Stage 38 - Wilmington, NY to Island Pond VT - July 1 Monday 

Jonah and I forgot to close the window blinds last night. I wake up at 5:30; it’s daylight in our room. I close the blinds and a Jonah sleeps on unperturbed. I’m awake and my day has started. 

TODAY’S RIDE PART 1 ... 

We depart shortly after 7:30. David sets a fast pace. After a few miles, we settle into a more comfortable cadence which we maintain the rest of the morning. 

It’s an absolutely glorious day. The sun is bright. It’s warm. There are few clouds. The wind has disappeared. Hallelujah!!! 

We ride uninterrupted most of the way. Jonah takes the lead midway through the route and leads David and I for a significant period. Jonah is climbing hills with confidence. It is fun and rewarding to follow in his wake. I congratulate him when he slows and David and I alternate leading. 

We stop at the Ausable Chasm and marvel at the views. 

Our ride ends after about 30 miles of cycling. It was a pleasurable start to the day. 

INTERLUDE ... 

At Port Kent, we wait for the Ferry. We arrived 30 minutes early! After a delightful hour boat ride, we find an outstanding eatery named XXX and enjoy a great lunch. Back in the van to our next adventure: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. 

Ben & Jerry’s is much like I remember it from an earlier visit. As is true with other nostalgic stops, there’s significantly more commercialization. I don’t begrudge B&J making a profit. 

TODAY’S RIDE PART 2 ... 

We leave Ben & Jerry’s on our bikes. I always enjoy the distinction that comes from being the only bicyclists. I wear my uniform well and I’m proud of my fitness. A little ego and a little vanity is ok I think. 

The next ten miles or so are uphill. There are several sections with grades between 12% - 15%, nasty little buggers. I climb them in my lowest gear. David powers up them. I wait for Jonah at the top while he manages the uphill. After about five miles, the road is mostly hard packed dirt. We have no choice but to continue. As difficult as the ascents are, the descents are scarier. I’m happy to be riding The Slim Miss Piggy and her 28mm tires. 

We meet up with Peter in Stowe. The climb of Mansfield Mountain awaits us. I’m not familiar with it but David’s glee forewarns it will be a challenge. It is. 

MANSFIELD MOUNTAIN ... 

We start off together but David and Jonah drop back quickly. I’m on my own. It is a seven mile climb. The first miles are mostly up with a few flat or downhill segments. Then it’s all uphill. The couple sandwiches I ate prepping for the ride are providing necessary fuel. Finally I’m gassed. The last two-tenths are 15% - 17% and I walk them. The road is so narrow and twisty that I play traffic cop a couple times. 

Peter arrives. Then David and Jonah summit. After a small break, we’re off on the descent. Again I am on my own with The Slim Miss Piggy as my trusted companion. I know where to position my body to maximize my speed downhill while keeping the front wheel steady and true. Riding lots and lots of miles for hours and hours allows for significant learning. The descent is a trip. I don’t have to pedal yet hit speeds upwards of 48 MPH. There are sections of the road with potholes so bad they’re dangerous. I’m watchful and ever alert and steer a safe course downhill. I’m not worrying about cars behind me. I’m at or above the speed limit. I own the road and they need to pass me when they can. As the descent smooths out, I re-acknowledge the automobile’s right of way and resume riding accordingly. 

DAY’S END ... 

We regroup in the town of Cambridge and load our bikes on the van. It’s 7:00 pm and we have cycled sixty miles with another thirty-five to our lodging. David calculates and recalculates the ride’s end. I’m ok with another hour of cycling but the problem is forecasting the remaining climbs and their severity. We decide to call it a day and drive the rest of the way. Good decision: the last ten miles include five that are a combination of packed dirt and gravel. 

We stop for dinner at 8:45. We visit Jessie’s  Little Kitchen. The owner/cook takes our order at the front door to her home. We order a extra large pizza and a family salad. She tells us to return in 30 minutes for our food. No money exchanges hands. In contrast, we couldn’t order ice cream without paying for it first the past several days. This woman trusts us to pay for food worth far more than ice cream. The pizza was outstanding. 

Of course, we end the day splitting three pints of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Cookie, Half Baked, and Cinnamon Bon. Bedtime follows shortly. 

Tomorrow we leave Vermont, ride through New Hampshire, and enter Maine. The Norseman’s Passage is drawing to a close.