Down to 3

Today started out on a downer. I have ridden with the same persons since day 3. Harry, Karen and Alec. Today when I went to breakfast Alec told me he would not be riding, due to his illness. It was a very sad moment. While I had looked forward to EFI, the fact that we all would accomplish it as a group is what made it more meaningful. Harry, Karen and I all took off, but we were all thought it too bad we could not do it together. We have been through so much together and for it to end two days short was depressing.

For the first and only time during the trip we were going to bicycle through 2 states. The first state we went through entered was New Hampshire. We biked through the foothills of the White Mountains. These were fairly steep inclines on two of the climbs (I am told 12% grades). There is a CrossRoads tradition of sprinkling sand from the Pacific Ocean at each state border. At the New Hampshire border we sprinkled for ourselves and Alec.
























Next up was the last state of our trip - Massachusetts












The climbs were not that not as steep as New Hampshire, but they were challenging. However, after 7 weeks of biking these were no problems. Willie joined us and I went with him to a fire station. Harry carried on as Karen went ahead. I yelled out to Harry, make a left at 119. After we met the firefighters in Ashby we continued on and Karen yelled out to us that Harry had not made the left turn. I chased after him, but would not have caught him if a motorist who we had told to be on the lookout for him had found Harry. When I caught up with Harry he was talking with Francine who was doing a non-supported tour. She had about 40 pounds of gear.











The weather was was sunny, but not too hot. Biking through the suburbs of America and looking at the houses was beautiful. It was a perfect ending to our last long day of riding.

The last few miles were a little bittersweet. For 45 days, Karen has led us into the hotel, followed by Harry, Alec and myself (I was the last to join so I always came in last). It was our last day and Alec was not with us and it was the last time during the bike tour that we were entering a hotel. We all shook hands congratulating each other on a good ride (we did this after each ride)

Brattleboro, VT - Burlington, MA

Miles 95.850
Ave. MPH 14.2
Actual bike time 6:43:50
Left hotel : 7:25
Arrive Hotel 4:40