Wine Trail of the Finger Lakes to Ithaca New York!

Greetings those of you,
   These days are beginning to wind themselves into welling joy as we begin to near our end destination of Portland Maine. We have encountered the kindest of our kind as we have traversed coast, mountain, desert, grassland, lakes, and glacial hills. That look in peoples eyes when we say what we are doing is only getting bigger. Bigger because we are getting closer. Closer to the end of the road.
   Yesterday started out just outside of Waterloo at Michelane and Mikes house. They are happy owners of a little bakery/cafe in Waterloo where we stopped to chat and get some baked goods, when they offered us their place to stay overnight. It sounded great, better than staying in our tents outside of a church when a storm was coming. So we had ourselves some cookies and then made our way to their place.
   Once there we threw around the ol' pigskin for awhile and waited until the M's got back. We chatted with them outside when they got home until the mosquitoes got the best of us and forced us inside. We continued our conversation inside and met the M's family as they slowly rolled in. We had pizza and wings for dinner, then caught the USA v.s. USA volleyball game! After that came what I think is just a wonderful part of life, sleep and restoration.
   When we awoke the next morning it was already late. We didn't mind because we had a leisure 45 mile day into Ithaca New York following along lake Cayuga. And of course, the route just so happened to be wine country! So we stopped in at the M's bakery for some more delectable sweets and then made our way into wine country.
   We stopped at a cheese shop and did cheese tasting! Then for the rest of the day we strolled along lake Cayuga and stopped at a bunch of wineries. The whole time handing out as many cards as possible and telling our story! It was a very pleasantful way to spend a day!
   Once we arrived in Ithaca, we went to my friend Mikes house, whom I met during my stint with the Montana Conservation Corps. He wasn't home yet from work, but we just hung out with one of his room mates chatting until he got home from work. Little did we know that in Mike's job description, he has to host team parties on every thursday as a morale boost. So out of nowhere, Mike and all his coworkers got back after work. Mike had been telling them about our journey, so they were all interested to hear what its been like. It was a really good time hanging out and meeting all these new people!
   This morning we awoke late, because we were planning to stay here in Ithaca another night, which we are. Mike went off to work while Matt slept and Nate and I went and got some waffles! We then checked out "the commons" of Ithaca, walking around and advocating about our journey. We met a bunch of cool people, as we tend to do. We discovered where a disc golf course was so we went back to get Matt. Woke Matt up, then went for a bike ride.
   Cornell University sits atop Ithaca, like high up on a hilltop. So our bike ride was basically just up, up and up. To bad those hills had no idea that our legs burst red giant stars when we kick them, so the hills hardly broke us a sweat... Well no, we sweat, a lot... But the disc course was found! Played 18 holes, Matt found a Star Destroyer! It was looking to be a great day!
   Once the frolfing had ended Matt and I went back to Mikes for some lunch while Nate went to go watch the Olympics. We later went to watch the Olympics with Nate as America seemed to be crushing Argentina in basketball. As much as the Olympics are awesome, we decided cliff jumping was a much better idea. Yup, Ithaca has some awesome waterfalls/forests/gorges/everything is pretty awesome in this area. But we on a new platform, as today, we have all jumped off of a super 40-50 ft. cliff! High enough up that when you are falling the air starts to rush into your ears. So high that if you don't clench your butt cheeks, you might get an unpleasant feeling. So huge that it rewrote the size of my smile after I had jumped off of it. I think that I got just a bit more manly today, I wont lie, I do have 1 more chest hair than earlier...
   Now we are hanging out back at Mikes, doing our usual end of the night drill. Ithaca has been great. Cornell University is so beautiful, if only I had money to go here... This town has a lot of life in it, so if your ever in the area, I suggest swinging on by! Thanks a bunch to all of the M's that have helped us! Mike Hennigan, Micheal, and Michelane! We are getting close to $5,000, which is short of our goal. Please help us reach our goal and DONATE! Matt was just telling me how many more miles it is until Portland people.... 560 miles! We have some celebratory riding afterwards in Maine still, which will equal to another 1,000 more, but we are close! The air is salty! Any contribution to the Arthritis Foundation will guarantee to make you feel better, because it will make me feel better, and when I feel better, you'll feel better too! Cya next time Folks and stay classy!

DONATE BELOW TO THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION!!!

http://jointsinmotion2012.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1002344&lis=1&kntae1002344=1485142D89A44D7CACE868C548848F74&supId=355267381

 sweet escape

 do ya um....

 ...WANT THIS?

 Mike and Michelane

 Cayuga Lake

 Rain and wine, so good together

 This is for me mumsies

 Please sit, and enjoy our wine!

 On Cornell Campus

 Cornell, with Ithaca below

 Cornell outer walkway

 Above the painted thing, we jumped off that cliff....

Purrty