May 30 and 31. Inlet to Osceola then Fulton, NY

I’m doing a post for two days because I camped last night in Osceola and could get reception in one very specific place if I held my elbow in exactly the right position.  I let the daughters know I was alive and in place and didn’t try too hard otherwise.
I left Inlet after an interesting discussion with the owner of the Marina Motel about the economy of the region and the impact of the glaciers on the area.  Apparently his motel is built on a sandpit that was at the end of a glacier  and he does stone work with the round stones caused by the water streaming from the glaciers. He said that his little town was harsh on people even though it is lovely.  Most people have to have two jobs to survive or have family money to support them.  He mentioned that he does stone work for those people with family money. He has considered moving to Asheville  because the stone work is breaking down his body, But can’t quite give up on it yet.
I had a beautiful ride along the Finger Lakes through some tiny towns built as summer communities to enjoy the lakes.  As I moved toward Boonville it was obvious that I was moving into farm territory and had a road race with a tractor at one point.  On the downhill I was ahead but then on the uphill I couldn’t compete.  My plan had been to stop in West Layton to camp.  I had even called ahead to make sure there was a camping spot for me.  But when I arrived I discovered that the camping spot was right behind a convenience store with no bathroom facilities and I was the only camper planning to be there.  So while I ate a Klondike ice cream bar I considered what to do.  If I were 19 and had a hippy boyfriend I probably would have considered staying.  I couldn’t go back to the town before, that’s against the rules so I moved forward.  The next possible place to stay was a campground that was 20 miles away.  Not remarkable by car but on a bicycle quite different at the end of the day.  I arrived at the campground in Osceola and discovered I was the only camper there but at least there was a warm shower and the manager and his wife lived on site.  They had a restaurant that was open but had not had a customer all evening so even though I had planned a delicious freeze dried meal, I decided to eat at their restaurant.  I was gently encouraged to eat the chicken breast which was fine with me. While I was there two fishing guys came in for a drink but no food.  Hard to keep a business alive on one camper and one meal.  I hope the season improves.
Camping was uneventful and I slept well and warmly.  No need to sleep in my down jacket for the first time.  The weather is improving.
Today, I rode along Lake Ontario for most of the day but didn’t see much of the lake.  I did experience the boats on wheels part of being by the lake.  Those guys worry me because they don’t seem to remember that they have that big boat behind them as they whip along.

May 29 Newcomb,NY to Inlet NY

I struggled yesterday with the pouring rain and cold so had a tough time getting started today. I didn’t get on the road until 9 am.  While that probably doesn’t sound that late it was for this trip when I’ve been pulling out by 7-7:30 certainly no later than 8. I think yesterday was really discouraging and made me wondered why I am doing this?  I’m still not sure I can answer that fully, it’s the process, the learning along the way, a metaphor for so many things in life, etc. etc.  But that doesn’t help get out the door in the morning.
As I thought about it part of my disillusionment is about the people in this area of the country.  I have met along the way some very delightful people but since being in the Adirondack Mountains people seem angry and discouraged.  I have interacted very little because of the negative feel I get from folks.  They seem angry with me for being out there on the road.  I don’t fully understand why this is but I’m guessing poverty, feeling betrayed by the government etc are all a part of this anger. People  seem discouraged and depressed.w
That attitude and the weather were wearing me down so I decided to change a few things.  I listened to podcasts all day today.  After all the Adirondacks are much like the Blue Ridge Parkway, beautiful but monotonous after a while.  You go up and then you go down to do the same thing over again.  Very little change.  Beautiful green trees and clear lakes but very little change.
Tonight however, I arrived in Inlet earlier than I expected which gave me time to get pizza and beer at a local pub.  Great people were gathered there, who were just interested in anyone who came in the door. So we watched Jeopardy together, talked about people’s lottery wins and enjoyed having a beer together.  I feel so much better about humanity after that.
By the way I highly recommend the “This American Life”podcast called, Get A Spine!   The beginning is sorta slow but the discussion about a sexual harassment is excellent and articulates so well what happens for the person harassed and demonstrates a true

apology.  I listened to Marc Marin and Judge John Hodgman.  juries still out on Hodgeman. These podcasts helped a lot today but probably better was the sunshine this afternoon.. Hurray,

May 28 Ticonderoga NY to Newcomb,NY

I left Ticonderoga in clouds but no rain but by nine it was pouring but I couldn’t bear the idea of turning around after climbing for several miles as I left the shores of Lake Champlain. I rode through some beautiful scenery today as I entered the Adirondack Mountains.  It appears to be a fairly impoverished area with only very small towns.  I went through Paradox, Severance, North Hudson and Blue Ridge.  I ended up in Newcomb because it had a B&B and a population of 436, a large town for this area. Camping wasn’t an option with so much rain.  I stopped at a small farm store outside of North Hudson to buy some local baked goods. The owner told me that the rain and cold is causing lots of problems for this area.  Tourism on the lakes is down and the farmers can’t Plant their crops because the ground is too wet.  The loggers can’t get to the forest because it is too soggy.  She said that she had about 4000 leak plants that needed to get planted and can’t do it.  So while it’s already an impoverished place this is making it worse.  Apparently Adirondack is an Indian word for bark eater because the Indians from this area were so poor they had to eat bark in the winter.  It is tough terrain with little farmable property.  I would guess people are at the edge of financial collapse all the time.

May 27 Rochester, VT to Ticonderoga, NY

Great weather after a perfect rest day. As I left Rochester I stopped by Green Mountain Bicycles and since the owner was out delivering bicycles, a friend of his who was visiting helped me out. I needed help with tightening up my front panniers and with my arthritic hands had not been able to do it. JT from Fishtown Bikes-n-Beans in Philadelphia helped me out. He was there with his girlfriend from Brooklyn who teaches at a Magnet school for underprivileged children.
Just so you know, I climbed another mountain, Breadloaf. It is amazing that adventure cycling has found so many tough climbs, beautiful but tough.
From Breadloaf I rode into Middlebury and eventually got to Lake Champlain where I rode the ferry across Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga, NY, leaving the Green Mountains and heading to the Adirondack Mountains.

May 25&26 East Thetford to Rochester, Vermont

I camped overnight in East Thetford at a campground called Rest and Nest.  It was a great campground but the camp store wasn’t open for the season yet and I hadn’t passed any grocery stores in the last few days so my food supplies were low.  I left the campground in the morning in search of food.  The cheese crackers weren’t going to hold for long.  I stopped after about five miles at a small convenience store and met a couple who were curious about my trip.  They were Stu and Sue and I asked for help in finding a diner or breakfast somewhere.  They didn’t think I would find a restaurant or grocery store before Royalton so sent me to the yard sale being held by the local community group.  Stu, a local alderman thought they would give me food for free.  Of course I didn’t ask but did get two muffins and a large cup of coffee for $2.  Quite the deal and nice people.  They were right about the lack of food until I reached Royalton where I found a small restaurant and had a meatloaf sandwich.  I crossed a huge mountain between Stratford and Sharon so I was grateful for that sandwich.  This route is devoid of many food options.  Often the map refers to groceries and it turns out to be a convenience market as you all know my favorite food choices aren’t there. I buy an apple every time I see one though.
I rode into Rochester without any problems in mapping today and found my B&B that I reserved earlier in the day.  I had heard from Stu that I better make reservations even for camping because of the holiday weekend and luckily I got the last room in the area.  Camping didn’t seem like a good option because storms were predicted, not fun in a tent.
At my B&B I met two women who were there for a birthday weekend.  They had met at a knitting weekend and so we quickly became friends.  I joined them for dinner at the Maple Soul farm to table restaurant.  Excellent food with a southern flair.  Enjoyable company and enjoyable food. We did discuss whether it’s appropriate to go into a yarn store when you’re nasty from the road and can’t buy yarn because of the weight.  I haven’t so far but saw several stores in Maine that I might have liked going into.  Another romanticized idea I had about the trip is not realistic I’ve found.  But in place I have met some interesting people that have been warm and friendly.
I woke on Sunday to stormy weather and made the decision not to try to conquer Bread Loaf mountain with potential storms happening.  It was a fairly easy decision because I am tired and probably needing a rest.  The biking brain fog was obvious even to me who can usually pretend it’s not there. For sure I need to use the laundromat and market so I’ll ride the Bread Loaf tomorrow.  And hopefully ride the ferry across Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga NY.

Woodstock, NH to East Thetford, Vermont

Remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the wicked witch of the west is bicycling through a tornado.  Well that’s how I felt I looked as I rode over Black Mountain.  The wind was blowing from the northwest again so it was cold and the grade for the climb was 12% according to the signs for the trucks.  It was only a 2 mile climb, much less than yesterday but the wind was gusting so much I finally got off and pushed for the last half mile. At the top was a camping area that had tours for a cave called “The Lost River”.  I went in and they gave me a warm cup of tea and let me stand by the fire.  Because of the wind the downhill was not particularly satisfying but as I came down the wind was less and it was much warmer.  I turned south for a good bit of the afternoon and really enjoyed having that wind behind me.
I met another cyclist today and he knew who I was before I stopped.  He had heard about me from Rob who I met yesterday.  This cyclist, Greg, had started in upper peninsula Michigan on April 15 and was heading to Bar Harbor.  Listening to his stories made me be less whiny about the cold.  He’s really been through some serious cold.  Greg made a point of telling me that he is only doing 50 miles a day.  He had apparently heard from Rob that I was intimidated by Rob’s daily distances.  Anyway Greg has bypass surgery a couple of years ago and tries to keep his heart rate lower so he has pushed his bike over some of the mountains. I’m sorry about his heart issues but was encouraged by my progress.  He says he and I are bicycle travelers and Rob is an athlete.  But Rob has been so kind.  He continues to text me with helpful updates for the route.  Who knew the fellowship was so strong.
I crossed into Vermont this afternoon and have a campsite in Thetford.

May 23 Conway To Woodstock, NH

I spent the night in the Eastern Slope Family Campground where I had the tenting section all to myself.  It was quiet but cold.  Again I slept in that down jacket that Karen persuaded me to buy and I was grateful for it.  Even though it’s cold once I get my jacket on I’m sleeping very well.
Today’s ride was beautiful and the weather was good for climbing.  The first 10 miles was on the Passaconaway Road which ran through the national forest and along the Swift River.  There were signs indicating that moose crossed the road there but I didn’t see any. I’m convinced I heard a moose, a bellowing sound like none that I’ve ever heard before.
Once I turned on the Kancamagus Road I was climbing all the way to the Kancamagus Pass.  It apparently is about a 9%climb for five miles.  I actually liked this climb better than some of the steeper,  but shorter climbs I’ve been doing on this trip.  It is more gradual but less stressful.  One cyclist I met today told me that some of the climbs we had done in Maine were 25% climbs.  I think that might be a bit exaggerated but he did have an altimeter.  He was a cyclist who had started in Bucksport and was heading to Vermont.
I met a cycling group going east who had begun in Wisconsin and planned to end in Bar Harbor.  I also met Rob from Brooklyn, NY who is riding the Northern Tier. He arrived at the Pass just after me so we took pictures and traded info.  I was a bit intimidated by his plan to do 70 miles a day.  I stopped for an ice cream cone in Lincoln and debated whether I should try the next pass this afternoon. I mean maybe I’m being lazy and not motivated enough.   While there I met a woman, Jane, who recently retired as the marketing person from the white mountains tourist association.  She was helpful in finding a reasonably priced place to stay but she also pointed out that she had seen the other cyclist pass through just before me.  Yeah, you’re quite a bit older than him, maybe you shouldn’t try to keep up. Helped me get some perspective.

Passaconaway Covered Bridge

Passaconaway Covered Bridge

Lower Falls, White Mountains 

Swift River Covered Bridge 

May 22 Naples to Conway, New Hampshire

I crossed my first state line today and despite loving the scenery and villages in Maine I’m so glad to give another state a try on roads.  Maine’s roads are comparable to Cuba with deeper potholes.  There was an immediate improvement once I crossed into New Hampshire but of course maybe the schools are lousy in New Hampshire but wonderful in Maine.  I don’t know.

Today was the best day I’ve had.  The weather was great, I didn’t get confused on my route and I arrived in Conway in time to explore some and wash some clothes. 

Leaving Naples took me on a lovely road called Kansas.  As I reached the top of a very steep hill I was greeted by a man who told me I had just climbed the equivalent of 125 stories.  We spent some time discussing the need for some switchbacks on many of these “hills” in Maine.  He agreed that in Maine if there’s a hill just pave over it don’t consider options. I believe that as the settlers moved further west they had to use switchbacks because they were killing too many horses by making them climb those hills with no relief.

Camping/watering spot

Mt Washington from Sweden Maine farm

Trail Angel

Anyway this guy and his wife have built a little spot there where cyclists can get a drink of water and rest.  He even allows camping on that spot when needed and can pick raspberries when they’re ripe.  Do kind.  It was early in the day for me or I might have stayed.

May 20 Brunswick, Maine

Easy day doing laundry, watching the rain and planning for the rest of the week. It sounds as if the weather will be partly cloudy with temperatures in the 60s.  Hurray.  No rain expected until Thursday and maybe I’ll be in a whole new weather map by then.
Brunswick is a cute town with a lovely Maine St. But both the brewery and the chocolate shop were closed today, Tuesday.  What’s that about?  I could have gone to the Arctic Museum.  I was told it is excellent so if you’re ever in Brunswick I would encourage you to go..
By the way I have worked out the program so you can comment.  It’s slow since it relies on me to approve comments but Molly was able to comment today.

Owned by a local politician but closed on Tuesdays

Main Street Brunswick