This was a fun party even though the occasion was also a time to say goodbye. The drinks were flowing, and since the dinner was slow in coming we took lots of pictures. Here they are.
Final Banquet – August 16, 2011
August 21, 2011Bucksport ME to Bar Harbor ME 47 miles
August 21, 2011Today was rainy and cold. I was counting on getting my reinforcement clothes out of the sag wagon at 20 miles; however, that was not to be. The sag driver went to help Sue, who had many tire problems the last two days. I think the priorities were misplaced; many women did not get the sag stop because of one person’s defective tire. I am not proposing to leave Sue stranded, but would it be so terrible had she been made to sag a few miles?
When I arrived at the visitor’s center at Acadia National Park I was very cold and angry. So it was not the ending that I wanted. Putting that behind, a large group of us rode to the harbor where we proceeded to dip our tires in the Atlantic waters. Then I rode to the Bar Harbor Bike Shop to drop off my bike to be shipped to Gainesville. What a strange feeling to not have my bike as I walked to the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel.
Bath ME to Bucksport ME 86 miles
August 21, 2011Today the skies were cloudy and the temperature cool. My riding partner, Peg, decided to sag to the 40 mile mark so I did the distance by myself. The “three musketeers” (Jan Bee, Susan, and Robin) and Sherrie were sweeping behind; that was comforting to know. I didn’t take pictures today; it was all I could do to ride the hills and rough roads. I arrived at the hotel around 4PM; I cleared my odometer before looking at my riding time, which I was very long.
Bridgton, ME to Bath, ME 67 miles
August 15, 2011We all expected a relatively easy ride; however, it was not meant to be. There were lots of hills – many of them very steep. I set a new low speed record – 2.7mph. My friend, Peg, was walking up the hill at 3.7 mph, but my pride was at stake. I rode through Brunswick, ME where Bowdoin College is located. At this point, I am just ready to be done; alas, I have one more long ride tomorrow of 86 miles. The last day is Tuesday into Bar Harbor – 47 miles. Time to get a good night’s sleep. My legs are weary.
Lincoln, NH to Bridgton, ME 69 miles
August 15, 2011Today’s ride was beautiful, and the climb up the Kancamagus Pass was not too difficult. I rode into Maine – at last. The roads in Maine are rough so I have to ride slower and pay more attention. That’s okay. I am just happy to be in the last state. There were guests at dinner tonight who brought wonderful blueberry pies; I had more than my share.
White River Junction VT to Lincoln NH 62 miles
August 13, 2011Today I rode along a ridge where I could view the Connecticut River Valley, which was simply gorgeous. Our group continues to come across a father and son (17 yr old) team who started at the Pacific (further west than Anacortes, WA), and they are riding to a point that is further east than Bar Harbor ME. The most amazing thing is that they are cycling on Cat Trikes. I don’t think I spelled this correctly, but these are made in FL – two wheels up front and one wheel in the back. At one of the sag stops, there were two donkeys who were patiently waiting for their share of the Power Bars. At the same stop, four high school juniors were headed to NYC, and Jean proffered our snacks; the guys were grateful for some variety. Also there is a picture of a grandfather cutting sun flowers and his granddaughter (8 yrs old?) driving the little tractor. What a lucky girl. In general, everyone’s legs were tired today probably due to such a hard ride yesterday. Tomorrow we have a 12 mile 4-6% grade up to the Kancamagus Pass summit and then a 20 mile descent.
Middlebury VT to White River Junction VT 67 miles
August 13, 2011Today’s ride has to rate as one of my all time favorites. With cool, beautiful weather, I rode into the Green Mountains along the White River. At mile 24, Peg and I stopped at a coffee/used book store in Rochester. I enjoyed an excellent cup of coffee and an apricot/coconut bar. We also rode by the Breadloaf campus, which was beautiful. White River Junction is probably a fun town to visit; however, after 4100 ft of ascent over 67 miles my legs and back needed a rest. Tomorrow will be much the same.
Middlebury, VT – day off
August 11, 2011I would love to stay here just one more day. When I walked out this morning, the sun was shining with the temperature in the low 70’s. This mountain town is delightful. After a delicious lunch with John and Judy, we drove around the Middlebury campus; given all the new buildings and sports fields, this college must have some generous donors. The youngest person, Katie, left to go back to California today. She will be missed by all of us; she has such a vibrant personality. The countdown is on – 6 more days of pedaling.
Schroon Lake, NY to Middlebury, VT 42 miles
August 11, 2011Several women in our group did the “southern tour” in 2009; upon crossing Lake Champlain on the ferry, they were surprised by Laurie who was on the southern tour and is on a break from chemotherapy. As the ferry approached the VT side, Connie said, “that woman sure looks like Laurie, but it can’t be her.” I was touched by the joy of all the women in this reunion.
In the picture of the “Welcome to Vermont”, notice that one of the bikes has two caution triangles. Last year, Barbara M. was hit and killed on the highway into Minot, ND. Her triangle was recovered, and the women who knew her take turns carrying her triangular flag.
Although the mileage was short, the climbs were long. The scenery vividly changed from dense forests of New York to farms, hills, and the Green Mountains in the distance of Vermont. A group of us ate lunch at Jackson’s restaurant; they were amazed at my ability to tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue. As we drank gin and tonics, I will leave it to your imagination where the conversation went from there. Tomorrow I will clean my bike, have lunch with John and Judy (who live in Burlington, VT), and then rest my legs for climbing the mountains on Thursday.
Old Forge NY to Schroon Lake NY 86 miles
August 11, 2011As I anticipated, this was a long day of riding. We climbed over 4500 feet and descended 5000+. Thru mile 40 the skies were overcast, and about 5 miles later I was drenched in mountain rains. By mile 60 I had dried out, and all was well. I set a new, low speed record of 3.2 mph but my average speed was 12 mph so the downhill speeds were significant. My highest downhill speed to date is 39 mph, and that was on a Cycle NC trip. My dear nephew, Brent, went over 50mph coming down the mountain in Glacier National Park. Crazy guy on a bike.
The one picture I took does not do justice to the beauty of that lake. This is a heavily forested area. Many of the women sagged a lot of the mileage; when I arrived at the Blue Ridge Motel, they were happily cleaning their bikes. I was tired and just wanted to shower only to discover that housekeeping (and I use the term loosely) was still putting my room together. I do not think they have had this many guests in a long time and for good reason. Although the outdoor setting is beautiful, the physical aspect of this hotel is a real dive.
The owner of this hotel has several animals on the property. Sallie Mae, the dog, was retrieving a stick; when she became tired, she took the stick and crawled under the chair. So adorable.Before leaving for Vermont I went to visit the miniature donkey, Rocket. Rocket is fenced in all alone and loves any attention; he starts hee-hawing whenever someone comes his way. So adorable; his aloneness makes me sad.
Judie Davidson 