Day 198: We are up at 5:40 and pack. Carol is up and has coffee ready. We drink the coffee, hug her goodbye and leave. When we get to the start, Bob chooses 9G and starts walking at 8:15. We see signs for the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Bob suggests I go ahead and see if there is a sidewalk so he can walk across. As it turns out, the bridge is on a different highway and we will not be crossing it, but I decide to have a look at it anyway. I am expecting a covered timber bridge. The Rip Van Winkle is a huge metal span across the Hudson River to Catskill. There is a sidewalk for cyclists and pedestrians. I pay a $1.00 toll to come back across it and I meet Bob and direct him to follow 9G.
The sun has come out strongly. There is a lot of traffic – Saturday drivers? A lot of people have come out to see the fall colours. I pick up 2 maps; one with Poughkeepsie and one of New York City. Bob continues along the road and arrives at 40.1 km at 4:00. We drive into and through Poughkeepsie past the architecturally beautiful Vassar. We arrive at the Inn at The Falls and meet Darice who welcomes us to stay for the next two nights. We bring in our bags and then get a picture of Darice and of Eric, the manager.
After a great dinner at the Hobnobbin, we come back to the hotel and have dessert in the common room. We watch TV for a short while, then to bed. Bob is walking again tomorrow.