Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Date: 10/22/2013

Day: 26

Location:  Syracuse, NY

Miles Today: 379

Total Miles:  5723


I-90, Lots of I-90.  A brief report with no pictures:


Today the Colonel covered some stretches of I-90 for a fourth and then a fifth time.  Cooperstown to the Buffalo airport, Buffalo airport back to Syracuse.  The Reward?  A last glimpse of the Mrs. Colonel for more than a month, alas.  Off she went on jet plane in the direction of Chicago.   At least she left some of those cookies to remember her by.  Much sadness in Syracuse.  :(


Since nothing much happened today but looking at the same Interstate from a westerly then an easterly perspective, a couple thoughts in that regard.  They do a good job on the Thruway.  The long run from Cooperstown to Buffalo is $9.40.  It seems well maintained (except for the scary salt rotten steel I-beams on many of the bridges) and well policed.  To cut down on texting while driving they offer free Wi Fi at the rest stops which are described as text zones.  Good idea.  It strikes a Californian as very odd that long stretches of the Thruway are not fenced; this is unknown on the freeways back home, even in the wildest Mojave.  The right of way here is mostly mown grass.  It looks park-like at this time of the year.  Beyond that greensward of perhaps 30 to 100 feet, the corn or the corn stubble starts.

There is some limited, not quite legal, access to these miles of pretty evenly mown green, at least for two wheelers.  It seems that there is a sport practiced hereabouts unknown in the west; grass riding.  More than once the Colonel, who now has about enough time on this stretch of I-90 to qualify to vote, has seen groups of motorcyclists running pretty darn quickly parallel to the Thruway in this linear park.  It must get exciting when the ground drops abruptly into a gully, but hey, that's probably the fun part.

Tomorrow: a visit with a friend in Syracuse and on to New Hampshire.

Wellington Boot, Col.

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