Saturday called for rain in the afternoon. We thought of risking biking to Saratoga for lunch, but we didn’t want to be pressured with thoughts of a rainy ride home. So, we did some large loops more locally and went for lunch. We also did a little tourist stuff.
I brought along the Rebel for the photos. This is along route 197. There is a farm along the hill.
We went along the Betar byway, which is only about a mile long, but really pretty.
It goes along the Hudson river. You can see Glens Falls in the distance:
I want to come with my zoom lens and do some birding early in the morning some time. We did see some geese:
We also saw the first signs of fall.
😯
South Glens Falls is home of Cooper’s Cave, which is the cave that James Fenimore Cooper visited and incorporated into his novel Last of the Mohicans. It is right by the hydro plant (which wasn’t there at the time Cooper visited).
The cave itself is protected and you can’t actually go into it, but you can view it from a fenced platform.
.
We actually haven’t visited this little attraction in a few years. We rode some more and headed out for lunch at Martha’s. Normally we do the ice cream here, but since our ride was early to avoid the rain, we had lunch at their new food area.
John had a veggie burger. I had chicken strips and we split the big basket of fries:
This was too much food, even after 24 miles of riding. I had about 3 of the strips. Turns out I don’t do as well riding with a greasy lunch as I do with the cupcake LOL! You know I love Martha’s ice cream, but the food was fairly pedestrian. It was super fresh, though, I will say that.
We were nervously watching the radar and figured we would probably be clear to get in another 10 miles or so before the rain came. It would make a short day for people at Great Escape, too.
You can see how cloudy it was by this time in our ride. The day started out sunny and beautiful and changed pretty quick.
I ended up getting a headache towards the end of the ride and had to stop to take some Motrin. At least we were prepared! We carry a lot of stuff on rides because you never know what you will need.
We made it home without getting rained on, too!
Almost 36 miles. Not my best feeling ride, but we stayed dry 😀
Have you read Last of the Mohicans?
What a beautiful country ride! I have never heard of Cooper’s Cave, nor have I read The Last of the Mohicans. Chicken tenders and fries used to be one of my favorite regular fast food meals! With country gravy, of course.
I read that book eons ago and I might check it out again. I just got Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises out of the library. I do like going through the classics now that I am older and can appreciate them more.
I have not read the book, although it sounds suspiciously familiar, like I might have been assigned it in school and read the Cliff Notes instead. Not one of my finer moments, but there you have it. Glad you beat the rain and got your bike ride in!
There are so many books I read back in high school that I know I did not want to read and probably skimmed a little bit 😀
Oh Lori you live in such a beautiful part of the world. It always looks so welcoming and lush and abundant. Not to mention green! I read Last of the Mohicans MANY years ago on a trip to the UK oddly enough. I think I picked it up in the bookshop at Sheffield University. Weird how you come across things. Your garden is coming together nicely too. It’s going to look increasingly fabulous over the coming years. I wish we had such great spots to ride here locally. A lot of road riders do use the roads but they have very poorly kept and small shoulders (the roads not the riders – ha!) and I don’t feel safe. There are some footpaths that can be used but as yet they don’t all join up. One day….
It really is beautiful here. I have livedi in the midwest and the Rocky states, but nothing is really quite like the Northeast.
First: no I haven’t read it, do know the book though.
Although it may be a short ride, it sure is a pretty one, it’s beautiful.
Absolutely LOVE Last of the Mohicans…. the movie i mean not the book..haven’t read the book but now maybe i need to. I just picked up The Picture of Dorian Gray… by Oscar Wilde… Its my classic for the year… 🙂 Have you read the Mohican book? Is it good? We went to see A Walk in the Woods with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte… LOVED it! Looks like you had a great ride Lori and took GREAT photos with your new camera!! Hugs! deb
36 miles, that’s pretty impressive in my world! Lovely ride and photos and enjoyed being taken along the tourist bits. Your cycling adventures are seriously inspiring 🙂
I read Last of the Mohicans and you’re mistaken, I specifically remember Chingachgook mentioning the hydro plant. Just kidding. I haven’t read it, but am interested in that period. Let us know what you think if you read it. I’m a tad nervous about the violence.
Any biking gloves recommendations? My hands were numb blocks after a short windy ride on Sat.
I like a different style biking glove with just leather palms. You can get those with gel padded palms, which might help you. Also, make sure to change up your grip when riding. It’s easy to just hang tight and not moving your hands, which can cause the numbness.
Those chicken strips look tasty!
It’s beginning to look like fall here too. Rain started today. It’s cold, dark, gray, rainy. I have a feeling we’re going to have an icky winter!
You live in the most beautiful area. I really need to travel up that way someday.
Oofta- I could never do any type of activity after eating those chicken tenders either. lol
Im soooo praying it’s fall here again today.
but I think that was only yesterday 🙂
97 this weekend.
I also saw a tree with leaves changing color and got very excited…though I think here in the DFW area it’s not going to really cool down for a bit yet.
Neat to see the cave.
So hot here with a little break today but getting hot again!!! Such beauty there Lori!!!