First Contact
A Thursday evening drive down a narrow gravel road led to a wooded hillside in Ionia, New York, where the Astronomy Section of the Rochester Academy of Science was holding its monthly meeting. Small observatory buildings dotted the grounds, a vanilla sheet cake marked the club's 145th anniversary, and members in planet-covered shirts discussed telescopes, software, and the night sky. After a presentation on cosmology, everyone drifted outside to point telescopes toward Jupiter while daylight faded over the fields and woods surrounding the observatory.
Training Day
A 38-mile training ride along the Auburn and Lehigh Valley Trails. Green tunnels of trees, old railroad bridges, a cheeseburger and a beer at Creekside Inn, memories of a biker bar from another chapter of life, and a yellow recumbent trike appearing between the trees.
Scouting Boca
A train ride north to test the roads, the rhythm, and the people. Boca is designed. Hollywood improvises..
DhákháBrákha Live at the Smith Opera House
Creative Journey - A wildly creative, electrifying night with DakhaBrakha at the historic Smith Opera House — music that felt like art, ritual, and storytelling all at once.
Bike 2 Boat
The Wild Life - A two-hour rural ride to Keuka Lake — complete with hills, dogs, a flat tire repaired by a Mennonite family, and a crop-dusting plane that felt way too close for comfort — followed by a sun-soaked boat day with friends, food, wine, and small-town exploring. A perfect Fall in the Fingerlakes adventure.
Trails to Niagara
A five-day bike tour from my home in the Fingerlakes to Niagara-on-the-Lake with my bike buddy Holly — 150+ miles of canal paths, small towns, Niagara Falls, wine country, and the joy of crossing into Canada on two wheels.
Bon Ton Roulet
A week-long supported bike tour through the Finger Lakes — familiar roads, peaceful miles, light social moments, and a quietly empowering reminder of my strength, autonomy, and commitment to vibrant aging.
Boston Emerald Necklace
A long weekend in Boston for Meredith’s bridal shower — biking the city, dinner at Faneuil Hall with family, celebrating Kevin and Meredith, and enjoying a warm, meaningful few days in Brookline.
A Short Ride and a Long Tree
A ride from Geneva toward Waterloo on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail ended seven miles in when a fallen tree blocked the path, sending us back to Geneva for wine by the lake instead.
NOTL Solo Bike Tour
The Wild Life - A rainy but peaceful solo bike tour from Pittsford to Niagara-on-the-Lake — crossing into Canada via the Peace Bridge, meeting my brother near the Falls, reuniting with Serge and Lisa for wine, dinner, and relaxation at Harbour House, and wrapping up with two days in Buffalo
Costa Rica
Wander the World - A determined, rain-or-shine birthday adventure through Costa Rica — from night walks in the Monteverde cloud forest to ocean views in Manuel Antonio, ziplining, snorkeling, gourmet farm meals, and tropical relaxation, all shared with Catherine and Karen. The trip ended in Dallas with visits to Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards — and miraculously, my badly sprained ankle healed by the time I got home.
Winter Biking in the Fingerlakes
Winter biking in the Finger Lakes — riding through quiet, frosty landscapes with new cold-weather gear, hauling my sturdy bike trailer for errands, and learning to love the stillness and strength of cycling all season long.
Cycle the Hudson Valley
Cycle the Hudson Valley – August 2024
A multi-day group ride along the Empire State Trail from Troy to NYC with PTNY. Slept indoors on gym floors, volunteered at the e-bike charging tent, crossed the Walkway Over the Hudson, toured Val-Kill and the CIA, enjoyed concerts, survived a rain-out day, and finished the final stretch into NYC with a dead battery — supported by new friends, especially Holly. A joyful, challenging, unforgettable adventure.
Black Diamond Biking - Ithaca, NY
Black Diamond Trail Ride — Ithaca, NY
Biked the scenic Black Diamond Trail with bike club members, adding extra miles by exploring Ithaca and enjoying lunch at the lakeside Ithaca Farmers Market. A peaceful, beautiful summer ride through one of the region’s most iconic outdoor spaces.
A Spontaneous Escape to Hawaii
A Spontaneous Escape to Hawaii — Two Weeks of Wonder with Jai
In the middle of a chaotic home construction project, I dropped everything and flew to Hawaii to meet Jai. A spontaneous two-week escape that became a healing adventure across Oahu and the Big Island.
Toronto vs. Buffalo — KeyBank Center Showdown
Toronto vs. Buffalo — KeyBank Center Showdown, December 2023
A border-town rivalry brought to life: brother Chris from Toronto, lake-town hockey memories, and a 9–3 Sabres shellacking — all from seats behind the Leafs box in Buffalo.