Tripping into Ithaca

Woke up this morning at my old house at 68 pine street. Felt funny, different from previous nights. No longer a tenant, but a squatter in a sense. An itinerant traveler who crawled through the window in order to find a place for him and his friend to stay while in town for the evening. Whereas before there was such a plethora of food without enough of an appetite to string together a meal, our arrival meant the creation and consumption of feasts that made my body rejoice.

After a night at the Brass Rail with a few friends, waking up in the morning was a bit of a challenge - however, I was awake at the turn of seven to create a massive breakfast for our elite four. We cleaned, cooked, prepared snacks, and hit the road at noon. I even got to see my old landlord, who was totally ok with us staying the night and using the facilities it turned out.

The ride itself was 50 miles heading from Binghamton to Ithaca. And we made pretty good time. Of course, with the new riders along, we were adjusting to a new energy. They will be posting in days to come about their experiences as well.

By five o'clock, we were riding down a four mile hill into the heart of Ithaca, riding so fast we had to break behind the cars. Our rims were hot enough to cook an egg, as Lenny suggested.

We then met up with Lenny's friend Shep, a fine young fellow who also housed up the gentleman from last summer. He showed us the uphill back way into Cornell campus where we found our beloved bridge where we jumped from a height of fifty feet into the gorges below.

Feeling strong and confident after the ride today, I felt behoved to take the first leap. Unfortunately, I was so eager, I forgot to take off my glasses...no matter though, I was tired with the John Lennon look anyways and contacts will be an welcome shift for the upcoming months.

In the evening, we stopped by the local brewery and some enormous and appetizing burgers, filled with playful banter including Lee's friend Kelly. A kind student studying psychology, I enjoyed exploring her mind and sipping a few beers with her and the rest of the group at another local dive bar.

Now, we are all seated in Shep's apartment. A lot of catching up happening between Shep and Lenny. I watch as these stories unfold before me and I wonder what part I play. Tomorrow, we ride to Victor, NY : a 71 mile hike. I hope the boys are ready.