July 19th. Little Falls to Lathem NY.

July 19th. Little Falls to Lathem NY. Elevation: 130 ft. 78.6 mile. I knew I had to ride sort of fast because I was going to meet Don Berens, Randy Evans' roommate,(whom he met on his ride across America). I started to ride with the racking crew up to Fort Klock, an English Fort built in 1750. As I was to commence, to my dissatisfaction I noticed a slow leak on the front tire. Forrest with Debra and Gary(The Neumayers) helped me change to a new tube. We rode along the Mohawk Valley, a very pretty countryside full of history. As I hurried to meet Don Berens, as previously planned I noticed the Shrine of Lilly of the Mohawk Valley, a shrine dedicated to Tetehewitha Kateri, an Indian maiden soon to be canonized a saint. Lilly of the Mohawk Valley Shrine is located somewhere between Fonda and Amsterdam, NY. A couple of miles ahead I stopped at an Indian Pow Wow. Soon after the Pow Wow I entered the bike path where I was suppose to meet Don around 12:00 p.m., at this point I was almost an hour and half late. Luckily Don was very patient and waited for me. From a distance I noticed a rider and I loudly called his name, Don immediately responded and stopped. We introduced each other and rode together the rest of the way to the hotel. Often when one rides with a new interesting friend one covers distances quickly so Don and I in no time got to Schenectady where we stopped at Jumpin-Jacks a favorite ice cream place for a milk shake. At Jumpin-Jacks we met with Joe Williams another rider. Don took me through the old Dutch section of Schenectady, NY. Upon our arrival to the hotel, Don accompanied me inside the hotel and kept a close watch to my joyful reaction to the sign in the front desk which read " Go Jose'- the guys from Mc Donald's are pulling for you! Randy suggested Don to write the sign. Don offered to take to church, around 4:20 p.m. Don his wife and children picked me up at the hotel to attend Mass. Don- What a kind and humble man! (2896) Fort Klock- built 1750, (2897) Fort Klock, (2898) Fort Klock- cooking fire place, (2899) Wide view of Fort Klock, (2901) Saint Kateri Shrine, (2902) Statue of Saint Kateri encircled by a huge Rosary, (2903) Sign of the National Kateri Shrine and Indian Museum, (2905) Saint Tetewitha Kateri Statue, (2906) Fonda Kateri Shrine- a little history about the site on the Mohawk Valley, NY., (2907) Native American Peace Grove- a prayer by the Iroquis Prophet, (2908) Pipe and Tomahawk, (2909) An Indian Poster Picture depicting Indian Emergence-birth, (2910) Early picture of Saint Kateri, (2912) Church /Chapel of Saint Kateri, (2914)Another early painting of Saint Kateri,(2915)Another view of the chapel, (2916) Kateri's last words, (2917) Freeway 5 by Schenectady, NY., (2918) Mohawk River Valley, (2919) Indian Pow-Wow in the Mohawk Valley, (2920) Pow-Wow, (2921) Joe and Don at Jumpin-Jack's Root Beer Stand, (2922) Don Berens and I at Jumpin-Jacks Root Beer Stand, in Schenectady,NY. , (2923) Saint John's the Apostle Church, (2924) Union University, (2925) Mohawk River, (2926) Dolly Parton Bridge, (2929 & 2930) GO JOSE' SIGN written by Don and requested by Calif. riding friend Randy Evans.