The New York- Montreal group woke up bright and early to a hot breakfast at the Fishkill Hotel (yum!). Bellies full (perhaps a little too much for our digestive systems), we rode a solid 18 miles along the Empire State Rail Trail. After a quick stop for some snacks, we dove right into the river for a quick splash off a dock in Poughkeepsie’s public park. Then we visited the Historic Italian District and munched on a delicious apple crumble cake at a local bakery.
Energized by the sugar, we took a short detour to bike across the Walkway Over the Hudson, taking in the amazing views. We then biked onward to lunch, shortly followed by a tour of the FDR House Museum. A short 5 miles later, we set up camp at a State Park in Staatsburgh and settled into the night’s main course: nacho bowls. Due to the rain expected tonight, we pitched out tents next to each other on a raised platform and played words games through the thin walls of our shared dwellings.