Peacocks, Dragons and Battlefields

I mapped out a 45 mile ride for Sunday morning. Starting in Rexford, winding my way north around Malta and Saratoga Lake before heading south from Stillwater through Mechanicville and into Waterford. Derrick's (nephew) travel team was playing ball in Waterford so I could met up with the family there and catch a ride home.

Map my ride had me touring through Saratoga National Historic Park, a park that I had never heard of!

Aside from a little rain the beginning of the ride was pretty uneventful. My plan was to ride a portion of the 100 mile MS ride before heading south. That part of the ride was Rt. 9p around the southern tip of Saratoga Lake and along the eastern shore. Of course, that was the plan but my rides never go according to plan!

Leaving Malta Ridge I passed the Bass Manor. Bass Manor is an original Adirondack Camp built in 1927 and converted into a B&B and art museum. Looks like it's worth checking out sometime! As I rounded the lake I saw something I wasn't expecting- peacocks! Two of the with tail feathers spread. They were at a house that seemed like a wild bird sanctuary. Loads of geese and ducks.

A few miles later I there was a sign pointing to the Saratoga National Historic Park. It seemed a little soon to be turning but who was I to argue? Turned out it was earl, I was only about 1/3 of the way up the lake. But a closed road later in the ride made this look like a pretty good decision.

The original plan was to ride through the park from north to south, but my new route took me across the southern edge. I passed a small monument in field where General Gates and the American Army camped during the Battles of Saratoga in 1777. These were the first major victories during the Revolutionary War. The field to my left was the site of the battles in which Gates defeated General Burgoyne in September and October of 1777, battles that are know as the Turning Point of the American revolution!

A few more miles down the road and there was another historic marker. The road I was turning onto was used by troops supplying George Washington as he was driving the British out of Boston. When I think of the Revolutionary War I think of Bunker Hill, Lexington and Concord, and Washington crossing the Delaware. I never realized there was this much history so close to home.

Finally headed into Stillwater and saw a pretty cool sculpture of a dragon holding a blue glass ball. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful until I left Mechanicville and found the road closed headed to Waterford. The detour took me up a pretty long climb headed toward Clifton Park. It would have been easy to head home from there. Empty house, hot shower....

I followed the detour, took a left turn and another climb and rode on to Waterford. The Oneida Muddogs (?) were up 15-1 when I got there and put up another 8 or so runs in the 5th.

Looking forward to more riding around Saratoga Lake and discovering some more of the Revolutionary War history in our area!

Please make a donation to my 100 mile bike ride for MS this summer.