Jacob Usher
In the spirit of writing my last blog, I didn’t know today was my turn until well into the afternoon. I panicked a little because I had not been paying as much attention as I usually do on a blog day. No need to fear though. I had the crew help jog my memory at dinner.
We’ve talked about the stages of our trip before: the opening/early game, the mid game, and the end game. If our end game started in New York, this last week and especially the remaining days mark our final stretch. In my opinion, these last moments will really shape how we remember this trip. I’ve been trying to enjoy them (good and bad) as much as possible.
Our campsite last night was pretty weird. No one was there, the office was closed before it was supposed to be, and no one answered the phone. It seemed maybe abandoned. We camped there anyway and decided to get out early. This meant we got to eat breakfast at a cool coffee shop. It was once a bank and still had a vault. I got a ‘raspberry bar’ that could not have been portioned for one person. I managed to finish it.
Usher’s breakfast at Fair Grounds Coffee in Fryeburg, ME
We were really enjoying the morning on quiet scenic roads. I had a smile on my face as I thought about how far we had made it. This lasted right about until my tire went flat.
Brian takes a turn inflating Usher’s tire
We quickly learned that we were not done climbing even though we were out of the mountains. We hit steep hills all day and ended up gaining more feet than we did yesterday doing the Kanc. We climbed one hill that had to be the steepest section of the trip hitting over 16%.
Some of the hills in Maine’s coastal ‘plain’
We passed a lake with a little snack bar and debated getting lunch there. Finding a lunch spot is usually a major part of our day. We passed on it since we had to pay to get in. There were a couple of gas stations down the road anyway. We didn’t consider the climb right around the corner waiting for us. We still made it to lunch though!
We were pushing pretty hard through the afternoon in the heat. The universe must have decided that our afternoon was too uneventful. Michael’s rear shifter cable broke to spice things up. No worries though since Brian had a spare. I said I was surprised that his cable broke before mine or Friend’s since he bought the bike new.
The remnants of Michael’s rear shifter cable
Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, my rear shifter cable also broke an hour later. This time with no replacement. No worries though since there was a bike shop nearby. I pedaled out of my saddle to Rainbow Cycles a mile down the road. The bike shop was super friendly even though we were there right before they closed, and someone even gave Michael a free saddle bag.
The rest of the day went by quickly and featured some busier roads. We are getting close to the coast. I think I can feel the salt in the air. We ended the day with another concert in a community park and a stop at an Asian restaurant. It wasn’t the best dinner but camping in the backyard of a kind Warm Showers host makes up for it.
Evening music in Brunswick, ME
Today reminds us that it is never easy. You may be more equipped to handle the challenges, but they will always find you. We’ve faced setbacks probably every single day of this trip and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Something I heard a lot before this trip was that I would come out ‘a changed person’ with ‘bigger legs’. I don’t really feel like a different person or that my legs have grown much. However, I’ve learned a ton and gotten much stronger.
I cannot express how very grateful I am to be able to do this. I will think about this summer for the rest of my life.