Start:  Colonie NY

Finish: Lenox, MA

Weather:  70 degrees, partly sunny

Miles:  50

Distance to date: 2,906

I woke today to beautiful skies, took my time leaving the very nice EconoLodge and headed down Central Avenue in Albany, a street I know very well from all my visits to that city.  I realized that I was not seeing things very close – assuming I knew the place, but once again, when I took the time to see the world at bike speed it was different.

Up, up over the Hudson, down into Renseleer and then climbing again.  I had not done hills in some time and today was day one of the Berkshires, many good climbs and some good down hills as well.  I saw a few swollen streams and
some quite towns, and then climbed Shaker Mountain to come over to Massachusetts, sailed past Hancock Shaker Village and into Pittsfield.

I found a terrific place for the night, a charming little motel with a huge room and a very refreshing swimming pool.  A
delightful way to start September.

Emergency repair trucks at EconoLodge Colonie, NY