Post 187: Niagara, New York State

KOA campground 'closed', Budget Motel 'open' $32.99, .... no contest. The weather forecast promised a bright day, .... but what I got was 'mixed precipitates', ... that's American for sleet and rain. Perhaps it's a new form of Spin; avoid down words like rain, snow and recession, the people will believe you and everything will turn out well. What I can tell you is that 'mixed precipitates' are mighty cold and uncomfortable, .... in fact they're similar in every single way to good old English sleet.

I came along Interstate 90, I passed Syracuse which I'd always thought was in Canada, .... but it's actually in New York State, .... I'm learning every day. Like Siren's, the bathrooms at the rest areas were constantly calling me, my body had nothing left to give, ... yet still they called. I bought a pair of gloves with fingers, $1.99 when I bought $10 worth of fuel, .. they're not waterproof, they're made from canvas, ...... but they're better than nothing.

At one stop I lost my bike keys, 27,000 miles and in the last 100, .... I loose my keys. I search high and low, .. 90 minutes later they've turned up in McDonald's, ... but I haven't been to McDonald's? I'm getting attention on the road, attention similar to that received in Russia. Passing cars are 'honking' horns, passengers pointing camera phones and video camera's from side and rear windows, .... trucks are pulling alongside and driving parallel with me for miles on end. At every stop I'm repeating the story of Poor Circulation, .. people are giving me things to help along the way; a coffee thermos, a pocket guide to happiness, a spicey vegetable wrap and a small pumpkin, .. and that's just today. I'm not sure what to do with the pumpkin, but Halloween is an institution here. Away from the Interstate, every porch on every home is being prepared for October 31st, .. the pumpkin and ghoul displays are amazing, works of art that I fear if displayed back home in England, ..... would be instantly vandalised or stollen. I'll be here for Halloween, .... if the people go to this much trouble before the night, .. then I'm sure that the night itself will be something very special.

Tonight I've arrived in Niagara, on the US side of the falls. If yesterday I'd been asked on which river Niagara Falls stood, ... I would have guessed incorrectly, I honestly didn't know the answer. I crossed that river today, .. twice in fact, .. it's big, .... it's much wider than the Thames in central London, ... it's called the Niagara River, ... that's one hell of a coincidence.

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