It may be uglier than a glass slipper, but this comfortable shoe was well loved for its short life.  Rachel dropped it sometime after lunch.  Once noticed, her Prince Charming retraced the route for nine miles, to no avail.  Luckily, it’s the only item we’ve lost so far.

The day began at Lyle & Ellen’s with gourmet breakfast sandwiches.

From there, we rode to Charlotte to board the ferry to Essex, NY.

In Essex, a kindly fellow approached us while we were stretching, to ask is if we’d had lunch yet. He recommended the Dogwood Cafe and sketched directions on a brown paper bag.  Those directions took us through lots of farmland and over scenic hills with lovely views of the Adirondacks.  It was hopping when we arrived!

With our lunch, we drank the Sip of Sunshine road beer that Lyle gifted us with and for dessert we were encouraged to buy 6 cookies. The food was delicious, with fresh, homemade breads and produce, and we met some very nice people.

We shared stories with a couple who was touring the US by car, another woman donated $20 to our cause, and a local cyclist sent us off with a peace sign and a smile.  So far we are loving NY!

All of the kindness made losing the Chaco later seem much less significant. When we rolled into Jellystone Park that evening, we finished the day huddled around a campfire sharing candy bars and drinking a Lime-A-Rita.

Trip stats, to date (day 6)

• Shelburne, VT to North Hudson, NY
• Daily mileage: 65.5mi; Trip total: 345m
• Daily riding time: 5hr 35min; Trip total: 30hr 20min
• Daily ascent: 3,503ft; Trip total: 20,909ft