lost and found in the hills...

day 1 (80 miles)--our first day out and already...: it was a cool and foggy morning, at least once we started rolling down the road--jalil put his long sleeve on by the end of stark hill road. pam woke a tad early to take some pictures. we final packed, said our farewells, and started pedaling...

at the corner of stark hill and rt. 4, stopped so jalil could shirt up, pat mccleary beeped as he went by on his way to the school. i waved then and again as i passed the high school. it still hasn't hit me that i retired, i am just doing something different. i realized it is just like my conception of friendships: i am intensely in the moment--loyal if we are talking friends--but i don't dwell on things. the practice has its benefits and has become a 'new age' mantra--be present.

my presence was now on the bike and even though i wished the returning teachers--and custodians--a great year as we went by mascoma, my joy was now biking, not in leaving a long happy career. i will definitely miss people: staff, students, parents... this brought back the memory of nadine gordimer's wonderful book burger's daughter, and the line where rosa burger notes that "sentiment is for those who don't know what to do next." i am traveling across the country on a bike with jalil, and it is good.

so good that jess paterson, a former student, saw us pedaling through cornish. we were headed to another alum's house down in brattleboro vermont. carly reitsma, now with her husband jesse and their two kids, maeble and lena, let us occupy their wonderful space. i am still kicking myself that i didn't take a picture of the beautiful family. 

since getting there is half the fun, i should say some more about the ride...it was hot and jalil and i lost each other. considering that we hope to get at least to the rockies, that didn't bode well as a first day. but, it was equally hot the second day and is promised to stay that way for a while. however, jalil and i have established a more secure bond without my having to "get a phone" as pam strongly suggested. i do admit, it would make things more convenient, but...

one of the coolest things about a long distance bike ride is all the people you meet. i use the word loosely as some just pass quickly by, beep, give a thumb's up or wave, while others help you find a bathroom and volunteer to 'guard' your bikes while you are using it. we had a fun little conversation talking about the repair to a collapsed road along side the connecticut river with a flagman just before walpole. the topic morphed into a short list of local heron and egret rookeries and ended with directions to get to an established bald eagle nest. then there were the folks at west hill bike shop that helped me reconnect with jalil, at least by phone, and straighten out my rear derailur. 

i already mentioned carly and family, and i sit and type at this very moment with nancy and robert, long time friends of pam and me. these fine folks were waiting for as at the end of some huge hills. 

day 2 (70 miles)--hot and hill -- y, as in one big mother:  it was just as hot as yesterday only today we had to climb up and over hogback mtn. between brattleboro and albany. i think that first part of the climb was tougher, but jalil is sticking with the second set of ups before searsport. 

i took a picture of jalil, in the shade, on the way up one of those 'hills'. the effort was fairly grueling but gave some downhill wind in our hair, or lack there of in my case. it was practically a cruise into ny state even though we were both tired. it was also much cooler.

i want to go on record here that jalil is amazing! before this summer he has only ridden a bike around the neighborhood as a kid. now, he is committed to riding for at least three weeks. on top of that, he has entrusted me as a guide. i am honored and hope that my tendency to ride along most of the day and 'stealth camp' by the side of the road does not freak him out--too much. (i am thinking back to that moose head at jesse's that strarted this whole trip.)

robert actually grabbed us in troy and ferried us through city traffic to their place on the edge of albany. nancy opened her larder to two hungry bikers and after the feast, gave us each a bed. we have been well taken care of, and even though the next planned stop at a house is cleveland, i expect our camps to be comfortable enough on the road--only maybe with less luxury. i look forward to that.

at the moment though, i woke up way too early today and should stop here and actually eat some breakfast...more breakfast that is.

ciao

gearing up...

as said, it rained and i started making piles. the sleeping bags, pads, and solo tents--that red bag on a yellow stuff sack on the left--will go on top of our rear racks. my pile on the left has clothes included, while jalil's is still wanting most of that. cooking gear is in the middle and i am still toying with which stove set up to take--the msr white gas rig or the dry gas soda can one. all these decisions remind me of going down the cereal isle in the grocery store.

the main reason for this post is to try out the itouch camera uploading system.

i can handle tech, but a lot of the interfaces are new to me as i still have yet to join most social media trends. my go to 'help' is sawyer and we have talked about the relative merits of instagram, picasa, and this and that (shades of the cereal isle again).

another amazing change compared to the last time i did this--besides a doubling of my age--is the specialized bike gear i am using. i can remember sticking circuit board cutouts under my insoles in a pair of running shoes which did make them stiffer, until they cracked. my khaki shorts and cotton t-shirts seemed fine but, they are a heck of a lot heavier and not great when wet. along about minnesota, i finally bought bike gloves, a hand-saver, just much too late. comfort and safety are key, still, i try not to get too obsessive.

back to the 'to do before you go' list...

ciao

summer...

teachers all over are coming out of relaxed mode and making ready for students' return to classrooms. at mvrhs, building renovation is still bustling and while most rooms are painted, their floors waxed, and furniture somewhat back in place, the halls and other areas show a different story--one that might add a day or two to the opening of the building.

all that is sort of a moot point for me, i have 'redeployed' and have spent my summer readying myself for a cross-country bike adventure (well, sort of--but definitely having a good time). somehow my departure day and teacher return day match up on sept. 1st. i might even stop by the school if i pedal off a tad later than planned...

if it keeps raining out today i am going to start making piles of things to take when living on and off a bike for a couple of months, after the septic guy pumps out the tank. with any planned absence comes a 'do before you go' list. somehow i thought of digging down to the septic tank as necessary, that and maybe testing the drilled well pump which has sat fallow for a few years of plenty rain. pam added a few things that she would prefer not to have to do as well. i don't feel to much pressure--i have six days!

more to follow...ciao

in the begining...

hello everybody. sitting here in cloudcamp building my first blog and trying this and that out. i added a photo and link so far and as you can read--this is my first post.

i would be willing to bet that with time they will get better.