Got in about 95 miles on Friday from Churchville to Gowanda, N.Y. The temperature was 98 degrees most of the day, with high humidity.
Managed 50 miles by noon and then it was pretty easy going since I had the rest of the day to ride. Very nice people. You would NEVER think this was New York with all the farms and green space.
Stopped at a motorcycle dealership outside Springville and saw a bunch of antique bikes. Hondas and the famous 'Kick N' Go' from when I was a kid. Next to the jet packs, the Kick N' Go's were GREAT. Mike, the owner of the shop, gave me a cold bottle of water. He said he noticed me shaking and thought I might need it. I didn't feel too bad, actually.
Got a nice kick in the teeth when I was three miles from my destination in Gowanda and there was a detour because of construction.
Some nice folks at the VFW in Gowanda adopted me last night. Bought me a couple beers and told me about the area. Found a bunch of churches to stay at but, nobody home so I got a crappy room at The Palms Hotel, Restaurant and Karate studio. Gowanda is small.
Took off around 6 a.m., as it's getting lighter later. Made it 24 miles up the road and hit Gary's Diner in Fredonia for breakfast. A nice group of people let me join their table. I listened to WW II stories and threw in a couple of my own.
I went to settle up on my egg and toast and it turns out they took care of the bill.
Then, as I was preparing to leave the diner, a man name Bill came out the door and said he overheard my stories of travel and gave me his home address and phone number. "If you get to Cleveland, Ohio and need a place to stay I'm right on your route."
This is pretty much the way the tour's been going.
It's about 10:20 a.m. and I almost have 37 miles in. I expect to cross into Pennsylvania shortly. Latest signs say Erie is about 65 miles away. Forecast is calling for possible scattered storms so I figure I better make time while I can.
Right now I'm in Westfield. Found a Public Library that's open. There's a farmer's market across the street with music and a bunch of Amish people. I figure I'll take a quick break and then get back on the road.
Making better time today, as Route 20 is pretty flat and has a good shoulder. I'm averaging 16 mph rather then 11 mph when crossing the hills and valleys the past few days.
Judy is a Milwaukee native who is ever exploring the country. Her favorite mode of travel is her 21-speed, blue Centurion bicycle, which she bought after high school. Judy has worked in the local media for the past 20 years. "I need to do something to support my biking habit."
Judy has an extensive history in radio news, having worked at WISN, WUWM, WTMJ, WKTY in La Crosse and WBKV in West Bend. A strong interest in sports also had Judy reporting for ESPN Radio covering the Packers, Buck, Brewers and Badgers. "One of my first Brewer games at County Stadium the security guy yelled as I walked into the locker room LADY IN THE LOCKER ROOM. Now its so commonplace. But that story makes me sound really old."
Judy is currently working at WISN-TV in Milwaukee. She is a freelance writer and her pieces have been seen in The Small Business Times and The Business Journal. Her travel journal has appeared in Minnesota Trails Magazine, The Statesman and the West Bend Daily News, to name a few.
Aside from biking, running and being active in her community, Judy is known as someone who is "very, very thrifty." "I get candles for Christmas. My friends call them my space heaters because I normally keep the heat in my house at 40 degrees during the winter. Its not that I cant afford to turn up the thermostat, I just hate paying for heat."
Judy said her "conservative attitude" plays a part in her bike tours ... not needing to pay for gas and frequently spending nights camping inside churches. "First of all, it makes me feel safe since Im traveling alone and second all youre doing is sleeping, so why pay for that. Its no wonder I cant ever get someone to travel with me."
Judy grew up in Whitefish Bay and graduated from Dominican High School and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Judy is the second oldest among seven siblings and spends a lot of her time working as a "park tester" along with her eight nieces and nephews.
