July 15 The Goose Gauntlet to Camp Hobart

Chris Brown leads us out of Rochester, along East Avenue past the Eastman House, and thru the SE affluent suburbs, and we must say our farewells at the touristy town of Pittsford, perched right on the canal. It was too short a stay in lovely Rochester! Thank you Chris and Suzanne, and best of luck on the new porches!
It's back to toting bales along the canal cinder path and trying not to run over flocks of insistent Canada Geese along the way as we maneuver thru Fairport, Macedon, Palmyra and to Newark. Today is rather humid, with temps in the low 80s, the skeeters are out (lots of sluggish water around the canal area), but the track is tree lined most of the way. Sticky and sweaty are us and the afternoon wears us down. Some sections have thick, loose sand that stalls progress. There are canal crossings (on bridges) and brief stretches on road to bypass private property. At Newark, we opt to leave the canalway and head south on SR 88 to Phelps, then Rte. 6 to Oaks Corners and Geneva. Now we're talking home turf for me; I attended Hobart College in Geneva from 1975-1981 (somehow it took 6 years to do a 4 year degree!?). Tho Main Street has been repaved, the town is exactly as I remember, and aside from some new buildings and facelift, the college campus raised me some goosebumps as we cycled through! On Rte. 14, just south of town, we reach the lovely Seneca lakefront home of Dan and Monica McGowan, where we'll stay tonite. Dan is a retired Professor of Economics who, ironiclly, I never had as a teacher while a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, but met later through friends. The evening is complete when Larry (retired Prof. of Mathematics who I did have as a teacher) and Faye Smolowitz join us for a round of chat and catching up.
The calm lapping of Lake Seneca waters on the shore directly below our bedroom window rocks us easily to sleep (or was it the bottle of South African Merlot that Dan and I split til midnight finishing up the catchup?) My last thought was of Jack, the McGowan's year old Maine Cooncat, doing flips on the kitchen floor amidst his scattered toys.
Ah, it's great to see old friends again! Thank you Geneva, for all the memories!
It was nice to be back. 30 years, wow!