Day 9
Woke up this morning to a pouring rain. My hostess, Nancy, had taken me to the ferry yesterday to find the departure time for the ferry to Nova Scotia. It leaves at 12:00 noon. Because of the rain, Nancy offered to drive me to the ferry and I willingly accepted as it was really pouring buckets. We stopped on the way to the ferry at a bulk food store, "Bulk Barn," which had just about anything available to scoop out of a bin. I stocked up on nuts, raisins and oatmeal.
At the ferry, I ran my panniers and bike to the overhang before the terminal and reloaded everything for the trip. Nancy took a photo. While I was waiting for the loading signal, I saw a van and Uhaul trailer drive up and a mess of cyclists got out and unloaded their bicycles.
When we were allowed on the ferry, I met the cyclists. They are a student group from Overland, a bike tour company out of Williamstown, MA. I met their leaders, Chip and Kate and found out Kate is from Montclair, NJ, where I used to live.
The ferry ride to Nova Scotia was uneventful and unfortunately, there was little to see due to the rain. Upon arriving at Digby, the rain had abated to just a drizzle and I said goodbye to the cyclists and headed into town.
A person on the boat said there were covered shelters one could rent at a campground just outside of town for just $10. I checked it out and unfortunately it cost $22 for the night and $20 just for a campsite. It's not worth the money for a single cyclist, so I headed into Digby village.
Digby is known for its scallops, so I splurged and had a scallop dinner at a bayside restaurant. They were delicious, but not cheap at over $1 per scallop!
I had planned to eat at a less expensive restaurant, Josie's, suggested to me by a local on the ferry, but unfortunately it was closed.
I headed out onto the highway again, keeping an eye open for any structure that might offer a dry place to sleep for the night. Lo and behold, I came upon the Overland group stopped due to a bicycle problem. I stopped to give a hand, but even though one of the other leaders discovered the problem, they were appreciative I had stopped. Since I hadn't found a place for the night yet, I asked if I could join them at the campground where they were heading. They said yes, so I tagged along.
We stayed at the Fundy Spray campground and fortunately, the rain held off. I offered my stove to heat the water for their spaghetti, as it is more powerful than the stoves they carry. They allowed me to share in the dinner.
Mileage for the day - 8 miles.
Day 10
Got on the road at around 8:45. It was pretty foggy, so there wasn't much of a view out to the bay. I ended up staying on the Rt. 101, the main highway, not realizing it took me away from the water as far as it did. Rolling hills until I reached Rt. 8, the road that would take me across to the east side of the island.
Once on Rt. 8, the traffic died to about one car every 10 minutes. There were several long climbs where I had to drop into my lowest gear and grind away. The landscape was wooded, with an occasional view of a lake. I saw evidence of clearcutting for wood. Once I had reached the half-way distance across the island, the landscape opened up and there were more homes and some farming. Stopped and talked with a man and his son who were exercising their oxen Dan and Star, two Grey Derm cattle, a breed I was told was native to NS.
Stopped and bought an ice cream cone and napped. Then I took two side roads that took me to the town of Bridgewater on the coast. The landscape was similar to Vermont and could have easily been transplanted from there. There were small hills, but the grades weren't bad and with a little more strength in my legs, I was able to avoid having to drop to my lowest gear to climb them. As I neared Bridgewater, my front shifter cable broke. I hobbled on for a while in a single gear until I saw a small side road that looked like it had a good place to camp next to it. I asked at the house nearby, and they didn't think it would be a problem doing so. They let me use their spigot to fill up my water jug and water bag and I headed over to camp.
I heated up a gallon of water and took what was a pleasant mandi (mandi is a type of bath done in Indonesia where you scoop the water out of a tub and pour it over yourself.) I heated up some water for a pilaf mix I bought and added the mix when it was boiling. I had used too much water, so I poured the excess into my cup and drank it as a pre-dinner soup. I mixed in the Indian dahl bean mix I had carried from VT and was surprised I ate it all. Listened to the radio for a while, fell asleep, woke up to hear the 10:00 news and then really went to bed for the night. Mileage for the day: 82.
Day 11
It was a foggy, but relatively dry morning this morning when I got up. I biked a few miles until I saw a nice picnic table by the road where I could stop and unload the panniers to get at the spare parts for a new shifter cable. I fixed the cable, but I've over a foot extra in length hanging out. I'll be looking for a bike or motorcycle shop today to get it clipped off, rather than cutting it with my hacksaw blade or file.
There was an old fashioned bakery just as I came to town and I proceeded to buy two days worth of raisin bran muffins and cinnamon buns.
I'm now at the public library and will be heading just beyond Chester today to eat a lobster dinner with all you can eat salad bar and mussels. Hope to get my money's worth!
That's it for now. Expect to post again when I am at my Warmshowers host's in Halifax tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Day 6 (con't) to Day 8 (6/27)
Day 6 continued.
After lunch in Ellsworth I set off to the north on US Rt. 1. There were roller coaster hills, but I was assisted by a strong tailwind. I stopped in Milbrook, ME for a late afternoon meal of bagels and ham. A gentleman let me eat on his lawn overlooking the river below. (Bike leaning on tree in Picasa photos.)
Continued biking though a bit tired. The wind and temperature were perfect, so the hills weren't too bad. Entered blueberry country. (See blueberry theme park photo) Pushed on to the shire town of Washington County, Machias. Washington county is New England's poorest - known for its blueberries and oxycontin (sp?) Saw a nice large lawn area behind the Catholic Church and asked and was granted permission to camp there. It was convenient to the facilities at a gas station just down the hill.
Put up the tent and made a few phone calls. It started raining during the night, so I had to get up and cover the bicycle with the plastic I carry. Mileage for the day - 73.
Day 7
Rain was threatening when I got up, so the tent had to be packed up damp. As I left town I passed a farmer's market, but not much was set up yet other than craft vendors. Talked for a while with the sausage and onions vendor.
It was rolling hills to Lubec, ME, the easternmost town in the USA. Traffic had gotten light and the road was a mix of both good and poor sections. When I arrive at Lubec, I went to the grocery store and bought an avacado to make a sandwich with the one remaining bagel I bought yesterday, the other having been consumed for breakfast. I also bought some yogurt and chocolate mild. I seem to have this craving for chocolate milk - calories and liquid. The quarts are just a few more cents more than the pints, so being price conscious, of course I buy the quarts!
Across the street from the store, two men were holding an anti-war protest with signs declaring "No more war!" I crossed the road to ask them where there might be a park where I could eat my lunch and perhaps lay out my tent to dry. They gave me directions to a park near the water. Then one of the men asked where I was from and I responded, Randolph, VT. Oh, he said, where VT Castings are made. He then said he used to live in Chester
Vt. I aske when and he said from '72 to '79. I said I lived there for some of that time. He asked me my name and I said, "Harvie Porter." I know you, he said. It was Dick Hoyt who had taught Russian at Green Mountain UHS when I substituted there and mother was teaching English there. (He said he was mother's nemesis!)
At the park there was a volleyball court - perfect for hanging my tent and sleeping bag to air. I hung things up, ate lunch, and then took a nap lying on one of the picnic tables.
After packing up, I crossed international bridge onto Campobello Island, Canada. Customs was a breeze. A quick look at my passport and I was on my way. I stopped at the tourist information and found out I only had to go 4 miles to get to the ferry to Deer Island, my next hop working towards mainland New Brunswick. While waiting for the ferry, a woman from Ripton and a friend drove up. It was the first VT car I had seen since NH.
A 20 minute ferry ride and I was on Deer Island. I had only gone 35 miles for the day, but I thought it would be more interesting to spend the night on the island and take the ferry to the mainland in the morning. I resolved to look for a place to camp as I neared the ferry.
Shortly after leaving the ferry, I came upon a large number of circular structures out in the water. I went down to investigate and learned it was an atlantic salmon farm. Each of the pens starts out with about 40,000 fish and by the time they are market ready there will be around 20,000 left, each at about 8 pounds. It was explained to me that sea lice are a problem with the fish and they have to treat the fish to control the problem. Aubrey, one of the workers, took me out in one of the boats to see the fish up close. He took along some feed so we could attract them. I wasn't seeing much until Aubrey lent me his polarized glasses. I went from seeing a few to seeing hundreds. I can see if I were spending more time on the water that the polarized glasses would be worth the investment. With a storm brewing on the horizon, I continued on.
I stopped at a small store for a snack. Bought some peanuts and, of course, chocolate milk. (Just a pint this time, however.) Decided to eat the peanuts as I rode, so I squeezed the carton of milk between the handlebars and my handlebar bag. I finished the peanuts and wanted to stop and drink the milk somewhere where I could see the sea. So as I was barreling down a hill coming into a cove, I hit a bump and the carton came dislodged and fell. I had to turn around and pick it up. It turns out the milk carton led to a rather pleasant end to the evening.
When I picked up the carton of milk, a man was crossing the street nearby and he mentioned his son had just gotten married. On the ocean side of the street next to me was a large building that looked like it might be a function hall and I could hear someone playing and singing. As our discussion continued, a gentleman appeared on the balcony above us and joined in our conversation. The next thing I knew the gentleman above invited me to come up and join the party. I wasn't sure if I was being invited to a wedding party by one of the guests or what, but I thought, what the heck. It turns out, I was invited in by Jim Carr, the owner of the house which was a converted sea urchin processing plant. He and his wife Murial made me at home and even the bride and groom were happy to share the event. (The groom even made suggestions on what beer I should try!) To make a tale of a wonderful evening short, I was treated like family, joined in the Karaoke, and was given a bed for the night!
Mileage for the day - 40
Day 8 June 27
So, the second week of my journey begins.
I had a hearty breakfast prepared by my host Jim, who I learned is a retired Gillette executive who has lived in multiple locations around the world. Jim took a couple of photos of me before I set down the road. Jim and Murial - many thanks again for a special evening.
I had a few steep hills to climb before reaching the ferry to the mainland. Unlike the ferry from Campobello, this ferry was free - paid for by the government. More rolling hills with some pretty bays until I reached St. George and Highway 1. The next 30 miles to Saint John were gently rolling hills with a cross- to headwind. There was a reasonable amount of traffic, but I think that the trucks were missing as it was Sunday.
I arrived at my Warmshowers accomodation without incident. My hosts are Nancy Quan and her son Jordan. Nancy's husband, Ray, is currently cycling from the west coast of Canada to the east coast. After a shower and washing and hanging my clothes to dry, Nancy took me to see the Irving nature preserve next to the ocean. We also went to see the point where the river reverses its course when the tide comes in. The water comes in fast enough that white water is created, thus it is billed as reversing falls.
My ferry is leaving tomorrow at 12 noon with a prediction of rain. I'm hoping to be able to get to the ferry to Nova Scotia before it does.
Mileage for the day: 51.
I've posted photos on Picasa rather than as part of this blog so dial-up people can still follow the trip. Photos are available at: http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/sredir?uname=106669376862715448173&target=ALBUM&id=5487578899498147281&authkey=Gv1sRgCOH5jaLr8ZfvRA&feat=email
After lunch in Ellsworth I set off to the north on US Rt. 1. There were roller coaster hills, but I was assisted by a strong tailwind. I stopped in Milbrook, ME for a late afternoon meal of bagels and ham. A gentleman let me eat on his lawn overlooking the river below. (Bike leaning on tree in Picasa photos.)
Continued biking though a bit tired. The wind and temperature were perfect, so the hills weren't too bad. Entered blueberry country. (See blueberry theme park photo) Pushed on to the shire town of Washington County, Machias. Washington county is New England's poorest - known for its blueberries and oxycontin (sp?) Saw a nice large lawn area behind the Catholic Church and asked and was granted permission to camp there. It was convenient to the facilities at a gas station just down the hill.
Put up the tent and made a few phone calls. It started raining during the night, so I had to get up and cover the bicycle with the plastic I carry. Mileage for the day - 73.
Day 7
Rain was threatening when I got up, so the tent had to be packed up damp. As I left town I passed a farmer's market, but not much was set up yet other than craft vendors. Talked for a while with the sausage and onions vendor.
It was rolling hills to Lubec, ME, the easternmost town in the USA. Traffic had gotten light and the road was a mix of both good and poor sections. When I arrive at Lubec, I went to the grocery store and bought an avacado to make a sandwich with the one remaining bagel I bought yesterday, the other having been consumed for breakfast. I also bought some yogurt and chocolate mild. I seem to have this craving for chocolate milk - calories and liquid. The quarts are just a few more cents more than the pints, so being price conscious, of course I buy the quarts!
Across the street from the store, two men were holding an anti-war protest with signs declaring "No more war!" I crossed the road to ask them where there might be a park where I could eat my lunch and perhaps lay out my tent to dry. They gave me directions to a park near the water. Then one of the men asked where I was from and I responded, Randolph, VT. Oh, he said, where VT Castings are made. He then said he used to live in Chester
Vt. I aske when and he said from '72 to '79. I said I lived there for some of that time. He asked me my name and I said, "Harvie Porter." I know you, he said. It was Dick Hoyt who had taught Russian at Green Mountain UHS when I substituted there and mother was teaching English there. (He said he was mother's nemesis!)
At the park there was a volleyball court - perfect for hanging my tent and sleeping bag to air. I hung things up, ate lunch, and then took a nap lying on one of the picnic tables.
After packing up, I crossed international bridge onto Campobello Island, Canada. Customs was a breeze. A quick look at my passport and I was on my way. I stopped at the tourist information and found out I only had to go 4 miles to get to the ferry to Deer Island, my next hop working towards mainland New Brunswick. While waiting for the ferry, a woman from Ripton and a friend drove up. It was the first VT car I had seen since NH.
A 20 minute ferry ride and I was on Deer Island. I had only gone 35 miles for the day, but I thought it would be more interesting to spend the night on the island and take the ferry to the mainland in the morning. I resolved to look for a place to camp as I neared the ferry.
Shortly after leaving the ferry, I came upon a large number of circular structures out in the water. I went down to investigate and learned it was an atlantic salmon farm. Each of the pens starts out with about 40,000 fish and by the time they are market ready there will be around 20,000 left, each at about 8 pounds. It was explained to me that sea lice are a problem with the fish and they have to treat the fish to control the problem. Aubrey, one of the workers, took me out in one of the boats to see the fish up close. He took along some feed so we could attract them. I wasn't seeing much until Aubrey lent me his polarized glasses. I went from seeing a few to seeing hundreds. I can see if I were spending more time on the water that the polarized glasses would be worth the investment. With a storm brewing on the horizon, I continued on.
I stopped at a small store for a snack. Bought some peanuts and, of course, chocolate milk. (Just a pint this time, however.) Decided to eat the peanuts as I rode, so I squeezed the carton of milk between the handlebars and my handlebar bag. I finished the peanuts and wanted to stop and drink the milk somewhere where I could see the sea. So as I was barreling down a hill coming into a cove, I hit a bump and the carton came dislodged and fell. I had to turn around and pick it up. It turns out the milk carton led to a rather pleasant end to the evening.
When I picked up the carton of milk, a man was crossing the street nearby and he mentioned his son had just gotten married. On the ocean side of the street next to me was a large building that looked like it might be a function hall and I could hear someone playing and singing. As our discussion continued, a gentleman appeared on the balcony above us and joined in our conversation. The next thing I knew the gentleman above invited me to come up and join the party. I wasn't sure if I was being invited to a wedding party by one of the guests or what, but I thought, what the heck. It turns out, I was invited in by Jim Carr, the owner of the house which was a converted sea urchin processing plant. He and his wife Murial made me at home and even the bride and groom were happy to share the event. (The groom even made suggestions on what beer I should try!) To make a tale of a wonderful evening short, I was treated like family, joined in the Karaoke, and was given a bed for the night!
Mileage for the day - 40
Day 8 June 27
So, the second week of my journey begins.
I had a hearty breakfast prepared by my host Jim, who I learned is a retired Gillette executive who has lived in multiple locations around the world. Jim took a couple of photos of me before I set down the road. Jim and Murial - many thanks again for a special evening.
I had a few steep hills to climb before reaching the ferry to the mainland. Unlike the ferry from Campobello, this ferry was free - paid for by the government. More rolling hills with some pretty bays until I reached St. George and Highway 1. The next 30 miles to Saint John were gently rolling hills with a cross- to headwind. There was a reasonable amount of traffic, but I think that the trucks were missing as it was Sunday.
I arrived at my Warmshowers accomodation without incident. My hosts are Nancy Quan and her son Jordan. Nancy's husband, Ray, is currently cycling from the west coast of Canada to the east coast. After a shower and washing and hanging my clothes to dry, Nancy took me to see the Irving nature preserve next to the ocean. We also went to see the point where the river reverses its course when the tide comes in. The water comes in fast enough that white water is created, thus it is billed as reversing falls.
My ferry is leaving tomorrow at 12 noon with a prediction of rain. I'm hoping to be able to get to the ferry to Nova Scotia before it does.
Mileage for the day: 51.
I've posted photos on Picasa rather than as part of this blog so dial-up people can still follow the trip. Photos are available at: http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/sredir?uname=106669376862715448173&target=ALBUM&id=5487578899498147281&authkey=Gv1sRgCOH5jaLr8ZfvRA&feat=email
Friday, June 25, 2010
Day 1 - Randolph to East St. Johnsbury
David Palmer accompanied me to the base of Hebard hill. He tried out my bike with gear and agreed it was heavy enough. Five miles from home I noticed my bottom bracket was loose. I had to call Susan and have her bring a large adjustable wrench so I could tighten it up with the special tool I carry. I didn't reach the 10 mile mark until just after 10 - two hours after my start. It was a disappointing beginning for the trip. In Brookfield I dropped down onto Rt. 14 and the riding there was enjoyable. I always enjoy riding there and stopping by the spring that is beside the road.
Coming into the outskirts to Barre I saw a sign to a bike path. I crossed the Bridge street bridge and took an immediate right onto what must have been an old rail line. It was flat, shaded, and had pretty views down to a brook that ran below. I came out just above the Opera House so it was a pleasant way to enter Barre.
Lunch in Barre and then I started west towards E. Montpelier. A couple miles from Barre, a road, the Plainfield Brook Road forks to the right. I took the road, not remembering how hilly it was, so I could have the opportunity to stop by a fellow cycling tourist who lived on the Plainfield side of the hill. Unfortunately, he had moved or perhaps passed away. I perhaps had saved a few miles by my shortcut, but I had done my second major climb of the day. The riding from Plainfield to Marshfield wasn't difficult, but my legs were beginning to feel tired. I stopped at the Marshfield store for a snack and almost fell asleep in the chair outside the store.
A little rested, I began the long climb up to the turn to Groton State Park. It was one of several long climbs until I reached Joe's Pond. My bike and gear weighed 106 pounds when I weighed it this morning, so each uphill is a quick drop into my lowest gear and grinding my way to the top of the hill. I walked one hill as I found I was bicycling at 3.5 mph and could walk up at 3.3 mph. The loss of speed was small and I was able to use other muscles that were a bit more rested.
I stopped at Joe's pond to visit my son David's girlfriend's father and grandmother. Several glasses of water and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I was off for the last 17 miles to East St. Johnsbury to stay with David's girlfriend's mother and step-father Amy and Tom Allen.
I arrived at the Allen's at around 6 pm having cycled 69.9 miles for the day. Was fed well and had a comfortable bed for the night. My evening pulse was 107 bpm. I had certainly overtrained for the day.
Day 2
Morning pulse was 87, so I decided I would cut down my mileage for the next several days to recover and it would allow me to arrive at Marjorie Drysdale's brother's house at the end of a day. Left the Allen's, and a short time later, Amy's mother caught up with me in her car. I had left my filled water bottles on the sink! I need to make a "preflight" checklist so I don't forget anything!
The weather was perfect. I had a tail wind all day. Having left at 10 AM, I only made it to Lunenburg, VT for lunch. After a large sandwich, I took a nap on the green across the street. Fantastic downhill after Lunenburg, and pleasant flat cycling all the way to Lancaster, NH. I started getting a few hills as I approached the presidentials, but the grades weren't too steep. Had a fantastic clear view of Mt. Washington. I was surprised when I reached Jefferson Notch and saw the sign 8% grade - next two miles. The climb to that point hadn't been too difficult and now I was heading down hill.
It was easy riding to Gorham, NH, where I reached around 5:30 PM. I had covered 50 miles thus far, my intended mileage for the day. As the day was so spectacular, and as I had a tailwind, I continued on into Maine and found a nice rest area in the town of Gilead where I could cook dinner and set up my tent for the night. Mileage for the day - 62.5.
Day 3
I was on the road shortly after 8 AM. The Tailwing continued. It was pleasant riding along the Androscoggin (sp?) river. I arrived in Rumsford at lunchtime. After eating, I crossed the river into Mexico and took a nap in a park. The black flies I discovered later, had lunch while I slept.
There was a large climb after Rumsford, but gentle cycling afterwards.
Reaching the town of Wilton, I saw a side road that looked like it was the old road along Wilson Lake, rather than the bypassing Rt. 2. I ended up following the old road through town and after several small hills, reached the town of West Wilton. I stopped there for a drink and ate the remainder of last nights cous-cous and Indian curry. After eating I saw a rail trail that looked like it was going the same direction I wanted to go. It was gravel, so it takes more work to cycle on it, but the shade, break from traffic, and even grades make it worth the extra effort.
The rail trail ended at Farmington. I had biked 64 miles already for the day, so I could have stopped there. I had a place I could stay that evening if I wanted to travel the extra miles, so I called Marjorie Drysdale's brother and they were ready to receive me. Dinner would be waiting when I arrived. I had 18 miles to go to get to their house. Smelling the oats, I pushed hard and reached their house around 7:30 - including cycling the last mile uphill to their house.
Mileage for the day was 82 miles.
Day 4
I spent a wonderful day with Helen and Warren Balgooyen. Helen is a retired nurse who still works part time at Colby College and Warren is a retired naturalist. Helen and Warren live a life akin to what one would expect of Helen and Scott Nearing. They grow much of their food and are doing their best to leave a small footprint on the planet. Warren, though leaving a small carbon footprint, is leaving a large ecological footprint on the large land holding they own. He has built 20 ponds and created habitats for many plants and animals of the wood. Some of the ponds contained water lilies more beautiful than I have ever seen. I accompanied Warren to hear his talk on the American Chestnut at the local historical society, and I'm afraid I may have upstaged his talk when I was introduced to the group and they heard of what cycling I have done and am doing.
Day 5
Pulse rate down to 64. Yeah! Got off around 9:30. Had good roads and tailwind to Skowheagan (sp?) When biking through town, I passed the bakery "The Bankery" which advertised that it was an old fashioned bakery where everything is made from scratch. I went in, hoping that they had old fashioned cinnamon rolls with raisins, but unfortunately they didn't. I did get an outstanding blueberry/rhubarb muffin made with native berries. The owners of the bakery had converted the original vault into a freezer! Chatting with the woman at the counter, I learned that the main business in town was the New Balance factory. I had forgotten that I had purchases some items at the factory store years ago.
Outside the bakery I met a woman who had driven across the Trans-Labrador highway with her husband. Interestingly, she didn't feel that it was such a big deal other than the fact the road was dirt.
Had a quick lunch in Newport and kept riding. Bought fresh peas at a roadside stand to munch along the way. I could see a storm forming behind me, so I pushed the rolling hills towards Bangor. As I arrived in Bangor, the storm broke, but I was able to get shelter under the roof of a gas station. The storm let up, so I went across the street to a hotel to see if I could look up a friend's number on the internet. I found the number and called, but he wasn't home. Meanwhile a second squall had arrive and it was pouring outside.
The storm didn't last long, so I cycled into downtown Portland. There I treated myself to a stout and fish and chips at the Sea Dog brewery.
I got back on the road and headed down Rt. 1-A towards Ellsworth. The traffic was heavy, but there were good shoulders and the evening was pleasant. I biked as far as Lucerne in Maine and started looking for a place to put up my tent. I asked one homeowner whose lawn continued a way beyond his house if I could camp. Unfortunately, he said it was "iffy" and wasn't trusting enough to have a stranger camped nearby. He is probably #11 in refusals with over three years of bicycling throughout the world.
I ended up finding a lot just a bit further up the road where someone had been clearing trails. They were wide enough to put up a tent, so after a quick sponge bath, I put in for the night. Mileage for the day 79.
Day 6
Pulse rate was up to 74 this AM, so it is obvious I'm not yet really in good shape. I'm currently at the library in Ellsworth, having only come 10 miles thus far today and it's almost 11 AM! I'm not expected in St. John until the 28th for my Warmshowers accommodation, so I have time to take it easy if I want. For those of you who don't know Warmshowers is an organization of cyclists who share their homes to fellow cyclists. Homes are available all around the world. In the near future, I expect to visit with cyclists in Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Warmshowers internet site allows one to search either by town name or on an interactive map.
So ends my first blog entry! Sorry no pictures. I'm not allowed to use any memory cards on this computer and don't really have that many photos yet to share. I'll try to learn how to use Picasso as soon as possible.
David Palmer accompanied me to the base of Hebard hill. He tried out my bike with gear and agreed it was heavy enough. Five miles from home I noticed my bottom bracket was loose. I had to call Susan and have her bring a large adjustable wrench so I could tighten it up with the special tool I carry. I didn't reach the 10 mile mark until just after 10 - two hours after my start. It was a disappointing beginning for the trip. In Brookfield I dropped down onto Rt. 14 and the riding there was enjoyable. I always enjoy riding there and stopping by the spring that is beside the road.
Coming into the outskirts to Barre I saw a sign to a bike path. I crossed the Bridge street bridge and took an immediate right onto what must have been an old rail line. It was flat, shaded, and had pretty views down to a brook that ran below. I came out just above the Opera House so it was a pleasant way to enter Barre.
Lunch in Barre and then I started west towards E. Montpelier. A couple miles from Barre, a road, the Plainfield Brook Road forks to the right. I took the road, not remembering how hilly it was, so I could have the opportunity to stop by a fellow cycling tourist who lived on the Plainfield side of the hill. Unfortunately, he had moved or perhaps passed away. I perhaps had saved a few miles by my shortcut, but I had done my second major climb of the day. The riding from Plainfield to Marshfield wasn't difficult, but my legs were beginning to feel tired. I stopped at the Marshfield store for a snack and almost fell asleep in the chair outside the store.
A little rested, I began the long climb up to the turn to Groton State Park. It was one of several long climbs until I reached Joe's Pond. My bike and gear weighed 106 pounds when I weighed it this morning, so each uphill is a quick drop into my lowest gear and grinding my way to the top of the hill. I walked one hill as I found I was bicycling at 3.5 mph and could walk up at 3.3 mph. The loss of speed was small and I was able to use other muscles that were a bit more rested.
I stopped at Joe's pond to visit my son David's girlfriend's father and grandmother. Several glasses of water and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I was off for the last 17 miles to East St. Johnsbury to stay with David's girlfriend's mother and step-father Amy and Tom Allen.
I arrived at the Allen's at around 6 pm having cycled 69.9 miles for the day. Was fed well and had a comfortable bed for the night. My evening pulse was 107 bpm. I had certainly overtrained for the day.
Day 2
Morning pulse was 87, so I decided I would cut down my mileage for the next several days to recover and it would allow me to arrive at Marjorie Drysdale's brother's house at the end of a day. Left the Allen's, and a short time later, Amy's mother caught up with me in her car. I had left my filled water bottles on the sink! I need to make a "preflight" checklist so I don't forget anything!
The weather was perfect. I had a tail wind all day. Having left at 10 AM, I only made it to Lunenburg, VT for lunch. After a large sandwich, I took a nap on the green across the street. Fantastic downhill after Lunenburg, and pleasant flat cycling all the way to Lancaster, NH. I started getting a few hills as I approached the presidentials, but the grades weren't too steep. Had a fantastic clear view of Mt. Washington. I was surprised when I reached Jefferson Notch and saw the sign 8% grade - next two miles. The climb to that point hadn't been too difficult and now I was heading down hill.
It was easy riding to Gorham, NH, where I reached around 5:30 PM. I had covered 50 miles thus far, my intended mileage for the day. As the day was so spectacular, and as I had a tailwind, I continued on into Maine and found a nice rest area in the town of Gilead where I could cook dinner and set up my tent for the night. Mileage for the day - 62.5.
Day 3
I was on the road shortly after 8 AM. The Tailwing continued. It was pleasant riding along the Androscoggin (sp?) river. I arrived in Rumsford at lunchtime. After eating, I crossed the river into Mexico and took a nap in a park. The black flies I discovered later, had lunch while I slept.
There was a large climb after Rumsford, but gentle cycling afterwards.
Reaching the town of Wilton, I saw a side road that looked like it was the old road along Wilson Lake, rather than the bypassing Rt. 2. I ended up following the old road through town and after several small hills, reached the town of West Wilton. I stopped there for a drink and ate the remainder of last nights cous-cous and Indian curry. After eating I saw a rail trail that looked like it was going the same direction I wanted to go. It was gravel, so it takes more work to cycle on it, but the shade, break from traffic, and even grades make it worth the extra effort.
The rail trail ended at Farmington. I had biked 64 miles already for the day, so I could have stopped there. I had a place I could stay that evening if I wanted to travel the extra miles, so I called Marjorie Drysdale's brother and they were ready to receive me. Dinner would be waiting when I arrived. I had 18 miles to go to get to their house. Smelling the oats, I pushed hard and reached their house around 7:30 - including cycling the last mile uphill to their house.
Mileage for the day was 82 miles.
Day 4
I spent a wonderful day with Helen and Warren Balgooyen. Helen is a retired nurse who still works part time at Colby College and Warren is a retired naturalist. Helen and Warren live a life akin to what one would expect of Helen and Scott Nearing. They grow much of their food and are doing their best to leave a small footprint on the planet. Warren, though leaving a small carbon footprint, is leaving a large ecological footprint on the large land holding they own. He has built 20 ponds and created habitats for many plants and animals of the wood. Some of the ponds contained water lilies more beautiful than I have ever seen. I accompanied Warren to hear his talk on the American Chestnut at the local historical society, and I'm afraid I may have upstaged his talk when I was introduced to the group and they heard of what cycling I have done and am doing.
Day 5
Pulse rate down to 64. Yeah! Got off around 9:30. Had good roads and tailwind to Skowheagan (sp?) When biking through town, I passed the bakery "The Bankery" which advertised that it was an old fashioned bakery where everything is made from scratch. I went in, hoping that they had old fashioned cinnamon rolls with raisins, but unfortunately they didn't. I did get an outstanding blueberry/rhubarb muffin made with native berries. The owners of the bakery had converted the original vault into a freezer! Chatting with the woman at the counter, I learned that the main business in town was the New Balance factory. I had forgotten that I had purchases some items at the factory store years ago.
Outside the bakery I met a woman who had driven across the Trans-Labrador highway with her husband. Interestingly, she didn't feel that it was such a big deal other than the fact the road was dirt.
Had a quick lunch in Newport and kept riding. Bought fresh peas at a roadside stand to munch along the way. I could see a storm forming behind me, so I pushed the rolling hills towards Bangor. As I arrived in Bangor, the storm broke, but I was able to get shelter under the roof of a gas station. The storm let up, so I went across the street to a hotel to see if I could look up a friend's number on the internet. I found the number and called, but he wasn't home. Meanwhile a second squall had arrive and it was pouring outside.
The storm didn't last long, so I cycled into downtown Portland. There I treated myself to a stout and fish and chips at the Sea Dog brewery.
I got back on the road and headed down Rt. 1-A towards Ellsworth. The traffic was heavy, but there were good shoulders and the evening was pleasant. I biked as far as Lucerne in Maine and started looking for a place to put up my tent. I asked one homeowner whose lawn continued a way beyond his house if I could camp. Unfortunately, he said it was "iffy" and wasn't trusting enough to have a stranger camped nearby. He is probably #11 in refusals with over three years of bicycling throughout the world.
I ended up finding a lot just a bit further up the road where someone had been clearing trails. They were wide enough to put up a tent, so after a quick sponge bath, I put in for the night. Mileage for the day 79.
Day 6
Pulse rate was up to 74 this AM, so it is obvious I'm not yet really in good shape. I'm currently at the library in Ellsworth, having only come 10 miles thus far today and it's almost 11 AM! I'm not expected in St. John until the 28th for my Warmshowers accommodation, so I have time to take it easy if I want. For those of you who don't know Warmshowers is an organization of cyclists who share their homes to fellow cyclists. Homes are available all around the world. In the near future, I expect to visit with cyclists in Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Warmshowers internet site allows one to search either by town name or on an interactive map.
So ends my first blog entry! Sorry no pictures. I'm not allowed to use any memory cards on this computer and don't really have that many photos yet to share. I'll try to learn how to use Picasso as soon as possible.
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