Day 65. North Woodstock
56 miles 3,422 feet
I left Judy, Waldo, and Hanover and biked north to reconnect to the ACA route on the east side of the Connecticut River. Proceeding north I passed through several small towns before entering the White Mountains, which quite dramatically transition to forested wilderness and beauty. In Hanover I made reservations for the remaining nights, and because I no longer needed to be prepared for camping, I mailed all my camping gear—10 pounds—a relatively small amount but psychologically important. (My handlebar bag and 2 panniers at departure weighed 40 lbs. Add in bike weight and my weight [40 lbs for the bike, 145 lbs for me] and this difference was 10/(40+40+145)=4%. So the relative weight difference is minor but I felt faster.
At the summit I intersected the Appalachian Trail in what seemed like Appalachian wilderness. It was truly beautiful. There were streams, lakes and endless forested rolling mountains.
I had a shorter day today, anticipating a 70 mile ride tomorrow that includes Kancamagus Pass tomorrow. The ride today felt easy, despite a reasonable elevation gain. I settled in to North Woodstock, a outdoor-focused town with several breweries and restaurants. I reserved my flights home, via Boston and a visit with my sister Bonnie and her family.
My route is here. The dots almost reach the coast.
The treat for the final day (Saturday) is that my good friend Gil will join me for the last 20 miles! He lives in Manhattan so this is unexpected but it will be great fun.
I left Judy, Waldo, and Hanover and biked north to reconnect to the ACA route on the east side of the Connecticut River. Proceeding north I passed through several small towns before entering the White Mountains, which quite dramatically transition to forested wilderness and beauty. In Hanover I made reservations for the remaining nights, and because I no longer needed to be prepared for camping, I mailed all my camping gear—10 pounds—a relatively small amount but psychologically important. (My handlebar bag and 2 panniers at departure weighed 40 lbs. Add in bike weight and my weight [40 lbs for the bike, 145 lbs for me] and this difference was 10/(40+40+145)=4%. So the relative weight difference is minor but I felt faster.
At the summit I intersected the Appalachian Trail in what seemed like Appalachian wilderness. It was truly beautiful. There were streams, lakes and endless forested rolling mountains.
I had a shorter day today, anticipating a 70 mile ride tomorrow that includes Kancamagus Pass tomorrow. The ride today felt easy, despite a reasonable elevation gain. I settled in to North Woodstock, a outdoor-focused town with several breweries and restaurants. I reserved my flights home, via Boston and a visit with my sister Bonnie and her family.
My route is here. The dots almost reach the coast.
The treat for the final day (Saturday) is that my good friend Gil will join me for the last 20 miles! He lives in Manhattan so this is unexpected but it will be great fun.
Morning scenes on the Connecticut River
The inside of a covered bridge.
