We looked at each other smashed into opposite corners of the tiny elevator and someone probably needed to say something. We turned our eyes down at my bike which was taking up most of the floor space. “Dat dare is ah giddy up on ah bicycle.” I had lived in Texas long enough to know what he meant but I wondered how this guy was going to get by in upstate NY. Yes indeed, there were “saddle bags” on my bike. 

Sunday morning in the hotel lobby. There is some convention going on for New York state’s music teachers. On the TVs in the hotel bar which is against the wall in the lobby there’s a MMA fight on. I’m looking over the heads of a bunch of music teachers (who somehow look like music teachers) talking and laughing while behind them on a TV there’s slomo footage of a guy sitting on top of another guy who is curled up in a ball. The guy on top is repeatedly punching the man in the fetal position below.  Each time his head is mashed by a fist blood and sweat flies. I’ve got my notebook open and I’m doodling on a project but my eyes keep wandering over to the TV. Riding bikes is violent in its way I guess. The blood and broken bones never phased me much, but this fighting, and the way some of the dudes up at the bar are cheering for the guys to inflict pain and domination grosses me out. I don’t think they would stop cheering if the guys killed each other. I don’t know how they can tell they aren’t killing each other– he’s punching him in the temple over and over. It’s like being around the people who cheer when a rider at BMX comp falls. This is one of those things that makes me want to live in the woods with the trees rather than people. 

Out in the woods the day’s ride was extremely easy and pleasant. Thankfully there was a distinct lack of violence and people screaming for blood. The sun was out and the trail was smoothly paved. The weather was near perfect and folks I saw out on the trail mostly said hello and smiled back. I’m not sure how busy a trail needs to be before I’m allowed to stop saying hello to all the riders. For sure when there is only one every few miles you need to say what’s up, but when there is one every 100 feet or so? Following this thought line more I think there is a hierarchy, if I saw another person loaded up and touring like me I’d have to say hello no matter how crowded the trail is. If the trail was loaded with joggers I’d probably say hi to a lone cyclist, and if the trail is mostly empty I’ll say hello to anyone. There were also cute little rabbits hopping down the quiet parts of the trail but they don’t care if you say hi or not (but I did). I made really good time without even trying and somewhere above Albany I turned south to follow the Hudson River.  This part of the Empire State Trail aims me towards the city. 

A fast but extremely heavy rain storm blew through and I dove for cover at the first place I saw which was a laundromat. 15 minutes later I was back out on the trail grateful that I had bothered to install fenders on my bike. They can be such a pain sometimes as they are easy to bump and bend into rubbing your tires and installation is always a finicky mess but they are a nice addition for wet roads. I splashed through small puddles and wet trails but the fenders kept the spray from flipping on to my back or into my eyes. I’ve always wanted more Fairdale to come with fenders but shops would tell us they hate putting them on and I suppose you only need them in certain places. I think the only way to make installation really simple is some proprietary design that bolts right on to the frame but that’s a whole other can of worms. By the way, I just looked up the origin of the phrase “can of worms” and I am unsatisfied.

Here’s something weird. Now that I’m gold status at my hotel (I know you are impressed) I get room upgrades. Tonight I got upgraded to an executive room which is maybe just a little bigger than a normal room. However they also gave me a little sticker inviting me to the Executive Lounge which I’ve never heard of. I guess only some hotels have them and you can only get in if you are in an “executive” room. I went and checked it out and it is just an ordinary looking hotel room door in the middle of a bunch of guest rooms on a random floor (not like a penthouse bar or something). You swipe your key and it is a whole room of food and drinks with a stereo playing and lights and stuff. There wasn’t really anything too great in there, a cheese plate, a fancy coffee maker, some sodas and some crab cakes cooking away. There was no one else in there and it seemed so odd that it was unattended and more or less a secret you would never guess wasn’t a normal hotel room. I left with some chamomile tea.