Starting Point Part 1: Waterville, ME
Ending Point Part 1: Belfast, ME
Starting Point Part 2: Belfast, ME
Ending Point Part 2: Union, ME
Via Part 1: China, Liberty, West Searsmont, North Searsmont and Belmont .
Via Part 2: Belmont, Searsmont, Ghent, West Appleton and Appleton.
Mileage: Part 1: 50.1, Part 2: 23.5, Overall: 73.6
Time: Pt 1-4:33, Pt 2-2:48, Overall: 7:21
Mph Pt 1-11, Pt 2-8.3, Overall: 9.7
Terrain: hills and lots of them
Temperature High: 55
Temperature Low: 51
Lunch: barbecue chicken, beans, corn
Dinner: macaroni and cheese, ham, broccoli
Weather: rain
Lodging: at the home of a Lung Association supporter
Cumulative Mileage: 1,697
Miles to Go: 47
Projected Distance: 1,744
Percent Completed: 97%
The main theme of today was rain. From the first revolution of the pedals until leaving Belfast for the second part of the day, it rained. It was sometimes a light rain and other times a much heavier rain. Everything was soaked; but I was very glad to not be pulling the trailer for the first part of the day.
It is always a shock to me to see how many riders wear simply a cycling jersey and shorts in such weather. It is always less of a shock to see a good number of those riders in the medical tents at the rest stops huddled under blankets and emergency silver-colored plastic warmth shells trying to overcome hypothermia. I have had enough hypothermia in my cycling career to wear layers when it rains.
When it rains like this, the only goal of the day is to reach the end of the day in one piece; there is no reflective meditating on nature nor is there much of an effort to find moose in bogs. With the rain, I feel some kinship with those moose; they have to put up with cold drenching rain without the benefit of polypropylene.
Today was the first day that had volunteers in those rest stops making hot drinks, such as: cocoa, coffee and tea. I enjoyed every warm cup I could get my hands on.
At the end of the ride to Belfast there awaited a fine hot lunch and shelter under giant tents. The finish line had a fine contingent of spectators cheering for us. That has always been a wonderful uplifting moment no matter what the weather.
It was a somewhat long process to gather my baggage, trailer and computer in one place to reassemble it all and ride on to my lodging for the night. I was concerned that I’d be too exhausted after wrestling with the rain all day to continue on another 23 miles, but I had received some fine toughness training in the mountains of northern Vermont and northern Maine. So it wasn’t as overwhelming as I had feared.
I have to admit that it was actually somewhat a relief to get away from the crowds as I continued on to Union. The first part of the ride out of Belfast was on the actual Trek route to just beyond the last rest stop. All that was left of that rest stop was a giant, empty, open-air tent with no people or snacks or anything for that matter. As I say, it was a mixture of relief and some melancholy to see that; there were no cheering encouraging volunteers or friends to talk with, but the adventure of continuing on into an unknown area overcame the tendency to long for the warmth and bustle of the crowds.
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