October 2 and 3, the visit and departure

Where we left off, we had arrived on pasta night at Maggie and John's.  Maggie still works as a dentist, so  it was up to John and their son Tom to entertain us.  We got kind of a slow start, I worked on the blog and then did some bike maintenance.  My rear brakes were getting soft, so I replaced the disc pads and bled the hydraulics. 

By the time we realized it, it was 1:30 and lunch time, so off to lunch.  Great Italian place.  Barb ate a pizza for four and I had a huge calzone.  Then off to the bike shop across the street.  John was getting the bug and was thinking of trying a new bike out.  The problem was that he was entertaining so much he missed the text from Maggie that she was to be picked up at 3:00 (we were using her car and it was 3:30).  So off we went leaving John to try bikes another day. 

Later we went out to dinner with Maggie and Tom (Jodhn had a class).  Barb was excited, she got to ride in Tom's Mini-Cooper.  Back seat with the top down. 

We did not take loads of pics so I am running the two days together, our day off and the day we left.  So here are some pics.  Do have one good story later on in todays blog......

They heard we like pastries...wonder where that came from.  Nut roll....

Where we stayed

trying out the new brakes

 Da Cooper (and Tom)

The other host JC

 



The day of departure we decided that John would drive us to the point and let us off.  BUT before we go, a pastry shop.  For some reason, not too many pics, but we did get one of John at the street side table.  Went to biscotti place with at least twenty flavors.  they had these things called ravioli which were about 6 inch diameter flat pastry with raspberry filling and sugar coating.  We then went to the coffee shop where we enjoyed the pastries......

Funny thing happened on the way to the coffee shop.  but before we get there I digress with a prequel....  Barbs mom June had grown up spending summers at a place called Chautauqua.  It was a lake resort type community in New York.  She had always talked about it and how one  of her relatives (maybe grandfather or uncle - Barbs not clear) was president of the association....  back to the story....

I was dressed in my biking togs and we had stopped on the way to the coffee shop to hit the market for bathrooms and John got some fruit.  I was doing side stretches getting ready for the ride to come later.  this old guy comes up and says how my side lunge stretch was a good one especially for the knees.  It turns out he is a trigger point therapist and he handed me an article on how he recovered from what was supposed to a life changing and maybe ending stroke, using his therapy techniques.  The article was in the Chautauquan Daily newspaper.  of course when Barb saw that she commented she knew where that was, and then there was the comparative notes that these people had known her relatives and even knew of her mom.  Then the notes went further....Barb had just read a book on Bonnie Pruden, a pioneer in trigger point therapy.  When she mentions that, Tasso (the therapist) stated that she was his first instructor. 

The therapists name was Tasso Spanos and you can look up his website.  He pretty much embodies what we believe in.  The article states that when he first introduced his class to Chautauqua he advertised it as being a cure for body pains.  He got 75 people.  When he announced it was an exercise class and not holy water 50 of the people left.  Even on this trip we are treating our aches and pains with specific exercises and stretches (my shoulder, neck, lower back - barbs lower back etc.).  so that was a fun chance meet on several levels 

 

So John finally let us off and it was off to the point to start our "official" daily warm up. and here is a pic to prove it.

This is Barbs artsie pic through the fountain at three rivers stadium

more bridges

clear pick of three rivers stadium

can't take pictures at the point without taking some of the incline

did I mention fall colors yet?

 we had trouble getting out of town.  We were encouraged to take the Fort Pitt bridge out, which was different from how we came in.  It was just "go down the narrow path".... we found a lot of narrow paths (should have listened more.....naw).  but eventually we found our way (took about an hour).

Parting shots at the point from Fort Pitt Bridge.

And off we go!!!!  We can now say we have ridded in the rain, cuz it rained!!!!!  first 10 miles or so not too bad as it was paved.  Then it was back to compact (and sometimes sloppy) dirt.  Needless to say, we didn't get many pics.  We finally stopped at a rest stop (happened to be a cemetery too) to clean our deraileurs and brakes with water from the well.  We also called and secured lodging 10 miles ahead in West Newton

got into West Newton and Bright Morning B&B.  They let us use their hose and we spend a good half hour cleaning bikes and equipment.  off to the local pub for dinner and good night.