Bar Harbor, ME Photos of finish! Aug. 16th, 2011

Everyone, I am home now on Nantucket, and it has been a week since I finished my cross country bike journey in Bar Harbor, Maine.  Here are the photos that I have promised.
Love,

Kit

August 17th, Lamoine, ME. 0 Miles. At the Cottage!

The journey is over, and I now am reunited with my family, Paje, and my dog, Cash.  We are in Lamoine, ME at a beautiful cottage we have rented for the week.  It is here where I will rest, and reintegrate into life again... See the pictures of the cottage below.  It is very nice, and on the ocean surrounded by the craggy shore line.  I have had a great day.  We saw a bald eagle flying over the shore line.  What a sight to behold.  It is strange to be back in civilization, and out of my very structured routine of ride, eat, sleep.  Paje picked me up at the hotel in Bar Harbor this morning where I stayed, as we all had our celebration banquet for the completion of our ride.  We had a delicious dinner at the Parkside Restaurant on Main St. in Bar Harbor.  We had our choice of Prime Rib, Lobster, Crab cakes.  I ordered crab cakes, and it was yummy! The two beers made it all taste just perfect.  We all laughed, reminisced about our 43 days together, and all the miles.  I have posted pictures here for you all to see. It was hard to say good bye to the friends I have made, but I will keep in touch and ride with them again.  Throughout the tour, I had the most capable, incredible guides.  Michelle, Linda, and Carol.  I will post pictures Paje took of my finish in Bar Harbor when I get back on Nantucket as my lap top won't read her card.  Tomorrow night, we are having our friends the Lambs over for a barbeque to celebrate.  I am so lucky to have done this ride, and to have had the support of all my friends, family.  What more could I want?
Love,
Kit 

   

Aug. 16th. Bar Harbor, ME. 47Miles-Mission Complete!!!!!!!!!!!

A dream come true.  I can now say I have ridden my bike across the USA!!  It was quite a difficult ride into Bar Harbor from Bucksport. It was pouring rain, and extremely busy roads.  I am thankful to have made it in one piece.  I rode with my buddies, Milano and Con Con.  Just as we were about to enter into Bar Harbor, , Paje drove by!!  I waved like crazy, and was so happy to see her. I couldn't believe I was finally laying my eyes on her after 6 weeks!! Moments later, I would see her as we rode down to the Pier at Bar Harbor where I stood in the ocean and held my bike over my head!  I was quite emotional as I rode down West St. in Bar Harbor.  A lot went through my mind.  The joy of being done.  Having made it safely without any problems.  The joy of seeing Paje. And wishing my aunt was alive to see this.   Paje took some great shots with her camera, so when I leave tomorrow, we will load them onto this blog for you all to see.  The Lambs, my friends from Nantucket, were also there.  Laura bought  a bottle of Perrier Jouet Champagne which Paje and I drank.  Thank you Laura & Jay!  It was great, and I had a nice buzz on after the first glass!  It was very festive!  Ellen's family had balloons, cow bells, and champagne.  Despite the terrible weather our spirits were high and not dampened by it!  It is one of those moments I will never forget in my life time. I am now at the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel, where I am dry and clean!  At 6:30 tonight we have our celebration banquet, then I will spend a few days recovering, and catching up on my rest at a cottage Paje and I have rented.  2,400 miles is a long way to ride a bike!!  Fargo, ND - Bar Harbor, ME.  It was a very challenging tour, filled with challenging terrain, traffic, and extreme high temps in the mid west.  I thank you all again for all your support.  Check the blog tomorrow for photos of the finish!
Love,
Kit  

Aug. 15th, Bucksport, ME, 87 Miles!

Awoke today expecting to see a lot of rain, but just a drizzle.  Wake up call @ 5:15 a.m., threw on my bike clothes, ate a great bfast put on by the wonderful Hampton Inn, and by 6:30 a.m., I was on my bike headed 87 miles down the road to Bucksport.  I rode with my friend, Ellen, a kindergarten teacher in VT.  We had the most incredible, stellar ride today!  It was like all the others have been recently, full of steep climbs, and heavy traffic. We laughed, talked as we rode, and the miles flew by.  We rode on Rt. 1, and many of the back roads, which had the steep hills.   Still, it was an incredible ride, and we were the first ones to finish out of the group.  We rode really hard, and basically were super strong the whole day.  We were glad to finish safely.  Tomorrow, we have our final ride into Bar Harbor, 47 miles.  It is hard to explain how I am feeling, but it borders on elation, excitement, and some sadness that this routine I have been living for the past 43 days will be ending.  All I've had to do is ride, eat, sleep.  I need to thank everyone who supported me, and gave money to my fund raising for Roswell Park Cancer Insitute in Buffalo, NY over these past two summers.  It has meant the world to me.  The real heroes are the people we all know, family, relatives, loved ones who are fighting Cancer.  All I know how to do is ride my bike, and raise money in hopes this disease will some day be put to rest.  I never lost sight of the purpose of my ride, and it kept me motivated, and going to ride some 2,400 miles over these 6 weeks. Ithought of my beautiful aunt, Ann Newell as I rode each day in her memory.  Her St. Jude medal protected me from a lot of challenging moments on the journey that I faced.  Including last summers WA State- Fargo, ND, 1,850 miles ,it is a total of 4,050 mile that I rode to cross the USA. Tomorrow, we get into Bar Harbor, at the West St. Pier.  We will ride in between 11-12:00.  Paje will be there to greet me!  So will my good friends, The Lambs (Laura, Jay, Jennifer, and Madeline)  I can't wait to see them all!!!!  Tomorrow night, we have a send off Banquet where we all eat, drink and say farewell to all of our biking friends who we've shared so much with over these intense 6 weeks. I am so fortunate.  I have had it all. 
Love,
Kit          

Aug. 14th. Bath, ME. 68 miles.

Milano and I rode together all day today.  We left Bridgton at 7:30 a.m., only to have her cable snap 20 minutes later.  We called Michelle, the trip leader, and she was there in no time flat to thread a new cable through.  Mic is a awesome bike mechanic!!  There is nothing she cannot fix.   Womantours is so lucky to have her on board.  The ride to Bath was very, very hilly, with short steep constant climbs.  I have a name for those short steep hills, but I am too much of a lady to type it out.  Deb has had a injured knee since Iowa, which was weeks back, so doing these steep climbs is tough for her....but she did the ride, and I looked out for her, and kept her laughing and all kinds of senseless nonsense!.  Once we got into Bath some 68 miles later, a brand new Hampton Inn awaited us!  Just gorgeous!  Very swanky!  I did the usual, hot shower, laundry.  For dinner, Linda, our chef, made mac. and cheese-scrumptous, and pulled pork on a bun with cole slaw.  SO GOOD!!  Our desserts were amazing--whoopie pies, chocolate twinkies made by a fellow biker, Robin's teacher friend.  Oh man I love whoopie pies!  The ride tomorrow is going to be, I think, hellish.  Not because it's 86 miles, but because there is a 70% chance of rain.  We ride into Bucksport, ME tomorrow.  I know I'll do it, but will get drenched.  Big deal.  I am determined. Then, Tuesday, we ride a mere 46 miles into Bar Harbor!!!!!!  I can't believe I have ridden from Fargo, ND to Maine in six weeks!!!!!!  Everyone is very excited for Tuesday.  We will all, after 6 weeks, get to see our families! Is there anything better than that?!
Love,
Kit

Bridgton, ME. Aug. 13th, 70 Miles. What a wild ride!!

We biked to Bridgton ME. today, some 70 miles from Lincoln, NH.  First thing, as soon as we got on our bikes at 7:40, we began a 12 mile climb up Kancamagus Pass in the White MTs.  Some 3,000 or so feet up.  I got up and over it no problem, I like climbing!  The descent was fast!  The ride was great the first 41 miles, where we then crossed the state line into Maine!!!!  I was elated!! I got choked up, and shared the moment with a father/son team also biking cross country, and headed to Lubec, Bar Harbor.  We each high fived one another and took photos on our cell phones.  The next 30 miles were pretty hairy...awful roads, high traffic.  There were more hills, but rolling, not mountians!  Still steep with awful maintained roads.  I got into Bridgton at 1:30 p.m. and felt really proud of myself as it was a really challenging ride in so many ways.  My camera was left in my suit case, so I have a photo of me at the Maine state line that was taken on my cell phone.  I'll try to figure a way to post it...  Tomorrow we ride into Bath, Maine, 67 miles away.  I can't wait to reach Bar Harbor on Tuesday.  So far I've ridden some 2,200 miles or so!  I am looking forward to Tuesday, when I dip my front tire into the Atlantic Ocean at the Pier in Bar Harbor, which will signify my cross country journey complete.
Love,
Kit

Aug. 12th-Lincoln, NH-63 Miles

We're in the White Mountains of New Hampshire!  We biked today from White River Junction, VT to Lincoln.  The first 28 miles was lovely, beautiful New England farm houses, then we hit the Mountains, and had all climbing the last  30+ miles.  The descents in the Whites were a blast, long and beautiful pavement.  My friend Con Con hit 50 mph on the descent!!  Wo!!  Once into Lincoln, NH we ate lunch, burger and fries, and a soft serve ice cream  I had banana.  Yummy!.  The climbing was very difficult, and my legs, along with everyone elses, felt fatigued from all the climbing we have done over the course of days.  I let out some choice swear words on a few of the climbs that were merciless and never ending.  Could you hear me?  One of the words began with the letter F.  And it wasn't the word, Fun.  Lincoln is a skiing town, home of the ski resort, Loon Mountain.  We bike into Bridgton, ME tomorrow, 70 miles.  We begin our ride with an immediate 12 miles climb on the Kancamagus highway.  The good news is, it is only a 6% grade climb.  We have been on hills that are 13+%.  Our trip guide, Michelle, said tomorrow is going to be a long day, full of climbing, and descending, and climbing.  Oh well...I like to climb more so than some of the down hills.  I just do it.  Everyone on our trip is feeling pretty tired, and worn out.  Many of the women are ready for the trip to end now.  Bar Harbor will be here before we know it...Tuesday!! One of my good friends has a stomach bug.  I hope she feels better so she can get some riding in tomorrow. Well here are some photos I took after the ride.
Only 4 more riding days left!!
Love,
Kit

Aug. 11th-White River Junction, VT, 68 Miles.

It was a beautiful ride today!!  I flew on my bike!  I began riding at 7:40 a.m.  Leaving Middlebury was hard, since it is such a booming town, and absolutely gorgeous! I was in White River at 12:30 pm!! I only hit one SAG stop at the 20 mile mark, then I never saw the SAG again until it too arrived at the Motel 8,  2.5 hours later after me.  I rode along the White River, it was beautiful! I didn't take any pictures because I was very focused, and so into the ride, plus the roads were pretty narrow, with minimal shoulder in spots, rough roads, so I really had to pay attention.  Once here, I checked into the Super 8 Motel.  It is in the process of having an over haul, but still the room I have looks great, and I am just happy to have a shower, and put on clean clothes.  I went over to the mini mart, and bought some macaroni salad, which I inhaled, then showered.  Con Con arrived after she and Annie took an alternative route which they loved.  Connie said she caught air on one of the descents!  Oh man!  She rides down hills like a Tour de France racer!  The temps were great today ,mid 70's some sun/clouds. It is hard to believe, but only 5 more riding days until we get into Bar harbor, ME.  I am so excited to meet this goal, of saying I have rode my bike across the USA!.  But mostly, am so happy to know I get to see my family; Paje, and my dog Cash in Maine, waiting for me.  I could not have gone this far without the support of Paje, my parents, my sister, brother, sister in law, brother in law, niece, and all of my friends.  I only wish my aunt, Annie, was alive to see this finish. I know she is with me.  I wear her St. Jude medal around my neck and kiss it each morning as I jump on my bike.  She has protected me thus far and I know will continue to until I reach Bar Harbor. 
Love,
Kit  

Rest Day, Aug. 10th, Middlebury, VT.

It's been an awesome rest day so far!  I slept until 9:30 this morning. I made it just in time to have bfast at the Inn.  I ate cherrios, a banana, and scrambled eggs with tea.  I then gathered all my laundry, and headed across the way to the laundry mat.  It was really crowded, as the carnival is in town.  I finished my laundry, and then ventured into the charming town of Middlebury.  Beautiful shops, restaurants, bakeries, bike shops, gift shops.  The vibe here is au natural, and everything is pure Vermont...all good whole ingredients in everything you eat.  There was a farmers market today, that Con Con and I walked through, and then we came upon a delicious deli, called Noonies.  I had a great turkey club sandwich with avocado, and banana peppers on home made oat bread.  Scrumptuous! Mom & Dad, you would've loved it!!  Then we hit the ice cream parlor, and I had a vanilla ice cream cone.  At 5:00, a bunch of us are heading back into town for dinner.  Tomorrow's ride is 68 miles into White River Junction, VT.  It is going to be a very hilly, challenging ride with steep climbs and descents.  I am really babying myself today, by resting, eating, and drinking a lot of fluids.  The day after that we cross into New Hampshire!  I am posting more photos, some of these are from last week, when we biked through Rochester, NY and had brunch at the womantours headquarters. One of our riders, Katie, a College Prof. from CA., flew back west today, as she starts teaching in a few days.  Katie is a nice person, and super rider.  I had some great rides, and laughs with her!  I will really miss her, but know I'll see her again since she still owns a condo in Boston.  Her friend, Beth
from NC., has taken her place, and she seems very friendly and kind.

Love, Kit

Old Forge, NY-Aug. 7, 76 Miles. Schroon Lake, NY-Aug. 8th, 86 Miles. Middlebury, VT,, Aug. 9th, 42 Miles.

I'm finally back in New England!!  And I'm in the college town of Middlebury, VT.  Very beautiful, full of shops, restaurants, pubs.   Just arrived, after a hilly ride in, but beautiful.  This is, God's country!  Lush, green mountains.  Incredible.  Mom, I wish you were here.   I couldn't blog the past couple of days because we were in the Adirondack Mts. and in small towns with no service.  I've been riding really well and hard through the hills.  My total mileage ridden thus far is 1,908 miles!  Yesterdays ride was challenging, pouring rain, and lots of climbs. The Adirondacks is beautiful.  I could live there too!  Paje and Cash, our black and tan coon hound, would love it!  There were a lot of racoons around, unfortunately, road kill.  Tomorrow, we finally get a rest day!!  We've been riding 6 days straight without one since we left Niagara Falls, NY back on Aug. 4th.  Everone is pretty tired, and I think getting the itch to be back with their loved ones.  I am having a blast still, and even though the rides are now full of climbing--which I am really liking.  Some of the women have been in the sag wagon on/off during our recent rides due to being too tired, or injured with knee pain--the hills we are climbing do not help a bum knee!  I am pretty tired, and just checked into my room, here at the Middlebury Inn.  I need to do laundry, shower.  Tomorrow is our rest day!!  Yippee! 6  more riding days until we reach our goal of Bar Harbor, ME on Aug. 16th.  Only about 340 more miles to go.  Here's a bunch of pictures from the past few days!  

Sodus Point, NY Aug. 5th-76 miles & Pulaski, NY Aug. 6th-66 Miles

We had a long day yesterday, but fun and sunny.  We left Brockport, NY and set on our way for Sodus Point, 76 miles down the road.  It was a lovely ride, sunny, and we stopped at the 25 mile mark in Rochester, NY for a lovely brunch put on by the Womantours Head quarters!  Quiche, Slamon and bagels, cookies, breakfast breads, juices coffees.  We then continued on to Sodus Point.  My friend, Rebecca from last years trip met us at the 50 mile mark, and she biked in with Milano and I.  We stopped for lunch in Palwenty (sp?) another little lovely town for lunch, right on the water.  Once into Sodus Point, we got all nestled into our digs.  We stayed in 2 different hotels/B&B's /fishing bait houses!  The pictures will explain!  Still, it was all good!  For dinner, Linda, our chef made salmon!  Oh man, it was good!!!  Then, Rebecca purchased an awesome huge cake and ice cream for dessert.  Yes, we eat really well, and burn it all right off!  That is the best thing!  We awoke today, and biked 66 miles into Pulaski, NY, another cute town.  There were a lot of rolling hills to get over, and some, pretty steep.  Once into Pulaski, I showered and fell asleep for an hour.  My body is kind of tired these past 2 days.  It must've been all the excitement in Niagara Falls, NY.  I biked with Connie and Milano, and it was a good ride.  We rode really hard.  We had pizza, salad and cheese cake for dinner today.  It is now raining, and is suppose to rain tomorrow.  Hey, anything beats the heat we had in the Mid West!  Tomorrow, we ride 76 miles into Old Forge, NY.  Total mileage:  1,704.  I will try to print pictures, but it looks like my AT&T carrier might not work here.
Love, Kit 

Leaving Niagara Falls, NY. Hello! Brockport, NY-68 Miles

Yesterday was a blast!  My family, parents, sister, brother in law hosted all 29 of us for a barbeque.  Delicious food---Whistle Pigs (Sahlens hotdogs wrappped in bacon and cheddar cheese) Trusellos old world Italian Pizza, Buffalo chicken wings, Beef on Kimmelweck, salads, cakes, Italian cookies, cannolis!  Everone had a great time and they loved my family, and my family loved all 29 of them!  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera to my sister's house in the excitement, so no photos...

I awoke today in my childhood home in Lewiston, NY @ my parents home at 5:30 a.m.  My Dad drove me up to the Falls where I met all the other riders.  The Niagara Gazette Newspaper did a nice article on me, and my cross country ride.  It was in yesterday's paper. If you google it, you can probaby see it.  It is in the local section of theNiagara Gazette.  We rode to Brockport today, just 68 miles down the road.  The ride was monotonous....a lot of straight roads, and I was pretty tired from our party last night with the familia! I think I had too many beergaritas!  It was hard to leave my family back in Lewiston, NY, but I have my eye on the prize...getting to Bar Harbor, ME where my beautiful girl friend, Paje, and sweet dog, Cash await me at the finish on Aug. 16th.  Once at the hotel , Milano and I ate lunch at Friendly's, then I went over to Wegman's grocery store across the street and bought some more sun screen, doritos, and Jujy fruit candy.  Yes, I  know, once this ride is over I need to curb my junk food craving.  But on this trip you eat what you want, you burn it right off.  Tomorrw we head to Sodus Point, NY 76 miles away.  We will be stopping for brunch on our way at the Womantours headquarters in Rochester, NY.  Hmm, I hope they have some donuts for us.  Pictures below are of the Erie Canal and the Locks in Lockport, NY.
Love, Kit