The Last of the Worst

Dispatch from the frontier: Middlebury, Vermont

Yesterday was another big one. This professor is getting schooled in New England: I now have a Master's in Getting My Ass Kicked. As my title suggests, I think I'm over the worst of it. The early part of the day found me in a soggy camp. A light, steady rain started during the night and continued off and on for much of the morning. It started to break up around noon, but I rode for some distance in my rain gear.

I assaulted the "Bread Loaf" climb to Middlebury Gap. This had yet another 2 mile torture ramp of 12%. What is it with these New England road builders? They all must have studied in San Francisco at the Hyde St. School of Civil Engineering. Below is one of the steeper bits that required me to get off Mojo.

I am now in the land of Robert Frost. I found this poem that I think speaks well to my journey:


Forget the myth
There is no one I
Am put out with
Or put out by.


Unless I am wrong
I but obey
The urge of a song:
I'm-bound-away.

"Away"




I rolled into Middebury a bit late, and after shopping, really had to scramble for a place to stay. I eventually stuck my head in a just closed cafe, and one of the workers, Julie, a couchsurfing.com host, offered me a spot in her flat. Presto. The road turns and provides. She was a great host. Thanks, Julie!


Today, I'm bound for New York. Another state goes down--yeah. Below are more shots from yesterday's ride.