I rolled out of the Gilson's at noon and picked up some food in town on my way back to Canada. Even though the Milanaise mill was closed i still wanted to enter the New Hampshire from the Canadian border at the top of rt3. I made it within 20 miles of the border crossing before stopping to camp. I started to feel some head cold symptoms, probably Lyme moving around in my body as my ankle had cleared up allowing me to move cleats (and saddle) back to my usual position.
The next day I arrived at the great north woods but not after some tough climbing and the first flat tire of the ride, within sight of pavement after miles of dirt. And the climb up to the border was tough, 1k at 15%. I couldn't help but think of the granite state of mind video as i rode in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX7nQrCgALM
The great north woods had trees and lakes and nothing else for 15 miles, i liked it. Except for the cold; it was cold, I had a cold, and it turned out to be a tough day. My right ergo springs died leaving me with craptacular shifting. I got tired early and stopped for camp once I reached Maine on rt 26 to rest and fix the shifter. But I had the wrong wrench with me...ooops. But thats okay cuz later it would set me up for the essentail timing i needed.
The next day was spectacular. Clear skies as I rode grafton notch, evans notch, and the kancamagus highway. I took about 50 pictures of great scenery and camped 4 miles west of kancamagus pass. I rolled the rest of the way into Lincoln in the morning and spent an hour or so changing the ergo springs (if you ride campy always carry ergo Gsprings in your wallet :) The weather was great again, I finished off rt 112 and entered VT via woodsville on rt 302, the same road Allen and I toured 4 years ago.
But I had to turn off the 302 to find Erik. I had a description of his location in Calais and a phone number that had been diconnected. It turned out that timing would be critical although I had no idea of that. After I rolled off rt 232 I found myself in Marshfield VT getting water at a gas station. As I sat there eating apple and cheese a woman at the gas pumps started talking to me about touring and such. The conversation shifted to baking and Orchard Hill pizza nights when she mentioned she was going to make pizza in a clay oven. I said that I was going to visit the guy who inspired us to make a pizza oven at OHill and she asked who that was. Erik Guillard of course. The woman (Angela) said that's who she was going to make pizza's with and that Erik had moved from Calais (the location i was going to look for him) to Plainfield. 30 minutes later I was taking a shower at Earthwalk, Goddard college where Angela, Erik, and Erik's girlfriend Heidi work. Good thing i was an hour behind my usual progress after fixing my ergo lever because the timing for that encounter had a window of about 3 minutes!!!
That night I sat around a campfire talking with 10 or so people and eating a bunch of Erik's sourdough pizza topped with ramps and some roasted root vegetables. And then it was only a 2k ride in the dark, under the moonlight, to get to Eriks yurt. What a great day!
From here I plan on only three more rides of about 70 to 80 miles each. Tomorrow to Brandon gap via Red Hen (maybe I'll get my first factory tour!!), wednesday to Kelly Stand area, then home. The weather forecast is rain and cold, maybe even some snow showers again. But I can't complain after all the great weather I've had on this April ride.
day 16 62.2 miles in 4:37
day 17 93.2 miles in 7:08
day 18 101.3 miles in 7:36
day 19 70.7 miles in 5:01 at 164avwatts, kj
day 20 off
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