July 11, 2019
All’s Well That Ends Well
Bethel, VT to North Haverhill, NH
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Jackie’s avg speed: 9.4 mph
Scott’s avg speed: 10.3 mph
Weather: 60-75 degrees, sun, clouds, early evening rain
Susan had just returned home off the night shift on her job at 06:30 when we came down for breakfast. Her husband works days, so he had prepared scrambled eggs and toast for us. She said they want to sell their house, it’s too much to keep up. She needs surgery for her knees, and business has fallen off since the advent of Air BnBs. Cyclists are her most regular customers, and she offers us a discount, $71 with tax instead of the regular $85 plus. Judging by the “for sale” signs we saw on almost every block, the town has many versions of this story. We were there during the summer season, and it seemed lively and fun. But sellers are apparently looking for something else somewhere else.
We thanked Susan for her hospitality and for the break on the price. We were pedaling into the sunshine at 07:00.
This was another good training day, though at the time it was hard to be cheerful about it. The data from the “Ride with GPS” app shows we climbed 3,382 feet in elevation, even more than the 2,820 feet we conquered the previous day when we crossed Middlebury Gap. The terrain felt like one gut buster after another. At one point, I saw the road corkscrew off to the right at a sharp angle and said out loud, “I’m not doing that.” But one pedal revolution after another and I was still going up. Then I saw the top and started counting breaths until I was up and over. It was maybe 24 seconds of hard, hard work. Doable.
It’s also possible I was “hangry” and needed lunch. After East Thetford, we crossed the Connecticut River into New Hampshire and were on River Road for a few miles. A couple miles are packed clay, no problem. The first New Hampshire town, Orford, had no place to eat, so we crossed the river into Fairlee on the Vermont side and had clam strips and a cheeseburger at the Fairlee Diner. (Not hard to guess who had what).
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A storm was brewing so we set a brisk pace the last 15 miles to the River Meadow Campground in North Haverhill (pronounced HAV-rull). As I was getting ready for the left turn into the compound, I put out my left arm signaling my intention. Agray haired geezer eased around me on the right and through his open window growled at me to “get off the road.” An impolite rebuke escaped me. It had been a hard day and I didn’t feel like taking any of his crap.
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After a day of strenuous effort, the campground gave us many pleasant surprises. First, it was situated in a beautiful spot on the Connecticut River and unlike some private campgrounds, did not cram too many sites next to one another. We paid $97 including tax for a spic-n-span cabin with a full bath, AC, screened windows that opened, and a porch for the bikes. It was worth every penny. We showered, then pedaled back to the pool for a refreshing swim, followed by 15 minutes of hydro therapy for Scott in the hot tub. Laundry cost $3.
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We economized on dinner and rehydrated the chili mac, one of the better flavors, and ate the huge bread roll I had saved from the Fairlee Diner. We were snug and dry when the rain finally came. It rained all night, and we were glad we did not have to pack up a tent and gear in the rain. A good night’s sleep was important, because the next day we would go over the highest peak of the journey.
Today's ride: 50 miles (80 km)
Total: 2,727 miles (4,389 km)
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