road and an occasional glimpse of the lake would have been better on a sunny day.

At one point, I thought of stopping to see if they would care for a wet biking critter.

Well, I pedaled on into New York.  The sun still didn’t shine, but the road was a great improvement.

Last night Kristen and Andrew arranged for me to stay with their parents Tom and Penny Small and their Aunt Caroline Young in their lovely home.

Today is a special day that I had been thinking about for months. Early this summer my neighbors Elizabeth Georgescu and Kristen and Andrew Small noticed that my route would take me close to Chautauqua, NY. They introduced us to the Chautauqua Institution through brochures, books, enthusiastic conversations and the Chautauqua Institution web site.  I normally don’t deviate off my route but when you read about and see this magical place you will understand my calling.

Yesterday, I called the director of public affairs who reviewed the website and arranged for me to talk about the RIDE on Monday afternoon.  I certainly wasn’t going to let the rain or my three flats stop me from visiting Chautauqua.  Each week in the summer they have a theme and this week’s theme is Healing and Healthy Aging: Nurture and Nature.  I wanted to learn how much I have aged over the past 5 months.

Here are just a few pictures to try to give you a better feel for Chautauqua on a rainy day.

It is hard for me to explain the magical feel of this place, so I thought I would let historian and author David McCullough give it a shot.

“There is no place like it. No resort. No spa. Not anywhere else in the country, or anywhere in the world – it is at once a summer encampment and a small town, a college campus, an arts colony, a music festival, a religious retreat and the village square – and there’s no place – no place – with anything like its history.” 

Their brochure explains why people come to the Chautauqua Institution.

Many of the visitors who return to Chautauqua year after year describe it as an experience rather than a vacation -- a place for renewal. The Chautauqua Institution was founded on the belief that everyone “has a right to be all that he can be -- to know all that he can know.”

Their literature has this to say.

The Chautauqua Institution offers many opportunities for reflection, self-expression and spiritual renewal.  Known for its unique interaction of the arts, religion, education and recreation, the Institution welcomes over 170,000 people each summer.

Chautauqua is perhaps best known for its morning lecture series when the Amphitheater stage becomes the platform for distinguished speakers across a broad range of disciplines. Susan B. Anthony argued for women’s suffrage in 1892, and Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his “I Hate War” speech in 1936.  Margaret Mead, Amelia Earhart, Thurgood Marshall, Freeman Dyson, Jane Goodall, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Kurt Vonnegut have all spoken here.

Founded in 1874 as a training camp for Sunday school teachers, the Institution’s Christian tradition continues with Sunday through Friday morning worship services.  There are daily Roman Catholic Masses and Saturday morning Jewish services. The Abrahamic Program endeavors to teach about and build relationships among the Family of Abraham: Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Two art galleries feature the works of distinguished contemporary and traditional artists.

The Children’s School and the Chautauqua Boys’ and Girls’ Club, considered the oldest summer day camp in the country, contribute to programming for Chautauqua’s youth. In addition to lectures, plays, operas and classical and popular concerts, over 400 “special studies” classes cover such topics as “How to Identify, Value and Sell Antiques,” “Calligraphy,” “History of Jazz – The Modern Era” and “Basics of Investing in Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds.”

The popular entertainment series at the Institution’s Amphitheater has included such notables as Bill Cosby, Randy Travis, The Beach Boys, Loretta Lynn, Amy Grant and Mark Russell.

Sailing, a 36-hole golf course, a tennis center with fast-dry courts, two fitness centers (one open year round) and four public beaches cater to visitors.

The Chautauqua Crafts Alliance holds two weekend shows on Bestor Plaza each summer during the months of July and August.

Smith Memorial Library, a full service, public library, offers computer access, story hours and a well-stocked children’s book collection. The Chautauqua Institution Archives located in the Oliver Archives Center serves as a research center for graduate students, writers and others. A federal post office, the Hurlbut Memorial Church and the Chautauqua Bookstore are also available to the community.

For the latest information visit www.ciweb.org or call 800.836.ARTS.

With all this said, you need to be there to really understand the “Chautauqua Experience.”  On Sunday night I was delayed while changing flats and missed hearing Bishop Tutu’s daughter the Rev. Mpho A. Tutu speak. However, on Monday morning I heard James Steele and Donald Barltett authors of Critical Conditions; How Health Care in America Became Big Business and Bad Medicine.  It was a cold rainy morning and look at the audience.

I stopped by the library to view some of the books written by speakers this week and throughout the summer.

On Monday afternoon, I had the honor to visit with about 80 Chautauquans to discuss and answer questions about A RIDE FOR 3 REASONS in an open-air amphitheater.  I was pleased with the turnout since it was nasty weather and notification was just posted in the morning paper.  One person in the audience was a friend with riders I met in Montana, another is a Hunter Douglas dealer and offered me a place to stay in Rochester.

Here are a few more pictures of Chautauqua.  I am sure Anne and I will return with cameras, bikes, and open minds.

On Tuesday morning Tom Small arranged a radio interview with Jim Roselli on WJTN.  Jim has been doing a radio show for over 30 years right on the grounds of the Institute.  What a great job he has!  He has his studio outside on the grounds and the world comes to him.

Jim told me about an ALS patient in the area named Keven Hueling.  I have talked to Keven a couple of times. I am inspired by his drive, attitude and determination to help others.  Keven has had ALS for 16 years, is on a feeding tube, and respirator, yet he is organizing a walk this weekend to raise money to help others.  The only muscles Keven can move are his eyelids and his chin.  He moves a button that has been placed under his chin to activate a cursor on his computer, which speaks for him.  If you ever think you can’t do something, think of Keven. Please visit Keven's website.

Before I left I attended a lecture by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa who discussed brain longevity and mind improvement.

He said, “How we live today will determine how we will live tomorrow.”   There was a lot of discussion on our diet, which will influence our brain longevity.  He said if we eat what is good for our heart it will also be good for our brain since our brain is nothing but flesh and blood.  A plant diet is best for us – eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetable every day.  Exercising to increase the blood flow to our brains in also helpful. He was very engaging as you can see by this video.

Dr. Dharma also believes strongly in mediation to help our overall well-being.   To learn more visit his web site.

It was hard to leave the good hospitality of Tom, Penny and Caroline and Chautauqua, but I had to move on. As I rode towards Lake Erie I stopped to look at the rainbow of fruits and vegetables that we are so fortunate to have in our stores and even our roadside stands.  Life is good!  Eat the rainbow and tomorrow will be good.

It was good to ride east along Lake Erie to enjoy the Lake and the vineyards.

At the end of the day, I was this sign.  What more can I say?

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