It rained just before we headed out this morning leaving heavy clouds behind.Sixty two degrees, 99% humidity and a good chance of rain; any way you measure it, we are going to be dripping by the end of this ride.

We had a mile ride out of town, through the next one and then began our climb. This area is apparently a tourist hotbed, filled with lots of recreation,high end lodges and resorts. Our climb was slow, steady and beautiful; steam from the rain/humidity/sun trifecta was still thick an hour and a half into our ride.  Early in the morning, however, we were able to take advantage of the shade from the low sun and tall mountains.  Stopped at the overlooks, showcasing the 4000 to 5000 foot mountains that surrounded us. Once again, we enjoyed the streams rushing down the mountain.

With our slow and steady pace, it was a pretty easy ride up the 2000 feet;two and a half hours to ride the fourteen and a half miles.  We were stoked, but with this kind of vista, how can you not be! The 2855 foot pass was certainly not our highest or toughest, but it was still fun.  And that’s not counting the glorious fly down; we covered five miles in 10 minutes; then pedaled hard the next 18, completing it in an hour, twenty; just plain exhilarating.  We arrived at the bottom about the time everyone else in New Hampshire, but with a wide shoulder, we quickly moved past the long line of cars and into a cafe for lunch.

We got 50 miles out of our 43 mile ride….miscalculated the closest available grocery store, so a bit of backtracking.  Is it a coincidence that the only hotel within 100 miles was a short ride on the opening day of football season?  Or a coincidence that the TV in the motel was a 43 inch flat screen?  Or that there was no restaurant close enough to bike, so we had to sit it front of the T.V. with a bowl full of homemade pasta…..I think not!  But, it was a good afternoon, to watch football and rest for tomorrow’s ride.