5:48.43 hrs
42.6 mph Max
11.0 mph Avg
Overall this was a very good day for biking! The weather was cool, the birds chirping all with the sound of the stream running down the hill to my right. I had set my alarm for 4 am in fear that the park rangers would find my tent and give me a hefty ticket. Of course, I hit snooze till around 6:00 am, in my typical fashion. After quickly eating a healthy breakfast of organic peanut butter on a spoon, dipped multiple times in granola and chocolate, I headed up the rest of the White Mountains.
My legs ached with each stroke of the peddle and I did not seem to have the energy of the previous days ride. The mountain seemed to have it in for me, as for the portion of this giant I finished at the end of the previous day did not seem nearly as difficult. I thought to myself, what is it that I did different? Is the food I consumed for breakfast weighing me down? Maybe there was a little too much dairy (I am allergic) in the chocolate? I pushed all these thoughts to the back of my mind and continued to ride, telling myself, "no excuses!"
With both my knees taped, for injury prevention, I found a cadence that I liked and pushed on up the slope with two full water bottles and a packed trailer. I had just passed the last water stop for 12 miles before I found a place to camp the previous night and used one water bottle to make a scrumptious cup of boiled freeze dried vegetables with ramen. The thought crossed my mind to turn around, go a mile back, and refill my empties but after confirming with the map, as to the next water stop, I decided against it. I should be able to go 6 miles on 48 ounces of water!
As I rode the next 5 miles in agony, I gained a routine of climbing hard for 5 min and then taking a 30 second to one minute break to take in the view (aka. I needed water). Soon enough I found my water sources getting low and I started to worry. As I looked at the map and saw that I passed the last water stop without even knowing it, I really started to panic. I went from one scenic look out to the next in hopes of finding someone with some extra water. With about 6 ounces of water left I stopped at the third scenic view and decided to stretch and wait for someone with H2O...
I sat around for about 15 min taking in the view and stretching. Since it was so early in the morning there was little traffic and no observers stopping by. Every passing car I was filled with hope, and then disappointment. There was one car that stopped by for a brief moment but did not even take the time to get out of the car and take on the full effect of the mountains. As I saw that car drive away, I noticed a man in a car, hidden in the shade on the upper side of this two tear lot. The other lot was located on the opposite side of the highway from where I was located. I watched the man get out of his car, go in his trunk and pull out a gallon jug of water to wash off a cup or fill a cup with water. He was too far away for my eyes to tell exactly what he was doing, but the important thing was that my eyes knew that he had the vital elements that my body needed... H2O!
As I finished stretching I thought how I would approach this man who seemed to be living out of his car, or at least slept there. I had remembered seeing him earlier in the morning at a different parking destination where I stopped to take a sip or water myself, he nearly hit me backing out. With little left to do besides admit to this stranger that I was an idiot and did not ration my water intake properly, I approached.
I asked the man, who was sipping on a cup of coffee, if I could by any chance trouble him to spare some of his water for a poor soul lost in this world. He happily agreed and proceeded to take two gallons of water out of his truck. As he filled my two water bottles, he started telling me his story about his life and what he was doing. He was living out of his car and had been for the past 2 years, writing a book about traveling. After a few jokes, to ease the situation, I told him my story about my travels followed by important questioning of where exactly I was on the map in my hand. He proceeded to share his woes about how the maps are all wrong and such and how we are actually 'here', as he pointed to a spot on the map. Thinking that I still had about six miles to climb I followed up with, "Where is the summit?"
With my eyes still glued to the paper in hand he took his finger off the paper and said, "there".
I said, "Where?"
He turned to me, as to make eye contact, pointed straight out in front of him and repeated, "there, about 50 feet past the trees that block the road from our view!"
"You mean to tell me that I am about 15 vertical feet from the summit? Holy cow!!!! I don't need your water!", I screamed as I threw the water in his face! (I didn't really do the action of throwing the water in his face... but I did say it! It just gives the story that much more effect, doesn't it?) Anyways, I asked the gentleman if he wouldn't mind taking my picture and he told me to meet him on the other side of the summit, for the view is that much better! I ended up talking with the guy for another 30 min about the best(easiest) way to get out of the mountians once in Lincoln, his book that he is writing, travelers in general, etc. It was good company in a beautiful place!
Now came the fun part... the decent! 8 miles of downhill, where I didn't have to do an ounce of work nor consume an ounce of water! Sadly, my max speed was realized at 35 miles per hour when my BOB would start to shake.. slow decent, boooo!
As I rode through the base town of Lincoln I found an internet cafe and post office conveniently located right next to each other. I spent the midst of the day online, updating my blog and finishing the website, before I mailed my computer off to Hudson, WI. This means that my blogging and updates to the website will most likely slow down. I know... sad isn't it? If you have questions about anything please feel free to text me at 7153381039 during the day and I will fill you in with any information you may desire (ALMOST any information pertaining to the trip, for you literalists out there!).
With my route all planned out for me, and my load depreciated I was anything but worried about the ride ahead of me. As I turned onto 118, the road of which I was informed was the best (least hilly) way out, I noticed that the road was not perfectly kept, nor was there a large shoulder as there was on 112 (the alternative route of which I remember seeing on a topographic map as having a pretty large climb!). Against better judgment, and with some misinformed advice, I proceeded up what I assumed to be the a 'little hill'. As I continued to climb... I continued to swear with every persistent slope around every corner with minimal to no flats in between. I kept thinking to my self... ok, this has to be the last one! 3 miles later I find myself climbing the last accent to the peak. When I reached the top there was a sign behind me, heading the other direction that stated, '8% grade next 3 miles' (I had just gone up that). It was a great feeling to topple that climb. I remembered thinking to myself at the bottom that if it climbed for more than .5 miles I was going to turn around and take 112. Now, I was happy that I did not.
Not more than 30 seconds after I took another picture next to the daunting sign, the guy who gave me the advice to take this route pulled up to the summit in his car. He rolled down his window and said, "Sorry, I didn't remember that hill being so steep nor so long, should have taken the other one! Can I fill your water?"
Overall, I thought it was a pretty funny situation; random guy who almost runs me over, gives me water at the top of the first peak, gives me poor advice on the road to take out of the mountains, and meets me at the top of the next peak feeling guilty of the advice he gave. He did end up giving me a map of VT and NY to use in my next two days of traveling though.
The decent of the hill down from that climb was amazing though! It seemed like it lasted a lifetime! I was also able to go over 40 without my trailer BOBing around (for those of you who don't know the brand of the trailer on my bike is BOB).
The only other thing I have to complain about for the rest of this day was the horrid road I had to to travel on 25A to get to my night time destination, Lyme. There were 1.5 inch gaps every ten feet that spanned the whole road for a good 15 miles... my butt was soooooooooo sore!!!
I sat around for about 15 min taking in the view and stretching. Since it was so early in the morning there was little traffic and no observers stopping by. Every passing car I was filled with hope, and then disappointment. There was one car that stopped by for a brief moment but did not even take the time to get out of the car and take on the full effect of the mountains. As I saw that car drive away, I noticed a man in a car, hidden in the shade on the upper side of this two tear lot. The other lot was located on the opposite side of the highway from where I was located. I watched the man get out of his car, go in his trunk and pull out a gallon jug of water to wash off a cup or fill a cup with water. He was too far away for my eyes to tell exactly what he was doing, but the important thing was that my eyes knew that he had the vital elements that my body needed... H2O!
As I finished stretching I thought how I would approach this man who seemed to be living out of his car, or at least slept there. I had remembered seeing him earlier in the morning at a different parking destination where I stopped to take a sip or water myself, he nearly hit me backing out. With little left to do besides admit to this stranger that I was an idiot and did not ration my water intake properly, I approached.
I asked the man, who was sipping on a cup of coffee, if I could by any chance trouble him to spare some of his water for a poor soul lost in this world. He happily agreed and proceeded to take two gallons of water out of his truck. As he filled my two water bottles, he started telling me his story about his life and what he was doing. He was living out of his car and had been for the past 2 years, writing a book about traveling. After a few jokes, to ease the situation, I told him my story about my travels followed by important questioning of where exactly I was on the map in my hand. He proceeded to share his woes about how the maps are all wrong and such and how we are actually 'here', as he pointed to a spot on the map. Thinking that I still had about six miles to climb I followed up with, "Where is the summit?"
With my eyes still glued to the paper in hand he took his finger off the paper and said, "there".
I said, "Where?"
He turned to me, as to make eye contact, pointed straight out in front of him and repeated, "there, about 50 feet past the trees that block the road from our view!"
"You mean to tell me that I am about 15 vertical feet from the summit? Holy cow!!!! I don't need your water!", I screamed as I threw the water in his face! (I didn't really do the action of throwing the water in his face... but I did say it! It just gives the story that much more effect, doesn't it?) Anyways, I asked the gentleman if he wouldn't mind taking my picture and he told me to meet him on the other side of the summit, for the view is that much better! I ended up talking with the guy for another 30 min about the best(easiest) way to get out of the mountians once in Lincoln, his book that he is writing, travelers in general, etc. It was good company in a beautiful place!
Now came the fun part... the decent! 8 miles of downhill, where I didn't have to do an ounce of work nor consume an ounce of water! Sadly, my max speed was realized at 35 miles per hour when my BOB would start to shake.. slow decent, boooo!
As I rode through the base town of Lincoln I found an internet cafe and post office conveniently located right next to each other. I spent the midst of the day online, updating my blog and finishing the website, before I mailed my computer off to Hudson, WI. This means that my blogging and updates to the website will most likely slow down. I know... sad isn't it? If you have questions about anything please feel free to text me at 7153381039 during the day and I will fill you in with any information you may desire (ALMOST any information pertaining to the trip, for you literalists out there!).
With my route all planned out for me, and my load depreciated I was anything but worried about the ride ahead of me. As I turned onto 118, the road of which I was informed was the best (least hilly) way out, I noticed that the road was not perfectly kept, nor was there a large shoulder as there was on 112 (the alternative route of which I remember seeing on a topographic map as having a pretty large climb!). Against better judgment, and with some misinformed advice, I proceeded up what I assumed to be the a 'little hill'. As I continued to climb... I continued to swear with every persistent slope around every corner with minimal to no flats in between. I kept thinking to my self... ok, this has to be the last one! 3 miles later I find myself climbing the last accent to the peak. When I reached the top there was a sign behind me, heading the other direction that stated, '8% grade next 3 miles' (I had just gone up that). It was a great feeling to topple that climb. I remembered thinking to myself at the bottom that if it climbed for more than .5 miles I was going to turn around and take 112. Now, I was happy that I did not.
Not more than 30 seconds after I took another picture next to the daunting sign, the guy who gave me the advice to take this route pulled up to the summit in his car. He rolled down his window and said, "Sorry, I didn't remember that hill being so steep nor so long, should have taken the other one! Can I fill your water?"
Overall, I thought it was a pretty funny situation; random guy who almost runs me over, gives me water at the top of the first peak, gives me poor advice on the road to take out of the mountains, and meets me at the top of the next peak feeling guilty of the advice he gave. He did end up giving me a map of VT and NY to use in my next two days of traveling though.
The decent of the hill down from that climb was amazing though! It seemed like it lasted a lifetime! I was also able to go over 40 without my trailer BOBing around (for those of you who don't know the brand of the trailer on my bike is BOB).
The only other thing I have to complain about for the rest of this day was the horrid road I had to to travel on 25A to get to my night time destination, Lyme. There were 1.5 inch gaps every ten feet that spanned the whole road for a good 15 miles... my butt was soooooooooo sore!!!
