Left Yale by 7. Navigation was pretty straight forward. Go north and west. Our first destination is Otter Lake where we pick up our long lost leader, Gay. He has taken a week off to heal his Achilles' tendon. He drove a rental car one way from NY to near our rendezvous location in Otter Lake, MI and hung out at a campground. We are all optimistic he will fully recover. Time will tell. Today we rode about 44 miles to meet him.
When we got back together, Gay was one happy biker! We were all pretty thrilled to be back together. We exchanged handshakes and considered our next moves. Onward to Frankenmuth , our intended destination for the night. It's a Bavarian themed city with lots of tourist attractions.
When we arrived at 12:30, the feeling was it was too early for finding a campsite for the night although we had already biked 62 miles. So, what would be the next destination then with a campground? The only really feasible choice would be Bay City. That's another 35 miles. Don't want to do this kind of mileage every day, but we still have a good amount of time to the day so we decide to press ahead. What am I getting myself into?
The roads were good. I'm very accustomed to riding with Gay. I can trust him when he's in front as he communicates the hazards to come and his next intentions (stop. Go. Turning) so I won't have any problems. We work together well.
Fred, on the other hand, prefers to stay up front and pull. He is strong. He doesn't like to draft. He said he doesn't think we can keep him informed of the hazards and such. Problem is when he's up front, he needs work on his communication skills. He is full of surprises. So it's best that I hang back a ways when he's pulling. Less draft but also less likely to run into him. So be it.
We FINALLY arrive in Bay City. We were looking for the park when we asked directions from a couple in a van that had stopped for us. First they offered verbal instructions but then offered to lead us there like the guy did when we entered back into the States. Of course we accepted. We followed them for a distance longer than it appeared on the map, but it was spot on. We departed with a fist bump and the gentleman was grinning from ear to ear.
When we reached the park, it was perfect. Good space. Flat grassy areas for tents and GREAT showers ( top 2). So now you see why I call it a BIG day. Got back together with Gay and rode 97 miles and have a good place to camp and clean up.
As for tomorrow? Good question. One day at a time.
Ride miles today = 97
Total so far = 1,184 miles
Thanks for following me/us.
Cheers.
KPW
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Day 20 Land of the Free and Home of the Brave
All clothes are clean for a change. Bags loaded. Time to head for the border! Some days navigation is more challenging than others. If we could just get on the interstate, we could get to Sombra in a jiffy. No can do on touring bikes. Gotta go west, then south, then north. Eventually, just get to the St. Claire river and go north. The homes along the way helped make the ride pleasant and scenic. My GoPro battery was dead (my oversight) so I was unable to capture it. Oh well. Such is life.
The ferry was about 24 miles into the day. We arrived at Sombra and waited. Two pedestrians and 3 cars were on hand when we arrived. In the 30 minutes or so we waited, another 7 or 8 cars showed up.
As the ferry arrived, I posed in front for a few pictures while standing at my bike. I'm wearing my TBA Knotts Island t shirt that says "Remain calm and Ferry on ". Seemed appropriate. We boarded the ferry after the cars and one BIG A#% truck get off. Must have been loaded with hazardous materials. (Wouldn't want to accidentally blow up an international bridge but lose a ferry, no worries. Dime a dozen.Passengers? What passengers?) Got on and found a spot to lean the bikes up front. Crew member came around and collected $3 each for bikes.
The ride was about 10 or 15 minutes. It was pleasant and relaxing. The water was slightly choppy. A little water came in the bow by the steel boat ramp where we were standing. The landing was smooth as expected. We poured onto the staging area for the border crossing. I was pretty excited to be returning to the States.
Don't get me wrong. Canada was beautiful and the people were VERY hospitable. I look forward to returning. Traveling at the speed and range of a touring bike makes it pretty challenging to communicate with my wonderful wife ❤️ and other family members. (Hi mom!) I don't have an international phone plan and wifi was wanting or not available. Ok. I'm addicted.
We breezed through immigration. No imposing questions. Just a welcome back from one of the guards. Felt great to be back in the good old USA! First thing I did was give my wife a call. I just felt better after speaking with her. I'm a lucky man.
Next we had to find our way out of town. Fred has a penchant for stopping people. Doesn't matter if the are running, cutting the grass or driving, or asking for directions or to simply confirm directions, even if we are fairly certain we are doing fine. Well this one guy was not only helpful, he ended up leading the way through town for us! When we said adieu, he asked if he could take our picture. I said only if I could take his. We departed friends.
We followed a dedicated bike trail for many miles. It was well kept as many such trails we had been on. One point we diverged from an inland v a coastal option. This led to some difficulties as the trail progressed. The trail was broken up with driveways and such. We moved over to the road. Soon the trail just ended. Fortunately we were able to conjure up a virtual map now we were back in the states to look for this road or that to bring the directionally impaired duo back on track. Eventually.
As we sailed along, we found ourselves back on roads again. One set of roads were particularly confusing. They were just not labeled correctly. I won't get into it but event we were headed in the right direction. And what a direction it was.
Can you say strong tailwind? It blew us along for miles and miles and miles. We hovered between 15 & 20 mph! With packs mind you. That part of it was kind of fun, but it was still work. Miles of it. We flew. Ok, for a heavy touring bike. Finally, we came to a destination, Yale, MI. A cute little town with a few amenities. No campgrounds. The first hotel was the Yale Hotel. Tried to get in and talk to someone. No one but crickets. Then we saw a sign that said "Closed Monday". Hmm. Keep moving. At the other end of town we found "Sweet Dreams". Just our speed. For the cost of an expensive campsite, we got a room with one bed and a rollaway. Deal! The I keep, Bonnie has dealt with many psycotourists before. She even had a space to store and lock our bikes so we wouldn't have to keep them in the room. Dang. She was understanding and helpful.
I lay prone tapping this blog out thinking about tomorrow. Fred and I will regroup with Gay again. Talked to him and he said he has been busy doing a lot of nothing but eating, icing & healing. We are hopeful that we can ease him back into the swing of things in no time. Fred and I are about 40 miles from Otter Lake, MI, our rendezvous point. Gay is about 2 miles from OL. Time will tell. Time will tell.
Miles traveled today = 65
Total to date @1,093 (@ 1/4 of the way across the Northern Tier route)
Thanks for following along.
Cheers
KPW
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Day 19 On the Road Again
Last night I made a poor decision. I took several of the hosts blankets and thought they'd be suitable for a sleeping pad. Maybe if I was in grade school. Won't make that mistake again. That floor is hard. So much for labor saving ideas. Give me my Thermarest anytime.
The trifecta has mostly passed: heavy rains (50mm+), high winds and cold (upper 40s). The morning did greet us with some rain and chilly temps so, we took extra efforts to prepare ourselves for riding conditions. Fred just piles the layers on like it's subarctic conditions, 4 layers plus a Goretex shell with a hood up, Goretex pants, full gloves. The list goes on. He likes to stay warm. All that would make me turn into a puddle of sweat.
I put on a short sleeve synthetic t under a long sleeved North Face synthetic top with a pair of tights over my riding shorts, regular cycling gloves, sunglasses ( keeps crap out of my eyes but seeing is marginal with rain & road crap accumulating on the glasses) and a cycling cap under my brain bucket (helmet). Now the hard part: a shell. Nylon vest or nylon long sleeves ( you know the bright yellow shells bikers love) that's the question? I started with the vest but felt I was getting too wet so I stopped and switched to the full jacket. It's not fully waterproof so I wouldn't die of overheating. That lasted until I got to the big climb of the day.
As I looked at the 5 to 600 yard long "monster", knowing I would sweat to death in even this short ascent in the long sleeves, I stopped and switched again to the vest. Goods decision. Finally. I stayed with that get up until it started raining sideways again.
Before long, the rain abated and it was time to shed the tights. Easy to do when you're looking for a reason to pause anyway and your luggage carrier is handy. Fred's shell pants are as much as I saw him change. Actually I was pretty wet but stayed warm as long as I was cycling. It's the human furnace thing. When we stopped for a coffee shop break or whatever, the full shell came back out of the bag. The day was VERY breezy.
Fortunately we had a lot of wind blowing in our favor for a long while (45ish miles), then our direction sent us into the teeth of the wind. For about 30 miles we rode along at between 8 & 11 mph. That increases saddle time. Never good. Never. The good news is the terrain was flat. Clearly some of the stiffest wind so far. The rest of the 83 miles we did today were primarily side winds. We were zipping along at 12-13 then!
As we approached Wallaceburg, our destination, a van pulled over some ways in front of us and stopped. Uh oh. What's this? Nothing at all actually. The woman driving saw Fred's NZ flag and flipped out. Her husband is a Kiwi as are her 2 kids and the husband was with her. We sat there on the side of the road and the Kiwis chatted for a while. No interpreter necessary. ( 2 countries separated by a common language.) We bid adieu and went back to our journey.
Today we crossed the1000 mile mark with the total over wing about
That should bring us to about 1,028 miles
Tomorrow we return to the States at the Sombra ferry entering into Michigan. Can't wait.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers, KPW
The trifecta has mostly passed: heavy rains (50mm+), high winds and cold (upper 40s). The morning did greet us with some rain and chilly temps so, we took extra efforts to prepare ourselves for riding conditions. Fred just piles the layers on like it's subarctic conditions, 4 layers plus a Goretex shell with a hood up, Goretex pants, full gloves. The list goes on. He likes to stay warm. All that would make me turn into a puddle of sweat.
I put on a short sleeve synthetic t under a long sleeved North Face synthetic top with a pair of tights over my riding shorts, regular cycling gloves, sunglasses ( keeps crap out of my eyes but seeing is marginal with rain & road crap accumulating on the glasses) and a cycling cap under my brain bucket (helmet). Now the hard part: a shell. Nylon vest or nylon long sleeves ( you know the bright yellow shells bikers love) that's the question? I started with the vest but felt I was getting too wet so I stopped and switched to the full jacket. It's not fully waterproof so I wouldn't die of overheating. That lasted until I got to the big climb of the day.
As I looked at the 5 to 600 yard long "monster", knowing I would sweat to death in even this short ascent in the long sleeves, I stopped and switched again to the vest. Goods decision. Finally. I stayed with that get up until it started raining sideways again.
Before long, the rain abated and it was time to shed the tights. Easy to do when you're looking for a reason to pause anyway and your luggage carrier is handy. Fred's shell pants are as much as I saw him change. Actually I was pretty wet but stayed warm as long as I was cycling. It's the human furnace thing. When we stopped for a coffee shop break or whatever, the full shell came back out of the bag. The day was VERY breezy.
Fortunately we had a lot of wind blowing in our favor for a long while (45ish miles), then our direction sent us into the teeth of the wind. For about 30 miles we rode along at between 8 & 11 mph. That increases saddle time. Never good. Never. The good news is the terrain was flat. Clearly some of the stiffest wind so far. The rest of the 83 miles we did today were primarily side winds. We were zipping along at 12-13 then!
As we approached Wallaceburg, our destination, a van pulled over some ways in front of us and stopped. Uh oh. What's this? Nothing at all actually. The woman driving saw Fred's NZ flag and flipped out. Her husband is a Kiwi as are her 2 kids and the husband was with her. We sat there on the side of the road and the Kiwis chatted for a while. No interpreter necessary. ( 2 countries separated by a common language.) We bid adieu and went back to our journey.
Today we crossed the1000 mile mark with the total over wing about
That should bring us to about 1,028 miles
Tomorrow we return to the States at the Sombra ferry entering into Michigan. Can't wait.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers, KPW
Saturday, June 27, 2015
day 18 Zero day
I stirred about 6, looked outside and was surprised the forecast was off. No rain. Yet. Get up. Pack. Get out. Drop by Bob Henderson's place to use his wifi to check the weather. Ooh. Rain supposed to start any minute now. Bingo! It started. We had a shed to stash our bikes out front of Bob's and a porch for refuge. Nice.
Just in time, too. It started pouring. 5 hours later it's still coming down. Sometimes harder than others. Forecast calling for 50 mm of accumulation. That's a lot of mms! It was not going to be a day for bike touring for this hombre. At first, Fred was chomping at the bit, but slowly he came sound when he saw how bad and prolonged this storm would be. Not fun or safe.
I'm going to walk to lunch and the grocery store now.
Cheers. KPW
0 miles
Forecast: 2 beers (Late note: got that number right. It was at a restaurant next to where I'm staying with a guy playing acoustical guitar. He was ok. When I went to pay the bill, they dropped a bomb on me and said it was cash only. Not that big a deal except I don't have much Canadian currency left. Pissed me off. )
Just in time, too. It started pouring. 5 hours later it's still coming down. Sometimes harder than others. Forecast calling for 50 mm of accumulation. That's a lot of mms! It was not going to be a day for bike touring for this hombre. At first, Fred was chomping at the bit, but slowly he came sound when he saw how bad and prolonged this storm would be. Not fun or safe.
I'm going to walk to lunch and the grocery store now.
Cheers. KPW
0 miles
Forecast: 2 beers (Late note: got that number right. It was at a restaurant next to where I'm staying with a guy playing acoustical guitar. He was ok. When I went to pay the bill, they dropped a bomb on me and said it was cash only. Not that big a deal except I don't have much Canadian currency left. Pissed me off. )
Day 17 Port Stanley or bust
Travel agendas are set largely on a day by day basis depending on the weather and terrain mostly.
While we regularly look over what the Adventure Cycling maps have to tell us about amenities and distances, we have to come to some conclusions about the day's destination goal. Since not much else was readily available in the way of camping between here and there, Port Stanley it is! Oh wait. That's 85 or 90 miles away. Long day in the saddle no matter how you slice it. Off we go, but we keep in mind that goals are somewhat flexible.
Our first stop was Port Dover. The approach roads were horrible. It was a heavy industrial area that looked like a refinery. I was thrilled to escape those trashed roads. We found a library to use wifi so we could check the weather. Saw that the forecast was terrible, heavy rains(@50 mm!) and winds. Shelter in Port Stanley was less of an option with that outlook. Off we go. No time to waste after coffee and breakfast. Tom Horton's is a good place for food and coffee.
Conditions ended up being very favorable. Flat terrain and a strong wind at our backs!! One road was straight as an arrow for 20+ miles! Perfect situation for covering big miles.
We did find one little store for a kind of lunch stop. It had fireworks, too. I was considering a jet propulsion of some type, then I thought of the bang at the end. Jus peddle. I didn't eat just sucked down a diet coke. Mistake. I had to stop 10 miles down the road and snarf down a Cliff bar. I was fighting off a big bonk. A while later down the road, I felt a ton better. Whew.
There were a few little hills around the waterways but nothing serious. On one of the early hills, as usual, my strategy for getting up the next rise is to haul ass down the hill to gather momentum for the climb. That works beautifully on tandems and loaded bikes as you can shift up and down gears like a big old 18 wheeler, unless your cleat comes out of the pedal, which is exactly what happened, as it ended up, on more than one occasion. The left cleat that attaches my shoe to my pedal is done. Something I lived in mortal fear for earlier in the trip. I saw a set of cleats at a bike shop in Henrietta , NY and I got them! The crazy thing is the cleats were Kevlar so I figured they'd last. Wrong! To my biking readers, I used the Look style pedals because of the shoes I wear. I have yet to find a pair of spd compatible shoes that I can use for touring. It's my quirky feet. Sigh. I use cleat covers when I can but cleats don't hold up to rigors of toe grinding stops and starts on a day to day basis.
We did meet one bike tourist headed east. He was from NH and was aware of the challenges ahead. Poor bastard. He was in a very similar situation as myself. Had 6 weeks to ride last summer and 6 weeks to finish this year. He's a HS teacher. Fun to talk to others along the way and briefly compare notes.
As the day toils on, we get nearer to Port Stanley. Let me tell you, Fred can crank out some mileage. I think I'm pretty solid in the mileage department. Compared to Fred, I'm a rookie. That man is the Energizer Bunny personified. He has one speed, all out. Sometimes I like to ease back, but that will just make Fred wait a bit longer. I have a GoPro camera mounted on my bike s I can capture images without stopping. That, too, is a work in progress.
We reached Port Stanley about 4, plenty of time to find a place to stay. No calling ahead since I don't have an international plan. The first place we saw, Kettle Creek Inn, was too pricey as we noted on line earlier, but the woman there was immensely helpful . She put us onto a man that gave us access to his "patch of grass" located next to the local marina (with showers) to ouch our tents. He had friends over so we couldn't stay at his place. It could not have worked out any better. After we set camp and cleaned up, Fred dove into his tent by 7:30 his usual. Since we were in a tourist town, I decided to go have a beer.. I found a place with entertainment and enjoyed my one pale ale. Ah. A toast to my family and friends! Ching Ching. Camp was 3 short blocks away.
Rode 85 miles
Total @945 mile along the route
While we regularly look over what the Adventure Cycling maps have to tell us about amenities and distances, we have to come to some conclusions about the day's destination goal. Since not much else was readily available in the way of camping between here and there, Port Stanley it is! Oh wait. That's 85 or 90 miles away. Long day in the saddle no matter how you slice it. Off we go, but we keep in mind that goals are somewhat flexible.
Our first stop was Port Dover. The approach roads were horrible. It was a heavy industrial area that looked like a refinery. I was thrilled to escape those trashed roads. We found a library to use wifi so we could check the weather. Saw that the forecast was terrible, heavy rains(@50 mm!) and winds. Shelter in Port Stanley was less of an option with that outlook. Off we go. No time to waste after coffee and breakfast. Tom Horton's is a good place for food and coffee.
Conditions ended up being very favorable. Flat terrain and a strong wind at our backs!! One road was straight as an arrow for 20+ miles! Perfect situation for covering big miles.
We did find one little store for a kind of lunch stop. It had fireworks, too. I was considering a jet propulsion of some type, then I thought of the bang at the end. Jus peddle. I didn't eat just sucked down a diet coke. Mistake. I had to stop 10 miles down the road and snarf down a Cliff bar. I was fighting off a big bonk. A while later down the road, I felt a ton better. Whew.
There were a few little hills around the waterways but nothing serious. On one of the early hills, as usual, my strategy for getting up the next rise is to haul ass down the hill to gather momentum for the climb. That works beautifully on tandems and loaded bikes as you can shift up and down gears like a big old 18 wheeler, unless your cleat comes out of the pedal, which is exactly what happened, as it ended up, on more than one occasion. The left cleat that attaches my shoe to my pedal is done. Something I lived in mortal fear for earlier in the trip. I saw a set of cleats at a bike shop in Henrietta , NY and I got them! The crazy thing is the cleats were Kevlar so I figured they'd last. Wrong! To my biking readers, I used the Look style pedals because of the shoes I wear. I have yet to find a pair of spd compatible shoes that I can use for touring. It's my quirky feet. Sigh. I use cleat covers when I can but cleats don't hold up to rigors of toe grinding stops and starts on a day to day basis.
We did meet one bike tourist headed east. He was from NH and was aware of the challenges ahead. Poor bastard. He was in a very similar situation as myself. Had 6 weeks to ride last summer and 6 weeks to finish this year. He's a HS teacher. Fun to talk to others along the way and briefly compare notes.
As the day toils on, we get nearer to Port Stanley. Let me tell you, Fred can crank out some mileage. I think I'm pretty solid in the mileage department. Compared to Fred, I'm a rookie. That man is the Energizer Bunny personified. He has one speed, all out. Sometimes I like to ease back, but that will just make Fred wait a bit longer. I have a GoPro camera mounted on my bike s I can capture images without stopping. That, too, is a work in progress.
We reached Port Stanley about 4, plenty of time to find a place to stay. No calling ahead since I don't have an international plan. The first place we saw, Kettle Creek Inn, was too pricey as we noted on line earlier, but the woman there was immensely helpful . She put us onto a man that gave us access to his "patch of grass" located next to the local marina (with showers) to ouch our tents. He had friends over so we couldn't stay at his place. It could not have worked out any better. After we set camp and cleaned up, Fred dove into his tent by 7:30 his usual. Since we were in a tourist town, I decided to go have a beer.. I found a place with entertainment and enjoyed my one pale ale. Ah. A toast to my family and friends! Ching Ching. Camp was 3 short blocks away.
Rode 85 miles
Total @945 mile along the route
Day 16 Canada part 2
Fort Erie was hospitable enough. Found a good Itilian restaurant. Note: I'd starve to death if it wasn't for the Itilians. FE is in the shadow of the Friendship bridge which leads to the States. This is about 15 or 20 miles from the Falls.
The ride was pretty pleasant today with only mild headwinds but pretty flat terrain.
As the ride was day before yesterday, nothing stands out in my mind about it except we navigated our way along the lake's shore. Nice houses and largely well kept yards. Leading to FE. Same kind of scenery along the way. 50 & 60 kph speeds mostly so the riding was enjoyable. Long spans between villages for food and drinks for next few days. Camping limited so we have to plan our days accordingly.
Actually, leaving FE, we followed the Friendship Trail for perhaps 25 miles. This was a dedicated multipurpose route that would cross over roads and thru towns. Ridgeway was a fave stop for coffee
we stumbled upon as we do most things on this journey. Food, coffee and locals were all above par.
Fred and I decided to make for a campground in the Long Point region called the Haldimand Campsite located by a big pavilion. We were the only tents so we had the run of that area. No wifi but didn't get charged anything either. Seniors on bikes does have its advantages. The spot I picked was on the water's edge, up on a small bluff that made for an unobstructed view. The breeze was nice but the sun was pretty intense. Fortunately, I picked a site that was shaded as the day progressed. Fred's tent was in a flat grassy spot closer to the pavilion. Downside, showers and bathrooms were 200 yards away. We do suffer so :)
Meals consisted of 1 pot of pasta and broccoli with a tin of chicken. Desert was a Snickers bar I happily discovered.
Mileage 65
The ride was pretty pleasant today with only mild headwinds but pretty flat terrain.
As the ride was day before yesterday, nothing stands out in my mind about it except we navigated our way along the lake's shore. Nice houses and largely well kept yards. Leading to FE. Same kind of scenery along the way. 50 & 60 kph speeds mostly so the riding was enjoyable. Long spans between villages for food and drinks for next few days. Camping limited so we have to plan our days accordingly.
Actually, leaving FE, we followed the Friendship Trail for perhaps 25 miles. This was a dedicated multipurpose route that would cross over roads and thru towns. Ridgeway was a fave stop for coffee
we stumbled upon as we do most things on this journey. Food, coffee and locals were all above par.
Fred and I decided to make for a campground in the Long Point region called the Haldimand Campsite located by a big pavilion. We were the only tents so we had the run of that area. No wifi but didn't get charged anything either. Seniors on bikes does have its advantages. The spot I picked was on the water's edge, up on a small bluff that made for an unobstructed view. The breeze was nice but the sun was pretty intense. Fortunately, I picked a site that was shaded as the day progressed. Fred's tent was in a flat grassy spot closer to the pavilion. Downside, showers and bathrooms were 200 yards away. We do suffer so :)
Meals consisted of 1 pot of pasta and broccoli with a tin of chicken. Desert was a Snickers bar I happily discovered.
Mileage 65
Friday, June 26, 2015
Day 15 Oh Canada!
We left a bit later than normal. 7:20 thanks to yours truly. I overslept til 6:00 am. Stayed up too late blogging I guess. Getting to the canal was uneventful. We rode the pathway one more day. In describing it as packed sand in an earlier entry was not a good description. It's a typical hard packed cinder/sand/dirt path. Better for running than biking. Glad it wasn't raining. Anyway, the wind was very light but still in our face. The temp was perfect for riding, in the 60s. It was toppled off with a bluebird sky.
We eventually departed from the canal. In doing so at Lockport, we climbed parallel a series of locks. The path we were on was reminiscent of the final pitch of that Bitchin climb in VT, but shorter. I had the energy to stand on my pedals the whole way. I'm disappointed that I didn't have the energy to stop mid climb for pictures. From there we had our navigational challenge to work our way through town. We only missed one turn and was able to use the maps app on my iPhone to get us reoriented. It compliments the hard copy pretty well.
As we bugged out of town, we followed a road through the more rural areas. It could have easily been the clone of the Creeds ride in VIrginia Beach. The farms and houses were kept up. Lots of space. And flat. Very flat. This 20 mile segment was pretty and pastoral.
Next up, Canada.
At the end of that road, we were headed into the border. Getting there was another matter. The first ramp we came to is the one we were supposed to take. But no, we couldn't. On bikes we could probably have easily worked our way through but given the location, we followed the car route. Go up. Make a U turn. Go up the overpass and take next cloverleaf right which leads to another flyover which takes you to the right exit towards Canada. Sheesh.
Right before we went over the Peace bridge, I pulled over to speak with my bride. I didn't have international service and wanted to talk before the few days with limited connection. I also talked with my dear mother to let her know what's up. Even when you're 60 you are still your mother's son. I have an awesome mom. Awesome. Ok. Contact made. Time to enter Canada. We rolled up to the immigration officer. She quizzed us after looking at our passports. Where. Why. How long. Itinerary. That sort of thing. After a while, she just seemed to want to know more about our adventure.
We had to pay a $1 toll for the 2 bikes on the bridge. Cars=$4.50 I think.
We next got onto Niagra Falls Parkway or so such name. Soon we stopped at a tourist trap for lunch. You know the place, it has cheesy props to take pictures beside fake waterfalls.
Falls were cool. You've seen the pics before. Spectacular!
No buts today. Fred and I decided this was the best day of riding so far.
Gotta cut it short rode @64 today. Stayed in Fort Erie.
Will catch up on Saturday as it's Friday now. Big weather coming in so anticipate hunkering down depending on the conditions.
Cheers! KPW
We eventually departed from the canal. In doing so at Lockport, we climbed parallel a series of locks. The path we were on was reminiscent of the final pitch of that Bitchin climb in VT, but shorter. I had the energy to stand on my pedals the whole way. I'm disappointed that I didn't have the energy to stop mid climb for pictures. From there we had our navigational challenge to work our way through town. We only missed one turn and was able to use the maps app on my iPhone to get us reoriented. It compliments the hard copy pretty well.
As we bugged out of town, we followed a road through the more rural areas. It could have easily been the clone of the Creeds ride in VIrginia Beach. The farms and houses were kept up. Lots of space. And flat. Very flat. This 20 mile segment was pretty and pastoral.
Next up, Canada.
At the end of that road, we were headed into the border. Getting there was another matter. The first ramp we came to is the one we were supposed to take. But no, we couldn't. On bikes we could probably have easily worked our way through but given the location, we followed the car route. Go up. Make a U turn. Go up the overpass and take next cloverleaf right which leads to another flyover which takes you to the right exit towards Canada. Sheesh.
Right before we went over the Peace bridge, I pulled over to speak with my bride. I didn't have international service and wanted to talk before the few days with limited connection. I also talked with my dear mother to let her know what's up. Even when you're 60 you are still your mother's son. I have an awesome mom. Awesome. Ok. Contact made. Time to enter Canada. We rolled up to the immigration officer. She quizzed us after looking at our passports. Where. Why. How long. Itinerary. That sort of thing. After a while, she just seemed to want to know more about our adventure.
We had to pay a $1 toll for the 2 bikes on the bridge. Cars=$4.50 I think.
We next got onto Niagra Falls Parkway or so such name. Soon we stopped at a tourist trap for lunch. You know the place, it has cheesy props to take pictures beside fake waterfalls.
Falls were cool. You've seen the pics before. Spectacular!
No buts today. Fred and I decided this was the best day of riding so far.
Gotta cut it short rode @64 today. Stayed in Fort Erie.
Will catch up on Saturday as it's Friday now. Big weather coming in so anticipate hunkering down depending on the conditions.
Cheers! KPW
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Day 14 Lost and Found
Navigation by Advevture Cycling maps is an art. As Fred said, and I paraphrase, "you have to get into their mind set. Figure out how to walk in their moccasins as you interpret it." Ok. I buy it. Gay is an awesome navigator. He has a sense about how they operate. He doesn't move forward unless he knows where he is and what his next step should be. Sounds simple until you try to match directions with reality and a rotten sense of direction. (Note to deceased father: Sorry Pop. That gene skipped my DNA code.)
Now. Just follow art 15 until you reach the canal trail and take it to Buffalo. No problemo. Fine until you almost pass over the canal because of all the road work and traffic in the area. When we do backtrack and find our way to the trail, riding along was bliss. Oh wait. The trail splits off. This stays by the river, follow that. It turns in another odd direction. Ok this feels right. Oh look. There's someone to ask for help. Go this way and follow these arrows? Cool. Wonder around and find our way back and saw the same guy. He corrected his earlier "helpful" suggestion. Oh we are really on track now. And so it went. FOREVER. Talked to a few people, even a pair of firemen. No help. We finally put our heads together between the AC map and Google maps to find our way. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many miles, yes miles, we went out of our way and how much time we lost. Time to move on, folks. Nothing to see here.
The Canal trail, not the river or the green trails, by the way, was largely hard packed sand. Yes, that same evil stuff that has already caused me a lot of grief so far. This time it was pretty firm and friendly. It was interspersed with paved areas near roads. But, occasionally sand would pile up and/or develop soft treacherous spots. On several occasions, I was tooling along, minding my own business then, "Gotcha!" My wheel/s would fall prey to sand traps. Options were: simply fall over, fall over into gravel, plunge into the cana or make a save and keep on keeping on. Rubber side down. With gale force headwinds, all of these were a distinct possibility. The latter was how Fred and I both managed to continue.
Seriously . The winds were blowing hard into our faces making forward progress... a bit challenging . The entire ride. That's ok. It's still better that ME, VT, or HH grades.
Numerous little drawbridges along the way at virtually every little, or big town along the way. We stopped for Texas Barbque along the way. A fun little bike shop surfaced too. He had pretty high end inventory considering his lonely outpost.
We stopped in Medina for the night. It's not the same without the 3rd stooge but Fred and I are getting along just fine.
Less than 35 miles to Niagra Falls and Canada.
We're about 750 miles into our journey.
Cheers. KPW
Now. Just follow art 15 until you reach the canal trail and take it to Buffalo. No problemo. Fine until you almost pass over the canal because of all the road work and traffic in the area. When we do backtrack and find our way to the trail, riding along was bliss. Oh wait. The trail splits off. This stays by the river, follow that. It turns in another odd direction. Ok this feels right. Oh look. There's someone to ask for help. Go this way and follow these arrows? Cool. Wonder around and find our way back and saw the same guy. He corrected his earlier "helpful" suggestion. Oh we are really on track now. And so it went. FOREVER. Talked to a few people, even a pair of firemen. No help. We finally put our heads together between the AC map and Google maps to find our way. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many miles, yes miles, we went out of our way and how much time we lost. Time to move on, folks. Nothing to see here.
The Canal trail, not the river or the green trails, by the way, was largely hard packed sand. Yes, that same evil stuff that has already caused me a lot of grief so far. This time it was pretty firm and friendly. It was interspersed with paved areas near roads. But, occasionally sand would pile up and/or develop soft treacherous spots. On several occasions, I was tooling along, minding my own business then, "Gotcha!" My wheel/s would fall prey to sand traps. Options were: simply fall over, fall over into gravel, plunge into the cana or make a save and keep on keeping on. Rubber side down. With gale force headwinds, all of these were a distinct possibility. The latter was how Fred and I both managed to continue.
Seriously . The winds were blowing hard into our faces making forward progress... a bit challenging . The entire ride. That's ok. It's still better that ME, VT, or HH grades.
Numerous little drawbridges along the way at virtually every little, or big town along the way. We stopped for Texas Barbque along the way. A fun little bike shop surfaced too. He had pretty high end inventory considering his lonely outpost.
We stopped in Medina for the night. It's not the same without the 3rd stooge but Fred and I are getting along just fine.
Less than 35 miles to Niagra Falls and Canada.
We're about 750 miles into our journey.
Cheers. KPW
Monday, June 22, 2015
Day 13 Trouble in Paradise
What started out as a rest day has dissolved into something entirely different. Fred is good except for lingering bug bites. My bike is healed and my sprained wrist is improving rapidly. The road rash is hardly noticeable unless I tag it. Gay's Achilles' tendon, well that's another story.
Denial. That's a great place to visit. He had been nursing it for a couple of days but hasn't let on how painful it had become. When Gay came to grips that ice wasn't doing the trick, he decided to find a local doctor. Bottom line, Gay's gotta take a week off.
After a lot of discussion, we worked out a plan. Fred and I will carry on until Gay can recover and meet up with us. He's going to rent a car and meet us in a week in Michigan, about 400 miles from here in Henrietta, the amount of time the doc said he needed to recover. (Pray the doc is spot on.)
Gay may have won the polka dot jersey (think Tour de France for you nonbikers reading this) for his climbing prowess, but it's destroyed his yellow jersey status. :)
His Achilles felt like a bow being dragged across a violin when he flexed. It was weird. An ultrasound showed there was no tear so that's why he can consider continuing. Whew... I am really sad that he is injured and must stand down for a while but happy that we have a contingency plan in place for him to rejoin us!
This little band will have to find our navigational footing without him. He is a Master Navigator. (Don't read that wrong.) Fred and I have differing styles but get along just fine. Our riding pace is compatible. It'll be interesting.
To date, we have covered right at 700 miles.
Cheers.
KPW
Denial. That's a great place to visit. He had been nursing it for a couple of days but hasn't let on how painful it had become. When Gay came to grips that ice wasn't doing the trick, he decided to find a local doctor. Bottom line, Gay's gotta take a week off.
After a lot of discussion, we worked out a plan. Fred and I will carry on until Gay can recover and meet up with us. He's going to rent a car and meet us in a week in Michigan, about 400 miles from here in Henrietta, the amount of time the doc said he needed to recover. (Pray the doc is spot on.)
Gay may have won the polka dot jersey (think Tour de France for you nonbikers reading this) for his climbing prowess, but it's destroyed his yellow jersey status. :)
His Achilles felt like a bow being dragged across a violin when he flexed. It was weird. An ultrasound showed there was no tear so that's why he can consider continuing. Whew... I am really sad that he is injured and must stand down for a while but happy that we have a contingency plan in place for him to rejoin us!
This little band will have to find our navigational footing without him. He is a Master Navigator. (Don't read that wrong.) Fred and I have differing styles but get along just fine. Our riding pace is compatible. It'll be interesting.
To date, we have covered right at 700 miles.
Cheers.
KPW
Day 11 Still wobbling
Note: I had written and (thought I'd) published my account of Day 11. Fail. So, I'll try another time.
Destination: Fulton. Doyle's Bike Shop. 24 miles from Port Ontario. Now, if only my bike can make it. No need for a typical early push since the shop probably won't be open until 10. A typical pace is about 10 mph, considering hills and load. A relatively leisurely morning sitting about drinking coffee was atypical. Fred and Gay like to get up and down the road straight away. Fred turns in around 7:30 pm each evening so it's no wonder he's up before the sun. Gay bails after dark. Me, I'm the night owl. I crash between 10 & 11, depending on how long it takes me to write this blog or how riveting my book is.
The ride to Fulton was scenic and hilly. Last year, I toured Upstate NY for 3.5 days with my wife, Pam, and another couple, Bill and Sandy Doyle. Bill and Sandy were riding from Ticonderoga to Niagra Falls. They are doing the Northern Tier pieces at a time. Their idea is frankly what eventually motivated yours truly. Thanks, Bill and Sandy, I think. Pam and I had the good fortune to start our ride 50 or so miles west of Ti. We ended our journey in Fulton.
We showed up in Fulton before 11 and located Doyle's Bike Shop (no relation). The recumbent bike out front gave me hope. We went inside and my hope was dashed. It was a family shop with mostly mountain bikes and BMXs. The proprietor was a very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful man. He knew the specs my looking at the wheel. Shaking his head, he said he couldn't fix it but would check his inventory. Nothing doing. He said he could make it better though.
He put the wheel in a truing stand and spent some quality time with it. 20 - 30 minutes later he gave it back. Better but still short. Now it has a hop as well as a wobble. I could probably come up with a tune in my head that accompanied the roll. Sigh.
I thanked him profusely for his effort. He refused payment for his time. I was touched by his compassion for my problem. What next? Lunch!
He enthusiastically recommended the Greek diner next door. His mouth was watering as he spoke. We walked our bikes over and went inside.
The building was well past its prime. The menu was simple. Signs were attached to the wall with yellowing tape. They proudly accepted charge AND debit cards. The food and service was good. Fred had his first giro and he described it as "very nice ". The owner, an old Greek gent was proud of being old school. Onward to our final destination for the day. South Shore RV Park in Sodus.
Oh yeah, Gay spotted a local pharmacy a few doors down from lunch. Another old school kind of place. I found a suitable supportive wrist wrap. The owner operated the register. The total with a candy bar was @$10.68. He said, "$10 is good." That put a smile on my face.
Hmm... What to do with my ride? Ok, ride it. Still not many other good options. It's better, not great. Better. I was really thankful that it was rideable at all. The logistics would be horrendous if any of our bikes broke down. Shiver. Don't worry. Be happy. Ride.
As the day wore on, so did my comfort. The road went from pretty flat to pretty hilly. Ugh. The last 15 to 20 miles were scenic but was lost to my evaporating spirit. I was tired and looking forward to rest and a shower. Since Gay stopped drinking soft drinks, the rest stops seemed a little further apart. The saddle was less comfortable. My hands were numb since I was limited in the positions I could use with my sprained wrist. The support really helped though.
Finally we arrived. Never been so happy to see an RV Park in memory. The people had hosted bike tourists before. The cost was only $15! A boost to my sagging spirit. We earned an escort to our flat, grassy tent site complete with water faucets and electricity for charging our phones and only a short hike to restroom and shower. Ah, the shower. This amenity earned top ratings so far this journey. Bar none. Spacious. Clean. Well lit. Hooks for hanging stuff and no quarters necessary to feed the warm water beast.
The highlight of my day was getting to speak with my bride. She called as dinner was just being finished cooking and I was lighting into my one hot meal. Hearing her voice was the food I needed most. A few minutes later, it started to rain. I scrambled to collect my stuff I wanted to keep dry, my pot of dinner and dove for the tent, all while talking to Pam.
The day ended with blogging day 10s episode.
Cheers.
64 miles today. Felt longer. Looking forward to to tomorrow and the prospect of getting my bike back up to speed.
Destination: Fulton. Doyle's Bike Shop. 24 miles from Port Ontario. Now, if only my bike can make it. No need for a typical early push since the shop probably won't be open until 10. A typical pace is about 10 mph, considering hills and load. A relatively leisurely morning sitting about drinking coffee was atypical. Fred and Gay like to get up and down the road straight away. Fred turns in around 7:30 pm each evening so it's no wonder he's up before the sun. Gay bails after dark. Me, I'm the night owl. I crash between 10 & 11, depending on how long it takes me to write this blog or how riveting my book is.
The ride to Fulton was scenic and hilly. Last year, I toured Upstate NY for 3.5 days with my wife, Pam, and another couple, Bill and Sandy Doyle. Bill and Sandy were riding from Ticonderoga to Niagra Falls. They are doing the Northern Tier pieces at a time. Their idea is frankly what eventually motivated yours truly. Thanks, Bill and Sandy, I think. Pam and I had the good fortune to start our ride 50 or so miles west of Ti. We ended our journey in Fulton.
We showed up in Fulton before 11 and located Doyle's Bike Shop (no relation). The recumbent bike out front gave me hope. We went inside and my hope was dashed. It was a family shop with mostly mountain bikes and BMXs. The proprietor was a very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful man. He knew the specs my looking at the wheel. Shaking his head, he said he couldn't fix it but would check his inventory. Nothing doing. He said he could make it better though.
He put the wheel in a truing stand and spent some quality time with it. 20 - 30 minutes later he gave it back. Better but still short. Now it has a hop as well as a wobble. I could probably come up with a tune in my head that accompanied the roll. Sigh.
I thanked him profusely for his effort. He refused payment for his time. I was touched by his compassion for my problem. What next? Lunch!
He enthusiastically recommended the Greek diner next door. His mouth was watering as he spoke. We walked our bikes over and went inside.
The building was well past its prime. The menu was simple. Signs were attached to the wall with yellowing tape. They proudly accepted charge AND debit cards. The food and service was good. Fred had his first giro and he described it as "very nice ". The owner, an old Greek gent was proud of being old school. Onward to our final destination for the day. South Shore RV Park in Sodus.
Oh yeah, Gay spotted a local pharmacy a few doors down from lunch. Another old school kind of place. I found a suitable supportive wrist wrap. The owner operated the register. The total with a candy bar was @$10.68. He said, "$10 is good." That put a smile on my face.
Hmm... What to do with my ride? Ok, ride it. Still not many other good options. It's better, not great. Better. I was really thankful that it was rideable at all. The logistics would be horrendous if any of our bikes broke down. Shiver. Don't worry. Be happy. Ride.
As the day wore on, so did my comfort. The road went from pretty flat to pretty hilly. Ugh. The last 15 to 20 miles were scenic but was lost to my evaporating spirit. I was tired and looking forward to rest and a shower. Since Gay stopped drinking soft drinks, the rest stops seemed a little further apart. The saddle was less comfortable. My hands were numb since I was limited in the positions I could use with my sprained wrist. The support really helped though.
Finally we arrived. Never been so happy to see an RV Park in memory. The people had hosted bike tourists before. The cost was only $15! A boost to my sagging spirit. We earned an escort to our flat, grassy tent site complete with water faucets and electricity for charging our phones and only a short hike to restroom and shower. Ah, the shower. This amenity earned top ratings so far this journey. Bar none. Spacious. Clean. Well lit. Hooks for hanging stuff and no quarters necessary to feed the warm water beast.
The highlight of my day was getting to speak with my bride. She called as dinner was just being finished cooking and I was lighting into my one hot meal. Hearing her voice was the food I needed most. A few minutes later, it started to rain. I scrambled to collect my stuff I wanted to keep dry, my pot of dinner and dove for the tent, all while talking to Pam.
The day ended with blogging day 10s episode.
Cheers.
64 miles today. Felt longer. Looking forward to to tomorrow and the prospect of getting my bike back up to speed.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Day 12 A Father's Day gift
Criminey. What's it gonna take to get a new wheel? We knew we couldn't pass by Rochester without getting the job done. Rochester would be the last best chance to find a good bike shop to bring my bike back up to speed. 35 miles to the first shop. Problem: It's Sunday. As the morning played out, I made phone calls to see if it was open. Rats. By 11:00 I gave up on the first shop. Time to move further down the line.
Towpath Bikes would be open til 5. Promising.
The ride went from hilly to resemble Virginia Beach flat. Finally. Even cooler, it was along the Erie Canal as we entered Palmyra. (My colleague, Randy Drake hails from there. That explains a lot.) The towpath that parallels the canal is a mixed bag of pavement, gravel and packed dirt. The route was scenic and tremendously different from the miles of pavement we've been traversing. Interesting boats tied up along the way. Park displays and operational locks to boot.
Fred is exceptional at coming up to people to talk to them and especially when it comes to asking for directions. He stopped on guy running along the path pushing a baby jogger and asked about how we might find the bike shop. The man helped us find a shortcut across the town which saved us a few miles of travel along the waterway.
Riding through town was a bit frantic after the quiet towpath. But then we took a turn and EUREKA! Towpath Bike Shop. It was a full service shop with several mechanics and lots of everything a bike shop could have. I took my front panniers off, pulled my wobbly a&$ wheel off and went inside. After waiting patiently for a few minutes, I was directed to the mechanics. He looked at my wheel and said he would have to look in the basement and to keep my fingers crossed. 10 long minutes later, he returned.... with a wheel that would work!! Actually, it was a (mountain bike) 29er wheel. It only had 32 spokes but it took a disc brake. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. He got right to it. 30 minutes later, I was whole again. What a great day this turned out to be. He even dialed in my brakes to perfection.
He only charged for the wheel, gave me a 15% discount and no labor charge. Gay got some cable work done, too. Bikes taken care of, now it's time to consider accommodations.
We did a bit of sleuthing and figured out that the next campground was 35 miles away. It was late. We were tired. Gay's Achilles was killing him :( So, we found a budget Super 8 not far off route. Perfect.
Time for a late lunch before we push off and wind our way using a digital map (my Aple phone) to find the motel in the next town. My protégés are typically averse to such nonsense as they are truly masters of the paper maps. Success certainly helps make new inroads.
55 miles today
Not all of it was on the route. I'll be doing some calculating and post it later.
Cheers and Happy Father's Day.
My "Pop" died in his sleep @4.5 years ago now at 90. I miss him dearly. He would not approve of nor understand this insanity.
Towpath Bikes would be open til 5. Promising.
The ride went from hilly to resemble Virginia Beach flat. Finally. Even cooler, it was along the Erie Canal as we entered Palmyra. (My colleague, Randy Drake hails from there. That explains a lot.) The towpath that parallels the canal is a mixed bag of pavement, gravel and packed dirt. The route was scenic and tremendously different from the miles of pavement we've been traversing. Interesting boats tied up along the way. Park displays and operational locks to boot.
Fred is exceptional at coming up to people to talk to them and especially when it comes to asking for directions. He stopped on guy running along the path pushing a baby jogger and asked about how we might find the bike shop. The man helped us find a shortcut across the town which saved us a few miles of travel along the waterway.
Riding through town was a bit frantic after the quiet towpath. But then we took a turn and EUREKA! Towpath Bike Shop. It was a full service shop with several mechanics and lots of everything a bike shop could have. I took my front panniers off, pulled my wobbly a&$ wheel off and went inside. After waiting patiently for a few minutes, I was directed to the mechanics. He looked at my wheel and said he would have to look in the basement and to keep my fingers crossed. 10 long minutes later, he returned.... with a wheel that would work!! Actually, it was a (mountain bike) 29er wheel. It only had 32 spokes but it took a disc brake. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. He got right to it. 30 minutes later, I was whole again. What a great day this turned out to be. He even dialed in my brakes to perfection.
He only charged for the wheel, gave me a 15% discount and no labor charge. Gay got some cable work done, too. Bikes taken care of, now it's time to consider accommodations.
We did a bit of sleuthing and figured out that the next campground was 35 miles away. It was late. We were tired. Gay's Achilles was killing him :( So, we found a budget Super 8 not far off route. Perfect.
Time for a late lunch before we push off and wind our way using a digital map (my Aple phone) to find the motel in the next town. My protégés are typically averse to such nonsense as they are truly masters of the paper maps. Success certainly helps make new inroads.
55 miles today
Not all of it was on the route. I'll be doing some calculating and post it later.
Cheers and Happy Father's Day.
My "Pop" died in his sleep @4.5 years ago now at 90. I miss him dearly. He would not approve of nor understand this insanity.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Day 10 Drama
We left Old Forge at 6:30 after coffee and bagels. An unusually casual twist to the forward moving routine. Usually, we catch some food and coffee at the first stop. As I've mentioned before, that may not happen quickly into the ride.
The day we planned, was to take us to 55 miles or 79 miles, depending on the terrain, weather or how we were feeling along the way. 79 seemed realistic if the terrain cooperated. That means if it wasn't very hilly. Hills can suck the life out of you after a while. If you've read this blog so far, I'm sure I've made that point crystal clear. After 9 days of climbing, we are hopeful for some relief.
At 35 miles I was begging to get off the saddle for a while. I was in a grumpy mood since the turn to Raquette Lake was missed. Sometimes we don't get enough time to smell the flowers. The quality of the road and flatter terrain made it easier to focus on riding and less on being annoyed. Raquette Lake is a pretty cool little village on the lake a park. That vicinity is where Randy Drake takes his Winter Camping class over Spring Break. Break time usually elevates the mood.
We were making good time. Riding was good. Around 60 miles into the ride we had committed to doing the 79 mile destination at Port Ontario. I was in front for a change as we were riding past an abandoned house. I looked back at it when I veered a bit to the right and went off the road. It happens from time to time. Carrying heavy packs and traveling close to the edge isn't a good mix. Trucks barrel down the road from time to time so we try not to tango with them and give them their road space.
Sand. It's evil stuff. It gets into everything. Your shoes. Shorts. Gear. When it's piled up at any depth, it becomes a conspiracy. That's what I found waiting for me on the side of the road. F$&@#£€g sand. Not easy riding dirt or gravel. Sand. Unrecoverable, unstable sand. I spilled over into the road. No traffic, thank the Almighy. Before I knew it, Gay was there picking the bike off me. Remember it was laden with gear.
Helmets are good. Shoulda been wearing wrist and elbow guards, too. Minor road rash on my right elbow. The wrist didn't become an issue until later. Even though I only tagged the back of my helmet ever so slightly, it's time for a new brain bucket! Now, my bike. That's another story.
The front wheel took a beating. Everything else was fine. The rim sports a new double camber. What that means is it's bent to hell. If you're a Facebook friend, you can see the short video of it. Gay broke out his spoke wrench and tried to help straighten it. Beyond hope. I put the wheel, such as it was, back on the bike to see if it could somehow be used. Well, the wheel is still round and with disc brakes, the brakes were in working order! Just try not to look at it rolling. Would it really work? Would it hold up? Only one way to find out. Roll with it. Out in the middle of nowhere, options were limited.
19 miles later we reached a motel in Port Ontario. Lick and assess my wounds and wounded pride. You see, I think, er thought, I was a pretty good bike handler. Hmmm. This does NOT boost the confidence level.
Tomorrow, we find a bike shop. Absolutely! Doctor? Nah.
79 miles today.
586 miles into the route. That's 58.6 miles per day average. The target is 60 so far, we're good.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Thursday Day 9
We ended the day after 45 miles with plenty of climbing but nothing that rates on the grueling gauge.
That in itself is remarkable after reading about my lack of climbing prowess. I have to face it. When this journey began, I hit the scales at 200. That's a lot to haul up anything much less with another 85 pounds of bike, water and gear. I just have to keep telling myself that if it doesn't kill me it'll make me stronger.
We ended up in Old Forge, a pretty nice town. Good for laundry and a Post Office. Mailed back some shoes that I've given a free ride across 3.5 states.
One cheap thrill though. Walking to a convenience store, 2 fawns were eating the grass out front. I walked between them close enough to pat them. Needless to say I didn't. They kept a watchful eye on me and came to me when I left. They wanted to share my goodies. I apologized and waived them off.
Thunderstorms threatened the afternoon and delivered at night. All's well.
We are 507 miles along the Northern Tier Ride.
That in itself is remarkable after reading about my lack of climbing prowess. I have to face it. When this journey began, I hit the scales at 200. That's a lot to haul up anything much less with another 85 pounds of bike, water and gear. I just have to keep telling myself that if it doesn't kill me it'll make me stronger.
We ended up in Old Forge, a pretty nice town. Good for laundry and a Post Office. Mailed back some shoes that I've given a free ride across 3.5 states.
One cheap thrill though. Walking to a convenience store, 2 fawns were eating the grass out front. I walked between them close enough to pat them. Needless to say I didn't. They kept a watchful eye on me and came to me when I left. They wanted to share my goodies. I apologized and waived them off.
Thunderstorms threatened the afternoon and delivered at night. All's well.
We are 507 miles along the Northern Tier Ride.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Into Upstate New York Day 8
Day 8 we left Ticonderoga about 6:30am. The morning was cool and perfect for riding, that is until we turned south towards Schroon Lake. Soon after making the turn, say mile 1.5ish into the ride, we paused together to change our clothing layers, as in take them off! The map doesn't have an elevation profile to give us a clue as to the terrain ahead. We found out the hard way.
Up. That's all we knew. How steep? How long the climb? No friggin clue. I do know that it didn't take long to drop into a serious climbing gear (22x32). An hour later, we reach the top. An hour. In New York. Maybe this will be the last big climb for a while . A short while later, we got a little surprise, another hour of grueling, grinding, panting "fun"! Oh come on now.... Ok. At least it wasn't as steep as Middlebury Pass is all I gotta say.
The rest of that day was relatively easy. Some up and down, a lot of lake views and pretty good road conditions. We were able to make some time. If only my mother in law, Barbara Hartman, lived a little closer, we would have crashed her party. Another time...
At the end of the day, we rode about 68 miles to a campground. 68 miles isn't all that bad in the flatlands, but in the hills, well that's another story all together. One word about relationships. (Not that kind of relationship.) The longer the ride, the more tired your legs are, the closer you are to a campsite , the less picky you are. When we arrived at Hidden Campgrounds, we were had.
A little off the road, an old weather worn house with a cluttered porch served as the office. Ring the bell for service. After some confused discussion, mostly on her, the proprietors part, we agreed to one "site" for $20 total. The site location was ambiguous. Over that way... A resident "camper" steered us a bit closer. The ground was very good for our tents. Showers were $.25 for 2 min. It took 1 min how to regulate the temperature while only getting mildly scalded. We cooked dinner over our MSR multi fuel stoves. No wifi or digital reception. Sleep came easily.
Up. That's all we knew. How steep? How long the climb? No friggin clue. I do know that it didn't take long to drop into a serious climbing gear (22x32). An hour later, we reach the top. An hour. In New York. Maybe this will be the last big climb for a while . A short while later, we got a little surprise, another hour of grueling, grinding, panting "fun"! Oh come on now.... Ok. At least it wasn't as steep as Middlebury Pass is all I gotta say.
The rest of that day was relatively easy. Some up and down, a lot of lake views and pretty good road conditions. We were able to make some time. If only my mother in law, Barbara Hartman, lived a little closer, we would have crashed her party. Another time...
At the end of the day, we rode about 68 miles to a campground. 68 miles isn't all that bad in the flatlands, but in the hills, well that's another story all together. One word about relationships. (Not that kind of relationship.) The longer the ride, the more tired your legs are, the closer you are to a campsite , the less picky you are. When we arrived at Hidden Campgrounds, we were had.
A little off the road, an old weather worn house with a cluttered porch served as the office. Ring the bell for service. After some confused discussion, mostly on her, the proprietors part, we agreed to one "site" for $20 total. The site location was ambiguous. Over that way... A resident "camper" steered us a bit closer. The ground was very good for our tents. Showers were $.25 for 2 min. It took 1 min how to regulate the temperature while only getting mildly scalded. We cooked dinner over our MSR multi fuel stoves. No wifi or digital reception. Sleep came easily.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Welcome to New York? Day 7
We left the B&B at 7. I didn't get to say goodbye to Tsunami, the noisy, friendly cat. We had 20 miles before the start of the road to Middlebury Pass. It didn't look any harder than the last couple of big climbs. I was bringing up the rear as we approached the pass road, about 4 miles from the top. I like to pace myself. Then it happened.
My gear shifter started acting goofy. DANG! The bolt holding it fell out on the road some place! I pulled over, leaned my bike against a pole and walked back to see if I could find it. No luck. Fortunately, in my bag of tricks, I had a bolt that would temporarily do the job. I had no sooner put it back together when Gay and Fred showed up. They knew something was amiss since they couldn't see me and waited. I tried calling Gay but no reception. ( His phone was off anyway.) My shifter was working, but barely. Now onto the climb.
Trucks had been waived off traveling this "scenic " route. We soon found out why. The last 4 miles were Vermont's way of having her way with me, one more time. The next 2 miles were predictably strenuous. 9 to 10% grade or so. Man I am huffing and puffing away, but chugging along. Then, the road ratcheted up the gradient a couple of notches. I started maxing out my feeble aerobic resources. I simply couldn't breathe enough to supply the O2 needed to do the work. So I tried other tricks. Working on my spin. Keep my concentration up. Try to remember all the words to the song rolling around in my head. Nada. Just stop the damn bike and catch your breath and drink something. The 1/2 pint Bushmills (what's left) I had dragged across 3 states was tempting. ;) I did have some extra water that I decided I didn't need so I watered the plant nearby. One pound less to weigh me down. I made 1 or 2 more brief rest stops on the way up. When I finally reached the pass, Fred was standing by a sign on the other side of the road indicating a 12% grade for the next 2 miles. That explains it. The good news is that was our last big climb in Vermont!
The downhill was swift and exciting. I checked my speed unless I could see the road in front of me. I love disc brakes. Curves at speed with a heavy load are a bit disconcerting for me. Especially with so many ruts and potholes. This led us to Middlebury, VT which has a bike shop! Timing is everything. On the approach to town, it really started raining. Pouring would be a suitable description. We found a porch of a closed business and came up with a plan. We eventually found the shop. It was too crowded to bring my bike in with the gear on it so I unloaded it and brought my ride in to show them my problem. A few minutes later the mechanic had me wheel it around back, in the heavy rain, where the work area was.
15 - 20 minutes later, I had the proper bolt, newly adjusted brakes and fresh oil on my chain. I was thrilled. Thrilled! Not only did he drop everything to help me get back on the road, he wouldn't accept any payment. The Bike Center is a great shop that really helped this tourist in a bind. God bless'em.
We headed back out in the rain towards NY. Riding was just little rolling hills all the way to the ferry. About 15 miles outside of town, the rain stopped, but the roads were still wet (slippery). I was happy to see dry spots begin to appear. We made it to the ferry bound for Ticonderoga, NY. ($2) since the next campground was another 15 miles, we opted for a motel room. A got place to dry out and clean up. Cheers.
Total mileage: 69.7 miles. @210 since Bar Harbor on the 10th.
My gear shifter started acting goofy. DANG! The bolt holding it fell out on the road some place! I pulled over, leaned my bike against a pole and walked back to see if I could find it. No luck. Fortunately, in my bag of tricks, I had a bolt that would temporarily do the job. I had no sooner put it back together when Gay and Fred showed up. They knew something was amiss since they couldn't see me and waited. I tried calling Gay but no reception. ( His phone was off anyway.) My shifter was working, but barely. Now onto the climb.
Trucks had been waived off traveling this "scenic " route. We soon found out why. The last 4 miles were Vermont's way of having her way with me, one more time. The next 2 miles were predictably strenuous. 9 to 10% grade or so. Man I am huffing and puffing away, but chugging along. Then, the road ratcheted up the gradient a couple of notches. I started maxing out my feeble aerobic resources. I simply couldn't breathe enough to supply the O2 needed to do the work. So I tried other tricks. Working on my spin. Keep my concentration up. Try to remember all the words to the song rolling around in my head. Nada. Just stop the damn bike and catch your breath and drink something. The 1/2 pint Bushmills (what's left) I had dragged across 3 states was tempting. ;) I did have some extra water that I decided I didn't need so I watered the plant nearby. One pound less to weigh me down. I made 1 or 2 more brief rest stops on the way up. When I finally reached the pass, Fred was standing by a sign on the other side of the road indicating a 12% grade for the next 2 miles. That explains it. The good news is that was our last big climb in Vermont!
The downhill was swift and exciting. I checked my speed unless I could see the road in front of me. I love disc brakes. Curves at speed with a heavy load are a bit disconcerting for me. Especially with so many ruts and potholes. This led us to Middlebury, VT which has a bike shop! Timing is everything. On the approach to town, it really started raining. Pouring would be a suitable description. We found a porch of a closed business and came up with a plan. We eventually found the shop. It was too crowded to bring my bike in with the gear on it so I unloaded it and brought my ride in to show them my problem. A few minutes later the mechanic had me wheel it around back, in the heavy rain, where the work area was.
15 - 20 minutes later, I had the proper bolt, newly adjusted brakes and fresh oil on my chain. I was thrilled. Thrilled! Not only did he drop everything to help me get back on the road, he wouldn't accept any payment. The Bike Center is a great shop that really helped this tourist in a bind. God bless'em.
We headed back out in the rain towards NY. Riding was just little rolling hills all the way to the ferry. About 15 miles outside of town, the rain stopped, but the roads were still wet (slippery). I was happy to see dry spots begin to appear. We made it to the ferry bound for Ticonderoga, NY. ($2) since the next campground was another 15 miles, we opted for a motel room. A got place to dry out and clean up. Cheers.
Total mileage: 69.7 miles. @210 since Bar Harbor on the 10th.
Day 6 Vermont
We woke up under the cover of the pavilion. The rain playing a steady tune on the metal roof. I could hardly hear it until I put my hearing aids in. This meant a rain delay. Just what the doctor ordered. We still had one hum dinger of a climb to look forward to and a few others to kick my behind, but the day would be abbreviated once we did start
I love the Vermont countryside. The pastures. Farms. Creeks and rivers. The hills. Not so much. The ride was wet and chilly, perfect for more strenuous fun. Thrilled NOT to be cycling with temperatures like home, low 90s and feeling like 100+. Thank you, Lord!
Our intention was to reach one of 3 campgrounds. In looking at the maps addendum, they no longer existed. Crap. A hurricane back a few years ago washed them away. Yikes! We settled on a B&B. Since food was a good ride away, we bargained a dinner deal. Breakfast was included, of course. Duck eggs! A first....
We covered about 35 miles.
I love the Vermont countryside. The pastures. Farms. Creeks and rivers. The hills. Not so much. The ride was wet and chilly, perfect for more strenuous fun. Thrilled NOT to be cycling with temperatures like home, low 90s and feeling like 100+. Thank you, Lord!
Our intention was to reach one of 3 campgrounds. In looking at the maps addendum, they no longer existed. Crap. A hurricane back a few years ago washed them away. Yikes! We settled on a B&B. Since food was a good ride away, we bargained a dinner deal. Breakfast was included, of course. Duck eggs! A first....
We covered about 35 miles.
Monday, June 15, 2015
day 4 & 5 kancamagus and some
Day 4 covered 55 hilly miles. We escaped Maine for the wilds of New Hampshire. Lots of roads and places with "hill" in it. We had intended on ending the day by climbing the road that goes through the Kancamagus Pass but we came to our senses as we approached a campground on the approach. We had considered the next campground up the road but wasn't sure about water. Some places are pretty primitive. It turned out to be a good choice, even though it was for a different reason. There was a little swimming hole nearby! There were no showers at the camp so it was a welcome feature.
The camp was ok, and with a Golden Eagle Pass the site only cost $11! The campground host was helpful and friendly. The water was spring fed. Pit toilets clean and order free. The little hanging spruce tree air freshener was a good addition.
We each cooked one pot meals of some sort. I had rice and broccoli with a small tin of chicken added. I have a spice set to add some flavor. We each eat huge helpings, literally a small pot full. Fred calls a pot a "billy". When we eat, it's no holds barred for me. I try to eat pretty well and lots of it. No worries. I burn off what I eat. And some. Easily.
Day five starts for me at a leisurely 5:30. Fred and Gay have been up for a while. They rise with the sun. Ugh. I push on or get left. They consistently wait for me to finish packing each morning. No cross words yet. I'm just meticulous and, ok, sluggish before I've had my coffee and bagel. We get something to eat at the first stop, which happens to be 3+ hours away on day 5 because we have to climb up Kancamagus Pass. I stuffed a Cliff bar (energy bar) in my face so I wouldn't collapse in a ditch along the way. I keep several of them on reserve in my food bag. Experience is a powerful teacher.
Camp location gave us a start on the climb, but it was still 16.5 miles to the pass itself. The first 12 miles or so wasn't bad at all. The last few were more demanding. Ok. Grueling. We were up to the pass by 9:30! Not much traffic and still relatively cool for climbing. When we reached the pass, we stopped for pictures and to put some wind shells for the 14 mile descent. Yahoo!! The descent almost makes the climb worth it. Almost.
Uh oh. The next climb was one Sandy Doyle warned me about. She and Bill had done it year before last. Jiminie Crickets. She was right. I think the whole climb was about 5 miles. The last 3 took over an hour. It doesn't even have a name for crying out loud! Peddling my bike. Uphill. Carrying all my stuff. This is a point where I question my choice of endeavors. How can I lighten my load? What the hell was I thinking biking for 6 weeks across country? Can I lose some more weight before the next big climb? Sigh. Think about something else and peddle. I have over 5 weeks left. Ah, the summit. Thought it would never get here. As We pause to dress for the windy descent, a big ass truck crawls it's way up the same slope, sees us and gives us a friendly, knowing blast of his horn. He appreciates our little victory, too. Zoom. Down we go. Damn that's fun.
We still had plenty of climbing left to the day, but nothing like that. Thank God. 69 miles from the start we finished our day at a campground in Orford, NH. That's right across the river from Fairlee, VT. The proprietor was very kind to us. $15 and it included showers! She said rain was in the forecast so she suggested we pitch our tents under the pavilion. Sweet! We had shelter for our shelters. After setting camp, we ventured out to do laundry. A Greek restaurant was conveniently next door. Mmmm
On a sad note. I learned that an old, not so old friend of mine died. Steve Rabogliatti. His x was one of Pam's bridesmaids if that tells you anything. We have stayed in touch over the years. He took me skeet shooting a few months ago. He kindly suggested that lessons would be helpful. He was very good. Whenever we had drinks, we always, I mean always said, "Ching, Ching, mf." So at dinner that night I had a toast in his honor. RIP, Bags.
The camp was ok, and with a Golden Eagle Pass the site only cost $11! The campground host was helpful and friendly. The water was spring fed. Pit toilets clean and order free. The little hanging spruce tree air freshener was a good addition.
We each cooked one pot meals of some sort. I had rice and broccoli with a small tin of chicken added. I have a spice set to add some flavor. We each eat huge helpings, literally a small pot full. Fred calls a pot a "billy". When we eat, it's no holds barred for me. I try to eat pretty well and lots of it. No worries. I burn off what I eat. And some. Easily.
Day five starts for me at a leisurely 5:30. Fred and Gay have been up for a while. They rise with the sun. Ugh. I push on or get left. They consistently wait for me to finish packing each morning. No cross words yet. I'm just meticulous and, ok, sluggish before I've had my coffee and bagel. We get something to eat at the first stop, which happens to be 3+ hours away on day 5 because we have to climb up Kancamagus Pass. I stuffed a Cliff bar (energy bar) in my face so I wouldn't collapse in a ditch along the way. I keep several of them on reserve in my food bag. Experience is a powerful teacher.
Camp location gave us a start on the climb, but it was still 16.5 miles to the pass itself. The first 12 miles or so wasn't bad at all. The last few were more demanding. Ok. Grueling. We were up to the pass by 9:30! Not much traffic and still relatively cool for climbing. When we reached the pass, we stopped for pictures and to put some wind shells for the 14 mile descent. Yahoo!! The descent almost makes the climb worth it. Almost.
Uh oh. The next climb was one Sandy Doyle warned me about. She and Bill had done it year before last. Jiminie Crickets. She was right. I think the whole climb was about 5 miles. The last 3 took over an hour. It doesn't even have a name for crying out loud! Peddling my bike. Uphill. Carrying all my stuff. This is a point where I question my choice of endeavors. How can I lighten my load? What the hell was I thinking biking for 6 weeks across country? Can I lose some more weight before the next big climb? Sigh. Think about something else and peddle. I have over 5 weeks left. Ah, the summit. Thought it would never get here. As We pause to dress for the windy descent, a big ass truck crawls it's way up the same slope, sees us and gives us a friendly, knowing blast of his horn. He appreciates our little victory, too. Zoom. Down we go. Damn that's fun.
We still had plenty of climbing left to the day, but nothing like that. Thank God. 69 miles from the start we finished our day at a campground in Orford, NH. That's right across the river from Fairlee, VT. The proprietor was very kind to us. $15 and it included showers! She said rain was in the forecast so she suggested we pitch our tents under the pavilion. Sweet! We had shelter for our shelters. After setting camp, we ventured out to do laundry. A Greek restaurant was conveniently next door. Mmmm
On a sad note. I learned that an old, not so old friend of mine died. Steve Rabogliatti. His x was one of Pam's bridesmaids if that tells you anything. We have stayed in touch over the years. He took me skeet shooting a few months ago. He kindly suggested that lessons would be helpful. He was very good. Whenever we had drinks, we always, I mean always said, "Ching, Ching, mf." So at dinner that night I had a toast in his honor. RIP, Bags.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Day 3 Naples
The day's trek ended at a campground outside of Naples, ME. $41 is steep for a place to pitch a tent. On top of that showers demanded that you pump quarters to keep the warm water flowing. They did have a small indoor pool and hot tub so all wasn't lost. Enough complaining...
Riding today was better than yesterday, maybe I'm learning to suffer better. Did a better job of staying hydrated. The weather was cooler than yesterday, too. Still plenty of hills but we had a few stretches of relatively flat terrain. Could get into a flatland riding groove and ride with out a care. Saw some scenic farmlands, rode along a wide, slow moving river and spoke with folks curious about our agenda at the various places we stopped for food and rest.
Crossing over I 95 was a milestone of sorts. The coast is now behind us as we move quickly towards New Hampshire and the White Mountains. Tomorrow we'll climb. A lot.
We are about 195 miles along the Northern Tier now.
Cheers!
Riding today was better than yesterday, maybe I'm learning to suffer better. Did a better job of staying hydrated. The weather was cooler than yesterday, too. Still plenty of hills but we had a few stretches of relatively flat terrain. Could get into a flatland riding groove and ride with out a care. Saw some scenic farmlands, rode along a wide, slow moving river and spoke with folks curious about our agenda at the various places we stopped for food and rest.
Crossing over I 95 was a milestone of sorts. The coast is now behind us as we move quickly towards New Hampshire and the White Mountains. Tomorrow we'll climb. A lot.
We are about 195 miles along the Northern Tier now.
Cheers!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Day one and two
The Three Musketeers, okay the Three Stooges, headed west at 6:15 am in rather foggy conditions, but visibility was safe enough. In 2 hours we embraced the sun. The road conditions varied from wide smooth shoulders to narrow shoulderless roads with edges resembling the lunar landscape. The Kiwi in the group was thrilled how courteous the drivers are to us. Pity is probably a better description.
We are loaded with brightly colored gear and clothing, crawling up hills and streaking down them. Lots of hills. Like continuous. Remember, I'm from Virginia Beach.
We were planning to ride 60 miles. After 45 someone got the bright idea to ride 75. So,
our destination was now Camden Hills State Park. Did I mention it was hilly? One hill was so steep, at the very top I wanted to walk it. Clearly my Virginia Beach legs are gonna take some getting used to this. When we reached the camp, I was spent. Still had to set camp, cook, clean and shower. That order varies from day to day depending on priorities.
Wifi was a joke. I could barely get a text message out so blogging was out of the question.
Met a young man at a site next to ours. He was riding the same route but was suffering from tendinitis in his knee so he was taking 2 days off. He was a bike racer while he was at UC but touring was new to him. Today is his 22nd birthday so I shared a shot of my Bushmills single malt with him. (An early Father's Day present from my awesome family!) I have a plastic pint flask. Nice kid. Expect to see him again along the way. He mentioned that steep hill. Said he happened to notice a library on the way up so he decided to stop at it.... Good timing.
Today we were on the road by 6:30. It had rained last night but it didn't last long. Our tents were a bit damp when we packed them. Today's destination was a campground in Brunswick. Our route follows a main road and veers off from time to time and sweeps through a village. Not a lot of options. Road conditions in Maine are pretty consistently inconsistent. The scenery is pretty good at times. Lots of water views. Cross over a number of bridges. Jimmie Crickets, the hills are relentless. Ok. Not much more whining about the friggin hills. Gotta learn to love'em. It got really hot in the afternoon and that led to more stops for fluids. Fred, the Kiwi, spotted a Diary Queen right after we had stopped, but we broke down since he had never been to one before. He seemed to like it. No surprise that I love DQ!
The day was going along pretty well actually. Getting into the rhythm of the hills. Suffering up. Flying down. The last few miles were mercifully flat with a wind that pushes you along (aka tailwind). Then, it happened. I heard some commotion behind me. Fred was screwed. Literally! He had a 2 inch screw in his back tire. Road debris is a real hazard. Of course it was in the blazing sun with no shade nearby, but we put a new tube in it and went on our merry way in no time.
Soon, we made camp, fixed dinner and cleaned up. Bed around dark. Party boys.
Two days = 135 miles averaged about 11.5 mph riding time
The blog service does not like my phone so pictures are a problem. I will post some on Facebook. See you tomorrow night if I have some service. Cheers!
We are loaded with brightly colored gear and clothing, crawling up hills and streaking down them. Lots of hills. Like continuous. Remember, I'm from Virginia Beach.
We were planning to ride 60 miles. After 45 someone got the bright idea to ride 75. So,
our destination was now Camden Hills State Park. Did I mention it was hilly? One hill was so steep, at the very top I wanted to walk it. Clearly my Virginia Beach legs are gonna take some getting used to this. When we reached the camp, I was spent. Still had to set camp, cook, clean and shower. That order varies from day to day depending on priorities.
Wifi was a joke. I could barely get a text message out so blogging was out of the question.
Met a young man at a site next to ours. He was riding the same route but was suffering from tendinitis in his knee so he was taking 2 days off. He was a bike racer while he was at UC but touring was new to him. Today is his 22nd birthday so I shared a shot of my Bushmills single malt with him. (An early Father's Day present from my awesome family!) I have a plastic pint flask. Nice kid. Expect to see him again along the way. He mentioned that steep hill. Said he happened to notice a library on the way up so he decided to stop at it.... Good timing.
Today we were on the road by 6:30. It had rained last night but it didn't last long. Our tents were a bit damp when we packed them. Today's destination was a campground in Brunswick. Our route follows a main road and veers off from time to time and sweeps through a village. Not a lot of options. Road conditions in Maine are pretty consistently inconsistent. The scenery is pretty good at times. Lots of water views. Cross over a number of bridges. Jimmie Crickets, the hills are relentless. Ok. Not much more whining about the friggin hills. Gotta learn to love'em. It got really hot in the afternoon and that led to more stops for fluids. Fred, the Kiwi, spotted a Diary Queen right after we had stopped, but we broke down since he had never been to one before. He seemed to like it. No surprise that I love DQ!
The day was going along pretty well actually. Getting into the rhythm of the hills. Suffering up. Flying down. The last few miles were mercifully flat with a wind that pushes you along (aka tailwind). Then, it happened. I heard some commotion behind me. Fred was screwed. Literally! He had a 2 inch screw in his back tire. Road debris is a real hazard. Of course it was in the blazing sun with no shade nearby, but we put a new tube in it and went on our merry way in no time.
Soon, we made camp, fixed dinner and cleaned up. Bed around dark. Party boys.
Two days = 135 miles averaged about 11.5 mph riding time
The blog service does not like my phone so pictures are a problem. I will post some on Facebook. See you tomorrow night if I have some service. Cheers!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Sitting in a motel outside Bar Harbor now, after being dropped off by a shuttle driver. Gary had picked us up from the Portland Jetport. We packed the bikes and gear in a minivan and drove the last 3 hours to our starting point.
We met up with Fred Underwood, our 3rd Musketeer. A Kiwi with a keen mind, a charming demeanor and a good way about him. Should make for an interesting mix and spirited conversations as we work our way across this expansive land.
Tomorrow we will ride the 9 miles from our lodging to the ocean for our ceremonial start by dipping our back wheels into sea.
We met up with Fred Underwood, our 3rd Musketeer. A Kiwi with a keen mind, a charming demeanor and a good way about him. Should make for an interesting mix and spirited conversations as we work our way across this expansive land.
Tomorrow we will ride the 9 miles from our lodging to the ocean for our ceremonial start by dipping our back wheels into sea.
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