably should have let lunch sit a little longer because my tummy was not happy with riding for the first 5 or 6 miles. We cruised along for about 12 miles before stopping just as we got to the top of a hill coming into downtown Glens Falls.
This is a 5 point intersection and if you can believe it, they use to have a traffic light here before they put in the circle. It sucked if you just missed the light because you had to sit *forever* to for the light to go around 4 times. The circle is much, much better.
This is my team Espresso jersey.
From here, we took a long way around to hook back onto the Lake George path. Now it was time for the hills! We normally get to the top of this section of hills at mile 11, so it was a nice challenge doing it after riding for a while.
As we were climbing the b*tch hill, a couple people passed us going up and I felt slightly annoyed at why I couldn’t go faster. Then I caught up to them again as we were approaching the peak of that hill where it gets steep to the top and they got off to walk their bikes up. Petty me decided I was going to ride on past them LOL! I was tired, but I thought “no way am I going to walk up this part”. I should have thanked them for the impetus.
Made it! This was about mile 18. Look at that line of cars for the outlet mall.
I asked John to pose, but after hitting the top of the hill, he wasn’t all into that.
Then it was 2 miles of nice downhill riding to the lake! Wheeeeee! A little energy reward once we got there.
Did I say how gorgeous it was on Saturday?
See that sky? That is known as sunburn sky to Lori. I put on more sunscreen while we stopped here.
I was nice to sit a spell and get some rest. I was saying to John how much I loved days where it was this nice at the lake before all the tourists come and make it all crowded.
We didn’t stop too long, because I had ice cream on my mind! That was the reason for the ride 
We headed back up the way we came. This is the 2 mile climb back up to that overpass, but it doesn’t seem as bad going this way because the last tick up is not so steep. Then at mile 26, we arrived at our destination:
Great Escape isn’t open for the season yet, but Martha’s is! It was really crowded, too. All the locals love Martha’s and with good reason. We set up camp under the metal umbrellas:
My treat for the day? This is the Scholarship Sundae (proceeds fund a scholarship). Apple pie soft serve with raspberry sauce and chocolate fudge. Topped with cookie crumbs.
John got the cherry (har har). The one fruit I do not eat would be cherries. Ick. This is a regular size sundae. I can’t imagine how big the large size is!
This was soooo good. We like to say we have biking tastebuds because everything tastes just that much better when you have worked hard before eating.
We altered our route on the way home to avoid some traffic and decided to go around on the path with a couple extra loops and then finish up. We saw this family on the canal:
Aren’t they the cutest! Eeeeeeee!!! Normally we only see ducks on the canal. First time ever to see geese with babies.
A little less than a mile to go (around mile 39), John’s bike started making a funny noise. Oh no! The back tire was flat! Look at what was sticking out of his tire.
That is a 2 inch nail! We have super duper puncture proof tires on our bikes now after the Flat Tire Saga of 2011, which I am sure you all remember. However, no tire can withstand a 2 inch nail. John was going to walk the rest of the way home, but then just decided to change the tube so as not to harm the wheel. He can change a tube quite fast now.
Then the last 3 minutes to home.
Ride stats:
Total miles: 40.2
Average speed: 12.6 mph
Top speed: 27.2 mph
Calories burned: 1200
Hopefully that flat tire is not gong to bring about another round of flats like last year. Other than that, it was a great day and a great ride!
Beautiful skies…such gorgeous weather this weekend.
I saw some goslings last week and I wanted to bring them home for pets they were so cute.
Now that’s a sundae! Great reward after your long bike ride.
Boo to the flat, but glad it was close to home and that John could take care of it on the spot.
Have a great week!
Woo hoo Lori!
My daughter came and rode 5.5 miles on a bike with me on the bike trail.What fun! Hugs! deb
What gorgeous weather – and how fun to get in such a great bike ride! Love the baby geese, love the sundae, don’t love the 2″ nail – all in all, looks like that ride was a blast!
Oh, I’m so happy you had a pretty weekend! Y’all were a little overdue. 🙂
Our weekend was gray and misty, but I’m trying to be a big girl about it (without becoming a BIG girl, if you know what I mean) because our crops need the rain.
That sundae looks delicious–well-worth a long bike ride!
Hope that is the first and last flat of 2012. It was a great weekend for riding here in Missouri as well.
The weather here has also been glorious this weekend, and we spent today on our deck and in our back yard with our family. It would have been a great day for a bike ride–and that sundae looks pretty good too!
Girl did you have gorgeous weather: beautiful! What a great bike ride.
We have a lot of those geese in my town, add to that a lot of ducks and swans and personally I think we have a little to much of them. Every year there are more and more.
They are making those traffic circles here in Holland more and more instead of traffic lights and I prefer them too.
The sundae picture was the best of the lot. I did enjoy the other pictures too!
That was some nail! You reminded me I should put some air to my bike tyres, even though I mostly walk these days because that way I get more exercise.
I’m quite sore from yesterday’s FBB workout.
How fun it is to finally KNOW exactly where you are riding. We discovered that great ice cream place after only a 7-mile bike ride on the path. We’d just eaten lunch so I refrained, but Bill stood in line 20 deep for a sundae that looked just like the one in your picture. I suspect we’ll be back to that place more than once this week! Sadly, the gorgeous blue sky has given way to rain. (Wish we’d seen the geese family – unfortunately, the only wildlife we saw on the path SLITHERED across in front of me!!)
You found Martha’s! If you are up for a long ride at the end of the week, we could always hit up our other favorite ice cream/froyo place 😀
This weekend was spectacular wasn’t it? I don’t ride a bike but I think even I would ride for a sundae like that!
You guys are warriors!!! I would never survive that ride! 😉 Love the pics & the cute baby geese!! LOVE your shirt too! As for that line up of cars – here we call that a very very light day of traffic! 😉
So glad you had a beautiful weekend – well, besides that dang flat tire – no more Lori! 😉
SUPER day for a bike ride!
Funny – I love the taste of cherries but can’t eat cherries. Too paranoid about cherry pits. 🙂
What a gorgeous day!
I remember all those flats last year – lets hope this one is the only one this season! 😀
Beautiful sky and water!
Man, those dang nails! You are a lucky one, huh?
What a fabulous weekend Lori! Ouch on the nail but hope it doesn’t start a trend this year for you.
I gave you and your 1 minute muffins a shout out this morning! Stop by and take a look if you have time. 🙂