Day 52: Reaching the Atlantic

Manchester to Wallis Sands Beach, New Hampshire
Miles:  55  Climb:  2237
Total Miles:  3,889

We did it. We made it to the Atlantic today. It is hard for me to comprehend that it is over.

We started the day with the usual routine: up at 5:45,  hotel breakfast at 6:00, luggage load at 7:00.  It was already hot when we set out.  We rode fast to the first SAG stop at mile 31.5, and we didn't stay long. We rode on to the village of Exeter, the home town of Tony, one of the riders.  He took us to his favorite coffee shop, where we were greeted by a throng of well wishers.  From the coffee shop we were en route on the 12 mile ride to the Middle School, the designated gathering point for all riders to meet to prepare for the parade ride to the beach, when Jan's front wheel hit Hans' back wheel.  Jan went down hard, hitting his head on the road. The impact cracked his helmet. After 3,800 miles of riding we were less than 10 miles from the Atlantic and it looked like his trip may be over.  We were sick.  But after sitting on the curb for about 10 minutes, he got back on his bike and we rode on to the Middle School.

From the Middle School we were escorted by the local police for the three mile trip to the beach. I could smell the ocean before I could see it, and the scent of the salt filled me with emotion.  When the ocean came into full view, I was almost overcome with relief.  The water was an aqua color and the day was clear. I thought it was beautiful.  The beach was filled with vacationers and kids from summer camps.  They cheered as we carried our bikes across the sand to the water to do the ceremonial wheel dip.  The riders were laughing, crying, and hugging.  Some of us dove in with our bike clothes on.  It was a chaotic, crazy, sweet moment and will be a memory forever.
And then, it was over.

Those of us staying the night had to ride eight miles more to get to the hotel.  John, Liz and I decided to add a couple miles and cross the state line to Maine to add another state to our list. Crazy,  I know, but when you've come this far it just seemed like the logical thing to do. After arriving at the hotel my bike was packed and will be shipped home. We really are done.

One trivial, but interesting, thing that happened to me on this trip is that I rode on the same set of tires and tubes  all the way from San Francisco to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and I never had a flat.  Every other rider had multiple flats. One guy had over 25 flats. All other riders put new tires on part way through the trip,  some of them multiple times. When I got to Indianapolis without having "flatted" as we say, and with tires that still had plenty of tred, I started to wonder if I could make it all the way to the Atlantic without changing tires or tubes. Silly, because I had absolutely no control over whether or not I got a flat, especially given the road conditions we were riding on.  I carried two new tires, six spare tubes, CO2 cartridges and a hand pump 3800 miles across the U.S. and I never needed them.

I plan to write notes about this adventure, what I learned, what I will do differently on the next trip I take, and what I did right. There are a few things I already know for certain. I know for certain that tomorrow morning I won't eat instant oatmeal with bananas for breakfast and I won't apply sunscreen and chamois butter when I get dressed.  I also know that I will remember forever experiencing the US by bicycle, the warm support I got from family and friends, and the amazing people I rode with and met  on this trip, some of whom will be friends for the rest of my life.

Day 51: New Hampshire!

Brattleboro, VT to Manchester, NH
Miles:  78  Climb:  4,633

We are almost done. We crossed the state line into New Hampshire, our last state, just 1 mile into the ride this morning.  There was lots of clowning around at the "Welcome to New Hampshire" sign, even though we had 77 miles of hills ahead.  We've adjusted to the long mileage every day, 30 miles to the first SAG, 30 miles to the second SAG, then whatever is left into the hotel. Sixty miles, seventy miles, 100 miles, we just ride.  I wonder how long our bodies could keep up with this amount of riding.  Every rider is stronger (and lighter) than when we left San Francisco almost two months ago, and there is no complaining about distance or conditions.  We have become conditioned to the routine, the food, and the miles.  But for me, the joy of riding has increased, not diminished, and I know that more long trips will be in my future.

The ride today was idyllic.  We started on Route 5, a highway that was busy with early morning commuters, but after the first SAG stop we were on roads winding through the beautiful New Hampshire countryside.  It was hilly.  Very hilly.  And it was incredibly beautiful.  Another day of amazing scenery, beautiful weather, and delightful villages.  Several times I laughed aloud at the idea that I was riding my bicycle on the back roads of New Hampshire.  Even after all these miles and days of riding, it still doesn't seem real to me.

We are now just 56 miles from our goal.  We will wear our America By Bicycle jerseys tomorrow. We follow the typical morning routine tomorrow, hotel breakfast (happy it is the last), load the luggage at 7:00, and start out the way we have for the past 51 days.  At mile 52 we will congregate at the middle school in Portsmouth.  A police escort will lead us through town on the three mile trip to the beach for the wheel dipping ceremony.  From the beach, there is an 8 mile ride to the hotel, and then, as hard as it is to believe, we are done.  For me it will be an emotional finish.

The forecast for tomorrow is for hot, sunny weather.  It will be a good day to go to the beach.

Day 50: The Mountains of Vermont

Latham, NY to Brattleboro, VT
Miles:  79  Climb:  5,358

We left Latham, NY,  northwest of Albany, and headed east across the Hudson River.  The route was immediately challenging with a climb, giving us an early taste of what our day would be like.  We rode Route 7, and did a steady, gradual climb for 30 miles.  Shortly after crossing the Vermont State we had an eight mile climb of 6 - 9.5% grade to get over the first mountain. The climbing was challenging, the scenery was breathtaking, and the descent was exhilarating.  One rider hit 50 mph on the descent. Not me. I was satisfied with getting to 38 mph before I started pumping the brakes.

We rode from one quintessential New England village to the next, Bennington - Wilmington - Brattleboro as we crossed the Green Mountains.  Each village was as beautiful as the next.  In between villages the ups and downs of the stream bordered mountains made it one of the best days we've had.  I stopped at the peak of Hogback Mountain and had an old fashioned Coke while I took in the view of the mountains.  This is a beautiful part of the country.  The towns are quaint, filled with character and charm, the terrain is rolling, and the landscape is lush green.  I am glad I rode west to east because New England is making a nice finish to the journey.

The highways are more narrow here than in the Midwest, the traffic is heavier, and there often are no shoulders.  Where shoulders do exist they typically are too rough to ride on, so we are riding on the roads with traffic.  The term we use is "taking the lane" meaning that we move far enough into the lane that cars approaching from behind need to pass us with the same room they would give a car.  Some Vermont drivers today let us know they did not appreciate having cyclists "take the lane".

Tomorrow we will get to Manchester, New Hampshire.  We have even more climbing than we had today.  I am really tired from today's workout, but I am looking forward to tomorrow's ride.  I expect it will be as beautiful and challenging as today, and it is the next to the last day of the tour.  I want to make tomorrow's ride a good one.  It is hard to believe we're almost done.

The forecast for tomorrow is 90 degrees with the possibility of thunderstorms late afternoon.  We are planning an early start to try to finish before the storms arrive.

Day 49: Aloha New York

Little Falls to Latham, NY
Miles:  76.5  Climb:  2181

We had a nearly perfect day today.  We rode on Route 5 for the first 50 miles.  This section of 5 is designated as a scenic roadway, and justly so.  The scenery was beautiful.  Mountains on the left, the Mohawk River on the right, and village after village on the route.  The weather was warm and sunny. At mile 52 we got onto a bike path and rode it for over 21 miles to just a few miles from the hotel.  There was very little climbing and the road and bike trail surfaces were good.  To top it off, we had a tailwind.  It was the type of day I fantasized about when I registered for this ride.

I got a nice surprise when I got to the hotel this afternoon.  The desk clerk handed me a cooler of Hawaiian beer and chocolates when I checked in.  My friend, Bill Wrobleski, who now lives in Hawaii, had a cooler of iced Hawaiian beer delivered to the hotel for my ABB friends and me.  It was a trans continental toast to our effort.  The luggage van was late arriving to the hotel, so the beer and chocolates made for the perfect happy hour while we waited.  Thanks to Bill's son Billy for making the delivery.  I was the most popular rider this afternoon when we reached the hotel.

We have just three days of riding left.  I am so looking forward to being done.  I am tired, my legs are tired and my knees ache.  I'm ready for a break.  But at the same time I'm ready to be done, I also don't want this to end.  Riding everyday for hours has become almost a form of meditation.  I don't really think of anything specific.

This evening at the map meeting the ABB staff urged us to carefully check our bikes, rims and tires before setting out tomorrow.  We have two days of big climbing ahead, two of the biggest climbing  days of the trip.  There are many steep descents.  It would be really bad to have a flat or blow out on one of those downhills.

Forecast for tomorrow is for sunny, warm weather.  Hope our string of good weather continues until we finish.

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Day 48: Blowing through New York

Liverpool to Little Falls, NY
Miles:  78  Climb:  1,804'

Wow, what a day.  No reflections on the history of the country and the culture of our regions today. There was a strong tailwind and we wanted to ride, so ride we did.  I rode with Hans and Tony to the first rest stop at 34 miles.  After that I rode alone through the beautiful rural Upstate New York countryside.  We did less climbing today and most road surfaces were good.  It was a fast ride. The scenery has changed from rural farmland to wooded countryside. We ended the day in Little Falls, New York, a delightful little town at the base of the Catskill and the Adirondack mountains.

I stopped for lunch with other riders at Crazy Ottos's Diner in Herkimer before going to the hotel in Little Falls.  I have truly enjoyed this trip through small town America and feel I have seen the country through the eyes of the typical American as opposed to visiting the popular tourist spots in each state.  It has given me a much better appreciation for the rich natural resources we have in the US and for the challenges we have in moving from the industrial and manufacturing based economy to the era of information and technology.  I have an even stronger conviction to education as the fundamental solution to societal change and improvement.

When we arrived at the hotel I went through what has become my typical routine:  cleaned the bike and checked it for cracked rims, loose spokes, and damaged tires.  I mixed and drank a recovery drink, and I washed the kit in the sink and hung it outside on the bushes behind the hotel to dry.  I did a lot  of stretching because my legs were very tired and the muscles were tight.  I iced my knees and the persistent bump on my butt. I washed my water bottles and laid out for tomorrow my kit and the various things I carry in my pockets (hand pump, Cliff bars, Bonk Breaker Chews, extra hydration mix and chamois butter packs).  Then I showered and today I took a nap.  It's almost like preparing for work, except that I'm not reading and responding to hundreds of email messages.

When I woke up, I took a walk around town taking photos of the old churches and houses in this little town of 4,000,  I ended up at the Copper Mouse, a nice bar in town and had a beer with the mechanic, Gene. Gene and I returned to the hotel for the daily map meeting to go over the route for the next day,  Today the tour director also explained what happens at the end of the ride and the process for getting bikes and people home when we finish in New Hampshire. It is hard to believe we are so close to achieving the goal.  I won't let myself dwell on it, yet.  We still have four days of riding ahead.

Tomorrow we ride a gap between the Catskills and the Adirondacks to Latham, New York. The forecast is for continued hot weather and clear skies.

Day 47: A Ride Through History

Canandaigua to Liverpool, NY
Miles: 70  Climb:  2,657

We continued our ride on Route 20/Route 5 East through Upstate New York.  The first town we rode through was Geneva, home of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We stopped by beautiful Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, for a quick break. At mile 21 we came to Waterloo, the Birthplace of Memorial Day, and at mile 26 we rode in Seneca Falls, the birthplace of  the Women's Rights Movement.  We also got a nice view of the Erie Canal in Seneca Falls and later in the day when we were closer to Syracuse we visited the Erie Canal Museum.  As I rode I thought about the social and economic impact of both the Women's Movement and the Erie Canal.  Both were led by courageous people who were not afraid of failure and were not deterred by the physical, political and social barriers that existed.  In both cases the leaders had a vision for the future and I'm certain the outcome had far bigger impact on future generations than they originally conceived.

Route 5 is newly repaved with wide shoulders, which made for nice riding, but the traffic was heavy. We didn't have the peaceful rural ride we've had the past couple days.  I thought about how different the experience was today riding through the small villages with their historical markers telling the past compared to riding in the west where we'd ride for half the morning before we'd come to a road side rest area with a convenience store.  While we hold stereotypes about people based on where they live, the physical, historical and geographic differences of the regions of the country truly do influence the norms and lifestyles and make us different, even while in so many respects we are the same.

When I got to the hotel I had a wonderful surprise.  Our good friends, Meg and Phil Fazio who live in Syracuse, met me at the hotel and took me to out to dinner.  Meg joked that when she last saw Rex and me and encouraged us to come to Syracuse to visit, she never dreamed I would come on a bicycle. Neither did I.  We had a great meal and many laughs.  It was the perfect beginning to the last phase of my trip through New England.

Tomorrow we ride 79 miles to Little Falls, New York.  The forecast is for warm temperatures and thunderstorms.

Day 46: Two Detours Make a Century

Hamburg to Canandaigua, NY
Miles:  100  Climb:  4,586

The planned route today was 95 miles from Hamburg to Canandaigua.

We left Hamburg, which is on the eastern tip of Lake Erie, and headed for Canandaigua in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  I set out with my friend Liz and Jane, one of the ABB staff whose day it was to ride instead of work.  Jane is from the Hamburg/Aurora area and asked if we'd like to stop by her son's house to meet her two year old grandson.  At mile 15 we went off route about 2 miles and had a short but fun visit with her son, daughter-in-law and grandson.

We rode the rest of the day along Route 20/Route 5.  Hills of soybean, wheat, and corn stretched out on both sides of the road.  We saw few vineyards today, I assume because we are too far away from the Lake.  The crops and the lawns showed signs of stress from lack of moisture.  They need rain here.  The architecture of the homes, especially in the small towns we rode through, is starting to have a New England feel.

The terrain was very hilly, and we climbed for the entire 100 miles.  Up and down from hill to hill, some steep and some long and gradual.  While I am not much faster on the flats, my climbing skills have improved significantly.  I truly enjoyed the hills today.  At mile 70 we came to the Tom Wahl Root Beer Stand and stopped for a root beer.  At the top of the hill at mile 84 we came to a home made ice cream shop, so we stopped for ice cream.  We are eating our way though New York.

When we came into Canandaigua, we had ridden 97 miles.  Liz and I agreed that it was silly  to stop at 97, so we took our second detour and rode past the hotel to Lake Canandaigua and back to the hotel to hit an even 100 miles.  This will be the last century ride of the trip and we will remember this as the most fun and tasty one.

There were a number of flats today, including one that Jane had early in the day.  One rider had problems with broken spokes and ended up riding on a his second borrowed wheel from the America by Bicycle mechanic.  The miles are taking a toll on our bodies and our bikes.

Tomorrow we ride 70 miles of hills to Liverpool, a suburb of Syracuse. We are thankful for the short day and the promising forecast of continued nice weather.  Anticipation for the finish is growing.

Day 45: New York

Eric, PA to Hamburg, New York
Miles:  87   Climb:  2,172

Today we rode Route 5 along Lake Erie from Erie, Pennsylvania to Hamburg, New York. Pennsylvania is in the books and we are now making our way across New York! Vineyards covered the landscape on each side of the road. Most of the grapes in the region we were in are Concord grapes used in grape jelly, grape juice and Concord grape wine.  The vineyards are much larger than the vineyards in California and the vines are bigger and more dense.  Lake Erie was a beautiful aqua color today and sail boats dotted the water.  The vineyards against the backdrop of the lake was gorgeous in the morning sun. The temperatures were in the seventies.  Cool for this time of year and perfect for riding.  It was one of the most pleasant and beautiful days we have had.  I rode alone today and really enjoyed the time to myself.  I took many photos and stopped for an iced coffee along the route.  It was a wonderful day that I will recall with a smile.

Already emotions are mounting as we near the end of the trip.  Some riders look really tired and are counting the miles to the end.  Others are buoyant and and almost excessively cheerful.  I am in between.  I am looking forward to achieving the goal and to getting back to Michigan.  But I wish there were more days of solitude, new sights, and continued physical challenge.  The need to figure out what is next is starting to nag at me.  I don't want that to overshadow the last days of the ride and this amazing experience.

We have four more riding days in New York, one in Vermont and two in New Hampshire, and some of the biggest climbing days of the trip.  The forecast for tomorrow is for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80's.  Good riding conditions for 95 miles of rolling hills.

Top: Laura Patterson aka Ironmom. Bottom: Tyler Patterson completing an Ironman
Photo created by editor: Hannah Seibert

Day 44: Last Rest Day

Erie, Pennsylvania

Today was our last rest day of the trip.

I started the day by going with some other riders to a diner close to the hotel for a breakfast.  It was great to have real eggs and good coffee.  I then did laundry and cleaned and carefully inspected my bike.  It is ready to finish the ride. I iced my knees and the weird bump that has appeared on my butt on the sit bone.  I'm taking all precautions I can to prevent anything from getting in the way of finishing the ride.

I then took an easy 19 mile ride to the Presque Isle State Park on a peninsula in Lake Eric. On the way back I stopped by a bar with an outside patio and enjoyed a Michigan beer from Founders.  This evening the CCC Dinner Club (Tony, Hans, Joe and I) had dinner at 1201 Kitchen downtown Erie. The four of us have had a nice dinner at a local restaurant in each of the towns where we've had a rest day. Tonight was our last rest day dinner, and we made a nice celebration of it.

Eight more days of riding, and we will be done. The upcoming mileage in New England is less than we had in the MidWest, but the climbing is significantly more.  The last leg should be fun as we cross New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Forecast for tomorrow is perfect.  Sunny, temperatures in the 70's and (maybe) wind from the west.

Day 43: Good Bye OH--IO. Hello Pennsylvania!

Youngstown, OH to Erie, PA
Miles:  93  Climb:  2,185
Total Miles:  3,420

We left Youngstown, Ohio this morning and rode north. It was a perfect day to ride. The temperature was an unseasonably cool sixty degrees when we started out this morning, the sun was brilliant, and there was no wind. Spirits were high. The weather was terrific and we knew a rest day was waiting for us after 93 miles.  I set out with Hans, Tony, and Steve, and we rode fast to the first SAG stop at 33 miles. From there I joined Liz and John who also kept a steady pace. I averaged 17 mph for the 93 mile ride, which is a good pace for me given there were a number of big hills on the route. We rode past more beautiful farms, and we also saw a covered bridge, vineyards and several Amish buggies.

The second SAG stop was at mile 69 at Richardson's White Turkey Root Beer Stand. We arrived there shortly before noon. I believe our entire group of riders stopped and almost everyone had root beer floats.  Riders were lined up on the stools that circled the stand consuming massive amounts of ice cream, root beer floats, and coney dogs. We surely set a record for the amount of calories consumed today.  Less than a mile after leaving the White Turkey Root Beer Stand, we crossed the state line and entered Pennsylvania. Another state is in the books!

Several people are having mechanical issues with their bikes after so many miles in such hard conditions.  There is a bike shop near the hotel, and many riders will take their bikes in for adjustments and/or parts tomorrow.  We'll have a bike cleaning station in the morning and our mechanic will go over the bikes to fix what he can and recommend who needs to go to the bike shop for bigger repairs like new rims, chain ring replacement or new bearings.  My bike is working great since I got the new cassette, so I'm expecting that thorough cleaning and lubrication should be all I need to get me to the end of the ride.  We have just 8 days of riding left, and only one of those will be more than 90 miles; however, the remaining days include lots of climbing as we go over the hills and mountains of  New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Day 42: Cruising Through Ohio

Wooster to Youngstown, OH
Miles:  85  Climb:  3,776
Total Miles:  3,327

We continued our journey through rural Ohio today.  The fields of soybeans, corn, and wheat were expansive and the contrasting greens and golds were beautiful.  The farms were meticulous with beautiful homes, barns, and gardens.  Many riders have said that next to Colorado, Ohio has been their favorite state through which we've ridden.  The farms are beautiful, the weather has been perfect, and the terrain has been challenging. For the most part the road conditions have been good, although we did have some rough roads today.

The first sixty miles of the ride today were very hilly, some of the steepest hills we've had. I just quit looking at the Garmin and focused on taking the hills as efficiently as possible. My legs were tired from yesterday's birthday hill celebration, so my strategy today was to complete the 85 miles without bonking.  I've made great progress in getting over my fear of speed on descents, and in Ohio hit an all time high of more than 38 mph going down a hill. My friend from the Netherlands was riding behind me and when we got to the bottom of the hill he said "My, how things have changed since we started." I don't know if my new found courage will transfer to mountain descents when we get to Vermont and New Hampshire. I'm guessing the "Pulse-the-Brakes and Keep-it-Under 30" Laura will return.

Tomorrow we head north to Erie, Pennsylvania.  Forecast is for perfect weather. Cool temperatures for this time of year and low humidity. 93 miles to Erie, and then we have our last rest day!

Day 41: Happy Birthday

Marysville to Wooster, OH
Miles:  103  Climb:  Climb:  4,245
Total Miles:  3,241

Happy Birthday to Hans and to me.  Hans, a rider from the Netherlands, and I both have birthdays today.  The first SAG stop, at 33 miles was a birthday celebration for both of us, organized by the my friend Liz.  Hans is 66 today and I am 63.  Hans crushes the hills.  He is an amazing rider.  I try to keep up with him, but I can't. So 60 is the new 40.  Okay, maybe 50.  But judging from the folks I'm hanging with on this trip, sixty isn't what it used to be.

The birthday ride today was phenomenal.  Our birthday gift was a tailwind from the southwest as we headed northeast.  We couldn't have asked for more.  The temperature was perfect, the road conditions were good, and the pace was fast.  It felt good.  We rode 103 miles today, and at mile 63 the big hills started.  These were Bloomington size hills, big hills, some at 15% grade.  I decided to go for it, after all it was my birthday, so I attacked the hills, out of the saddle much of the time.  It was fun.  I know I will pay for it tomorrow, but our days are running out so I figure it is okay to let a little caution go.

The Ohio countryside is beautiful.  The farms are meticulous and the fields are lush.  I've thought many times about the media referring to the Midwest as the Rust Belt.  They clearly have not visited this area of Ohio.

I've been thinking about the diet changes I will need to make when I return to Saline.  The amount of calories we consume is unbelievable, but what is even more amazing is how much junk we eat.  I had totally given up sugar before this trip.  Now sugar powers me through 100 mile days.  There is sugar at breakfast, sugar in the replenishment drink I carry on the bike, sugar in the Bonk Breakers I eat while riding, sugar in the Cliff Bars, sugar at the rest stops in the cookies, Rice Krispie Treats, colas, and fig newtons.  Sugar withdrawal is going to be a real challenge when I get home.

The other thing that will be hard is not exercising for six hours a day.  I am thoroughly enjoying starting out after breakfast at 6:30 and riding until 2 - 3 in the afternoon.  I know it is unrealistic to keep this up forever, but what is next?  I'm thinking about how to adjust my workouts and I'm also thinking about the next adventure to pursue.  This ride has opened my mind to  many possibilities, but I don't know how to decide.  I thought I would do a lot of  thinking about my future while riding, but I've found that staying focused on the ride consumes me mentally on the bike.  I really haven't done any planning or philosophizing, and the end of the ride is rapidly approaching.  If I could just keep riding across the Atlantic, I would.

Tomorrow we ride just 85 miles to get to Niles, OH, but it is another day of 3000+ feet. The forecast is for pleasant temperature, no rain, but possibly wind from the northwest.

Day 40: O-H-I-O

Richmond, IN to Marysville, OH
Miles:  106  Climb:  2,536
Total Miles:  3,138

We left Richmond at 7:00 this morning and crossed the state line into Ohio. Another state in the books and after Ohio we will have only four states left! Ohio was good to us. The storms that had been predicted for today came through last night. As a result, the humidity was low, the skies were overcast, the temperatures pleasant, and the winds were behind us. The result was a great 106 miles. Our speeds were good given the tailwind, and our spirits were high all day. We rode country roads by impeccably maintained farms and well manicured yards. The scenery was picturesque. The farms were beautiful. The surface of every road we were on was smooth. I was struck by how well maintained the roads in Ohio are compared to the roads in Michigan. Both states were hit hard by the recession, but Ohio has maintained its roads while Michigan's have decayed.

We couldn't have had a better day than we had today. Some riders are tired and say, mostly but not totally in jest, that when this ride is over they will never get on a bike again.  I am at the opposite extreme.  I enjoyed the ride today and don't want to see the tour come to an end.  Even the long days like today are still a treat.  I like that riding 100+ miles is still a challenge, requires focus to maintain a steady cadence and speed, demands attentiveness to stay safe, and, as a result, is totally consuming. I was hoping to achieve a PR for a century today, but didn't. There is still tomorrow.

Some riders are having problems with the mechanics of their bikes.  The miles are taking a toll on tires, rims, wheels, drive trains, and bearings.  Every evening we clean our bikes and carefully inspect them for signs of wear so the mechanic and keep us rolling until we reach the Atlantic.

Tomorrow is another 100+ mile day. We are getting into hills, and tomorrow will have several miles of very steep hills in the last 40 miles of the ride.  From this day forward the rest of the ride will involve increasing amounts of climbing as we go through Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

The forecast is for continued low humidity, pleasant temperatures, and winds from the southwest as we head northeast.