Northern Tier Day #4 Conway, NH to North Haverhill, NH
Northern Tier Day #4
May 23, 2019
Conway, NH to North Haverhill, NH 62 Miles
Ride Time 5:28
Tour Total 303 Miles
Last night I slept well in my room on the second floor of the White Mountains Hostel. I was so tired that not only could I not finish my blog post, I was unable to finish my beer. In the morning, I could hear people talking downstairs and the light was coming through my window. It was time to get up. But what a slow start. I spent an hour laying in bed editing and posting yesterday’s report.
My first stop was Bea’s Cafe, where I had the #1 - eggs, toast, and home fries. I drank two cups of orange juice. I was trying to get myself psyched for the Kank, the first challenging pass on the Northern Tier. In comparison to the TransAm, the Kank is like Afton Mountain. I left Bea’s and set out on the road at 9:45am.
I really overdid it yesterday and needed to be rested for this climb. One good thing is that my stomach flu is gone! Things are solid down there again.
Leaving Conway I passed two covered bridges over the Saco River. I also passed the train track that I rode along yesterday, and wondered how far it continues. It would make a great rail trail and bring tourist dollars to the local economy. I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a pickup truck that read “I am not on your vacation”. No, he certainly isn’t.
My new transmission method allowed me to access my small chain ring. I don’t think I’d be able to do the Kank without my lowest gear. I followed a roaring river called the Swift, which definitely lived up to its name.
Passaconaway road was a delight. It was narrow with a spec of traffic and a perfect surface. I rode under a green canopy with the river to my left. The grade was mellow and I averaged 11mph. I was listening to an archive of Monica’s show from WFMU, and was having so much fun. My music situation has been dialed to perfection on this tour. I filled my iPod with WFMU archives of all my favorite DJs. The mixes are fantastic and it’s a joy to pedal to. This is how to Crank the Kank. It doesn’t get any better than this.
I crossed a covered bridge over the Swift river and found myself on state Route 112, also known as the Kangamangus Highway. It had a little bit more traffic, but was smooth and had a highway grade. I averaged 4-5mph. The raging river was now to my right. The bluffs of the White Mountains up ahead were phenomenal.
I met the cyclist trio riding east from Wisconsin that Heath had mentioned on Facebook. Darryl and Dick were from Wisconsin and Rob was from Arizona. They’re on their way to Bar Harbor and met Heath in Ticonderoga. They mentioned that a westbound female cyclist was just ahead of me.
Just before the pass I met Amanda from Tennessee. She’s riding mostly the Northern Tier from Bar Harbor to Anacortes with a detour through the Great Lakes on the Northern Lakes Route. She left Bar Harbor on Friday and is riding around 40 miles a day. We commiserated about the cold rain on the Maine coast. Last night she was gorged $45 to camp in Conway. Her fantastic and up-to-date blog is at: https://nonnieridesthenortherntier.blogspot.com/
On top of the Kankamangas pass Amanda and I took pictures of each other. There was snow but it wasn’t prominent. We bombed down the 9% grade on the other side together. It was fun having a companion for a moment. I totally froze and had to pull over to put on my long sleeve jersey. We separated at Lincoln, which is a ski and tourist town. Speaking of tourists, a stupid tourist motorist was confused and swerved into my shoulder to make a turn and cut me off. It scared the hell out of me and I cursed at her.
Amanda was staying in Lincoln for the night. I looked for a place to stop for lunch, but only saw fast food. I had wanted to go to the trading post that Michael Richter told me about but it was a mile off route and I really wanted to get to my destination by 6pm. After North Woodstock I had another pass to climb. I passed Lost River park. It was so tempting to stop, but the clouds were getting dark and I was miles from food and a place to stay.
All of the mile markers have long sticks attached to them so the road edges can be seen in snow drifts. Much of the guard rails have either rusted through or been impacted by motor vehicle collisions. New Hampshire has highway signs that incorporate a rock face in profile. The Old Man of the Mountain, also known as the Great Stone Face is a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain.
Both both passes today has sections with 9% grades. They got a little testy going up towards the top, but the down hills are always a blast. I passed Lost River Gorge and Bolder Caves, and thought about stopping but I really wanted to get to my destination by 6pm. I crossed the Appalachian Trail and two through hikers walked across the road in front of me.
It was nearing 6pm when I rolled into Haverhill. A butcher at the Aldrich General Store made me a sandwich that was as big as a football and a genuine work of art. I went out back to have a go at it. A guy named Rollie introduced himself and was amazed by my trip. At one point I wondered if he was ever going to leave me in peace. It was starting to rain, and I figured that I might as well stay here for the night.
The River Meadow Campground, located on the Connecticut River, was just down the hill. The proprietor was extremely friendly and offered me a site for $15. I set up my tent in the rain, and then had a steaming hot shower. I finished my sandwich in the tent while I listened to the rain.
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