Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013
Made it!!!! Dipped the front tires into the Atlantic to complete the trip. 3,943 miles. 75 days. And a lot of work. Lots of feelings going on. I feel happy, sad, proud, humble, ecstatic, thankful for all of the support and help. Tomorrow, I don't know if I will know what to do with myself. Really looking forward to getting back home. I was supposed to be figuring out what to with retirement while doing this trip. Still don't know, but it doesn't seem to matter. Things will come, and life will go on. Looking forward to whatever it brings.
Til next time.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Friday, Oct 11, 2013
Ate in an amazing diner in Waldoboro, Maine. In the same family since 1927. Really busy. I felt sorry for the Asian restaurant across the street. Two cars. About 30 cars in this parking lot. Hard to find a table, but I got in right away by sitting at the counter. Went with the seafood platter. When in Maine. Nice sayings on the wall - things like. "Pie makes all things better". They sold pie not by the slice, but by the Slab. Giant pieces.
It was fun.
Saw the strangest roadkill yet. A Starfish. It was on the shoulder and it was flattened. But, I'm pretty sure that it didn't get there without some help.
Today's drama was leaving my leg warmers by the side of the road. I stopped to take them off and decided to eat a bit as long as I was stopped. I guess I can't do more than one thing at a time. Luckily, I was only a mile or so up the road when I figured out that they were still back where I took them off. They are important. My only warm piece of riding clothes for the legs. It has been in the high 30's and low 40's when I get on the road in the morning.
Two more riding days. Hard to relate to that. Excited, emotional, relieved. All mixed together.
Nice riding days. Cold in the morning, but nice soon after. Still too many hills for my preference, but really beautiful. I think I will go with seafood of some kind tonight also.
Til next time.
Ate in an amazing diner in Waldoboro, Maine. In the same family since 1927. Really busy. I felt sorry for the Asian restaurant across the street. Two cars. About 30 cars in this parking lot. Hard to find a table, but I got in right away by sitting at the counter. Went with the seafood platter. When in Maine. Nice sayings on the wall - things like. "Pie makes all things better". They sold pie not by the slice, but by the Slab. Giant pieces.
It was fun.
Saw the strangest roadkill yet. A Starfish. It was on the shoulder and it was flattened. But, I'm pretty sure that it didn't get there without some help.
Today's drama was leaving my leg warmers by the side of the road. I stopped to take them off and decided to eat a bit as long as I was stopped. I guess I can't do more than one thing at a time. Luckily, I was only a mile or so up the road when I figured out that they were still back where I took them off. They are important. My only warm piece of riding clothes for the legs. It has been in the high 30's and low 40's when I get on the road in the morning.
Two more riding days. Hard to relate to that. Excited, emotional, relieved. All mixed together.
Nice riding days. Cold in the morning, but nice soon after. Still too many hills for my preference, but really beautiful. I think I will go with seafood of some kind tonight also.
Til next time.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Wednesday, Oct 9, 2013
Interesting two days. Yesterday I got lost again. The maps I use don't necessarily align in a north/south direction. It gets me in trouble sometimes. Stayed in an incredibly elegant bed and breakfast in Naples, Maine. The dining room was all decked out. China, several sizes of glasses, ringed napkin holders. All color coordinated, of course. 5 tables of 8 places per table. But since it is off season, I was the only one at breakfast. Normally, I couldn't afford to stay in such places. I looked at it on line and decided to call anyway. They gave me an incredible deal. Very nice people.
Back to live wild turkeys (although these turkeys were very reserved and standoffish- kind of like the people I have met in Maine) and roadkill porcupines and raccoons.
Today's dilemma was a detour. I will have a different take on detours from now on. In a car they are usually no big deal. On a bike, it is usually a BIG deal.
Maine is different. I can't put my finger on it yet. Lots of tree's and hills. Very pretty. But there is something different about it.
Am in Brunswick, Maine. In many ways you could say I have completed the coast to coast thing. But my trip ends in Bar Harbor. So, I will be hugging the coast for the next four days.
Still good, but I am getting tired of riding over hills and I am definitely looking forward to coming home.
Til next time.
Interesting two days. Yesterday I got lost again. The maps I use don't necessarily align in a north/south direction. It gets me in trouble sometimes. Stayed in an incredibly elegant bed and breakfast in Naples, Maine. The dining room was all decked out. China, several sizes of glasses, ringed napkin holders. All color coordinated, of course. 5 tables of 8 places per table. But since it is off season, I was the only one at breakfast. Normally, I couldn't afford to stay in such places. I looked at it on line and decided to call anyway. They gave me an incredible deal. Very nice people.
Back to live wild turkeys (although these turkeys were very reserved and standoffish- kind of like the people I have met in Maine) and roadkill porcupines and raccoons.
Today's dilemma was a detour. I will have a different take on detours from now on. In a car they are usually no big deal. On a bike, it is usually a BIG deal.
Maine is different. I can't put my finger on it yet. Lots of tree's and hills. Very pretty. But there is something different about it.
Am in Brunswick, Maine. In many ways you could say I have completed the coast to coast thing. But my trip ends in Bar Harbor. So, I will be hugging the coast for the next four days.
Still good, but I am getting tired of riding over hills and I am definitely looking forward to coming home.
Til next time.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Monday, Oct. 7 , 2013
Riding in and over the White Mountains has been challenging and wet. Yesterday, I made it into North Woodstock , N.H. just before it started to rain. Then it rained during almost all of the ride today. The disappointing part was that I couldn't see the vista's . There were several pullouts that advertised as being great views. Except all that one could see were clouds and fog. Right now I am in Conway, N.H. right across the border from Maine. The good news is that tomorrow promises to be warmer and clear. So looking forward to riding into Maine tomorrow.
Til next time.
Riding in and over the White Mountains has been challenging and wet. Yesterday, I made it into North Woodstock , N.H. just before it started to rain. Then it rained during almost all of the ride today. The disappointing part was that I couldn't see the vista's . There were several pullouts that advertised as being great views. Except all that one could see were clouds and fog. Right now I am in Conway, N.H. right across the border from Maine. The good news is that tomorrow promises to be warmer and clear. So looking forward to riding into Maine tomorrow.
Til next time.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013
The mountains of Vermont have been challenging and beautiful. The big event of the last few days happened yesterday. I rode into Bethel, Vermont and didn't know where I was going to stay for the night. I had tried to call earlier to find a place, but the phone connection was bad. So, I got there and tried to chase down a place to stay. None were available. I was exhausted after climbing over a mountain pass and was at a very low point. I was sitting in front of a convenience store eating so that I would have enough energy to figure out what to do next. A woman came over and started talking with me. It turns out that she had passed me on her bike earlier. She is a triathlete and was out for a training ride. Long story short, I stayed with her and her husband and their three kids (and two dogs, three cats and a fish). They fed me and got me back on my feet. We had a lot of fun. It was a great connection.
Today, going over another pass, the rode was closed. The detour was all dirt and gravel. So it was uphill with a not very forgiving surface to ride on. Turned out to be only about 6 miles out of the way. The rest of the day was great. Am in Fairlee Vt. Across the river from Orford, New Hampshire. Recalculated and I think I have about 8 days of riding left. The weather has turned really unpredictable. Rain the and like in the forecast. We will see what it will bring.
Feeling good. A bit worn out, but good anyway. I can't be complaining. Casper got slammed by a snow storm. At least I'm not in that.
Til next time.
The mountains of Vermont have been challenging and beautiful. The big event of the last few days happened yesterday. I rode into Bethel, Vermont and didn't know where I was going to stay for the night. I had tried to call earlier to find a place, but the phone connection was bad. So, I got there and tried to chase down a place to stay. None were available. I was exhausted after climbing over a mountain pass and was at a very low point. I was sitting in front of a convenience store eating so that I would have enough energy to figure out what to do next. A woman came over and started talking with me. It turns out that she had passed me on her bike earlier. She is a triathlete and was out for a training ride. Long story short, I stayed with her and her husband and their three kids (and two dogs, three cats and a fish). They fed me and got me back on my feet. We had a lot of fun. It was a great connection.
Today, going over another pass, the rode was closed. The detour was all dirt and gravel. So it was uphill with a not very forgiving surface to ride on. Turned out to be only about 6 miles out of the way. The rest of the day was great. Am in Fairlee Vt. Across the river from Orford, New Hampshire. Recalculated and I think I have about 8 days of riding left. The weather has turned really unpredictable. Rain the and like in the forecast. We will see what it will bring.
Feeling good. A bit worn out, but good anyway. I can't be complaining. Casper got slammed by a snow storm. At least I'm not in that.
Til next time.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Thursday, Oct. 3 , 2013
Still recovering from yesterday's ride. But today's went well. Made it to Middlebury. Nice town. Another ferry ride. Officially in Vermont. Today was catchup day. Laundry, shopping, walking
around town. Chilling out.
Girding myself for tomorrow's mountain climb. The tree's are still great, just not quite as far along as in the Adirondacks. I imagine as I go up, the colors will increase. Met a couple from Nebraska who came out here to chase the fall colors. Small world. They have a son who lives in Ames.
Til next time.
Still recovering from yesterday's ride. But today's went well. Made it to Middlebury. Nice town. Another ferry ride. Officially in Vermont. Today was catchup day. Laundry, shopping, walking
around town. Chilling out.
Girding myself for tomorrow's mountain climb. The tree's are still great, just not quite as far along as in the Adirondacks. I imagine as I go up, the colors will increase. Met a couple from Nebraska who came out here to chase the fall colors. Small world. They have a son who lives in Ames.
Til next time.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
The fall foliage has been stunning. Hard to take pictures of, but easy to appreciate and have one's breath taken away.
I ate breakfast with a group of photographers who meet somewhere in New England every fall to take photo's together. They come from all over the country to spend time together each year. They said that this is the most vibrant and colorful they have seen in all the years they have been getting together. I feel lucky and blessed.
Today was one of those days when the best plans didn't turn out that great. I had planned to ride 50 miles and then stay in a bed and breakfast in a town a bit away from others. I even tried to call the B&B. Got a recording, but they used the name of the B&B in the recording. Phone service was spotty and I lost the call. So, I rode to the town and was told that the B&B had closed.
So I rode an extra 25 miles. That is harder to do in the hills. Tonight, I will sleep well.
Tomorrow, Vermont. Passing through Ticonderoga, N.Y. on the way. Big mountains coming up.
At the most, two weeks left in the trip. Partly depending on the weather.
Feel good (and tired).
Til next time.
The fall foliage has been stunning. Hard to take pictures of, but easy to appreciate and have one's breath taken away.
I ate breakfast with a group of photographers who meet somewhere in New England every fall to take photo's together. They come from all over the country to spend time together each year. They said that this is the most vibrant and colorful they have seen in all the years they have been getting together. I feel lucky and blessed.
Today was one of those days when the best plans didn't turn out that great. I had planned to ride 50 miles and then stay in a bed and breakfast in a town a bit away from others. I even tried to call the B&B. Got a recording, but they used the name of the B&B in the recording. Phone service was spotty and I lost the call. So, I rode to the town and was told that the B&B had closed.
So I rode an extra 25 miles. That is harder to do in the hills. Tonight, I will sleep well.
Tomorrow, Vermont. Passing through Ticonderoga, N.Y. on the way. Big mountains coming up.
At the most, two weeks left in the trip. Partly depending on the weather.
Feel good (and tired).
Til next time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)