The Maine Event--State #35

Wednesday August 7, 2019

Greg (L) and Me (R) on the bridge
between LittleJohn and Cousins Islands

It’s taken a day to post this entry about my ride yesterday which was in Maine—my 35^th bicycling state!   

Early in the morning I had driven the two hours from my cousin’s house in the Boston area up to Falmouth, Maine, just north of Portland.    My friend Greg, who I rode with on my 2016 America By Bicycle Across America North trip, lives there.  He agreed to ride with me as I registered my 35^th state.  Maine did not come easy!  It was a 41 mile ride with some hefty hills to climb. 

When Greg and I finished in early afternoon I raced back to Boston because I had promised to go with my cousin to Fenway for the Red Sox game.  We were there, thanks to a rain delay, until just before midnight.  So I had no chance to do this blog entry last night, nor today as I got up, packed, and then spent a long tedious day in the car driving back to Maryland! 

The ride with Greg was a big circle from his home inland in Falmouth, with some big climbs to start out.  Then we headed east to Yarmouth, and across two bridges to Cousins Island (how appropriate!) and LittleJohn Island.  On LittleJohn there were two very short, very steep hills as we rode past the homes.  The first one I navigated without too much trouble.  The second one pitched up and curved to the left.  I got caught in too high of a gear, was hardly moving and came the closest I have in ages to toppling over. 

Boats Tied Up off LittleJohn Island

Want to Buy This New House on LittleJohn?  It's for sale!

 Greg continued to the top and waited for me since I had to put my foot down, stop, and then try to get moving again while on a pretty steep road.  He later said he was waiting to hear me crash to the pavement, but fortunately I was able to shift down just enough to keep rolling after I restarted.  After a stop on the bridge back over to Cousins Island for an energy bar, we rode up some more hills returning to his home after a good energetic ride.  

Showing the Maryland Flag design jersey in Maine.

Greg and I are about the same age (I’m 6 months younger!) but he proved to be the much stronger rider on this ride.  I was fine on the flat stretches (of which there were only a few!) and was able to keep up with him on the rollers, but since he rides all the time up and down hills and has the hill legs to prove it, it was a struggle for me to keep up on the steeper ones.  Thanks Greg for easing off so that I didn’t fall too far behind.

With 35 states finished, it won’t be long until the next Bike in All 50 trip begins.  On Monday, August 19 (a week from next Monday) I will begin a two week trip through the south and Midwest, and will ride in Tennessee, Mississippi, Lousiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.  Actually I’ll also ride in Texas where I will be joined by my friend Darrell who rides with the Tuesday and Friday Bud Bike Potomac Pedalers Touring Club Group.  He'll be doing his first Hotter N Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls.  It will be the 15th time for me (and probably the last...I've got nothing left to prove.  I've already proved by doing it many times that I am a card carrying member of the lunatic fringe!)

Should I mention that I’ll also see ballgames in major league ballparks in Atlanta and Detroit, bringing my total to 26 of the current 30 stadiums?  I hope to complete both the 50 cycling states and the 30 ballparks in 2020.  

If you want to see the data from yesterday’s ride, you can find it here:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3931000762

Thanks for following the blog.  Posts should resume the week of August 19 when I begin my trip through the South and Midwest.