Boy, did this change in plans work out well.

I started the day with waffles and coffee with Tom, my Warmshowers host. Kate had left for yoga.

After filling my tank (6 waffles, don’t judge), I hit the road. Before leaving I marveled at the amount of firewood Tom (mostly) had cut and stacked for heating their home.

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My trip took me first to Newcastle then it became surprisingly hilly. In Waldoboro I stopped for coffee and had the best chocolate chip cookie of the trip. The secret ingredient is sea salt. The blueberry muffin (couldn’t resist) was also top drawer.

Past Waldoboro the hills mellowed out and I went into my groove. After seven miles I realized that I had missed my turn at five miles so I backtracked. Knowing I didn’t have to cover 90 miles today was a great relief.

I was plugging along past small farms when I shifted into my granny gear on a hill and things got a bit ugly.

During a downshift, my chain somehow folded back on itself, jamming between the granny gear and the front derailer. Eek.

After a few minutes trying to free the chain along the roadside I walked the bike to a driveway where I took off the panniers and prepared for surgery. I flipped the bike over and shifted my gears to give the chain maximum slack. Then I gently moved the pedals this way and that. The chain finally became untangled. A mechanical bullet had been dodged.

I think the problem has to do with the chain catcher. It’s a plastic thingie that looks a bit like a small thumb. The thumb is positioned so that a chain that shifts too far to the inside (past the granny gear) hits the catcher and is diverted back to the granny gear. My chain catcher seems to be missing the screw that keeps it in place. My theory is that, when I downshifted, the chain got snagged by the misaligned catcher and became entangled.

In any case I was back on the road in 20 minutes. No harm done. After some reluctance to use my granny, I tried it out several times and it shifted just fine.

I stopped in Thomaston for lunch. A BLT with avocado, a small salad, and iced tea. Perfect food. Perfect amount.

Most of the rest of the ride was along the water, occasionally diverting inland to climb an abrupt hill.

All of the climbs today were followed by steep downhills. Each time I went into a tuck and zoomed down them. It was big fun.

South Thomaston to Rockland was more in-the-zone riding. In Rockport, the temperature dropped noticeably and I finally saw some fog.

My Warmshowers hosts texted me with his address and within 10 minutes I was at their door in Camden. There house is a modern building made with sheet metal. Very cool. I have my own room off the garage with a private bath. The shower is outdoors. I did my best to give the neighbors a show.

Peter and Christie fed me pasta and salad with fresh veggies from their garden. Beer, wine, and H2O helped the digestive process. Peter is dealing with sciatica so I am amazed that he was so enthusiastic about putting me up for the night.

Christie tracked down a decent deal on a motel near Bar Harbor. I was going to camp but Tuesday is supposed to be a rainy mess. Better to avoid the whole wet tent thing. Also the motel is located closer to Belfast which will shorten Tuesday’s ride.

I saw cows, a donkey, turtles, and a big heron. No mooses. I wanna see a moose!