Canandaigua Lake – 36 miles

Overnight with Alan Locey and Trish in Hammondsport at the south end of Keuka Lake

See this chocolate milk? My friend Alan knows all about the regenerative properties of chocolate milk, and he, Trish, and I just sat through a monster thunder storm after a great dinner, nursing our Hershey’s.

Today was all that a day – a big day – of rowing can be. Boat in the water by 7, 14 miles under the keel by 10, glass all the way – then, of course, a 16 mile slog against an afternoon northerly. But clean water, a couple of swimming stops, lots of hydration, and an unexpected on-the-water visit from my newest friend, Bill Yust, a close friend of my yesterday’s newest friend, Jim Kersting. Apparently Jim called Bill and said, ‘Hey, this guy may be rowing by your place on Canandaigua and, badda bing, boom, there he was. Bill rows a 100 year old Keuka troutboat, a classic beauty, and he handled the chop like a champ. Very cool pair.

Canandaigua is a beautiful lake, especially the south end as the ridges of the Finger Lakes rise and become pronounced. Lots of very fancy homes along the shore – lots of yards and sea walls and the kind of clear-cutting that makes true lake people want to scream … but today the water looked great and the natural features that dominate the southern end look like they are holding on.

Don Cook racked up a third ‘Hero’ medal when he recovered my rolling cart from Jim Kersting (two medals so far) and drove it all the way to Canandaigua. Last year it was the oars … now the cart. Oh, boy. Anyway, Don, thanks for the supreme effort; you even inflated the tires!?

The word on Keuka tomorrow is thunderstorms … I plan to at least get started from the great creek in Alan’s back yard that runs through Hammondsport and into the south end of the lake; I’ve ‘budgeted’ 2 days for Keuka, so I won’t have to anticipate a 30+ mile day until Seneca and Cayuga. I hope I’m getting in shape for that … today was a test!

Determination