Oliver would love this vehicle. Judging from the wheels and side-view mirror, it looks like someone has already done some of the work. I wonder what is under the hood.

I had no idea Andre and Privacy still existed. Look out for the kangaroo mice or whatever they were called.

Good call. That is exactly what this arch was for. In all there were four arches in this type of furnace, the largest one being this one. Molten iron was extracted from the crucible via the channel shown in the next picture. The other three arches were for forced air, loading and inspecting.

I think our unladen bikes were around 35-40 pounds. 45 is really heavy, but then so is 35-40!

I recently finished reading Quarry and Kiln, by Roger Grindle. It's a history of Maine's lime industry. mostly in Rockland. Since limestone quarries loom large in Nicholas Snow's paintings, I wanted to learn more about them. You've probably read the book.

I think our rigs back in 78 were 56 lbs or so? So you have shaved off a lot.

Good question. I think younger people have the time but don’t get into biking at an early age. Also they are not as good at writing. Not that we are good at it but we are used to communicating clearly in emails and reading texts. Today is the video age.

Plenty of elevation. You will be in shape for the tour.

This is interesting. It must have taken a vast amount of wood to produce iron. Was this opening where they collected the liquid iron as it flowed out of the iron ore? I am not familiar with smelting furnaces.

That’s interesting. Even in metamorphic terrains one finds good deposits of useful sedimentary stone. Rockland Me has big limestone deposits used for making cement. I have never checked it for fossils.

My father would have liked this. I have not seen a spoked tractor wheel like that. Unusual but nice touch.

As you get older you appreciate these things more.

Hi Bob,

I hope that I can maintain your interest! This will be my longest solo journey, so I hope that I can maintain my interest as well. I'm looking forward toriding up the Genesee rail trail. Hopefully it will not be sandy or muddy. But it's really beautiful country in there.

Hi Kelly,
Sadly, that is astute thinking. The younger generation didn't grow up with a clock ticking on a shelf or mantel. My grandfather worked for 40 years for the Gilbert Clock Company in Winsted, CT, and after he retired, repaired clocks in a closet off of his bedroom for another 20 years, so clocks are part of my family.

The same can be said about biking. Most of the journals that are posted these days are written by older folks. I'm not sure if it's because people don't have time until they retire or it's because younger people don't grow up in an environment where you can go off on a bike for a day and hopefully make it home in time for supper. Bikes meant freedom for me, but now it seems everyone has a car to drive as soon as they turn 16, and they quickly ditch the bicycle.

I know I should be looking at the bike. I do love looking at bikes - but I have to comment on your much less common activity - clock repair. You are a good man. It is very difficult to find a clock repairman. The man I use is in his 70's. His father also repaired clocks. He says that most people who own clocks are getting older and the younger generation isn't interested in keeping the clocks, they just get rid of them. He says that he thinks the clock repairmen and clocks will all die out about the same time. Astute thinking?