{"id":12009,"date":"2013-09-02T08:48:37","date_gmt":"2013-09-02T12:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=12009"},"modified":"2013-09-02T14:24:21","modified_gmt":"2013-09-02T18:24:21","slug":"day-72-saturday-august-31-north-woodstock-to-center-conway-new-hampshire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=12009","title":{"rendered":"Day 72. Saturday, August 31 – North Woodstock to Center Conway, New Hampshire"},"content":{"rendered":"

It rained just before we headed out this morning leaving heavy clouds behind.\"\"<\/a>Sixty two degrees,\u00a099% humidity and a good chance of rain; any way you measure it, we are going to be dripping\"\"<\/a> by the end of this ride.<\/p>\n

We had a mile ride out of town, through the next one \"\"<\/a>and then began our climb.\"\"<\/a> This area is apparently a tourist hotbed, filled with lots of recreation,\"\"<\/a>high end lodges and resorts.\"\"<\/a> Our climb was slow, steady and beautiful; steam from the rain\/humidity\/sun trifecta \"\"<\/a>was still thick an hour and a half into our ride. \u00a0Early in the morning, however, we were able to take advantage of the shade \"\"<\/a>from the low sun and tall mountains. \u00a0Stopped at the overlooks,\"\"<\/a> showcasing the 4000 to 5000 foot mountains that surrounded us.\"\"<\/a> Once again, we enjoyed the streams\"\"<\/a> rushing down the mountain.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With our slow and steady pace, it was a pretty easy ride up the 2000 feet;\"\"<\/a>two and a half hours to ride the fourteen and a half miles. \u00a0We were stoked,\"\"<\/a> but with this kind of vista, how can you not be!\"\"<\/a> The 2855 foot pass \"\"<\/a>was certainly not our highest or toughest, but it was still fun. \u00a0And that’s not counting the glorious fly down; \"\"<\/a>we covered five miles in 10 minutes; then pedaled hard the next 18, completing it in an hour, twenty; just plain exhilarating. \u00a0We arrived at the bottom about the time everyone else in New Hampshire,\"\"<\/a> but with a wide shoulder, we quickly moved past the long line of cars and into a cafe for lunch.<\/p>\n

We got 50 miles out of our 43 mile ride….miscalculated the closest available grocery store, so a bit of backtracking. \u00a0Is it a coincidence that the only hotel within 100 miles was a short ride on the opening day of football season? \u00a0Or a coincidence that the TV in the motel was a 43 inch flat screen? \u00a0Or 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! \u00a0But, it was a good afternoon, to watch football and rest for tomorrow’s ride.\n\t\t