Northern New England 2008

30 May Friday Milo, ME – Medway, ME (Day 19)

Starting Point: Milo, ME
Ending Point: Medway, ME
Via: Brownville, Brownville Junction, Mill Brook, Deans, West Seboeis, T4 Indian Purchase, Perkins, Millinocket and East Millinocket.
Mileage: 48.5   
Time: 4:34
Mph: 10.6
Terrain: somewhat hilly
Temperature High: 70
Temperature Low: 55
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Dinner: ravioli lasagna
Weather: sunny and windy
Lodging: Katahdin Shadows Campground
Cumulative Mileage: 977
Miles to Go: about 783   
Projected Distance: 1,760
Percent Completed: 56%

    One thing I neglected to mention about yesterday’s evening meal in Milo was that Valerie Jean’s Restaurant served the most delectable portion of fiddleheads that I have ever tasted. It’s not something I eat normally, but they were delicately spiced with butter and tender. Surely it was one of the high points of the meal.
    The stretch between Millinocket and Milo is fairly devoid of distractions from the tall magnificent pine trees and the fine pine smell often sensed along the way. I bicycled this stretch in 2005 on my Maine circumnavigation and it seemed a lot longer and a lot more desolate that time. I was going in the opposite direction this time and I did have sag wagon support this time which I’m sure made for a very different experience of the wildness of the area. When I was a bike tour leader back in 1976 as part of Bikecentennial, I led a van supported group; we referred to the driver of the van as the “sag hag.” I think it wise now, for the purposes of long-term health though, to refer to the driver of the support vehicle this time as “my wife.” She will return to Brunswick soon and I’ll be back to hauling the full load and dealing with long stretches alone; but her presence has been a wonderful gift, both for this trip and for the extended nature of my birthday celebration this year.
    As Susan and I were having a snack break alongside the road, a car stopped to check that everything was alright. That driver told us of a moose up ahead that was “thinking about crossing the road” and that we should drive up to see it. We thanked her and finished our snack. By the time I passed on my bike, there wasn’t hide or hair of any thoughtful moose. Again as I rounded every bend or rode over every crest of every hill, I fully hoped to see a good batch of moose. At one point I did finally see one, just as it was scurrying back into the woods as it heard me pedaling up.
    We had arranged to meet at a rest area up ahead on South Twin Lake where the view of Katahdin was unobstructed by trees. When I arrived, Susan told of having seen a mother bear and two cubs cross the road. Unfortunately she didn’t have a camera with her to produce proof of this. This was an interesting occurrence in light of what the Mainer at the restaurant the day before had told about me the lack of bear in Maine and that, no, I wouldn’t be seeing any bear. Technically he was correct. As we sat there soaking in the view of Katahdin and the lake, Susan noticed that a hummingbird was hovering around my fish flag; its colorful red parts must have attracted it. I didn’t see that bird either, though.
    I stopped in the library in Millinocket to catch up on some blogging and email. A local guy, Charlie, invited Susan and me to come stay at his now defunct bicycle hostel just down the street. Had we not put a credit card deposit down on Katahdin Shadows, I would have accepted. He seemed like a very interesting cordial local; it’s always a joy meeting locals and hearing about the goings-on of a place.
    As I rode through East Millinocket, I found a lot of people sitting alongside the roadway either in beach chairs or on blankets or in cars parked perpendicular to the roadway. It certainly looked like people ready for a parade. It seemed, though, that I was the only parader! Further down the line of people I stopped and asked a motorcyclist about what was happening. It turned out that the town always has a parade on the REAL Memorial Day and that parade was supposed to start only shortly after I passed through.
    That evening as I was returning from the restaurant down the hill with my headlamp on, I saw a group of kids sitting at the playground with glow sticks alight. I mentioned that I liked their glow sticks; they were that fluorescent green color that is so eerie in the dark. They said thanks and said that they liked my headlamp. I said that it had no bulbs but was LEDs instead. One of the kids, a guy, asked how many lights it had. I said it had four. He then went on to say that he had one with five and that he could press a button and light four, three or two lights or make it flash. I then pressed the buttons on mine (three or two or flashing) to check to see if that was what he meant. I said, “You mean like that?” He responded, “Yeah, but I still have five.” I kept walking to our cabin to get some well-deserved sleep.

29 May Thursday Greenville, ME – Milo, ME (Day 18)

Starting Point: Greenville, ME
Ending Point: Milo, ME
Via: Shirley Mills, Monson, Abbot, Guilford and Dover-Foxcroft.
Mileage: 48.8   
Time: 4:15
Mph: 11.5
Terrain: hilly
Temperature High: 55
Temperature Low: 50
Lunch: grilled cheese sandwich, potato salad, hot coco
Dinner: delicious (early) birthday dinner at Valerie Jean’s in town
Weather: sunny; strong tail winds
Lodging: CC Polaris Country Cabins
Cumulative Mileage: 928
Miles to Go: about 830   
Projected Distance: 1,758
Percent Completed: 53%

    One of the most thrilling aspects about this portion of the ride is that I’m not in prime moose country with a possibility of seeing even bear. I’m ready around every corner, over the crest of every hill, in every bog to see one of these creatures. This day, however, proved disappointing in this regard.
    At the lunch stop in Abbot, I had a long conversation with some natives and some people from away who had settled here decades ago. They were happy to discuss everything from the situation with the dearth of bears in the state, to the fact that some hunting guides bait bears so that their rich New York customers (who are willing to put $1,000 cash each right in the hands of the guide) can “hunt” bears as though they were in a shooting gallery, to the state of industry in the area. They were a friendly group of people with strong Maine accents that made lunch interesting indeed.
    I have had a “sag” vehicle for a day and will have one until I leave Shin Pond. A sag vehicle provides the cyclist the opportunity to carry less in the trailer and have company more often on the lonely stretches of road found in this part of the state. I’m happy to have my wife here temporarily to share in the experience out here. It also is making the time around my birthday much more enjoyable.

28 May Wednesday Jackman, ME – Greenville, ME (Day 17)

Starting Point: Jackman, ME
Ending Point: Greenville, ME
Via: Jackman Station, Blair, Long Pond, Sandwich Academy Grant, Taunton and Raynham Academy Grant, Rockwood and Greenville Junction.
Mileage: 49   
Time: 4:15
Mph: 11.5
Terrain: hilly
Temperature High: 55
Temperature Low: 38
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, frappacino, popcorn
Dinner: extremely delicious pasta and sauce, salad, strawberry-rhubarb pie
Weather: sunny; strong tail winds which explains the record speed!
Lodging: trailer of a Lung Association supporter in their yard
Cumulative Mileage: 880
Miles to Go: about 875   
Projected Distance: 1,755
Percent Completed: 50.1%

    The day started rather early (5:20am) with some truck driver idling his truck outside the motel in Jackman. He was speaking loudly; I suppose to be heard over the idling engine. It wasn’t clear to whom he was talking, but the puppies who had been barking yesterday were exercising their yelps this morning as well. I was tempted to go to  the front desk and complain, but I had gotten a fantastic deal to stay there. It wasn’t too long though before the driver and his rig drove off. The puppies calmed down, too, so it wasn’t too difficult to go back to sleep.
    Today was a relatively short day and I was in no rush to leave the town. The coffee shop in town, Jackman Java, was a place I wanted to get to before I left. Every time I’ve been in Jackman, I’ve stopped in and the atmosphere and people there have always been warm and friendly. Amazingly I went in and met José, a sponsor of mine and someone who works at Bowdoin College in the building right next to the one where my wife works, and his son. The incredible serendipity of meeting someone from Brunswick in Jackman in the shop I was going to at the same time was striking.
    Gail, the owner of the store, was her usual friendly welcoming self. She not only remembered me from other times I stopped there; she also remembered something I had written about her mother when I was there in 2005 (my circumnavigation of Maine). For those of you who never heard about it, here’s what happened. This was Jackman, Maine, a very quiet town most of the year. I was in the shop at the time drinking a delicious coffee. There were two customers in line at the counter and Gail’s mother came in the front door. She saw the customers and said, “I’d better come back later, when you’re not so busy.” It was a little surprising that Gail remembered that and remarkable too in that I often don’t remember that my blog/newspaper comments are remembered. It’s a somewhat scary thing only in that I hope to not meet again those people of whom I haven’t been that complimentary, for example, Mr. “I’m the law” from last year.
    I suppose that this is a good point to state an important disclaimer. I’m aware that I’ve expressed many opinions and ideas in these articles that might well offend someone. All opinions expressed here are mine alone and not necessarily those of either the American Lung Association of Maine or its affiliates or the Times Record newspaper. I like Benjamin Franklin’s quote: “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.”
    The ride was certainly gorgeous but cool. It was the kind of Maine summer sun that makes everything in the landscape stand out crisply in a visual way. Even though there weren’t many landmarks to see, the countryside was wonderful. There was Long Pond, Brassua Lake and the Moose River. The smell of pine was often distinct, but especially when a logging truck with trees or pulp drove by. I did ride by a couple of road workers who yelled as I rode by: “Bet it’s good on gas miles!”
    There was one bald eagle to see and I did hear several woodpeckers but, as usual, they were invisible. The only moose I saw was a deceased one in a ditch.
    This evening was a wonderful time staying with a Lung Association supporter. We had a fine carbohydrate-loaded dinner of pasta and good company. My route will be taking me over the rooftop of the state and there will be several other supporters who will be hosting me as well. Again this kind of generosity and spirit makes the trip pure joy.

27 May Tuesday Bingham, ME – Jackman, ME (Day 16)

Starting Point: Bingham, ME
Ending Point: Jackman, ME
Via: Moscow, Carrying Place, Caratunk Plantation, Caratunk, The Forks, West Forks, Johnson Mountain, and Parlin Pond.
Mileage: 51.1   
Time: 6:24
Mph: 8.0
Terrain: last 25 miles were basically uphill
Temperature High: 70
Temperature Low: 45
Lunch: turkey sandwich, fries, coke and beer
Dinner: sweet and sour chicken, cole slaw, mashed potatos, hot coco
Weather: partly sunny; strong head winds (10-20 mph)
Lodging: Boss Motel
Cumulative Mileage: 831
Miles to Go: about 924   
Projected Distance: 1,755
Percent Completed: 43%

    A striking aspect of my rest day in Bingham was how different the first evening in the restaurant/bar area of the rafting company was from the second evening. As I was sitting in the restaurant having dinner the first evening, more and more people came in until the din from the crowd was almost too loud to be able to concentrate on writing to the blog/newspaper. The place was indeed packed. The second evening’s crowd was non-existent. There were just two other people besides sitting at the bar watching TV. The bar was closed as was the restaurant. Most of the lights were off. In some ways, of course, this was more restful but it was still shocking to have an atmosphere not too unlike a wake. Since the restaurant was closed, there was no way to order dinner. One of the staff there was willing and able to go into the walk-in fridge and get me some plain pasta that had been cooked up for salad later on. The only thing they had available to put on it was salad dressing. So, it was a very simple meal. The price was right, too: free.
    The next morning I rolled into Bingham to have breakfast at the same place as yesterday. There was a couple going in ahead of me and the man commented, “That’s quite the rig you got there!” We had a brief conversation on the way in. I let him know that I was riding for ALAME. He was originally from the area visiting family who stilled lived here. His wife was from Wisconsin. I mentioned that my wife was from there also. I asked her whether she really preferred Wisconsin to Maine and she said that Maine had “too many trees” and really liked Wisconsin. Immediately I thought of the comment from the film Amadeus where the king commented to Mozart that his opera was fine but had “too many notes.” I didn’t ask her, however, which trees should be gotten rid of.
    Since I was somewhat rushing to get out on the road, I finished eating quickly. As I was walking away to pay, the man came up to me and said that I ate too fast for him to keep up but he wanted to give me a pledge for the ride. He also expressed belief in the fact that I did seem to be who I said I was and he felt trusting enough to give a pledge. Apparently he had had bad experiences with telemarketers (as have we all I think) so he was skeptical of anyone collecting money. I was happy to accept his pledge, of course.
    This day was slated to have a very difficult second half; the topography profile showed what looked to be a continuous uphill from The Forks all the way to Jackman, so I was dreading that. I came upon Northern Outdoors, one of the many rafting companies along this stretch, and wanted to stop in and have a Coke for energy. As I neared the place, there were signs that advertised “food, fresh beer.” I was intrigued. As I came in the door, a man who looked like an owner type rather than a guide type, commented on the “fine rig” I had.     We had a conversation about what I was doing out here. He mentioned that their company had some individuals who were going to do the Trek Across Maine as well. I asked him if he was the head of the place. He said that there were really three heads, so I didn’t actually know his role. I also asked him how he could have fresh beer all the way out here. It turned out that they actually brew it in their basement. He offered to let me have a free sampler of it. It was only noon and I’m really not much of a beer drinker, but I wasn’t going to turn down hospitality. I was served what looked like a cutting board with six large holes drilled part-way through. Each hole contained an approximately 6 ounce glass of each beer that they brew, from the lightest to the stoutest. I mentioned that it was unlikely that I would finish all that. He was happy to suggest that I just drink what I like and leave the rest. I mentioned that I would definitely be eating lunch here along with having that Coke that I had originally wanted. There was a guide down the bar from me having what looked to be delicious, so I ordered the same: turkey sandwich with gravy and cranberry sauce.
    We had a good conversation about rafting and bicycling. As I prepared to leave, I went over the cashier to pay. One of them came over and asked if I needed help with anything. I replied that I wanted to pay. She said that the president had taken care of the entire thing to “help me get up the hill.” Of course, I found him and thanked him profusely as I wasn’t expecting that at all. This was yet another example of how generous people have been along this entire route. These kinds of interactions and surprises make the tough climbs doable and the long stretches of nothing but trees manageable. Indeed, it turned out that every calorie from that lunch was needed to get up that “hill.”

25 May Sunday Eustis, ME – Bingham, ME (Day 14) and 26 May Monday – Rest Day (Day 15)

Starting Point: Eustis, ME
Ending Point: Bingham, ME
Via: Stratton, Carrabassett, Kingfield, North New Portland and Solon.
Mileage: 55.1   
Time: 5:03
Mph: 10.9
Terrain: many downhill runs interspersed with the usual uphills
Temperature High: 85
Temperature Low: 50
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ice cream sundae
Dinner: pasta with veggies
Weather: bright sun
Lodging: North Country Rivers Campground
Cumulative Mileage: 780
Miles to Go: about 970   
Projected Distance: 1,750
Percent Completed: 45%

    After submitting the article and the blog entry I forgot to mention that I did see a second moose yesterday besides one more today. It was standing in a boggy area as I approached. I rolled to a stop and it stared at me for a couple of seconds before turning tail and lumbering farther away. I didn’t even have time to get off the bike and get the camera. I can see these are going to be difficult quarry.
    Today I was looking very forward to having a rest day tomorrow so I felt like I could take whatever hill was thrown at me. Today that was the case; today’s performance is no guarantee of tomorrow’s.
    As I passed through Stratton I was hoping to find some bar soap; the supermarket didn’t have any, but an idea occurred to me: I had parked right across the street from The Stratton Motel. There were three people in front chatting so I thought maybe they could get me a couple of those tiny hotel soaps until I could get the kind I like. Sue, the proprietor, was happy to oblige. It turned out that her motel was also a through-hiker hostel. Through-hikers are those hiking from Maine to Georgia or vice versa on the Appalachian Trail. She had many questions about recumbents and the ride around Northern New England. Sue also had many mountain biking stories and plans. So much so, that I asked her if she had had breakfast. I did this with the intention of taking her to breakfast across the street. After a fine filling meal, she insisted on paying. Just another example of the kind of generosity I keep finding on a daily basis.
    On the way through Carrabassett Valley and Sugarloaf area, I did have a small encounter with a driver. The road was all downhill to Kingfield and the car right behind me was not passing. It turned out that there were about four cars behind him. The last one in the line passed me; it was burning oil spewing out a great blue cloud. The passenger, as they passed, yelled out the window, “Learn how to f***in’ drive!” The only sensible thing to do in this case is just wave and smile.
    In Kingfield I stopped in at an Alpaca store because I had to replace the fleece mitts I had for emergencies. I had lost one, probably on the side of the road somewhere. Kim was the proprietor of the store and was very helpful and very interested in why I was riding and what I was riding. She told great stories of her alpacas, especially about the personality changes in the once very sweet females once they became pregnant. I think the term she used was bitch brigade.
    She was very helpful and friendly; she did help me figure out the shortcut from New Portland to Route 201 and now her generosity will live on in these mitts that I purchased from her.
    Tomorrow is a well-deserved rest day so, barring major events or major moose, there will be no report.

24 May Saturday Errol, NH – Eustis, ME (Day 13)

Starting Point: Errol, NH
Ending Point: Eustis, ME
Via: Wentworth Location, Magalloway Plantation, Lincoln Plantation, Adamstown, Lower Cupsuptic, Oquossoc, Rangeley, Mountainview, Dallas Plantation, Langtown Mill, Lang, Stratton and Coplin Plantation.
Mileage: 66.1   
Time: 7:19
Mph: 9
Terrain: for the first 34 miles-very hilly with several ascents that certainly seemed like mountain passes; the last part of the ride was mercifully much flatter
Temperature High: 65
Temperature Low: 45
Lunch: pizza, coke, whoopee pie, V8 and bag of Smartfood popcorn
Dinner: Gatorade and some Chex snacks
Weather: overcast at times, cool head winds
Lodging: Cathedral Pines Campground
Cumulative Mileage: 724
Miles to Go: about 1,032   
Projected Distance: 1,756
Percent Completed: 41%

    There were two impressive aspects to this day of bicycling in the pine forests of New Hampshire and Maine: 2 more moose and the fact that after Rangeley the road flattened out considerably. The first moose was some distance outside of Rangeley. As I came over one of the interminable hills on the first part of the ride, I found an SUV parked on the side of the road. It was clear something was up, because there was nothing around for which to stop. I pulled up past the driver’s side window, he called out, “There’s a moose!” I had seen it just moments before reaching the vehicle. Well, I do have to admit that all I saw was the moose’s butt. He was already headed back into the denser woods away from the road. So it was me and the moose butt. Grammatically though shouldn’t it be “the moose butt and I?” But shouldn’t I take precedence over a moose butt. But, I digress.
    After I left Rangeley I came upon a group of people having a party down by a stream. As I passed them, one of them yelled out to me. So I turned around just to have some conversation; this day certainly lacked human contact significantly. What I found were 2 families, Bruce and Mary and Ed and Ann plus a young man that Mary described as her daughter’s daughter’s brother. I was a little confused…wouldn’t that make him her grandson? But it was a party, so I wasn’t going to get caught up in semantics. Anyhow they invited me for a beer. I agreed to half a one. The two adult guys were drunk out of their minds. They were also smoking up a fine storm. I did let them know about why I was riding; this made no dent in their chain-smoking. But Bruce was a really nice guy. He was a clam shucker in Freeport and with each detail I revealed to him about my ride he would respond, “That’s f***in’ amazin’!” or “I’m so f***in’ impressed!” They wanted to share their hot dogs with me and told stories about people they had lost to cancer. The two women also told stories of people they had recently lost to alcohol. This had no effect on the guys’ drinking though. The young guy was a 17-year-old high school drop-out who wasn’t sure he wanted to bother continuing. He was also smoking and it wasn’t clear if he had been drinking as well. He was baffled at why I would want to ride my bike all around like this. Bruce and Ed were very pleasant though sometimes it was hard to understand what Ed was saying. Before I left he wanted to know if I wanted money for the Lung Association. I said that I will always accept donations pretty much from anyone!
    Cathedral Pines Campground lived up to its name; the trees were huge, dense and silent. As with several places I have stayed, my one wish is that I could stay longer and experience the place longer. Perhaps another day.

23 May Friday Conway, NH – Errol, NH (Day 12)

Starting Point: Conway, NH
Ending Point: Errol, NH
Via: North Conway, Pinkham Notch (2,032’), Gorham, Berlin and Milan.
Mileage: 69.7   
Time: 7:53
Mph: 8.8
Terrain: very hilly with one mountain pass
Temperature High: 50
Temperature Low: 46
Lunch: veggie chili, hot coco
Dinner: Turkey sandwich, Gatorade
Weather: rain, heavy at times, high head winds
Lodging: Clear Stream Natural Campground
Cumulative Mileage: 658
Miles to Go: about 1,091   
Projected Distance: 1,750
Percent Completed: 38%

    It was with some trepidation that I began the day, mostly because I knew Pinkham Notch was coming and it wasn’t clear how much effect Mt. Washington would have on the conditions in the valley. The ride started innocently enough with a hill right out of the campground. Rolling through North Conway made me glad I was not staying. This was mostly due to the fact that it’s pretty much impossible to enjoy shopping when whatever is purchased has to be hauled in a bicycle trailer. This is an easily solved problem: come with a car next time.
    I stopped in at The Stairway Café; it looked interesting and I had a sense that they might have a wi-fi Internet connection. I spoke with Katherine who said they did but that she would have to give me the password; something she doesn’t do for just anyone. That was an auspicious start. Breakfast was a delightful tasty and visually pleasing Veggies Benedict. This was nothing I could have even come close to creating at the campsite, even with the proper ingredients. It took some time to catch up with the blog and the Times Record articles.
    By the time I left it was partly sunny and the temperature was somewhat cool. As I moved north towards Gorham, there were rain clouds gathering. All the summits of the Presidential range were obscured by dark clouds. At one point the sun was out but there were still raindrops that kept falling on my head. I couldn’t figure out from whence they came though. The pass had an average grade of about 5%, but there were portions that measured out to 8% and more. About a quarter mile from the pass it began raining in earnest. This was yet another reason to stop in at Pinkham Notch Camp. This is one of the principal gateways into the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. They serve hot lunch and hot drinks, both of which I was able to get in relatively short order.
    I had a good conversation with the Information Desk volunteer. It was clear that even though the weather was lousy down in the valley, I was really glad to not be hiking, or worse, biking, at higher altitude. There was still seventy feet (NOT inches) of snow in Tuckerman’s Ravine. The temperature on top of Washington was 27° with 43 mph winds and gusts to 69. Additionally there was freezing fog and light snow in the atmosphere. The volunteer let me know that I was lucky; there had been a hailstorm a bit earlier that morning.
    She had a weather radar program displaying the storm that was moving overhead and she seemed sure that I would have to wait a few hours to continue on. A bit later I went back to her station to say goodbye and she said that “now is the time to leave, there is a break in the storm according to the radar.” So I hurried to get all my rain gear on and continued on.
    In about a quarter of a mile, it began raining in torrents and I sought shelter in the closed up ski lodge at Wildcat Mountain. I thought that maybe her radar needed some adjustment. In a while there was brightness in the sky that signaled it might be safe to go on. I arrived in Gorham to get a snack. As I ate it inside the service station, again the rain came down in buckets. Some motorcyclists came in too and they were soaked as well. The much desired brightness appeared again so it was possible to move on.
    Route 16 follows the Androscoggin River from its source at Lake Umbagog near Errol, but the road is not gently sloped like the riverbed. There were a good number of hills, but the effort seemed all the more because it kept raining with a head wind that was only good for keeping bugs away. After Berlin was an incredibly peaceful scene along the river where there weren’t too many hills.
    At a moment when I was going up one of those hills, I had my first major mechanical failure of the trip: my trailer hitch gave out and released the trailer. Fortunately I had the emergency strap attached so the trailer didn’t roll all the way back down the hill. Also fortunate was that I had been hauling the spare for 2 years so now it came in handy finally. As I was fixing it, the rain began again. For some reason, it struck me as somewhat humorous and ironic. It kept raining fairly intensely at times and so, as I was riding, if I saw a vehicle approach from behind, I would put my thumb out in the hopes of getting a ride. Naturally no one stopped; this was New England.
    At some point I entered the 13 Mile Woods and the road became gentle and the scene was quiet. Night was approaching but rather than get freaked out about it, a feeling came over me that it would work out even if I rolled into camp a bit after dark. It was possible to savor the quiet, the river, the possibility of seeing moose or other animals, the pine trees, the vast forest that seemed to have to bounds. The road was the only invader and I felt an invitation to absorb the beauty. Not long before arriving in Errol, I finally saw a moose in the river. It was probably 50-70 yards away, but very visible despite the oncoming darkness. It saw me and was staring. It would dip its mouth into the river and come up with water spouting out of both sides of his mouth.
    When I finally arrived at camp Rolande and Bob greeted me in the office. Rolande was really generous and friendly; she even was willing to dry all my wet things in her dryer. Bob was happy to drive me to the center of town, about half a mile away, to get some things for dinner.
    It was a fine end to a challenging day; the soft forest floor under my tent was so soft I didn’t really need a sleeping bag pad. The site was so quiet and dark, it was an easy task to fall asleep for 10 hours; which I did with relish.

22 May Thursday Bath, NH – Conway, NH (Day 11)

Starting Point: Bath, NH
Ending Point: Conway, NH
Via: Benton, Wildwood, Lost River, North Woodstock, Lincoln, Kancamagus Pass and Livermore.
Mileage: 59.5   
Time: 6:36
Mph: 9
Terrain: very hilly with two mountain passes: Lost River (1,840’) and The Kanc (2,855’)
Temperature High: 55
Temperature Low: 40
Lunch: turkey sandwich, chips
Dinner: macaroni and cheese with peas
Weather: partly sunny with occasional threats of actual rain
Lodging: Beaches Camping Area
Cumulative Mileage: 589
Miles to Go: about 1,162   
Projected Distance: 1,751
Percent Completed: 34%

    I got a late start because of an interesting conversation at the campground in Bath, NH. A mother and daughter were very interested in hearing about this bicycle tour. It turned out that the young woman was going to high school on-line. I hadn’t heard of such a thing so we were all interested in each others’ stories.
    The day was challenging after that because of having to go over two passes. I had forgotten how it was going east over the Kancamagus Pass. It is a long descent of about fifteen miles before arriving at Route 16 north.
    There were lots of wetlands I passed and I thought for sure I’d see a moose. At one point on the way up the second pass, I did see a weasel-like animal run across the road.
    One all too familiar thing happened at night. I had purchased a loaf of bread to make myself peanut butter and preserve sandwiches. I was so exhausted by the time I finished all my end-of-day activities that I forgot about the bread in the trailer. In the morning I found a hole bitten through my protective plastic pouch and through the plastic of the loaf of bread. Half the loaf was chewed up and the trailer was full of crumbs. I suppose because I was so tired I didn’t hear a thing during the night. Raccoon? Skunk? Bear? Weasel? Some other young camper? I’ll never know. I’ll also never forget to put food like that in the tent with me.

21 May Wednesday Island Pond, VT – Bath, NH (Day 10)

Starting Point: Island Pond, VT
Ending Point: Bath, NH
Via: East Burke, Lyndon Center, Lyndonville, Lyndon, Saint Johnsbury, Passumpsic, Barnet, McIndoe Falls, Monroe, and Woodsville.
Mileage: 58.4   
Time: 6:16
Mph: 9.3
Terrain: very hilly
Temperature High: 55
Temperature Low: 44
Lunch: bagel, Coke, potato salad
Dinner: beans and potato mixture, chocolate milk and bread
Weather: partly sunny with occasional rain
Lodging: Twin River Campground
Cumulative Mileage: 529
Miles to Go: about 1,219   
Projected Distance: 1,748
Percent Completed: 30%

    I had been looking forward to the urban wildness of Island Pond, VT. I had been sure that there would be streets full of visitors and certainly a festive atmosphere. Admittedly I am writing this on Friday morning in hindsight so I’ve had plenty of time to mull over the past two days. The day had been a hilly one with threats of rain most of the day. The roads were quiet and devoid of the wildlife I’ve been waiting for: moose, deer and bear. Seymore Lake was beautiful but still waiting for the summer visitors. There were no boats and no bathers. Only members of the Polar Bear Club would have gone in the water. It was cold, gray and uninviting. What was in Island Pond didn’t exactly match my expectations. There was no traffic at all (which is a fine thing for a bicyclist). At about 7:45, I stopped in front of a deli to ask a worker where I could find the Clyde River Hotel. By this point of the day I was rather exhausted. He lifted his arm, looked to his right and pointed, “It’s right there!” Indeed it was right next door to the deli. I arrived in the lobby and there was no one there. A sign posted on the desk instructed the visitor to call a number if a room was desired. I called it and there was no answer. Fortunately I found a note on that desk that was addressed to me. My room was #8 and the key was in the room. I went upstairs to settle in by hauling much of the contents of the trailer. There was no evidence whatsoever of guests; no sound, no yelling, no music, no footsteps. Again it was a scene right out of an Alfred Hitchcock or Stephen King film. I went next door to the deli to buy dinner; the only restaurant in town had already closed.
    When I arrived back I tried the phone again; this time the owner answered. He said he might be in the office in about an hour. He also informed me that if I wanted to find a beer I could buy it across the street at an Irving gas station and drink it in the lobby. I did mention that I generally try not to drink alone. According to Danny (the owner) there was an American Legion hall in town where I could find something. After consuming a delicious turkey and cheese sandwich from the deli I ventured forth to the American Legion hall. There were two cars in the parking lot; this didn’t bode well for a social time. As I entered I found a bartender and one guy playing pool. As I started signing the guest book, the bartender informed me that if I wasn’t a member, she couldn’t serve me since there was no member who could “cover” me. Dejected I left to go to Irving and buy a small beer that I would drink alone in front of the TV in the lobby. At least there was good news; Obama had won Oregon and looked like a sure thing for the nomination.
    Even though this writing is about yesterday, I felt my writing from yesterday was rather brief and didn’t reveal the richness found in the stretch to Island Pond. Over the past two nights I’ve actually camped in the manner I had intended for this ride: use the tent, buy the food, cook it at the campsite, and clean up at the campsite. This process, though, demands a large amount of time, attention and energy. It left me with very little time or energy to write. So today, Friday, I’m playing “catch-up.”
    The conversation with the hotel owner in Island Pond was interesting in that he, too, was originally from Connecticut and had been running the hotel for a few years. He reflected on how the oil situation has impacted his business and the others in town. He described his fuel bill increasing 400% and wasn’t sure how he was going to manage. It had been a great winter for visitors but, as with all weather-dependent businesses, he wasn’t sure of the future. Many of the former guests of his hotel and purchased homes in the area and now, because of the energy crisis, many of those homes were for sale and those visitors weren’t coming back.
    As I was preparing to start out for this day, a touring cyclist rolled up next to me. It turned out he was from Kennebunkport and was a pharmacist at Hannaford’s and was going to be doing the Trek across Maine as well. We shared breakfast at Jennifer’s in town…it was really the only place open for a sit-down breakfast. Generously, without any asking from me, he bought me breakfast. I have to say that this is part of a long chain of fine connections I’ve made on this trip. There have been so many generous, kind and interested people. It is these kind of people that keep me going on the long stretches of roads and hills.
    We started out riding together because he was also headed to Saint-Johnsbury, VT. We were together for about one-quarter mile before we came to a hill and he rolled away from me.
    As I was arriving into East Burke, VT I was passing a driveway where a vehicle was waiting to exit. The driver waved me by and basically followed me the rest of the way into town. I pulled into a café there for a hot drink. Waiting in line there was a group of guys who looked like bicycle racers; they were dressed in the lightest and tightest bicycle clothing that can be found in places like the Tour de France. It turned out they were from Québec City. So I began speaking to them in French. At first possibly the alpha-male of the group spoke to me in French as well. Then something happened that had him switching to English. I didn’t follow suit; it always a good challenge to keep the conversation going in French. This bi-lingual exchange continued for a minute or so. Eventually he walked off and one of his teammates stayed to continue talking and waiting for his order. He continued in French, thankfully.
    That driver who had passed me earlier on was eating lunch and wanted to know where I was riding from and to. When I told him about the 1,700-mile loop, he responded, “That’s one long ass ride.” I admitted as much.

Date: 20 May Tuesday Freligsburg, Québec – Island Pond, VT (Day 9)

Starting Point: Freligsburg, Québec
Ending Point: Island Pond, VT
Via: West Berkshire, Berkshire, Richford, Jay Peak Gap (2,100’), North Troy, Newport Center, Newport, Derby Center, Morgan, Morgan Center and Brighton.
Mileage: 68.7   
Time: 7:34
Mph: 9.1
Terrain: hilly with a mountain pass added for spice. Also, 19 miles from finish began 15 miles of exhausting roller coaster hills (good training for Northern Maine)
Temperature High: 50
Temperature Low: 40
Lunch: pizza slice, juice
Dinner: turkey sandwich, cole slaw, juice
Weather: partly sunny, sprinkling of rain 15 miles from finish
Lodging: Clyde River Hotel
Cumulative Mileage: 471
Miles to Go: about 1,298   
Projected Distance: 1,769
Percent Completed: 27%

    This day was rather uneventful and chilly. With the cold weather as it is, tourist season hasn’t really taken off yet. The roads are devoid of tourist drivers and there virtually no other cyclists. I have yet to find any large mammal wildlife; I’ve seen no deer, no moose, no porcupines and no bear. I’ve heard plenty of woodpeckers and other common birds.
    Since the distance today was one of the longer days and it happened that I left the warm surroundings of Au Chant de l’Onde of Frelighsburg, there wasn’t much time to explore towns or meet people.
    Most of the day I spent just hoping that it wouldn’t rain. After my experience yesterday I wanted to be able to stay as warm as possible as long as possible.
    A striking aspect to the so-called Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is just how clearly present is the poverty. Many businesses are closed, homes are run down and the town centers seem extremely unpopulated. This not to say that every town has suffered; Newport seems to have a thriving downtown and plenty of activity.