Trip Report: Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI: 1968

TRIP REPORT

Cambridge, MA to Milwaukee, WI

May 31 - June 6, 1968

[This was my first long trip, taken at the end of my second year of law
school. The non-bracketed information is from my diary at the time. The
bracketed comments have been added. The trip started just half an hour
after the end of my last exam.]

[Day 1: Friday, May 31, 1968]



Cambridge MA

Holmes Hall

Mile: 0

Time: 311223 [Meaning May 31, 12:23 p.m.]

Weight: 173

Baggage: 12 lbs. without tools

[Bike: 3-speed Dunelt bike bought used for $25.00]

Wind: Calm - overcast

Great send-off - 25 or so- there

Marlboro MA

Intersection Rt. 85 [and Route 20] [After a few local streets, I took mostly
U.S. 20 from the Boston area to the Cleveland, Ohio area with exceptions
noted and then U.S. 6 to Gary, IN, then diverse roads to Milwaukee.]

Mile: 25

Time: 311351

Sunny - very light wind

West Auburn MA

Intersection Rt. 12

Mile: 48

Time: 311522



Cloudy, threatening rain - light wind



Brimfield MA

Intersection Rt. 19

Mile: 67

Time: 311703



20 minute rest near Sturbridge, west wind getting brisk, very hilly



Springfield MA

Intersection Rt. 5

Time: 311832



Picked up Hwy 147 at river; then 57 after about 5 miles

68° at Palmer at 1730

Wind light once again



Granville MA

Old Lilacs Hostel

Mile: 108

Time: 312010



Turned left on 189, then after c. ½ mile, turned right on Water Street,
hostel at Intersection with South Lane.

10 minute rest in W. Springfield. Very uphill. About 3 miles farther than
indicated.



Start 010625 [Day 2, Saturday, June 1, 1968 at 6:25 a.m.]



New Boston MA

Intersection Rt. 8

Mile: 121

Time: 010731



Take Route 8.

Sunny; cool but warming, no wind. Unbelievable hills, absolutely murderous
on Rt. 57 from Southwick to New Boston. [37 years and many hills and
mountains later, I'd modify this statement.]



Pittsfield MA

Leaving Rt. 7 [Back on 20]

Mile: 152

Time: 011005



Detour around Interstate on 7A.

Clear skies; 20 minute breakfast stop at Otis 8:10 - 8:30

Light west wind



Nassau NY



Int. Rt. 203

Mile: 176

Time: 011221



Crossed NY line at 10:41 a.m.; lunch stop at New Lebanon - 10:45 - 11:30

Light northwest winds - getting hot



Albany NY

Leaving Rt. 9

Mile: 189

Time: 011309



Duanesburg NY

Int. Rt. 7

Mile: 217

Time: 011455



Temperature 78°. 5 minute coke stop at Albany.

Hilly like northern Wisconsin, only hills are higher. 5 minute rest at
Duanesburg; mileage too high on the stretch, compensated by understatements
at hostel previous night.



Sharon NY

Int. Rt. 145

Mile: 238

Time: 011635



5 minutes added rest at Duanesburg. A lot of uphill again. Still sunny,
sun out all day, still light NW wind.



Springfield NY

Int. Rt. 80

Mile: 257

Time: 011850



Detour around Interstate. 5 minute coke stop at Springfield. Stopped for
dinner at Sharon 1635 to 1727; at supper - 7 deaf people drinking and
"talking" in room. Very interesting how well they enjoy themselves.



Bridgewater NY



Int, Rt. 8

Mile: 277

Time: 012017



5 minutes looking for place in Bridgewater. Finished for night at
Sangerfield at 2100 - Int. Rt. 12. Mileage 285; Friday 108, Saturday 177.



General appraisal of Saturday: Beautiful weather - sunny all day, not too
hot, wind generally light, but the hills were bad, bad, bad. To bed at 2300
finally.



6-1-68 - Learned a lesson Sat. night getting caught in the dark locking for
a place to stay. Didn't find one until 2100 - at least ½ an hour too late.
Quite a comedy - I was determined to make
Bridgewater and when I got there the hotel wasn't in season. Rather than
take an expensive motel, I went 3 miles to a cheaper place - straight up -
and it had no room. Then I had to go 5 more miles before finding a place in
Sangerfield.



[Day 3: Sunday, June 2, 1968]

Pine Woods NY

Int. Rt. 46

Mile: 296

Time: 020636



Started: 020552



Bad weather - heavy drizzle, cool, drizzle ending around 7:30. NO. Still
very hilly.



Cazenovia NY

Int. Rt. 13

Mile: 311

Time: 020745



Stay on 20.

8:00 Mass at Cazenovia 0745-0847

Stopped to eat at Lafayette 10:10 - 10:50

Adjusted and tightened back wheel at Lafayette - first maintenance needed.
The bike has performed beautifully so far.



Navarino NY

Int. with unmarked highway

Mile: 336

Time: 021148



Finally stopped drizzling around 11:30. Still cloudy and cool. Yesterday's
hills seemed believable after these. Not 100 yds. level the whole stretch -
had to walk bike up 4 of them Had difficult time finding a place to eat
(see Lafayette above).



Auburn NY

Rt. 5 & 20 Int.

Mile: 355

Time: 021330



3 miles less if 20 taken all the way. Rest at Skaneateles 12:25-12:45. Sun
trying to come out. Temperature 66°. West wind developing. NEVER AGAIN
TAKE US 20 from Cazenovia to

Auburn.









Geneva NY

Rt. 14 entry

Mile: 380

Time: 021515



Brisk west wind. Clear, sunny and heating rapidly - now 77°. Not nearly so
hilly as east of Auburn.



Near East Bloomfield NY

Leaving Alt. Rt. 20

Mile: 404

Time: 021755



Rest at Geneva 15:20 - 15:35. Stop at Canandaigua to eat 16:45 - 17:25.
Strong west wind; hilly dairy country much like central Wisconsin.



Near Fowlerville NY

Int. Rt. 36

Mile: 431

Time: 021950



Strong west wind all the way; sunny and warm. Stayed here overnight.
Mileage 146 day.

Summary: Bad day - hills, weather (rain in a.m.) and wind combined to make
it so - amazing I made 146. To bed at 2215.



6-2-68 - Applied last night's lesson and stopped at 1950, somewhat before I
planned. I was tired anyway, though, after riding up hills all day and
against a headwind all afternoon. 14 hours seems like the maximum day
(including time off for rests and meals). It takes almost 2 hours to unwind
at night, and a little while to get going in the morning. The big surprise
so far is the hills. New York is really full of them. Even the level parts
are like northern Wisconsin. I was also surprised at how difficult it is to
find a restaurant open Sunday a.m. It's hard to picture New York this
rural.



Met an eastward bound bike rider at LaFayette - an older fellow going from
Cincinnati to Boston. He had been gone several days, and hit a lot of bad
weather - also had been laid up with a cold. Somehow I haven't gotten
around to sending any post cards since Saturday a.m. I'll have to work
harder at finding places to do so.



[Day 4: Monday, June 3, 1968]



Alexander NY

Int. Rt. 98

Mile: 450

Time: 030753



Began in a.m.: 030607. Stop for breakfast 06:52 - 07:13 near Pavillion
Center. Beautiful morning. Light moderate west wind, sunny and warm.



Depew NY

20 turns south; leaving 130

Mile: 473

Time: 031020



Stop in Lancaster 9:18 - 10:15. Light lunch - cash check - mail postcards -
buy hat. [I didn't wear a helmet on this trip. They were uncommon in 1968.
I had lost my hat a little earlier.]



Near Blasdell NY



Alt. 20 rejoins 20

Mile: 482

Time: 031115



Coke stop 11:15 - 11:22. Waiter a big-mouthed Wallace for President fan -
really wild. Query who's losing his vote? He's not a Republican (Rocky
married a whore; Ike stole Gettysburg from the government", etc. but then
what??)



Irving NY



Int. Rts. 5, 438

Mile: 508

Time: 031243



Beautiful flat land again. Light wind, pleasantly cool. The best stretch
of the day.



Fredonia NY

Int. Rt. 60

Mile: 522

Time: 031340



Grapes all over the place. Stopped for lunch at Fredonia 1340 - 1400.
Temperature 70°.



Ripley NY

Int. Rt. 76

Mile: 547

Time: 031540



Still lots of grapes. Wind becoming strong west from Fredonia. Hit the
Pennsylvania state line at 031553.





Erie PA

Int. Rt. 19

Mile: 520

Time: 031817



Rest just across state line 031553-031608.

Stopped to eat in Erie 1725-1805.

West wind continued very strong - am really having trouble with it.
Temperature 63°.



West Springfield PA



Rt. 5 Joins

Mile: 596

Time: 032005



Wind much lighter after supper. Hit Ohio state line at 2011. Stopped for
night at N. Kingsville, Ohio.



Mile 605 at 2040

Mileage for the Day: 174; trip 605



Summary: Had trouble with west wind. Could have really made mileage on
flat land but for it. Bike behaving beautifully.



6-3-68 - Once again had a big problem getting untracked in the morning -
didn't hit 100 miles until almost 3:00 p.m. Especially bad today since wind
was light this morning.



It felt great hitting flat land again. Against the wind, it's a lot of
work, but still the mileage is better than on hills.



On the last day in the state, I finally figured out how to read the little
green number posts the Highway Department has every couple tenths of a mile.



[Day 5: Tuesday, June 4, 1968]



Saybrook OH

Int. Rt. 45

Mile: 619

Time: 040716



To bed: 032250. Starting time: 040552.

No wind early - too bad it can't last. Beautiful sunrise. Stop for
breakfast in Astubula 0635 - 0702.





Painesville OH

Int. Rt. 86

Mile: 641

Time: 040839



Beautiful weather. Sun out, warming , no wind yet.



Cleveland OH

Rt. 91 turn off

Mile: 654

Time: 040930



Beautiful conditions continuing. Temperature 65°, winds null to light
easterly.



Cleveland OH

Int. Rt. 71 downtown

Mile: 622

Time: 041031



Wind still light. Heating up - 71°, took Euclid Avenue thru east side.



Elyria OH

Leaving Rt. 113

Mile: 697

Time: 041251



Took Detroit Avenue thru west side. Stop for Lunch at Euclid and 117th
Street at 041058 - 041133. Stopped and lectured for running red light in
Elyria.



Near Pittsfield OH

Int. Rt. 58

Mile: 706

Time: 041322



Continued good conditions, temperature 70°.



Norwalk OH

Int. Rt. 250

Mile: 728

Time: 041458



Rest at Pittsfield 1327 - 1340. Rest at Norwalk 1458 - 1515. Sun is hot:
77°





East of Fremont OH

Int. Rt. 19

Mile: 752

Time: 041642



Take 19 into Fremont, pick up 6 there.

Killing sun, moderate back wind, however leading to good speed. Getting
very sunburned.



Rollersville OH

Int. Rt. 199

Mile: 772

Time: 041837



Stopped to eat in Fremont, 1700-1740

Brisk east wind - the easiest riding yet



Bowling Green OH

Int. Rt. 25

Mile: 786

Time: 041922



Still good wind conditions.



Napolean OH

Leaving Rt. 108

Mile: 792

Time: 042050



Still beautiful riding conditions but I'm in very bad shape from sun and
sore rear end.

Understated mileage by 14 on this stretch. In compensating add 14 here and
reduce Duanesburg (4.1) by 6 and Auburn by 3. Stopped here for night
(Napoleon). Revised daily mileage totals:

5-31 108

6-1 171

6-2 143

6-3 174

6-4 206

802



6-4-68 - Today was easily the best for mileage - flat land throughout, and
either very light or else tail winds all day.



Thanks to the sun and general soreness, however, it's take me a long time to
unwind tonight - it could mean a late start tomorrow.



One thing to appreciate about the motel I'm in tonight is that it's the
first one with a really good shower. The others either haven't been high
enough or didn't spray right - it makes a big difference on a trip like
this.



The situation with my toilet bag is ludicrous. On 3 consecutive nights - 3
different tubes have burst and their contents mushed over everything.
Sunday it was the toothpaste, last night the sunburn lotion and tonight the
Brylcream. There must be a lesson to be learned there.



Ohio has an interesting habit of putting signs up at all city limits telling
what they're famous for. The trouble is that if that's all some have
accomplished, their reason for existence is slim. Still it seems like a
good idea.



And then after all the years of listening to people picketing for
"negotiations now" or "integration now" it was relieving to see some people
worrying primarily about more pressing things. The billboard of a western
Cleveland suburb read: "Sewers - now - vote yes on June 23".



I'm still up watching California primary returns at 11:35. This is
ridiculous.



[Day 6: Wednesday, June 5, 2005]



6-5-68 - 5:45 a.m. - Just woke up and heard the Kennedy news. [Robert
Kennedy had been shot a few hours earlier, while celebrating his California
primary victory. The wound proved fatal though that wasn't clear at the
time, at least not per TV reports.] Couldn't believe it - it's awful. What
does one say - or do?? Apparently I'll just finish the trip and not talk
about it. After more thought, I think I'll do that. Began 6:10 a.m.



South of Bryan OH

Int. Rt. 127

Mile: 819

Time: 050749



Starting time: 050610



Waterloo IN

Int. Rt. 27

Mile: 845

Time: 051015



Light west wind, sunny. Too many trucks. Stop at Butler for breakfast
0902 - 0925.

Hit Indiana state line at 0847. Stop at Waterloo 1020 - 1030.



Wawaka IN

Leaving Rt. 9

Mile: 862

Time: 051258



Had horrible time. Tried to ride a closed road - couldn't do it. Wound up
detouring on township roads - hilly, etc. Lunch in Kendallville 1200-1225.



South of New Paris IN

Int. Rt. 15

Mile: 889

Time: 051441



Rest at Ligonier 1335 - 1345.



Lapaz IN

Int. Rt. 31

Mile: 913

Time: 051655



Rest in park 1445 - 1455. Lunch in Nappenee 1525 - 1545. Getting
murderously hot; having to stop frequently to get out of the sun.



Kingsbury IN

Leaving Rt. 35

Mile: 935

Time: 051834



Rest at Lapaz 1655 - 1710.



Westville IN

Joining Rt. 421

Mile: 945

Time: 051912



Gary IN

Ridge Road & Broadway

Mile: 968

Time: 052051

Rest in Westville 1912 - 1925.



Chicago IL

Dwornik's [a college roommate] 8559 South Saginaw

Mile: 993

Time: 052235 (EDT)



Stopped by bridge in Chicago. Rest in Gary 052051 - 2100. Started at
060820 CDT.

Mileage for the day: 196; Trip 998]





[Day 7: Thursday, June 6, 1968]



Evanston IL

c. Center

Mile: 1017

Time: 0601050



Rest in Chicago 1010 - 1030

Difficult getting through on Lake Shore Drive - construction, etc. blocked
way.



Waukegan IL

c. Center

Mile: 1043

Time: 061305



Eat in Highland Park 1145 - 1215.



Racine WI

c. Center

Mile: 1070

Time: 061500



Rest (root beer) north of Waukegan 1315 - 1325.



Milwaukee WI

[735 N. Water]

Mile: 1090

Time: 061630

Weight - no material change]



Rest at Racine 1505 - 1515.

Mileage for Day: 97; Trip: 1095

Hi, Ron. You take wonderful trips, don't you? What made you post this
one from '68? Interesting political commentary providing a
social-historical context--as did the reference to Brylcream: since you
weren't wearing a helmet, you had to make sure your hair looked good,
right?

Did you take a bike trip to celebrate the end of your third year of law
school? Do you, did you practice law? What areas? Regards, Roy Zipris

"Roy Zipris" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi, Ron. You take wonderful trips, don't you? What made you post this
one from '68?

Thanks for your interest. I've posted my trips since 1994 currently. I've
had this old 1968 trip diary sitting around forever and really just got
around to posting it. Part of the motive is that it has become kind of a
"period piece" for that era, which is fading into history. I still have a
1986 trip around Lake Michigan to edit and file.


Interesting political commentary providing a
social-historical context--as did the reference to Brylcream: since you
weren't wearing a helmet, you had to make sure your hair looked good,
right?

I have no idea at this distance why I took Brylcream; my hair was cut short
then as always for bike trips. Must have been a vanity factor. That's a
very dispensable bit of baggage.


Did you take a bike trip to celebrate the end of your third year of law
school?

It was the end of second year; no special third year bike riding
celebration. The night of my last third year class was memorable in a
different way: flew to Milwaukee, drank extensively; later that night met my
wife to be for the first time - and didn't remember it. We were set up for
a date a few weeks later and things took off from there. Referring to my
extensive bike riding, she calls the bike my "iron mistress."


Do you, did you practice law? What areas?

I've been practicing law since 1969 - building and construction matters
mainly. Again thanks for your interest.


Regards, Roy Zipris