Archive for the 'Days On The Road' Category

Surprise ending

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

I read this to my parents when they took us out for a Maine lobster tail to celebrate our bicycle trip’s completion. 
Read and laugh about our surprise ending:
We told you when we said I do
The plans that we would soon see through
A trip to Washington all the way to Maine
One you all thought to be insane
We promised each other that when [...]

Day 54

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

Day 54
Miles – 20
Auburn, ME – Freeport, ME
LAST DAY!!!

Took our time this morning, timing it just right to meet Laureen’s parents and JoAnn and PopPop for our celebratory ride into Freeport, ME…only 20 miles!  Eh, we could do it in about 2 hours.  No big deal…there’s no more pain, just excitement and awe at what we were about [...]

Day 53

Saturday, August 9th, 2008

Miles = 17
Buckfield, ME -Auburn, ME
Oh this rain is such a downer! The weather we awoke to was rain, angry on the tin roof, and a high of 61 degrees. Cold and rainy. All day. Again. Started gearing up around 8am, but chickened out and ran back into the house, [...]

Day 52

Friday, August 8th, 2008

Conway, NH – Buckfield, MAINE
Miles = 52
Weather = RAIN. AGAIN. ALL DAY. SOAKING WET.
MAINE!!! WE MADE IT!!! THE END IS IN SIGHT! Two more days and we’ll be dipping our wheels in the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean.

It is intensely hilly here, [...]

Day 51

Friday, August 8th, 2008

South Royalton, VT – Conway, New Hampshire
Miles = 100.8
Steep Climbs = 6 ; Steep climbs above 1000 feet = 4
Matt is pointing out the climbs on the map. Between his two fingers were the climbs for the day:

An award-winning cycle if ever there was one on this trip! 100 miles, LOTS [...]

Day 50

Friday, August 8th, 2008

Ticonderoga, NY – South Royalton, VT
Miles – 65
Late start today. Our bike clothes hadn’t been laundered in a while, so we thought it would be nice of us to visit a laundromat–for the sake of Mom Sparacio and PopPop. I think we’ve gotten used to the smell of ourselves and one another. [...]

Day 49

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Blue Mountain Lake, NY – Ticonderoga, NY
Miles = 75

The Adirondaks are so beautiful!  Almost enough to make us enjoy the back- and leg-breaking labor of the hills.  Almost.  Almost. 
Last full day in NY.  Getting close to the end.  Today was Monday and we expect to dip our wheels in the salt of the Atlantic on [...]

Day 48

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Booneville, NY – Blue Mt. Lake, NY
Begain the day with some more home-cooked heat-ups–spinach quiche and sausage patties.
Beautiful but chilly bike ride through the Adirondaks.  No wonder we were getting hills the past few days!  The hills got steeper as we began weaving our way through the mountains today.  2 more flats today because of [...]

Day 47

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Pulaski, NY – Booneville, NY
Miles = 51
Said “Goodbye” and “Thanks” to  Susan, Mel, and Evan who would be heading for home and switching jobs with Matt’s mom (JoAnn) and grandfather, whom we call “PopPop”. 
Terrible day.  Hills + Rain.  Rain + Hills.  Not a good mix, especially when thunder and lightening are added ingredients to the batter. 
A [...]

Day 46

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Sodus Point, NY – Pulaski, NY
They’re baaaaaaaaaaaaack!  Oh, how we’ve missed the hills…in some strange, self-destructive way.  They simultaneously bring more interest, frustration, and fun.  You never know the heighth of each hill until you reach the top.  You never realize how steep each hill is until you feel the burn in your legs–If it hits [...]