Hancock, VT to Orford, NH $25 :: BF, grocs, campsite 63.81 mi :: 5.52 hr :: 38.1 mph :: 10.8 mph :: 5774mi I descended from clear skies into mist and fog. A cold, dewy morning. Ate a pleasant breakfast in Rochester. I am touring again. Near Bethel I overtake two touring cyclists. We meet…

Middlebury, VT to Hancock, VT $7 :: snacks, smokes 26.26 mi :: 3.04 hr :: 40.1 mph :: 8.5 mph :: 5710 mi It seems like I have endless tasks to finish before I can leave. Phone call to Dad, get packages ready for Mom, Dad, Cynthia, Dewey, and myself. Charge the phone card. Gather…

Middlebury, VT People converge on the house on the hill. Tasha, Frank’s daughter, arrived in the wee hours. She sleeps while I raid the kitchen for BF. On the couch, as I have occupied the hide-a-bed. The kids are fetched from their Father’s. I think of a book title, ‘Dancing with the Unmentionable’. Then Tasha’s…

Middlebury, VT A priceless day with my Aunt Julie. She cooked me eggs-in-a-hole, which I had never had. We walked the nature trail around their property in the rain, storm debris and blowdowns strewn everywhere. The rain and wind continued through the day. The power was out in the entire region, so we lit candles,…

Middlebury, VT I attend a small-town Presbytyrian funeral at which Julie is nervously preparing to sing. The music begins as people sit, she sings a lovely Bach piece with organ and cello. Then there’s a long, ackward silence. I have no idea what’s going on. Then the family comes in with the casket. The minister…

Newcomb, NY to Middlebury, VT $14 :: lunch, ferry, ice cream 80.80 mi :: 6.83 hr :: 37.9 mph :: 11.7 mph :: 5684 mi No more rain but trees dropping water in the morning. I have spent a good 15 hours in the tent, and only had a gulp of water for breakfast. I…

Newcomb, NY Luckily it didn’t rain on me in the night. I awake to low clouds, some sprinkles. Have breakfast in bed – oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries. I ride up the trail a ways, determined to give a go despite the ominous weather. When the trail gets too rough, I hang the food bag…

Woodgate, NY to Newcomb, NY $26 :: Fuel, BF, topo map, grocs, ice cream 93.87 mi :: 7.35 hr :: 37.9 mph :: 12.3 mph :: 5602 mi Rather than ride the 4 or 5 miles of trail back to the highway, I continue, figuring I’d hit a road before long. After about 1.5 miles,…

Mexico, NY to Woodgate, NY $10 :: BF, milkshake 78.87 mi :: 7.07 hr :: 30.6 mph :: 11.0 mph :: 5509 mi As if that spooky forest wasn’t enough, in the night I stretched my arm over my head & poked my finger on something. When the pain increased, I realized I’d been bitten…