Day 43

Cazenovia, NY to Piseco, NY

• Miles: 93 mi

• Elevation Gain: 3,764 ft

The cumulative fatigue is real — and it hit me (and many of my fellow riders) today. We’re tired, sore, and maybe a little bit grumpy. At one point Sara joked about calling an Uber to the nearest airport to fly home… all I could think was, “great idea, I’ll file that one away just in case!”

The day started with promise: just a few miles outside of Cazenovia were some gorgeous waterfalls. The only problem? Our group missed the turn and missed the falls completely. Don’t worry, I’ve included a few pictures from riders who did see them so you can appreciate the beauty we passed right by. Our consolation highlight? Taking pictures at a no-longer-operating state prison. Not quite waterfalls, but you take what you can get!

The last three miles were actually my favorite — Karen, Mark, and I slowed down and soaked in the beauty of Lake Piseco and the stunning fall foliage 🍂. That is, until the pavement ended and we hit gravel that rattled our bones all the way to the finish.

Tonight we’re staying in rustic cabins at the Irondequoit Inn. At check-in we were greeted with a helpful reminder that the beds aren’t made because “mice like to nest in made beds.” Cozy, right? I’m sharing a cabin with another rider and two guides, but the silver lining is that ours is the only cabin with internet — so I guess that’s a win!

I’m exhausted, my hands feel about as useful as lobster claws, and every muscle in my body is sore. But, in the spirit of an attitude reset, I stumbled across the song “Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows” by Lesley Gore and used it for my Instagram post tonight — a little inspiration to lighten the mood. On the bright side, I’ll be in bed by 8 pm!