Day sixteen, Goshen NY to Horseheads NY

Yes, that’s right, if there is a town called Horseheads between Goshen and Niagara Falls , it is encumbent on the team to stay there given the nickname of one of our team, yes?

We had a look at the forecast for the day, rain was forecast and at Hancock, the rain was forecast from 8.00 am so we were expecting rain as we left Goshen.

We decided to take the 17west down to Port Jervis rather than the interstate, turned out to be a good choice, the 17 West is a very new smooth road surface with barely a car on it as they all take the Interstate, what a great ride.

From Port Jervis to Hancock on Route 97 its about 110 km on a road named the Upper Delaware scenic byway, which as you would imagine, hugs the Delaware all the way to Hancock. This is a must do ride in NY state and could be made a round trip if a rider was to loop back down the Pennsylvania side to make a day of it. This is a great ride, great scenery, smooth road surface and barely a vehicle on the entire 110 kms. Awesome. Humidity held at bay by riding on the river as well. The road climbs all the way, as it would following a river upstream!! and tops out at about 1850’ above sea level.’

Stayed fine and temp in the mid 20’s all the way. That pic below of us entering a wee town on a slope is a town called Callicoon about 30 mile south of Hancock. Maybe the size of Manaia let’s say and some old buildings, maybe an old gold mining town, we weren’t there long, one coffee shop and closed on a Wednesday. A local told us they open when they feel like it ! Great to have a business like that eh. Mounted up and rode on up to Hancock.

We stopped for coffee at Hancock and then hit the 17 West, and although now a larger four laner, it continued to follow first the Delaware then later the Susquehanna river up through Binghamton as we continued northwest. Rain clouds threatened west of Elmira and we got a wee brief shower on us, but the road was sweeping north so we dodged a bullet and snuck around the edge of the rain, arriving at the Quality Hotel at Horseheads, still dry.

Checked in and half an hour later it bucketed down for a couple of hours, good timing. Off to Niagara Falls tommorrow to do the tourist thing, as you do.