Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Holy Hogback Mountain, Batman!

Weather. Astonishingly beautiful, partly cloudy but mostly sunny day. Temps in mid 70's to mid 80's. Dry air. Riding weather made to order. Then there were the hills. Whoa. We were briefed that there would be climbing. Word! There was a 6 mile climb of some considerable intensity, with the last 3.5 miles billed as being "steeper". Indeed. Low gear, settle in, and get job done.
We did slay those hills.

Can't say I forgot about the earlier 12 mile climbs or the 7 mile climbs.  Yes we did complete those too, but this was still a bit of a pinch in the rear. What helped me through the task was this route brought me over the same roads I traveled again and again in my teenage and early adult ski life. A lot of memories were jarred loose as we cleared Wilmington. Memories of Chimney Hill, 
shredding Haystack Mountain, week after week with my brother and sister, "sick days" from high school spent with friends at Mt Snow.  Glad to see the roads have improved considerably, but those curves, hills and descents were still there.

I was really glad that the group got to see this part of Vermont in its best light. It doesn't make up for the soupy weather we had in Sedona, but it was a beautiful day despite the work we had to put in this second to last day of tour.


My good friends Matt, Cynthia and Peter doing the Pacific Sand Sprinkling ceremony at the state line 


Standard State Line Shot for Blog.

Just west of Brattleboro along Rt 9

Did get a great surprise tonight. I live about 60 miles due south of where we're staying tonight.
Mike actually drove up from home to meet me along the route and cheer me on. Unfortunately, I made a side trip to get a hot fudge sundae and smoothie, so we didn't meet along the route but we did connect at the hotel and were  able to drive downtown for some lunch. Awesome surprise.

After Mike went home, we had a "Meal on your own" night tonight. Matt and just I hoofed it to a pizza joint and on way back to hotel picked up our last bottle of Blue Powerade to start our morning ride. That's one part of the routine that has seen its last day. 

Final notes on today, had a challenging detour around a bridge that  was out. Required pedaling a fair distance ( maybe quarter mile) through some tough gravel and rocks. I'm surprised I didn't dump my bike at a couple points the way I sunk in. Phew! But I did get a shot of calf housing at the farm we were allowed to use for the detour. 

From the poetry corner, we did pass the graveyard where Robert Frost was buried in Bennington.  Let me then leave you with the obvious quote:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, 
And sorry I could not travel both 
And be one traveler, long I stood 
And looked down one as far as I could 
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 

Then took the other, as just as fair, 
And having perhaps the better claim, 
Because it was grassy and wanted wear; 
Though as for that the passing there 
Had worn them really about the same, 

And both that morning equally lay 
In leaves no step had trodden black. 
Oh, I kept the first for another day! 
Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 
I doubted if I should ever come back. 

I shall be telling this with a sigh 
Somewhere ages and ages hence: 
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 
I took the one less traveled by, 
And that has made all the difference 
--Robert Frost





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