My Journey - September 2011

September 21st, 2011
The short version: I rode north into Maine, sidestepped to Dover and Rochester, New Hampshire, back to Kittery, Maine at the very bottom of Maine then rode on up the coast. I confirmed a rumor in Bar Harbor; very few sail boats cross the Atlantic and very few of them go to Newfoundland, then Iceland and Ireland to do it, most all sail boats go to Bermuda and the Caribbean then on to the Mediterranean. I rode on to Lubec, Maine, the northern-most town of the USA coast, took a picture and rode back south. I am in or near Newburyport, Massachusetts now. I am going to stop in Boston and New Bedford before continuing on south. Boston has an REI store and the Boston Yacht Club. New Bedford has a rumored boat of some kind that makes a crossing to Portugal each month for supplies – lots of Portuguese people in New Bedford.

I posted 46 pictures on photobucket and 4 videos on youtube
https://s824.photobucket.com/home/biketoaustralia
https://www.youtube.com/BikeToAustralia

More later

Saturday, September 24th, 2011
The long version: I set up my tent for the first time, in mike's back yard during daylight hours. He took the pictures. I rolled around inside, luxurating in the huge space, 2x times bigger than the old tent.

I learned a little bit about Mike. He is quite an adventurer, having explored and experienced many parts of the world, often riding bicycles with his wife.

In the morning, I packed up and rode back north through Kittery. I wanted to comb through the thrift shops I saw but I spent all my money.

Traveling through a place for a second time is so rare for me that I feel an eerie sense of deja vu. So it was until I got past Biddeford.

One of the times I was going north through Kennebunk, (was it the first time through?) I was looking for a place to camp for the night. I asked at the water treatment plant for advice. Matt and I talked for a while. He told me I could camp out back. Matt also told me a bit about how the treatment plant works and duties involved in running it, really interesting. One of his co-workers came in while we were talking, I met him too. I set up my tent late that night, slept late into the morning then packed up and rode on. I asked the day shift guy for a business card. I felt intimidated by him; no warm fuzzies. I did not tell him about my spending the night camped in back.

When I was coming back south through Kennebunk (with Ricky Burk), one of the water treatment guys, was it Brian?, waved at me from his car. We talked, small world. What odds he would see me ride through town onn the way south? How come I did talk about their hospitality in my blog? They were really looking to seeing themselves in my blog. Well, I did not want you guys getting in trouble with the powers that be. So, here I am talking about them - I got permission.

Behind the Kennebunk water treatment plant on route one is an awesome field to camp the night. Access to the field is found just south of the treatment plant. Take the path on the right side. Respect their efforts to make clean water for the community by being a clean camper.

more later

Has anyone seen or heard from Ari. It has been several weeks since we heard from him. I hope that he is safe.

I met Pamela Frothingham... We are talking marriage!

I am working on getting her to visit her roots - England, with me. She is all for it but she has lyme disease and travel is a challenge. My dreams of sailing (sailboat to Europe) are not going to happen. Cruise ship to Europe might, but it is baby steps all the way.

Ah, romance.

I had the best of intentions about telling all of you for weeks now. But, somehow running errands with Pamela or other romantic activities has always taken precidence.