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Trip Report: Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI: 1968
TRIP REPORT
Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI May 31 - June 6, 1968 [This was my first long trip, taken at the end of my second year of law school. The non-bracketed information is from my diary at the time. The bracketed comments have been added. The trip started just half an hour after the end of my last exam.] [Day 1: Friday, May 31, 1968] Cambridge MA Holmes Hall Mile: 0 Time: 311223 [Meaning May 31, 12:23 p.m.] Weight: 173 Baggage: 12 lbs. without tools [Bike: 3-speed Dunelt bike bought used for $25.00] Wind: Calm - overcast Great send-off - 25 or so- there Marlboro MA Intersection Rt. 85 [and Route 20] [After a few local streets, I took mostly U.S. 20 from the Boston area to the Cleveland, Ohio area with exceptions noted and then U.S. 6 to Gary, IN, then diverse roads to Milwaukee.] Mile: 25 Time: 311351 Sunny - very light wind West Auburn MA Intersection Rt. 12 Mile: 48 Time: 311522 Cloudy, threatening rain - light wind Brimfield MA Intersection Rt. 19 Mile: 67 Time: 311703 20 minute rest near Sturbridge, west wind getting brisk, very hilly Springfield MA Intersection Rt. 5 Time: 311832 Picked up Hwy 147 at river; then 57 after about 5 miles 68° at Palmer at 1730 Wind light once again Granville MA Old Lilacs Hostel Mile: 108 Time: 312010 Turned left on 189, then after c. ½ mile, turned right on Water Street, hostel at Intersection with South Lane. 10 minute rest in W. Springfield. Very uphill. About 3 miles farther than indicated. Start 010625 [Day 2, Saturday, June 1, 1968 at 6:25 a.m.] New Boston MA Intersection Rt. 8 Mile: 121 Time: 010731 Take Route 8. Sunny; cool but warming, no wind. Unbelievable hills, absolutely murderous on Rt. 57 from Southwick to New Boston. [37 years and many hills and mountains later, I'd modify this statement.] Pittsfield MA Leaving Rt. 7 [Back on 20] Mile: 152 Time: 011005 Detour around Interstate on 7A. Clear skies; 20 minute breakfast stop at Otis 8:10 - 8:30 Light west wind Nassau NY Int. Rt. 203 Mile: 176 Time: 011221 Crossed NY line at 10:41 a.m.; lunch stop at New Lebanon - 10:45 - 11:30 Light northwest winds - getting hot Albany NY Leaving Rt. 9 Mile: 189 Time: 011309 Duanesburg NY Int. Rt. 7 Mile: 217 Time: 011455 Temperature 78°. 5 minute coke stop at Albany. Hilly like northern Wisconsin, only hills are higher. 5 minute rest at Duanesburg; mileage too high on the stretch, compensated by understatements at hostel previous night. Sharon NY Int. Rt. 145 Mile: 238 Time: 011635 5 minutes added rest at Duanesburg. A lot of uphill again. Still sunny, sun out all day, still light NW wind. Springfield NY Int. Rt. 80 Mile: 257 Time: 011850 Detour around Interstate. 5 minute coke stop at Springfield. Stopped for dinner at Sharon 1635 to 1727; at supper - 7 deaf people drinking and "talking" in room. Very interesting how well they enjoy themselves. Bridgewater NY Int, Rt. 8 Mile: 277 Time: 012017 5 minutes looking for place in Bridgewater. Finished for night at Sangerfield at 2100 - Int. Rt. 12. Mileage 285; Friday 108, Saturday 177. General appraisal of Saturday: Beautiful weather - sunny all day, not too hot, wind generally light, but the hills were bad, bad, bad. To bed at 2300 finally. 6-1-68 - Learned a lesson Sat. night getting caught in the dark locking for a place to stay. Didn't find one until 2100 - at least ½ an hour too late. Quite a comedy - I was determined to make Bridgewater and when I got there the hotel wasn't in season. Rather than take an expensive motel, I went 3 miles to a cheaper place - straight up - and it had no room. Then I had to go 5 more miles before finding a place in Sangerfield. [Day 3: Sunday, June 2, 1968] Pine Woods NY Int. Rt. 46 Mile: 296 Time: 020636 Started: 020552 Bad weather - heavy drizzle, cool, drizzle ending around 7:30. NO. Still very hilly. Cazenovia NY Int. Rt. 13 Mile: 311 Time: 020745 Stay on 20. 8:00 Mass at Cazenovia 0745-0847 Stopped to eat at Lafayette 10:10 - 10:50 Adjusted and tightened back wheel at Lafayette - first maintenance needed. The bike has performed beautifully so far. Navarino NY Int. with unmarked highway Mile: 336 Time: 021148 Finally stopped drizzling around 11:30. Still cloudy and cool. Yesterday's hills seemed believable after these. Not 100 yds. level the whole stretch - had to walk bike up 4 of them Had difficult time finding a place to eat (see Lafayette above). Auburn NY Rt. 5 & 20 Int. Mile: 355 Time: 021330 3 miles less if 20 taken all the way. Rest at Skaneateles 12:25-12:45. Sun trying to come out. Temperature 66°. West wind developing. NEVER AGAIN TAKE US 20 from Cazenovia to Auburn. Geneva NY Rt. 14 entry Mile: 380 Time: 021515 Brisk west wind. Clear, sunny and heating rapidly - now 77°. Not nearly so hilly as east of Auburn. Near East Bloomfield NY Leaving Alt. Rt. 20 Mile: 404 Time: 021755 Rest at Geneva 15:20 - 15:35. Stop at Canandaigua to eat 16:45 - 17:25. Strong west wind; hilly dairy country much like central Wisconsin. Near Fowlerville NY Int. Rt. 36 Mile: 431 Time: 021950 Strong west wind all the way; sunny and warm. Stayed here overnight. Mileage 146 day. Summary: Bad day - hills, weather (rain in a.m.) and wind combined to make it so - amazing I made 146. To bed at 2215. 6-2-68 - Applied last night's lesson and stopped at 1950, somewhat before I planned. I was tired anyway, though, after riding up hills all day and against a headwind all afternoon. 14 hours seems like the maximum day (including time off for rests and meals). It takes almost 2 hours to unwind at night, and a little while to get going in the morning. The big surprise so far is the hills. New York is really full of them. Even the level parts are like northern Wisconsin. I was also surprised at how difficult it is to find a restaurant open Sunday a.m. It's hard to picture New York this rural. Met an eastward bound bike rider at LaFayette - an older fellow going from Cincinnati to Boston. He had been gone several days, and hit a lot of bad weather - also had been laid up with a cold. Somehow I haven't gotten around to sending any post cards since Saturday a.m. I'll have to work harder at finding places to do so. [Day 4: Monday, June 3, 1968] Alexander NY Int. Rt. 98 Mile: 450 Time: 030753 Began in a.m.: 030607. Stop for breakfast 06:52 - 07:13 near Pavillion Center. Beautiful morning. Light moderate west wind, sunny and warm. Depew NY 20 turns south; leaving 130 Mile: 473 Time: 031020 Stop in Lancaster 9:18 - 10:15. Light lunch - cash check - mail postcards - buy hat. [I didn't wear a helmet on this trip. They were uncommon in 1968. I had lost my hat a little earlier.] Near Blasdell NY Alt. 20 rejoins 20 Mile: 482 Time: 031115 Coke stop 11:15 - 11:22. Waiter a big-mouthed Wallace for President fan - really wild. Query who's losing his vote? He's not a Republican (Rocky married a whore; Ike stole Gettysburg from the government", etc. but then what??) Irving NY Int. Rts. 5, 438 Mile: 508 Time: 031243 Beautiful flat land again. Light wind, pleasantly cool. The best stretch of the day. Fredonia NY Int. Rt. 60 Mile: 522 Time: 031340 Grapes all over the place. Stopped for lunch at Fredonia 1340 - 1400. Temperature 70°. Ripley NY Int. Rt. 76 Mile: 547 Time: 031540 Still lots of grapes. Wind becoming strong west from Fredonia. Hit the Pennsylvania state line at 031553. Erie PA Int. Rt. 19 Mile: 520 Time: 031817 Rest just across state line 031553-031608. Stopped to eat in Erie 1725-1805. West wind continued very strong - am really having trouble with it. Temperature 63°. West Springfield PA Rt. 5 Joins Mile: 596 Time: 032005 Wind much lighter after supper. Hit Ohio state line at 2011. Stopped for night at N. Kingsville, Ohio. Mile 605 at 2040 Mileage for the Day: 174; trip 605 Summary: Had trouble with west wind. Could have really made mileage on flat land but for it. Bike behaving beautifully. 6-3-68 - Once again had a big problem getting untracked in the morning - didn't hit 100 miles until almost 3:00 p.m. Especially bad today since wind was light this morning. It felt great hitting flat land again. Against the wind, it's a lot of work, but still the mileage is better than on hills. On the last day in the state, I finally figured out how to read the little green number posts the Highway Department has every couple tenths of a mile. [Day 5: Tuesday, June 4, 1968] Saybrook OH Int. Rt. 45 Mile: 619 Time: 040716 To bed: 032250. Starting time: 040552. No wind early - too bad it can't last. Beautiful sunrise. Stop for breakfast in Astubula 0635 - 0702. Painesville OH Int. Rt. 86 Mile: 641 Time: 040839 Beautiful weather. Sun out, warming , no wind yet. Cleveland OH Rt. 91 turn off Mile: 654 Time: 040930 Beautiful conditions continuing. Temperature 65°, winds null to light easterly. Cleveland OH Int. Rt. 71 downtown Mile: 622 Time: 041031 Wind still light. Heating up - 71°, took Euclid Avenue thru east side. Elyria OH Leaving Rt. 113 Mile: 697 Time: 041251 Took Detroit Avenue thru west side. Stop for Lunch at Euclid and 117th Street at 041058 - 041133. Stopped and lectured for running red light in Elyria. Near Pittsfield OH Int. Rt. 58 Mile: 706 Time: 041322 Continued good conditions, temperature 70°. Norwalk OH Int. Rt. 250 Mile: 728 Time: 041458 Rest at Pittsfield 1327 - 1340. Rest at Norwalk 1458 - 1515. Sun is hot: 77° East of Fremont OH Int. Rt. 19 Mile: 752 Time: 041642 Take 19 into Fremont, pick up 6 there. Killing sun, moderate back wind, however leading to good speed. Getting very sunburned. Rollersville OH Int. Rt. 199 Mile: 772 Time: 041837 Stopped to eat in Fremont, 1700-1740 Brisk east wind - the easiest riding yet Bowling Green OH Int. Rt. 25 Mile: 786 Time: 041922 Still good wind conditions. Napolean OH Leaving Rt. 108 Mile: 792 Time: 042050 Still beautiful riding conditions but I'm in very bad shape from sun and sore rear end. Understated mileage by 14 on this stretch. In compensating add 14 here and reduce Duanesburg (4.1) by 6 and Auburn by 3. Stopped here for night (Napoleon). Revised daily mileage totals: 5-31 108 6-1 171 6-2 143 6-3 174 6-4 206 802 6-4-68 - Today was easily the best for mileage - flat land throughout, and either very light or else tail winds all day. Thanks to the sun and general soreness, however, it's take me a long time to unwind tonight - it could mean a late start tomorrow. One thing to appreciate about the motel I'm in tonight is that it's the first one with a really good shower. The others either haven't been high enough or didn't spray right - it makes a big difference on a trip like this. The situation with my toilet bag is ludicrous. On 3 consecutive nights - 3 different tubes have burst and their contents mushed over everything. Sunday it was the toothpaste, last night the sunburn lotion and tonight the Brylcream. There must be a lesson to be learned there. Ohio has an interesting habit of putting signs up at all city limits telling what they're famous for. The trouble is that if that's all some have accomplished, their reason for existence is slim. Still it seems like a good idea. And then after all the years of listening to people picketing for "negotiations now" or "integration now" it was relieving to see some people worrying primarily about more pressing things. The billboard of a western Cleveland suburb read: "Sewers - now - vote yes on June 23". I'm still up watching California primary returns at 11:35. This is ridiculous. [Day 6: Wednesday, June 5, 2005] 6-5-68 - 5:45 a.m. - Just woke up and heard the Kennedy news. [Robert Kennedy had been shot a few hours earlier, while celebrating his California primary victory. The wound proved fatal though that wasn't clear at the time, at least not per TV reports.] Couldn't believe it - it's awful. What does one say - or do?? Apparently I'll just finish the trip and not talk about it. After more thought, I think I'll do that. Began 6:10 a.m. South of Bryan OH Int. Rt. 127 Mile: 819 Time: 050749 Starting time: 050610 Waterloo IN Int. Rt. 27 Mile: 845 Time: 051015 Light west wind, sunny. Too many trucks. Stop at Butler for breakfast 0902 - 0925. Hit Indiana state line at 0847. Stop at Waterloo 1020 - 1030. Wawaka IN Leaving Rt. 9 Mile: 862 Time: 051258 Had horrible time. Tried to ride a closed road - couldn't do it. Wound up detouring on township roads - hilly, etc. Lunch in Kendallville 1200-1225. South of New Paris IN Int. Rt. 15 Mile: 889 Time: 051441 Rest at Ligonier 1335 - 1345. Lapaz IN Int. Rt. 31 Mile: 913 Time: 051655 Rest in park 1445 - 1455. Lunch in Nappenee 1525 - 1545. Getting murderously hot; having to stop frequently to get out of the sun. Kingsbury IN Leaving Rt. 35 Mile: 935 Time: 051834 Rest at Lapaz 1655 - 1710. Westville IN Joining Rt. 421 Mile: 945 Time: 051912 Gary IN Ridge Road & Broadway Mile: 968 Time: 052051 Rest in Westville 1912 - 1925. Chicago IL Dwornik's [a college roommate] 8559 South Saginaw Mile: 993 Time: 052235 (EDT) Stopped by bridge in Chicago. Rest in Gary 052051 - 2100. Started at 060820 CDT. Mileage for the day: 196; Trip 998] [Day 7: Thursday, June 6, 1968] Evanston IL c. Center Mile: 1017 Time: 0601050 Rest in Chicago 1010 - 1030 Difficult getting through on Lake Shore Drive - construction, etc. blocked way. Waukegan IL c. Center Mile: 1043 Time: 061305 Eat in Highland Park 1145 - 1215. Racine WI c. Center Mile: 1070 Time: 061500 Rest (root beer) north of Waukegan 1315 - 1325. Milwaukee WI [735 N. Water] Mile: 1090 Time: 061630 Weight - no material change] Rest at Racine 1505 - 1515. Mileage for Day: 97; Trip: 1095 |
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Trip Report: Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI: 1968
Hi, Ron. You take wonderful trips, don't you? What made you post this
one from '68? Interesting political commentary providing a social-historical context--as did the reference to Brylcream: since you weren't wearing a helmet, you had to make sure your hair looked good, right? Did you take a bike trip to celebrate the end of your third year of law school? Do you, did you practice law? What areas? Regards, Roy Zipris |
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Trip Report: Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI: 1968
"Roy Zipris" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, Ron. You take wonderful trips, don't you? What made you post this one from '68? Thanks for your interest. I've posted my trips since 1994 currently. I've had this old 1968 trip diary sitting around forever and really just got around to posting it. Part of the motive is that it has become kind of a "period piece" for that era, which is fading into history. I still have a 1986 trip around Lake Michigan to edit and file. Interesting political commentary providing a social-historical context--as did the reference to Brylcream: since you weren't wearing a helmet, you had to make sure your hair looked good, right? I have no idea at this distance why I took Brylcream; my hair was cut short then as always for bike trips. Must have been a vanity factor. That's a very dispensable bit of baggage. Did you take a bike trip to celebrate the end of your third year of law school? It was the end of second year; no special third year bike riding celebration. The night of my last third year class was memorable in a different way: flew to Milwaukee, drank extensively; later that night met my wife to be for the first time - and didn't remember it. We were set up for a date a few weeks later and things took off from there. Referring to my extensive bike riding, she calls the bike my "iron mistress." Do you, did you practice law? What areas? I've been practicing law since 1969 - building and construction matters mainly. Again thanks for your interest. Regards, Roy Zipris |
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