Day 200: We are up at 5:30, packed and ready to go by 6:30. We do a little pre-drive this morning to see what Hwy 9 looks like ahead. We opt to use an internal road through a mall to avoid a narrow bridge, and then continue south on Hwy 9D. Bob starts walking at 7:50. We stay on 9D through Wappinger’s Falls and it looks as though we can follow it almost all the way to Peekskill. It is narrow and twisty and the traffic is heavy but it seems like a better alternative than the 6 lane divided highway that is #9 – even though it may add several kilometers to the distance.
The weather is hot and sunny with an expected high of 78 today. We pass through Hudson Highlands State Park. We are across the river from West Point. When we stop for lunch a number of commuter trains go by on their way into the city. I do not yet have a map of Westchester County and I need to get one for better details of the roads. We choose a connecting road - # 403 that will take Bob back to Hwy 9 just north of Peekskill. Bob gets to 40 km on Hwy 9 at 4:30. We have a billet for tonight with Jim and Lisa in Jefferson Valley, about 8 miles east of here.
We drive into Peekskill to a diner and study our map. We try to drive part of the route but it is getting dark and difficult to see the street names. We make our way to Jefferson Valley in the dark, but by good fortune and detailed directions, we find the address with no problem. Lisa and Jim welcome us with tea and snacks. We have a great talk and they call reporter friends and we take photos. We talk to their son-in-law Scott who gives us some good tips about cycling trails on the old aqueduct routes.
We have quick showers and get to bed. We are both really tired. Bob has not had a regular rest day on this leg of the journey.