42.8 miles
3.38.10 st
12.4 avg
TTD-3331.60
Today we left later, hoping to avoid commuter traffic. It was cloudy with 93% humidity.
We had to dig out our climbing legs from the bottom of BOB this morning. (We haven't used them since.....oh yeah, that hill out of St. Croix on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border.)We started climbing immediately, in town, and climbed for the next hour and ten minutes. Most of it was about 4%, the last 2 1/2 miles at 7%-8%.
Then we dropped down to Wilmington, then climbed out of there. But it wasn't as steep or long as the last climb. I was anticipating a much higher climb here because of the "100 Mile View" labeled on the map. I figured if you could see for a hundred miles, it must be high. It was high, but not as taxing as the first climb.
At the top we stopped for a break. It was beautiful! I think you really can see for 100 miles. And I can see why these are called the Green Mountains: they are completely covered with foliage. I can only imagine what it will look like in about a month when all the leaves are turning. 
We went into the little store (Hogback) and came out with some fudge(!) and a couple of new prayer supporters. Kermit and Velda are on their way to work at a Christian camp in Pennsylvania for the month of August.
We talked with them for several minutes and they said they would pray for the remainder of our trip.
The road dropped steeply from here, leveled, dropped, then was a nice coast for about eight miles into Brattleboro. 
About midway through town, Gerry spotted a couple of bikes loaded with panniers and packs. We stopped and talked with Cathy. She and Mike are cycling from Maine to Niagara Falls and they are just getting ready to start the climb we just descended. 
Then Bob came out and within a few minutes he had invited us to stay the night with him and his wife, Michelle. He sent us on to his house while he continued working.
We were about a mile from the house when one of the shift cables snapped. Okay, I guess we'll just push this puppy the last mile - uphill. That was fun. Not.
When Bob came home later, he was gracious enough to help Gerry replace the cable. Oh, did I tell you that he and Michelle have a tandem also? They have ridden in some pretty exotic places: Vietnam, Cuba, Majorca, Thailand, Spain, and I can't remember the other places. 
After showering, I was able to update the blog and we washed clothes here, then we used Bob's car and took them to a laundromat to dry. We drove downtown and walked around a bit; it reminded us a little of Bozeman: lots of little shops and thriving. Then we drove to the Top of the Hill Grill and met Bob there for dinner after his Tuesday evening group ride. In the group, Tim's brother-in-law has Montana Art Gallery out at Four Corners in Bozeman and another guy has a son going to MSU and working at Toyota in Bozeman. Small world.
So, tonight we're in Brattleboro, VT and will continue in the mountains into New Hampshire tomorrow.
Appreciating your prayer,
Gerry and Pat
2 comments:
Just rejoicing in God's goodness to you in providing new friends and meeting your needs in these "last days" of your ride. Continuing in prayer!
Arlen
You two are an inspiration. I very much admire what you are doing and can not imagine the great strength it takes to undertake something of this magnitude. As a fellow cyclist, I wish that I had the time to undertake something like this. As a husband, I wish that I had the kind of relationship with my wife that would allow us to undertake something like this together. As a Christian, I wish that my faith were as strong and deep as yours has to be to do something like this. I pray for your continued safety and that you will cherish the last short leg of your journey.
Thomasj
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