Back home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia

It is amazing how quickly your life can change completly. One day the main focus of daily life is simply eating, riding your bike and sleeping. The next day you are thinking about job, home, family issues and plans for the future. I suppose everything has its time and place.

Cathy and I are up at my parents cabin for the time being. As most of you know we sold our home 5 days before I started my ride. Now that we are both back it's time to start planning our next move.  We're not exactly clear on what that is yet, but we'll figure it out. We're looking at different job options and ways we can feed our hunger for travel, adventure and relationships.

I want to thank everyone that encouraged, supported and made possible this great adventure that I have been on.  One thing that I discovered early in my solo ride across this great country of ours was that my journey was anything but a solo effort. I had help and support from the beginning to the end and without that I would never even started. 

Thank you all,

Durell

Day 80 Belfast Maine to Bar Harbor

Wow!

This has been an incredible journey. There are not words to express my thankfulness and appreciation to all that have made this ride across this great country of ours possible.

I will finish my thoughts about this journey in more detail soon. 

Cathy came to meet me for the final few miles of the ride.

Today I am enjoying being back with my wife and exploring together again.

Thank you.

Day 79 North Edgecomb to Belfast Maine

My last couple of days are here. What a wonderful experience this has been. Each day still continues to bring new friends, challenges and surprises.

I was on Hwy 1 for awhile today. 

One is the busiest Hwy that you ever new. Two could be as busy as one. It's the busiest hwy since the number one:)

I know that was bad but I had that song in my head all day.

Hwy one really is crazy busy. I met two ladies from Austria today that were touring. They flagged me down to ask how to get off of this busy road. They were amazing. They started their tour in Nova Scotia and were going to DC I think. They just had road maps to go by. They were both in their early to late seventies.

The weather was cool and overcast today with rain to start the day. Once I get wet in the morning it's hard to get warm the rest of the day. I stopped into McDonald's around 5PM to get food, coffee and look for a place to stay tonight.  I called a campground about 4 miles away to check on pricing. They were 10 bucks with hot showers. That's a deal!  I noticed as I was going heading down Hwy 1 to the campsite that I had some bouncing in my rear tire. I couldn't hardly believe it. After 4300 miles without a flat, I had first less than 60 miles from the finish.

I shouldn't have been to surprised though. Several times today I had the choice of hitting a hole, being hit by a car or riding through road debris.

I pumped it up with hopes that it would get me to the campground. It did and I found that something had cut into the tire and the tube. I changed tube and it's good to go for the final few miles.

I also met Sal today. He is camping here and touring. He has ridden coast to coast before and is now doing a short two week trip.

Cathy is coming to meet me tomorrow in Bar Harbor. I can't wait.

Pics

Day 77 and 78 Conway NH to North Edgecomb Maine

I am so glad that I started by journey from  Seattle rather than Maine. It very well may have ended before it ever really began. Whatever misconception I had about coasting into Bar Harbor after finishing the climbing in Vermont and New Hampshire was WRONG!

The climbing here is amazing. A days ride consists of one climb after another. Many of which I am down into my lowest gear. I would like to know the total elevation gain I've had since entering Maine. It is quite possibly more than the Cascades and Rockies combined,  seriously. My legs are sore again! I never would have believed that would have happened here. I am not complaining at all, just completely surprised.

The last two days have been filled with neat people and great things to see and do.

I went to the Fryeburg County Fair yesterday. It was really a lot of fun. The main thing I enjoy are the livestock exhibits but the had several things there that were very different from what you would see in the south.

The temperature was around 91 degrees yesterday. Hard to believe that last week I was riding in the 30's.

Last night I sleep beside the Danville Union Church. I was just going to ride till I got tired or a good place to camp presented itself. Well, they both happened at the same time.  I was going up another steep hill around 6pm.  I saw a man going into this little country church and asked if I could put my tent up in the back for the night. Mr. McDonald said it would be fine as long as I was gone before next Sundays service:). I said if my tent is still here by next Sunday I would someone to say a few nice words about me and he could have my bike. He said ....deal.
He was very nice to me and even came back about an hour later to see I needed a soda or anything out of the church.

Today started off with a search for a big breakfast. I found it and some good conversation about 12 miles down the road in Durham. Good group of old guys to talk about Moose hunting and logging with. 

What a change in the weather today has been. From sunny and 60's yesterday to overcast high winds and temps in the low 50's. 

Pics

Old mail sleigh

Great old outboard motors

Antique chainsaws

A close family

Feeding time

Down the road

Pretty foliage and lakes

Day 75 and 76 South Royalton to Conway NH

The beauty of this area is impossible for me to put into words. The last two days have been bitter sweet for me. I am in a part of the country that I've always been fond of and not wanting to hurry through it. On the other hand I'm looking forward to being back with family.

There have been so many great moments and good people to talk with this week.

If you get the chance to see Vermont and New Hampshire in the fall, don't pass it up. The beauty will actually bring tears to your eyes. (It made my throat hurt)...Cathy knows what I'm talking about, ask her:)

The ride through the country side and the climbs have been so much fun.

If it seems that I'm kind of bouncing around, I probably am. As I'm writing this tonight in the White Mountain Hostel in Conway NH there is alot of activity going on around me. Chicago is blasting from the record player...and skipping badly, a Chinese family is arguing over some game they are playing, a guy is cooking something that smells great in the kitchen, a football game is on the TV and two guys and a girl are discussing tomorrow's hikes on the couch next to me. It's awesome and makes me happy to be here.

I'm sleeping in a dorm room with 3 other guys and have the bunk over the guy who already says his snoring it something that just has to be experienced...HA! 

Don't pass up a chance to stay in a cheep hostel either.

Pics:

Leaving South Royalton

General Store, Post Office, bank and butcher

Others ...Great scenery

Day 73 and 74 New Hudson NY to South Royalton VT

My last day in the Adirondack Mountains was beautiful. It started off funny. It was about 7 am and still a little dark because of the fog. I was just opening the door to leave the Yogi buildiing I stayed that night and at the same time there was a lady opening the door to come in.  I don't know who jumped more, me or her. The fist thing she said was CAN I HELP YOU!  You could tell being helpful at the moment was not exactly what she had in mind. Running or fainting would have been a more realistic response.  It turned out that she was the lady that helped out during the summer with Yogi World and she had no idea that I was even in the building. She finally sat down on a bench and just kept on saying " Oh God bless you...you scared the Hell out of me ... Oh God bless you...you scared the Hell out of me". That kept me smiling for miles down the road.

This area I'm traveling through is a history lesson around each bend. I passed through Ticonderoga and went by the fort but didn't stop for a tour. I was too excited to be getting into Vermont. It felt as if my bike was going to take off without me if I didn't just get on when the ferry touched the Vermont side of Lake Champlain. Vermont is where Cathy and I spent our honeymoon and it has always been a place we love to visit. The small towns are beautiful and I enjoy talking with the people there.

The hospitality of the Vermont people was demonstrated the first night I arrived. I was in East Middlebury looking for a place to camp when I ran into Brook Berry who was just finishing her bike ride she had been on that day. After talking for a few minutes she invited me to pitch my tent in their backyard. I met her son's (Quinn and Willem) and husband (Pat) when we got to their home.  They treated me like an old friend and made me feel at home. I enjoyed sitting on the front porch and talking with Pat and the boys.  Really awesome people.

The climbing started today. What the Vermont mountains lack in altitude they make with an In - your - face attitude. A 12 percent grade or more is common.

Tonight I'm staying with Ian Altendorfer. Ian is a Warm Showers host and a third year student at the Vermont School of Law that is in town.  Again, another person that just opens their home for a stranger and makes them feel at home.

Tomorrow some good climbs, great towns and into New Hampshire.

Pics:

Adirondack lake

Going down the hill into Ticonderoga

Ferry dock to Vermont. To signal for the ferry you pull a cord that raises a metal flag. This ferry has been in operation since 1759.  It is guided by cables that stretch from one shore to the other. 

Vermont is in sight

The Berry family 

The Way Berry Inn. Operating as an Inn since 1810. The Bob Newhart used this Inn in filming. 

Beautiful old bridge

Robert Frost interpretive trail

An appropriate poem by Frost

Scenery

Rochester Vermont. I met Lou and Linda Demaio here. They have a cabin in Center Sandwich, NH and invited me to stay with them if I came close to there. Very nice couple. 

The road ahead. This is the last map I have. The end is near.....for this journey:)

Day 72 Raquette Lake to New Hudson NY

Well I wanted to make it into Vermont tonight but that did not happen.
I slept in this morning. Not wanting to get out of my warm sleeping bag. Last night was not the best for sleeping.
Wind, coyotes and low temperature made for a less than restful night.

Light rain to start the morning and cold. I cooked some oatmeal, grits and coffee before getting out of my sleeping bag.

I made a couple of stops today for coffee and food. In Long Lake I had an omelet hash browns toast and coffee. I was getting ready to leave but I was still hungry so I sat back down and got a bowl of oatmeal and more coffee.  I was finally getting dry, full and warm.

I'm  camping in an unusual place to say the least tonight. It's called JellyStone campground and like many things in this area, it seems to have seen it's glory days in the 50's or before. Maybe its just the time of year and the rain. I'm the only person in the place besides the owner and his wife. Maybe its his mother. I think his names Norman:)  But the showers were really hot and I get to sleep in the Yogi craft building.

Pics:

Moose Lake

Down the road

River in Blue Ridge

Home for the night

Just chilling with Boo Boo

Inside the Yogi Barn

Day 70 and 71 Port Ontario to Raquette Lake NY

Hello from the Adirondack Mountains where the weather is just a little cool (35 for the low tonight). It's been a rainy couple of days. Strong storms yesterday and light rain and strong winds today.

I've been going through some pretty towns but the weather has not been conducive to stopping and taking pictures.

I'm camping in a park that has been closed for the season tonight. It's in a pretty area of Raquette Lake.

My 40+ degree sleeping bag is keeping me warm with the extra layers I've got on.

Tonight the layers consist of:
Sleeping Bag
One bag liner
Two pair of insulated bottoms
One insulated top
Fingerless gloves and a Watch cap

I planned on using the layering system when the temps got colder.

I also make sure to get some hot soup and coffee inside me before turning in.  I love camping in the cool weather so much better than the hot weather.

Heading into Vermont tomorrow, weather permitting.

Pics:

River crossings

Raquette Lake

Home for the night