Day 66. MAINE Bridgton
70 miles 4,049 feet.
I spent the morning in the White Mountains which is spectacular, wild country in the midst of New England. There are streams flowing over smooth boulders, evoking Yosemite, and dense, green forest. The National Forest stewards of this area have kept it distinct from the civilization at its edges.
I had worried about climbing Kancamagus Pass since it stands out so prominently on the ACA map elevation profile. I started early from North Woodstock and within a few miles the climb began. It never reached the grades of Brandon Gap, and I shouldn't have worried. It wasn't difficult and was beautiful. I kept waiting for the grade to increase but according to Garmin in only reached 9%, and that only briefly. The shoulder was adequate and my early morning (6:23 am) departure, and midweek rather than weekend day, meant that traffic was light. So the last pass of my trip is behind me!
I'd rank the passes on my trip as follows, from most difficult to least: Going-to-the-Sun, Rainy/Washington, Brandon Gap, Sherman, Loup Loup, Kancamagus, Wauconda Summit. This isn't scientific and takes into account my level of training at the time I encountered the pass.
The remainder of the day was on NH then Maine rural, state and county roads. There was a short stretch on protected bike path in Fryeburg which reinforced my interest in protected bike routes, usually rail-to-trail. It is *so* much nicer not to have incessant traffic including pickups and 18 wheelers constantly passing me, often with little shoulder. That is one reason I support the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
It is so nice to look at the ACA maps and see at the right of each of the small maps the mileage countdown to Bar Harbor. I'm now on map 11, the last, and it reinforces what I know—that I'm getting close to finishing. But I have 3 full days of up/down/up Maine biking ahead, and then a half day in to Bar Harbor. Then I switch to planes and the Boston T.
I spent the morning in the White Mountains which is spectacular, wild country in the midst of New England. There are streams flowing over smooth boulders, evoking Yosemite, and dense, green forest. The National Forest stewards of this area have kept it distinct from the civilization at its edges.
I had worried about climbing Kancamagus Pass since it stands out so prominently on the ACA map elevation profile. I started early from North Woodstock and within a few miles the climb began. It never reached the grades of Brandon Gap, and I shouldn't have worried. It wasn't difficult and was beautiful. I kept waiting for the grade to increase but according to Garmin in only reached 9%, and that only briefly. The shoulder was adequate and my early morning (6:23 am) departure, and midweek rather than weekend day, meant that traffic was light. So the last pass of my trip is behind me!
I'd rank the passes on my trip as follows, from most difficult to least: Going-to-the-Sun, Rainy/Washington, Brandon Gap, Sherman, Loup Loup, Kancamagus, Wauconda Summit. This isn't scientific and takes into account my level of training at the time I encountered the pass.
The remainder of the day was on NH then Maine rural, state and county roads. There was a short stretch on protected bike path in Fryeburg which reinforced my interest in protected bike routes, usually rail-to-trail. It is *so* much nicer not to have incessant traffic including pickups and 18 wheelers constantly passing me, often with little shoulder. That is one reason I support the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
It is so nice to look at the ACA maps and see at the right of each of the small maps the mileage countdown to Bar Harbor. I'm now on map 11, the last, and it reinforces what I know—that I'm getting close to finishing. But I have 3 full days of up/down/up Maine biking ahead, and then a half day in to Bar Harbor. Then I switch to planes and the Boston T.
The beauty of the Kancamagus Pass road.
A jewel of a coffee shop in Fryeburg.
Houses in New England, and Maine in particular, are gorgeous and historic.
These sentiments, in this memorial to Bridgton residents who died in the Civil War, ring true today: One Country, One Destiny, One Flag.
