Rained Out!

Thursday & Friday, June 2 and 3. Hyde Park to Rhinebeck, NY.

We had planned to take a short day on Thursday, in order to do the tourist-y things in Hyde Park, and then make our way 12 miles down the road to Rhinebeck. So in the morning, we toured FDR's mom's place in Hyde Park, and the Vanderbilt Place in the afternoon. Good plan. FDR's home is modest compared to the 62 mansions that were built along the Hudson from Hyde Park to Albany, but it's still great to see the beautiful wood bannisters and the fabulous library and dining room addition that was built after FDR, Eleanor and the kids moved in. At the stables, we were able to hear Eleanor's recollections about the stables and horses on the family estate. The rose garden surrounds FDR's grave--again a very simple place, not far from the tree-lined walkway where during his self-enforced therapy, he learned to cope with his braces and the loss of the use of his legs.

It was incredibly hot and humid by the time we made it to the Vanderbilt's chateau at Hyde Park, and just as we got inside the mansion, it started to rain. Heavily. Followed by hail. The tour guide was very entertaining, and we were able to see nearly all of the house. The Vanderbilts' (this branch of the family, anyway) paid their staff and servants double the going wages, and it was their policy that the staff should "help themselves" to whatever food they needed from the garden, kitchen and pantry. They servants had their own cook, who worked side-by-side with the family cook--dinners for the staff were the same meals as for the V's and their guests. Mrs. V was very pretensious, apparently, and maybe this played a role in their generosity with the staff.

About the time that the rainstorm let up, the house tour was finished, so we decided to stroll down to the Italian Garden. Some of the garden walls pre-date the Vanderbilts' ownership of the property, but they added greenhouses, palm houses, a potting shed, reflecting pool and rose garden. The water in the Reflecting Pool has been dyed black, enhance the reflection of a classical statue at the head of the pool. The story is that the Vanderbilt staff referred to the statue as "Barefoot Kate".

By now it's almost 4pm, and we have about 12 miles to ride before we can stop for the night in Rhinebeck. The rain returned about halfway through our ride, forcing us to take cover at a conveniently located State Police complex on Rt. 9. We pulled around back of their building, and found an overhang that would shelter us and our trailers. Apparently we were not considered a threat, since no one came out to find out who we were or what we were doing, but while I was goofing around, working on the sound track for our opera, a sharp rap on the window near me caught my attention. I looked up to see a police officer, waved and smiled. He made a shushing gesture, and then sat back down at his desk. . .

After about a half hour, the rain let up enough for us to continue on our way, and in short order we arrived at the Village Inn and checked in, We walked down to Rhinebeck for dinner at Foster's Coach House. It may not have ever been an actual stable, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that it was. We sat in Macaroni's "stall", complete with his nameplate and portrait. The walls of the restaurant were filled with every kind of bit and rein imaginable, and a nearly life-size model horse greets each guest at the door. The food was plain, comfort food--just what we were looking for. Tomorrow's weather report was calling for 90% chance of rain, so we resigned ourselves to an enforced rest day.

The morning was overcast, and we thought we had until noon before the heavy rains set in. So we set off to town again, this time on wheels. We've both been needing a haircut, and pretty easily found a barber and salon back to back in town. As Barb cut my hair, I found out that she had returned the day before from an Alaskan cruise. I also found out that the barber that was cutting Matthew's hair is nicknamed "The Butcher"--too late to warn him, though!

The library opened at noon, so after a stop at the local cycle shop we spent some time uploading pix and researching routes. We're still watching to see how all of the rain is going to affect road closures in Maine and New Hampshire. We'll be in Connecticut in a couple of days, and if I survive the CT climbs, we'll be heading up Kancamagus Pass in NH and then on into Maine. We're also keeping an eye on the weather here, but no one seems to have a very good handle on it.

We found an indie move house that was playing "An Inconvenient Truth"--Al Gore's public presentation regarding global warming. The theater was pretty well filled, and I enjoyed the show. I now have something to take my mind off of the upcoming climbs--Florida falling into the ocean. When I was growing up in Los Angeles, there was always talk about CA falling off into the ocean, but that was the result of an earthquake or tsunami. Kind of makes you want to get out and ride your bike!

Which is the plan for tomorrow. We're hoping to make it to a campground in Taconic State Park, and failing that, a hotel in Millerton if the weather is really foul. Doesn't matter--the worst day doing this is still better than not doing it all. Cheers.