day one albany airport to amsterdam 37 miles. We
finally pedal away from airport, where we dropped of the car, at 2 pm. the ride was beautiful, along the majestic mohawk river, past locks, vast marshes with cattails and rushes and songbirds. encounters with nature: one bee sting, dozens of rabbits and ground hogish creatures. no rain..and even blue skies and sun. now that we are snug in the hotel, torrential rain. earlier we biked to the south side of the river to an enclave of three italian restaurants all mom run and the food was fresh and home made...if excessive. these places are nestled between looming abandoned factories and houses boarded up with plywood...and then just across the street on a hill a huge brick castle with a crenalated tower and iron doors that is a b&b. we met the owners at the restaurant. tomorrow little falls.

Kalia Doner--------Sent from my Verizon Wireless mobile phone