RC Trans Northern Tier Bicycle Tour

Northern Tier Day #5 May 24, 2019 North Haverhill, NH to Rochester, VT 74 Miles Ride Time 5:28 Tour Total 377 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190524-0717-37757 I slept well last night inside my tent on the lawn besides the pond at the River Meadow campground in North Haverhill. The flowing sound from the pond’s fountain made things rather urgent this morning. Throughout the night I couldn’t distinguish between the fountain and the rain. Fortunately it wasn’t raining when I got up. My Hubba two-person tent is way better than the one-person tent I toured with last summer. It’s spacious inside, and I have both front and rear ‘porches’ to store my bags and helmet. The soggy tent weighed considerably more this morning after the rain. The end of my sleeping bag was also damp. I hate packing up wet gear, and wasn’t looking forward to crawling back into it at the end of the day. As I pedaled through town I saw kids waiting for the schoo...

Northern Tier Day #6 May 25, 2019 Rochester, VT to North Hudson, NY 72 Miles Ride Time 6:37 Tour Total 448 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190525-0642-60658 I woke up at 5:45am in the backyard of Green Mountain Cyclery, which was totally fogged in. There was dew on the grass and all over my tent. I once again had to pack a damp sleeping bag and a soaking wet tent. It took me about an hour to get ready, and I got a 6:45am start, the earliest departure so far on the tour. Scott and Eileen from the TransGang would have been in their tent for another four hours. The fog was hanging low in the valley so I turned on all my lights for safety. It was cold, and my fingers were freezing. I hate stopping, so I just dealt with it. Since I’m Jewish while I’m in the state of Vermont (to be in solidarity with my Brooklyn brother Bernie Sanders), I’m observing Shabbos today. I hope that Yahweh doesn’t mind that I’m using pedal power. Cracking o...

Northern Tier Day #7 May 26, 2019 North Hudson, NY to Raquette Lake, NY 63 Miles Ride Time 6:16 Tour Total 509 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190526-0743-32056 It rained all night long at Jellystone campground in North Hudson. My tent was drenched in the morning, however I managed to stay dry and warm throughout the night. I was thankful that the rain had ended by the time I got up, and felt fortunate to have a picnic table in my campsite to assist packing my things. My 30’ extension cord came in handy. I ran it into my tent before I went to bed, and charged all my devices. After rolling up my soaking wet tent, I strapped it to the top of my dry bag with my wet shoe covers. Despite all my things being wet, it gives me solace that a month from now when I’m in the high plains of Montana, I’m probably going to miss this moisture. I saw a sign yesterday saying, “Divide New York State in half. Upstate doesn’t want to live by NYC rul...

Northern Tier Day #8 May 27, 2019 Raquette Lake, NY to Pulaski, NY 102 Miles Ride Time 8:24 Tour Total 611 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190527-0727-51728 I slept well in Liz and Mark’s front yard. I was so tired last night that I couldn’t finish my daily report before I fell asleep. I heard from TransGang’s Scott. He’s going to be in Buffalo through this Thursday May, 30th. If I want to see him I’m gonna need to crank out some miles. I woke this morning in time to see the sunrise. I went out on the dock to get a good photo. Blue Mountain, which I rode over yesterday, was silhouetted in the distance. Last night Liz and Mark were showing me their sunrise photos from their phones. I keep getting calls from ‘Unknown’ in Slovenia at 5am. I sleep with my ringer off but I hear the vibrator and see the caller number and location. There was dew all over my tent, as usual, so I laid it out on the dock to dry while I got ready. It was still...

Northern Tier Day #9 May 28, 2019 Pulaski, NY to Palmyra, NY 101 Miles Ride Time 8:45 Tour Total 711 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190528-0753-66910 I slept well At the Pulaski Super 8 motel last night. First thing this morning I looked out the window, and, sure enough, it was raining. I woke up at 5:30am and went back to sleep for an hour. My friend from Slovenia called me at 5:18am and then again at 6:01am. My socks that I had washed last night were still wet, but it didn’t matter. My stomach flu was back, and my poor legs were sun burned and covered with bug bites. In the hotel breakfast area I had a bowl of Frosted Flakes, I made myself a waffle, and I had two cups of orange juice. How can styrofoam plates, bowls, and cups still be legal? I met a Canadian woman at the hotel who is planning a cross-Canada bike tour next year. She’s done several month-long tours. When I complained about the rain, she replied that it was better t...