Day 47: A Visit From My Son Kevin

Friday, August 2, 2013, Little Falls, NY to Latham, NY (near Albany)

74 miles with 2,100' of climbing

I woke this morning in a great mood. In a few short hours, I would be seeing Kevin who was taking the train from Manhattan and renting a car in Albany just to see his dear old mother. 

My cheerful mood only improved as the day progressed. Yesterday's rain cleared all of the pollutants out of the sky and left us with bright sunshine. Temperatures were in the 70's and, most importantly, winds were out of the west - perfect! When we had climbs, we were rewarded with spectacular views. This photo was taken after climbing out of Little Falls...

Best of all, several miles of today's route were on bike paths that ran beside the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River. The photo depicts Lock 8 on the Erie Canal...

Of course, seeing Kevin was the highlight of the day. He arrived by 4:30 and was given the room directly across the hall from us. We met friends in the lounge for a quick drink then were off to RAP where he was introduced. Gail joined us for dinner in Albany at the New World Bistro. It was one of the best meals of the trip - certainly more appealing than the hot dogs that were being served on the buffet. :-) To say that it was great to see him is an understatement. His goal was to provide encouragement to us so that we would finish this journey. I will remember this as I climb the mountains tomorrow.