Day 7: Bethlehem, PA to Sussex, NJ

It was another pleasant day for riding. I started with about 6 miles on a rails-to-trails conversion which got me headed in the right direction without any hassles with traffic. Now, it was time to start crossing bridges again. First, the Lehigh River in Bethlehem and next the Delaware River. Both crossings were fairly easy compared to the experience of George Washington and my car chase across the Potomac.

The next few miles were congested with traffic and then I made a left turn. All was right with the cycling world. The traffic was light, the road was good, and I was making fairly good time for an old guy on a bike. It was now approaching lunchtime and all I could see was road. Hmmm... I get grumpy without food. I asked a guy working on the road and he directed me two miles downhill. Not happening, unless I'm falling off the bike. It was time to truck on.

I ended up in Newton, NJ for lunch. Great deli and the best part was finding out I only had another ten miles to Sussex. After I arrived in Sussex I found out the town was without lodging. Yours truly was running on empty and it was hot. Time to gear down for a long sustained climb up to the highest point in NJ. About half way up the climb I have a vision. Not a religious thing, but a food thing, ICE CREAM! A farm serving ice cream appeared. A chocolate shake might just bring me to the top of the climb. It was worth a try and I might add that it worked.

I logged 79 miles at 13.5 mph. The day was hot and the last miles were long, but I'm safely tucked away in my motel room and looking forward to crossing New York tomorrow.

This is soda jerk Mick looking for a shakey shakey.
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