Not many of the world’s rivers have an influential artistic tradition named for them.

Welcome to the Hudson!

Here are some views of our send-off committee.  Not pictured is Jeffrey’s friend Monica, who brought us some delicious treats for the trip, and took photos but not of herself.

Here’s the first set of stairs we encountered at the GWB.

This is a view from the GWBridge, on the north (upstream) side, toward Albany.

 

In the middle of the bridge, we crossed the NJ line.

The intrepid Daler is standing at the foot of the least difficult set of stairs we encountered; after we took that photo, he biked back across the bridge and went to work, having spent precious hours this morning to see that we got to New Jersey safely.

Welcome back to New York!

Green mountains, and sometimes wide smooth shoulders.

The Bear Mountain Bridge, on which we recrossed the Hudson, 46 miles from home.

Views from the Bear Mountain Bridge.

A hilltop church in the distance.

Liam immigrated from Ireland, used to live in Manhattan, and moved with his wife and kids to Cold Spring, NY.  When the kids grew up, they moved back to Manhattan.  Liam says he prefers running and biking in the city, finding motorists more considerate of those who are not in cars.  He is disappointed with President Obama and finds our country’s removal/deportation policies cruel.  Liam hikes to clear his head, as Jeffrey bikes to clear his.

Pat grew up in a Chicago suburb.  He in sympathetic to refugees and has put a Joey Goes to the Great Lakes sticker on his shirt.

Joe passed us in his car, then flagged us down outside Fishkill.  He had lots of questions about the trike, our motives and our destination.

Lee, who preaches sometimes, showed us some of his impressive photos, which he displays imaginatively in clubs.  We enjoyed his musical Caribbean accent.  He thinks too many people in the Poughkeepsie area are oblivious to those who provide their food and many of their services: immigrants.  We talked about the ethnic restaurants Jeffrey saw in the small towns along the way.  Our ride today inspired him to consider biking to Queens when he visits a club there soon.

We sought shelter under the roof overhang of an abandoned building in Wappinger’s Falls from a series of cloudbursts and lightning storms.  Eventually we had to proceed in the rain.  It was unpleasant but that’s part of cycle touring.

We made it to Hyde Park.  Jeffrey ate pasta for dinner.  I remained in my plastic bag.

Jeffrey had philosophic notions today, but they must wait for another post.  The hour is late and his brain is fried.  Tune in tomorrow!