The last forty-three miles

  Once again we were up early, packed and rolling north out of Sanford at 6:55.  Mist verging on rain combined with a serious hills made for a disheartening start.  Once on the route 4, Evan and I hooked onto 202 north whereupon the road flattened out somewhat. North then east then north east eventually brought us to our destination Little Sebago Lake.  Arriving at 11:11, forty-three miles total.  As we coasted down a long winding hill we were greeted at the bottom by Betsy’s family waving and cheering, music cranked up with the American flag on display.  Cold beer and lunch was laid out for us on two Adirondack chairs.   After five days on the road starting from New London we reached our destination, tired and sore but satisfied with our accomplishment.

A tough day but good progress

Leaving Merrimack at 6:53,  we immediately hit the hills which stayed with us off and on all day.  The combination of heat and hills wore us down but we laid down forty-five miles in four hours and twenty minutes.  Riding on empty and a bit light headed we found a Hanfords super market discreetly hidden off the road in North Berwick, Maine.  Salad, chocolate mile, fresh cherries and gator aid rejuvenated us for the final ten miles to Sanford.  The last hour starting at noon was very hot with the sun bearing down on us.  The road was a straight well engineered two lane road.  The traffic was fast moving but so was our progress; we arrived at the Sanford Inn with our bodies spent.  A low rent motel but a welcome relief.  Betsy and Evans two daughters drove north to Maine and after hellacious July 4th weekend traffic stopped by our motel.  We all dined out at the local Mexican restaurant.  Reluctantly, I lighted my bike load and let Betsy take my camping gear and top rear bag, around twenty five pounds.   The final push to Little Sebago lake will start very early tomorrow morning. Forty-five miles on decent roads with a few hills.

A very pleasant ride to Merrimack, Massachusetts

After fifty-five miles of abuse, we needed an easy route.  Off at 7:33 onto roads which were flat and humane.  Quite a few miles on rails to trails and very few hills overall.  Fearing that rain would hammer us Evan and I wasted no time with pit stops.  A quick lunch at Wendy’s and we rolled on.  Eventually we worked our way through Lowell and Lawrence and gave it a final  push to Merrimack where we checked into a Best Western around 2:30.  Fifty-six miles and we could have done more but were concerned about where we could stay once out of the city.  After chilling down we picked up some really cold IPAs and some Chinese takeout.  Lights out well before sunset given our long day on the road.  With a hot day forecast for tomorrow we will get a very early start tomorrow.  One hundred miles to go.

A ball busting day

Left at 8:03 from Betsy’s house in Canterbury.  Betsy worries about just about everything and fears for my safety and her son Evan’s also.  So typically American, scared of everything, scared of getting out there and giving it all you got.  8.8 miles north on route 163 up hill to Brooklyn, Ct.  where I rendezvoused with Evan.  After thirty miles the day before from New London, it was a good warm up for what was to follow. Evan got his bike equipped reasonably well for his first long distance ride.  Too much weight in the rear with his bags mounted on a lousy rack.  With his bike light in the front and wobbly in the rear we headed off.  Once on route 101, the hills began and seemed to never end.  Trial by fire for Evan and not much fun for me.  We reach the high point of the trip in Rhode Island at 815 feet.  Once on route 102, the ride flattened out but once google sent us onto numerous back roads  the short but steep hills beat on us.  With six miles to go before reaching Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the skies opened up.  Waiting it out helped but not before we were both soaked upon arrival at our warmshowers host.  Matt and Carrie cordoned off an area downstairs on the side of their house.  They feed us both dinner and breakfast from a distance.   Like me, they don’t like turning away bikers on the road.  They taped up sheets and kept their distance.  My attempts to secure other warmshowers places to stay for next few days failed because the hosts do not want to take the risk given their living arrangements.  Tomorrow there is an 80% chance of rain so we will need to get an early start.