Memory of an Autumn Past

Today, as you may have noticed, is October 1st. Autumn is now in full swing. Here in Vermont autumn is one of the most beautiful times or the year. The hill sides are brightly colored with the changing leaves. The yellows and reds are truly wonderful.

I did a bicycle tour of the southern half of Lake Champlain two autumns ago. Originally I was going to do a tour of the entire lake; I got sick just before my intended time for departure. As a result I shortened the ride and left a week later than I wanted to. The ride would take three days and cover 230 miles.

I left home early in the morning to begin the ride. I headed for Burlington where I could catch a ferry to take me to the New York side of the lake. I remember being quite cold during the ferry ride to New York. I had made arrangements to stay at a motel in Port Henry, New York that night. The owner said that they would be heading home after 5 p.m. so I had to get truckin. The ride to Port Henry was 70 miles. Along the way to Port Henry I enjoyed beautiful weather and a grand autumn landscape. I remember passing by Ausable Chasm but did not have time to stop and take it in.

I got into Port Henry just in time. There is an incredibly steep hill leading into town. I was really impressed with how my bike handled it. Especially considering how much luggage I was carrying. The motel was just outside of town. I got there and an older woman greeted me from behind a bar. She was a little surprised to see me and said she didn't think I would get there in time.

I paid for my room and got a pizza to eat that night. I spent most of the night smoking cigarettes. The room was cozy and had a television in it. I did walk into town that night to see if there was any night life. There wasn't. I don't know why I didn't ride my bike into town. I slept well that night.

The next morning I headed out on the second leg of my ride. It would be a 60+ mile day that would take me around the southern tip of Lake Champlain. My destination on that route was my former group home in Castleton. The ride that day was not quite as glorious as the day prior. I followed main roads for the majority of the day. Nevertheless, it was another day of great weather and I made the most of what I had.

When I arrived in Castleton I felt great. It was good to see all the guys I had lived with for 2 1/2 years. At the time I was handling my symptoms of schizophrenia very well and was proud to make a triumphant return. The guys gave me a warm welcome. I spent the night at the home that night. The next morning would be the start of the final leg of my tour.

That last day was probably the most enjoyable of the three. I was on dirt roads much of the way. The views of the lake were truly remarkable. I was running low on money so I only put in 100 miles. This got me all the way back to Burlington where I got picked up. It was getting too dark and I was too tired to keep riding. I rode 230 miles in 3 days and had smoked a pack a day while I did it. Good times.