Where we are!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Well, we've been back for a month now. Readjusting, starting new things, getting settled in. Finally we have all of our pictures online so you can see what we saw and some of the images that go along with all the stories. Just click on the slide show. I guess this is the last element and final post to this blog. I'm sure we'll go on another bike trip some day and we'll be back here to tell the story. Until then, enjoy the pictures and if anyone is looking for more information or ideas about bicycling across the country, feel free to get in touch with us. Enjoy and Take care!
Monday, August 4, 2008
The End.
For those of you who weren't there, we rode into Portland, Maine on a sunny afternoon last Wednesday. We were greeted by a crowd of friends and family and had a fun celebratory dinner afterward. Now we are settling back into life in Maine. Ray got a part time job at a bike shop until he goes back to full time work at the TV station, I am looking into what I will do next.
We ended up riding something over 4300 miles to get from Anacortes, Washington back to Maine. Now that we're back it seems like we were gone for such a short time, even though for us the journey across seemed pretty substantial and full of so many sights and memories. Though I am glad to not be sleeping in a tent every night, I miss the gentle rhythm of daily travel by bicycle. It was strange to start driving and find ourselves moving along really fast and yet not feel the wind blowing over us. At first I really noticed the terrain, too, the slight uphills and bumps that can quickly go unnoticed when driving. I'm still not quite up to full speed in the car. As soon as I make some repairs to my bicycle I hope to ride it around as much as I can.
Its funny how when travels end and you return to where you were before it almost seems like it never happened. All that's left are the memories and it reminds you that the days slip by and it is so important to notice each moment even when you are not traveling. I think we both felt a sense of accomplishment and happiness at reaching our goal on this trip, but I hope everyone realizes that it wasn't exactly a struggle or an impossible task. I guess that's another good lesson from these travels -- that often it just takes some determination and the desire to do something or get somewhere. Anyway, we had a fabulous time and I know we will always remember our cross country adventures. We hope to have our pictures sorted out soon so that if anyone wants to see the rest of them they can. Again, thanks for joining us on this trip, it really meant a lot.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Through the Mountains, one day left.
Now it really is all downhill. We climbed over the last pass this morning. We are in Conway looking up our route back to Portland. We could get home today, but instead we'll hang out and relax for the afternoon and then spend tomorrow getting back to Portland.
Vermont was beautiful, of course. We spent a leisurely afternoon in Middlebury and left, of course, as the clouds were gathering. The possibility of a storm chased us to East Middlebury where we set up camp in a corner of a park. It pretty much rained all night. In the morning the sky still seemed dark and heavy. We left around 6.30 and began to climb Breadloaf, or the Middlebury Gap (I'm not sure what it officially called). At first it was really steep and I hoped that the next several miles wouldn't be. The route over the hill alternated between going up steeply and more level sections and a bit of gradual downhill. Overall, it wasn't a bad climb although it was quite steep at the end. On our way up we passed the Breadloaf Campus of Middlebury College where they have that famous writer's conference started by Robert Frost. The campus is a collection of huge old inn-type buildings of varying shapes and sizes.
Going down the hills were covered in mist that gradually began to lift as the sun shone through the clouds and more and more blue sky began to appear. Unfortunately, our camera is not in great shape (probably due to a long and bumpy ride) but in a way its good because it kept me from stopping every mile to take a picture. I did take some, though. We coasted down the other side of the gap past farms and streams, fields and hillsides to Rochester where we saw three familiar touring bicycles leaned up against the porch of the Rochester Cafe. It was the three guys from Wisconsin, Pat, Dave and Bill. We stopped in to say hello and had a delicious breakfast, as well. They were headed to Orford, New Hampshire that evening. We had planned to go as far as East Thetford, Vermont but decided that we would aim for Orford as well and maybe share a campsite with them again.
From Rochester we rode along the White River which started out as a perfectly clear brook and gradually got wider and deeper. There were a few hills but mostly we were riding along at a good pace through beautiful scenery, winding around the mountains rather than over them. It had turned into a perfectly beautiful day. We had two more big climbs for the day, which were pretty steep but by this time I had gotten back into climbing mode so it wasn't too bad. By the time we got to East Thetford we needed to get groceries and there were no stores that could help us with that. So we rode north to Fairlee, Vt which was right across the Connecticut River from Orford and got what we needed there. We found the Pastures Campground after we crossed into our 12th state, New Hampshire, and found the three travelers who were happy to share a site and even happier when Ray shared his beer.
The next morning we left Orford knowing that there were a couple of climbs to do before we got to Lincoln. We went through a few small towns along a ridge with wonderful views of the Connecticut River Valley (?) and then turned east toward the White Mountains. The first section had some steep hills but then it was quite level. Once we got onto a larger road it was a gradual hill until about 2 miles before the top when it became somewhat steeper and definitely slower to ride up. It was also getting hot out so we were covered in sweat once we got to the top, near where our Norther Tier Route crossed the Appalachain Trail. We stopped there so Ray could do a dance and such and then coasted down into Lincoln, NH.
Unfortunately just before we got to Lincoln I fell when I stupidly failed to angle my bike enough as I went over the railroad tracks. While that's not really a noteworthy event it is worth mentioning because somehow when I fell it bent the crank on my bike so now my right foot wobbles a little when I pedal. We tried to get it fixed but now we only have one more day until we are home and after riding today I don't really notice it anymore. Lincoln seemed kind of busy and crowded. We ate our lunch and got food for dinner and rode up to the first National Forest Campsite outside of town.
This morning we left by 7 to begin riding over the Kancamangus Highway. I have driven over this road a few times and definitely remembered it as steep and winding. I wasn't really looking forward to the climb but it turned out to be not bad at all. Most of the way was steadily up hill but not at a strenuous grade. When we were a couple of miles from the top it was steeper but still not that bad. The views of the mountains and sky were really nice. This was the last of the passes and compared to the ones out west it was just a big hill. The rest of the way down was mostly through the White Mountain National Forest until we hit the busy main street of Conway.
Even though we have been looking forward to our arrival in Portland (and such delights as sleeping in a bed and of course seeing everyone again) it seems a bit strange that our trip is almost over. It has been great, though, I've really loved traveling this way. I'll miss covering miles and miles on my bicycle every day, but fortunately I'll be able to do it again even if its just for a day or a few. I'm sure there's a lot that I have meant to write or describe but I've left it out. We saw so much, some of it up close, some of it just passing by. Thanks for reading and following along. We'll probably put the rest of our pictures on line soon so you can fill in some of the details I left out!
Vermont was beautiful, of course. We spent a leisurely afternoon in Middlebury and left, of course, as the clouds were gathering. The possibility of a storm chased us to East Middlebury where we set up camp in a corner of a park. It pretty much rained all night. In the morning the sky still seemed dark and heavy. We left around 6.30 and began to climb Breadloaf, or the Middlebury Gap (I'm not sure what it officially called). At first it was really steep and I hoped that the next several miles wouldn't be. The route over the hill alternated between going up steeply and more level sections and a bit of gradual downhill. Overall, it wasn't a bad climb although it was quite steep at the end. On our way up we passed the Breadloaf Campus of Middlebury College where they have that famous writer's conference started by Robert Frost. The campus is a collection of huge old inn-type buildings of varying shapes and sizes.
Going down the hills were covered in mist that gradually began to lift as the sun shone through the clouds and more and more blue sky began to appear. Unfortunately, our camera is not in great shape (probably due to a long and bumpy ride) but in a way its good because it kept me from stopping every mile to take a picture. I did take some, though. We coasted down the other side of the gap past farms and streams, fields and hillsides to Rochester where we saw three familiar touring bicycles leaned up against the porch of the Rochester Cafe. It was the three guys from Wisconsin, Pat, Dave and Bill. We stopped in to say hello and had a delicious breakfast, as well. They were headed to Orford, New Hampshire that evening. We had planned to go as far as East Thetford, Vermont but decided that we would aim for Orford as well and maybe share a campsite with them again.
From Rochester we rode along the White River which started out as a perfectly clear brook and gradually got wider and deeper. There were a few hills but mostly we were riding along at a good pace through beautiful scenery, winding around the mountains rather than over them. It had turned into a perfectly beautiful day. We had two more big climbs for the day, which were pretty steep but by this time I had gotten back into climbing mode so it wasn't too bad. By the time we got to East Thetford we needed to get groceries and there were no stores that could help us with that. So we rode north to Fairlee, Vt which was right across the Connecticut River from Orford and got what we needed there. We found the Pastures Campground after we crossed into our 12th state, New Hampshire, and found the three travelers who were happy to share a site and even happier when Ray shared his beer.
The next morning we left Orford knowing that there were a couple of climbs to do before we got to Lincoln. We went through a few small towns along a ridge with wonderful views of the Connecticut River Valley (?) and then turned east toward the White Mountains. The first section had some steep hills but then it was quite level. Once we got onto a larger road it was a gradual hill until about 2 miles before the top when it became somewhat steeper and definitely slower to ride up. It was also getting hot out so we were covered in sweat once we got to the top, near where our Norther Tier Route crossed the Appalachain Trail. We stopped there so Ray could do a dance and such and then coasted down into Lincoln, NH.
Unfortunately just before we got to Lincoln I fell when I stupidly failed to angle my bike enough as I went over the railroad tracks. While that's not really a noteworthy event it is worth mentioning because somehow when I fell it bent the crank on my bike so now my right foot wobbles a little when I pedal. We tried to get it fixed but now we only have one more day until we are home and after riding today I don't really notice it anymore. Lincoln seemed kind of busy and crowded. We ate our lunch and got food for dinner and rode up to the first National Forest Campsite outside of town.
This morning we left by 7 to begin riding over the Kancamangus Highway. I have driven over this road a few times and definitely remembered it as steep and winding. I wasn't really looking forward to the climb but it turned out to be not bad at all. Most of the way was steadily up hill but not at a strenuous grade. When we were a couple of miles from the top it was steeper but still not that bad. The views of the mountains and sky were really nice. This was the last of the passes and compared to the ones out west it was just a big hill. The rest of the way down was mostly through the White Mountain National Forest until we hit the busy main street of Conway.
Even though we have been looking forward to our arrival in Portland (and such delights as sleeping in a bed and of course seeing everyone again) it seems a bit strange that our trip is almost over. It has been great, though, I've really loved traveling this way. I'll miss covering miles and miles on my bicycle every day, but fortunately I'll be able to do it again even if its just for a day or a few. I'm sure there's a lot that I have meant to write or describe but I've left it out. We saw so much, some of it up close, some of it just passing by. Thanks for reading and following along. We'll probably put the rest of our pictures on line soon so you can fill in some of the details I left out!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
From the Erie Canal to New England
We kept a pretty slow pace for our two full days on the canal, stopping at all the little towns and enjoying the ease of travel. So, it was kind of a shock when we left the canal and began to go over hill after hill. It seems like most of our travel since then has been up and down with very few flat areas.
From the canal we rode north to Lake Ontario. The first town we saw on the lake, Pultneyville, was full of history and historic buildings from the war of 1812 and the underground railroad. It was very quaint. Then we went to Sodus Point and checked out a lighthouse as well as the town which was full of marinas and pretty touristy. The areas that we rode through around the lake were farmland -- mostly orchards and fruit growing. After riding past so many orchards and seeing trees laden with bright red cherries I had to stop at a farm stand and get some cherries and other fresh veggies for dinner. That night we camped on a lake in Fulton, NY.
While riding along the canal and in the following days we were caught in a few downpours and chased by clouds. On wednesday it was cloudy all day but we managed to miss nearly all of the rain. By the afternoon we were getting into the Adirondack area and had some bigger climbs to get up into the hills. That night we got to West Lydon which was at the top of a big hill, only to find that the place we had planned to camp was no longer there. Luckily we called the police and they said we could stay at a town park. Fortunately we were camped under a pavilion because it was raining steadily when we woke up. It stopped long enough for us to get going but the whole way to Boonville the sky was dark and we got rained on.
We got rained on all morning actually, as we rode along the Moose River in a long procession of hills and descents. It did stop sometime shortly before noon when we got onto a bigger state road which made the hills longer and more gradual. As we were riding along we came to Thendera and a train station with some of the old Adirondack railraod cars. We decided that after seeing so many trains we had to ride on this one. Unfortunately it was merely a scenic route down a track for about 40 minutes and back (no ride to the next town). But it was fun to stand in the baggage car and look at the rivers and forest as we went by. When the train turned around we opted to sit in the passenger car, bask in the luxury of being transported without exurting ourselves, and took a short nap.
In the afternoon we passed through Old Forge and rode around a lake through forest lined roads. There were little signs all along the roads for people's camps and cabins with names such as "Adirondack Gem" and "Loon-a-tic Camp." We raced along the second half of this road, trying to beat the dark forboding clouds that were chasing us. We got to the little town of Inlet, which seemed to be mostly open for summer people, and stayed there until the rain passed. Then we rode another 20 miles to Blue Mountain Lake, which was not a town, but a hamlet, according to the sign. We camped out the in back yard of the Blue Mountain Lake Inn, just across the street from the beautiful lake and surrounding mountains.
First thing the next morning we rode over Blue Mountain (well, probably not over it, but there was a pretty long climb to get past it) and continued through the ups and downs of the Adirondacks. The day was clear and warm, but not too hot. We attached out wet clothes to our rear racks to dry. It was a lovely ride through sweet smelling forests, past lakes and streams, and with views of mountains. There were a few small towns, but mostly just forest with occaisional camps and houses. Although there were a few long climbs the down hill mostly balanced out the uphill.
We had planned to go all the way to Ticonderoga until we met three cyclists from Wisconsin who pointed out that there was no camping there. We ended up sharing a campsite with them at Paradox Lake and shared many stories of each of our adventures. This morning we got up early and rode quickly to Ticonderoga (well, I rode quickly because I realized after a mile that I had left my raincoat at the campsite so I was trying not to get too far behind Ray). We took the seven minute ferry ride, on a surprisingly small ferry over to Vermont.
The ride to Middlebury was, of course, hilly and through lots of farmland unlike the forested areas we were in before this. It was incredibly beautiful with mountains to the west and east. So far today the weather has been good -- hazy and hot, but no rain yet. We arrived in Middlebury to a bustling town full or tourists and people out enjoying saturday in a fun and interesting place. We had lunch with Jess, Jeremy, Cadien and Rowen -- the first familiar people we have seen on our trip. We probably won't go much farther today, but tomorrow we will begin the first of our big climbs to get over the Green and White Mountains, all that's keeping us from getting to Maine. While I'm not really looking forward to long uphills, now that we've crossed almost the whole country it doesn't seem like that big a deal. I'll let you know how it goes and we'll see you really soon!
From the canal we rode north to Lake Ontario. The first town we saw on the lake, Pultneyville, was full of history and historic buildings from the war of 1812 and the underground railroad. It was very quaint. Then we went to Sodus Point and checked out a lighthouse as well as the town which was full of marinas and pretty touristy. The areas that we rode through around the lake were farmland -- mostly orchards and fruit growing. After riding past so many orchards and seeing trees laden with bright red cherries I had to stop at a farm stand and get some cherries and other fresh veggies for dinner. That night we camped on a lake in Fulton, NY.
While riding along the canal and in the following days we were caught in a few downpours and chased by clouds. On wednesday it was cloudy all day but we managed to miss nearly all of the rain. By the afternoon we were getting into the Adirondack area and had some bigger climbs to get up into the hills. That night we got to West Lydon which was at the top of a big hill, only to find that the place we had planned to camp was no longer there. Luckily we called the police and they said we could stay at a town park. Fortunately we were camped under a pavilion because it was raining steadily when we woke up. It stopped long enough for us to get going but the whole way to Boonville the sky was dark and we got rained on.
We got rained on all morning actually, as we rode along the Moose River in a long procession of hills and descents. It did stop sometime shortly before noon when we got onto a bigger state road which made the hills longer and more gradual. As we were riding along we came to Thendera and a train station with some of the old Adirondack railraod cars. We decided that after seeing so many trains we had to ride on this one. Unfortunately it was merely a scenic route down a track for about 40 minutes and back (no ride to the next town). But it was fun to stand in the baggage car and look at the rivers and forest as we went by. When the train turned around we opted to sit in the passenger car, bask in the luxury of being transported without exurting ourselves, and took a short nap.
In the afternoon we passed through Old Forge and rode around a lake through forest lined roads. There were little signs all along the roads for people's camps and cabins with names such as "Adirondack Gem" and "Loon-a-tic Camp." We raced along the second half of this road, trying to beat the dark forboding clouds that were chasing us. We got to the little town of Inlet, which seemed to be mostly open for summer people, and stayed there until the rain passed. Then we rode another 20 miles to Blue Mountain Lake, which was not a town, but a hamlet, according to the sign. We camped out the in back yard of the Blue Mountain Lake Inn, just across the street from the beautiful lake and surrounding mountains.
First thing the next morning we rode over Blue Mountain (well, probably not over it, but there was a pretty long climb to get past it) and continued through the ups and downs of the Adirondacks. The day was clear and warm, but not too hot. We attached out wet clothes to our rear racks to dry. It was a lovely ride through sweet smelling forests, past lakes and streams, and with views of mountains. There were a few small towns, but mostly just forest with occaisional camps and houses. Although there were a few long climbs the down hill mostly balanced out the uphill.
We had planned to go all the way to Ticonderoga until we met three cyclists from Wisconsin who pointed out that there was no camping there. We ended up sharing a campsite with them at Paradox Lake and shared many stories of each of our adventures. This morning we got up early and rode quickly to Ticonderoga (well, I rode quickly because I realized after a mile that I had left my raincoat at the campsite so I was trying not to get too far behind Ray). We took the seven minute ferry ride, on a surprisingly small ferry over to Vermont.
The ride to Middlebury was, of course, hilly and through lots of farmland unlike the forested areas we were in before this. It was incredibly beautiful with mountains to the west and east. So far today the weather has been good -- hazy and hot, but no rain yet. We arrived in Middlebury to a bustling town full or tourists and people out enjoying saturday in a fun and interesting place. We had lunch with Jess, Jeremy, Cadien and Rowen -- the first familiar people we have seen on our trip. We probably won't go much farther today, but tomorrow we will begin the first of our big climbs to get over the Green and White Mountains, all that's keeping us from getting to Maine. While I'm not really looking forward to long uphills, now that we've crossed almost the whole country it doesn't seem like that big a deal. I'll let you know how it goes and we'll see you really soon!
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