We got a slow start this morning as there was a lot to see and do in St. Jay's (as they affectionately call it.) After a huge breakfast at the local diner, we walked over to the Farmer's Market. We were hoping to find some fruit to bring along for our ride. Unfortunately the farmers in Vermont don't grow fruit. They make loads of Maple Syrup and grow potatoes, cucumbers and carrots but no fruit. So we headed on our way fruitless.
About 1 mile out of town we passed the Maple Grove Maple Sugar Candy Factory. This was one factory tour that I could not pass up. We toured the Maple Syrup Museum and saw all the old tools used for sap collection. The gift shop had samples of all the grades of Maple Syrup and two types of Maple Sugar Candies. I never knew there were two kinds! They make creamy light brown maple sugar candies that you see in the gourmet candy stores. They also had a darker version of this candy that is made from 100% maple syrup. The darker version was impossibly sweet - even for a candy hound like me.
After getting our picture taken by the big maple syrup can, we were on our way. It was about 11:15 by then and we had a 68 mile ride ahead of us.
I was feeling really run down on our ride today. It was a welcome relief to stop at the New Hampshire Welcome Center (which was only 15 miles into our ride!) Our stop was not in vain as Marc had yet another broken spoke to fix. I gladly sat in the sun enjoying the views. Just as we were getting ready to take off, a friendly couple pulled up and wanted a picture of me in my South Park Jersey. They were very nice people and had lots of questions about our journey. As we chatted, they pulled all sorts of treats out of their car for us. First it was delicious ice cold sodas and then they gave us a box of Jelly Bellys (YUM- my favorite) and a tube of cookies. After enjoying the soda, I was feeling much more energized and ready to ride.
Our route today was very scenic and hilly. We climbed and climbed and climbed some more. Before entering the White Mountain National Forest, we stopped at a hot dog stand in the small town of Bethlehem. I wasn't particularly hungry but I knew this would be our last stop before entering the National Forest. The hot dog was delicious! The best hot dog I've had on this trip - and I've had a few. Karen, the owner of Queenies Weenies, serves up a delicious all beef hot dog on a soft potato bun, which is a touch sweeter than regular rolls. The owners of the stand were extremely friendly and took quite an interest in our trip. It was fun to hang out and chat with them along with the local sheriff, who liked to hang out at the stand as well. Oh, it reminded me of days down at Mikey's Hot Dog Stand on Pearl St.
It was now almost 4 PM and we were not quite at the halfway point of our ride. I was getting a bit nervous that we wouldn't make it to our destination in time. I already paid for the hotel so stopping early was not an option. Well, soon we discovered why the first half took so long - we climbed almost the whole way. As we entered the White Mountain Forest, the tallest mountain in New England loomed before us at 6500 ft. I thought for sure we'd have to climb a bit more before descending to our destination. Luckily, we didn't have to bad of a climb and quickly found ourselves descending into the gorge. It was a fun 20+ miles worth of downhill to North Conway.
North Conway is a very busy resort town on the Eastern edge of White Mountain Park. Our hotel reminds me of a old ski lodge, rustic but cozy. There was some sort of reservation error in our favor so we are enjoying a small suite with a kitchen, living room and bedroom.
So tonight is the last night where we'll go to bed and have to get up and ride. I cannot believe that our trip is done tomorrow. Wow, its been quick but slow at the same time.
Marc's Stats:
Miles: 70
Avg MPH: 13.4
Winds: Variable - Tailwinds on the way up the mountains and a headwind on the way down.
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