I rode into Poughkeepsie this morning, expecting to get there around 11 but actually closer to 10. I waited at a community garden near the Vassar campus until Anna was ready to see me. She showed me all around the campus -- which is more like an arboretum than a shady lawn -- and the art museum where she works.
In the dining hall, I felt pretty cool hanging out with the college crowd ... until I learned that Anna's friends had assumed I was her father! Don't get me wrong, her father is a good-looking guy, but he's gotta be 20 years older than me...
North of Poughkeepsie is Hyde Park, where the Roosevelts and Vanderbilts lived. I toured the grounds of FDR's house and would have gone to see Vanderbilt's mansion, but the driveway was dauntingly hilly. Hyde Park would be a nice weekend destination: lots of inexpensive motels, and the tourist destinations are all connected by a walking trail along the Hudson valley.
I stopped for the night at Mills-Norrie State Park. I had thought I might face heavy competition on a Saturday evening, but the campground is as empty as it is isolated. Perfect!
24.6 mi
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