Ride Day 146

Last night I stayed at Pastures Campground in Orford New Hampshire and it was the quietest night I have ever spent in a campground. I think I got double my usual sleep time in with it so peaceful in the camp. I packed my tent wet and hit the road at first light to try to make it over White Mountain to Conway NH. It was not to be. My bike started to get seriously loud and grinding and growling big time so I had to stop at a bike shop in Plymouth NH to see about getting it fixed enough to make it the last 250 miles to Bar Harbor. I ended up needing a new chain, front and back cassettes, main crank bearings and clean and pack the other bearings and adjust all the brakes and stuff for $250. They did the work while I waited which was the only way it would have gotten done or I would have shipped the bike home and rented a car to finish my quest to Bar Harbor. The lost time kept me from going over the big grade in the White Mountains because by the time I got to the base of the 12% grade the temps were sweltering so I gave in and found a campground. Guerrilla camping was out of the question in this highly touristic area of New Hampshire. The campground was $20 for the night. I am only 2 or three days away from Bar Harbor but I might take as long as 4 days to get there. I am enjoying my slow pace of riding lately and I don't think I will be going down the East coast very far so my ride is almost over for now. My friend Ernest is riding down the East coast and I may ride with him for a while and then fly from somewhere between Bar Harbor and Boston. I will play it day by day with no expectations and just see what happens. When I arrived at North Woodstock there had been a big fire in the center of town and everybody was all excited from it. The building was still smoldering when I arrived to town. I expect to ride the big grade early tomorrow morning when it is cool but that will limit the nice views from the top so I am thinking about riding up then waiting at the top for the skies to clear up so I can get some good pics. No promises about that though. I was disappointed to run over and kill a snake today.