Oct 07, 2013

The day dawned very misty and with wet roads so we donned the wet weather gear and headed off for what was a pretty intense ride on freeways all the way from Stamford to Philadelphia (211 kms) with a lot of fast moving though usually predictable traffic. It was probably just as well it was as misty as it was or we might have been more distracted by the sights but as it was we saw some hugely impressive freeway systems and countless bridges of all sizes, spans and descriptions. Awesome!

We also got a great look at the wharves in New York with the container cranes disappearing into the mist on one side of the road and the Newark Airport on the other with huge planes landing as we passed. Very impressive.

Oh we also saw a bit of suburban life in the Bronx and New Jersey areas compliments to misreading the GPS but we got back onto other alternative routes and finally onto the I 95 heading south as planned. We did this twice and then some time after when we were about ready to stop for a coffee we went through a toll point and who should be going through at the same time but Sharen and Ken who we hadn't seen in at least 100kms. Unbelievable. We pulled up in a service area for coffee south of New York and then stowed the waterproofs and the temperature and humidity continued to rise from then and the sun was finally peeking through as we got to the hotel.



Corn exchange bank just up the road from our hotel in the old part of Philadelphia.



A memorial to the Irish immigrants which was a moving sculpture. This was one of many memorials in a number of parks all over the top of the freeway. Great way to cover the freeway and also bring some green spaces into the town.



The Korean War Memorial. Very respectful.



The Benjamin Franklin Bridge which we rode over to get into downtown Philadelphia. You can just see the second upright above the building roof to the left which gives some perspective to the size of it and these frames looked seriously daunting as we rode across. Mind you as we rode through the New York Area we were on a multi storey bridge at some stage.



And another view from a different perspective where you can see more taken the next day.



A magnificent ship at the wharf near the Columbus Memorial.



A little kid playing in the autumn / fall leaves at the Christopher Columbus Memorial.



The Customs House virtually across the road from our hotel. A beautiful building.



And the First American Bank not far away from here. Built in 1795.

Bits and Bobs:



This was on the wall in our hotel last night warning people NOT to hang a coat hanger on the fire outlet and it reminded us of the amusing introduction to the Amaverde we travelled from Amsterdam to Budapest on last year. The things some people do!

We have only seen a few bikes today and the last two days also whereas the two days before that we saw a couple of hundred of them as we were on great bike roads and it was great bike weather. Prior to that time the majority of the bikers we saw wore helmets and other protective gear but since then a handful only have worn helmets and not a lot of other protective gear. I wince when I see all the bare skin!



We have seen huge numbers of new ‘trucks’ in our travels so Norm was keen to capture this one on our way back from our walk to show that they aren’t ALL new.

Last night’s Accommodation:



Courtyard Marriott Stamford Downtown
275 Summer Street
Stamford, CT, 06901

What a lovely spot to have a break! Large and comfortable room and bathroom. Lots of eating options in walking distance and close to the city centre. The hotel is comfortable and staff cheerful and helpful. The bed was beautifully comfortable and the included continental breakfast yummy. Good value for money.

The only negative we had was being charged for 2 car spots for parking. The fee was $10.00 per car for valet parking. We parked both bikes ourselves in a space which wouldn’t have taken up as much room as a car and this was the first time EVER we have been charged for 2 spots. The Hotel reception said it is a separate business from the hotel and I had to take it up with the gentleman in charge of parking, he shrugged and said this is what the hotel insists. He wasn’t going to change his mind and while it’s not a huge amount it really ticked me off. RIP OFF! This is the room they took up in the corner of the hotel entry; they didn’t even go into the car park. Grrrrr.



Last night’s Dinner:

Tawa (Indian restaurant) – literally a couple of doors down from the hotel. We dined upstairs away from the street noise and activity and the food was delicious and the staff attentive and obliging. Great value for money and delicious food.