We are now in a town called Machias (pronounced Ma CH ias - not k for the ch). It is the Indian Name for the waterfalls that flow through the town. We are in a motel, and quite quite tired.
Have looked at the elevation plot of our riding since we left Halifax, we can see why we are so tired. Fortunately we are now much fitter. Unfortunately, that is not translating into being thinner. Maybe our bodies have got such a shock at all this exercise that they are holding on to all the fat we are eating (see 'food' below).
We are now in the USA, and it looks like things are quite different here. As soon as we crossed the border, we could feel the change. The people are different, their homes and yards are different. This is our first night staying here, so it will be interesting to see if the food is different to Canada too. Canada's food felt pretty American.
Riding observations
We were really lucky today. Peter had a sudden massive attack of hay fever and we had to stop for him to get the Zyrtec tablets out to take. While he was doing that, a lady came riding down a side road (this is in the middle of nowhere in Northern Maine) and stopped and talked to us. Turns out, she lives in Portland, Maine, her name is Shoshanna, probably around 50 yrs old and she works for Bike Maine!
Bike Maine are the Government organisation that do lots of amazing bike trails etc. She told us all about this brand new book they have just released (all we have to do now is find an information centre, and then one that is open on the 4th July weekend, it might not be till Tuesday we can get that book.) But, more importantly, she also told us about and 85 mile (137km) recreational trail from Calais to Ellsworth.
This has just been finished and is a railway bed. Flat or very slight gradient. We found it at East Machias and can't believe how easy the riding is. When we downloaded the elevation of the last three days riding (and today before we got onto that trail), we can see why we are so tired. We did between 600 and 1000 metres of climbing in total, in lots of short sharp jagged hills (apart from some nice rolling motorway roads out of St John in New Brunswick yesterday).
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| Peter on the cycle trail, only 1km from Machias where we stoppe |
She also asked us to go and stay at her place in Portland (probably camping on her lawn as her children will be home, she was quite excited to meet some NZ'ers. If we go into Portland we will definitely do that. We have heard of people offering things like that to cyclists and wondered why it didn't happen to us. But we did meet a nice man in the airport at Boston who lived in St John, who gave us our card in case anything went wrong.
Tonight we now have to work out where we are going in Maine. We have 13 days here, and we need to have some rest days. So while I'm writing this, Peter is trying to work out the different routes. We definitely prefer less hills and less traffic!
Fortunately, we aren't keen to see a whole lot of museums, the countryside and riding is pretty good for now, so we don't have to make big detours. Having said that, I did want to see the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt summer home at Campobello Island this morning. Only a 34 room summer residence! But we got there at 9am Canadian time, to find out that it opened at 10am Canadian time and 9am US time. So we weren't going to wait around for 1 hour in the fog to see it!
Our legs aren't killing us with pain and (apparently) lactic acid anymore. BUT A disaster did occur!!! I realised that muscles that I am building up in my calves mean that I won't be able to fit into my two lovely pair of long winter boots. I have to stop riding right now!!!! Or buy new boots when I get home.... Well maybe they will fit, one are too big and the others stretch (sorry Jen and Mum, you don't get them!!).
We have had string after string of bike issues. So many punctures (in the expensive punctureless Scwalbe tyres with Kevlar liners). Peter is getting very good at fixing punctures. Our chains are stretched from changing gears with our 25kg each load on (plus us), because of all the rolling hills, lots of gear changing! Hopefully we can find a bike shop in the next few days to get spare tubes, they are all used up!
Food observations
Ah, I really do prefer French food. But, at least here, when you find a food shop it is usually open (unlike in France where they are closed for a couple of hours each day and usually on Sunday and Monday). The problem is, the food here ranges from absolutely disgusting to horrible to outstanding. The difficult thing is there are lots of 'towns' where the only facilities are the petrol stations, and there is only highly processed horrible food in them.
As a result, we haven't been eating very well (and we all know what happens when one doesn't eat regularly and healthy, don't we???). As an example, yesterday I had a bowl of rice bubbles, milk and OJ for breakfast, rode for 50km, and had a club sandwich and fries at 3.30pm and then some pringles for dinner. There was nowhere to get decent food on the whole route (apart from one Subway, which was at the wrong time of the day), apart from the club Sandwich place (at least they didn't have green snot gravy on it!)
We are learning a little. We are now carrying lots of trail mix (nuts, raisins), vitamin drinks, water, bananas. Makes the bikes heavier, but at least we don't run out! Hopefully as we go south there will be more facilities.
On the other hand, we have had two fantastic meals. The second night in Halifax we had a fantastic lobster dinner (Lobster main part of Nova Scotia's economy) and then on Canada Day on 1st July in St John, we had a fantastic night on the 'patio'. In Canada, we presume because they have very little summer, they make a big deal out of the 'patio season'. This is outdoor dining. Everywhere you go, you see signs saying 'patio dining', 'buy your patio gear here', 'heated patio'.
On Canada Day, we went down to the Boardwalk, where we had fantastic scallops in bacon (scallops vital part of the economy), crab and spinach dip, lots of red wine, other food and listed to live music. Some so--so, but, I can't believe I'm saying this, one hip hop band that were fantastic. The female singer, was just like the lead singer from the The Cranberries, and they were so talented and clever!
We forget how large people in North America are, and when you see the food choices available to them, it isn't surprising. Highly processed foods, fries or potato chips with lunch or dinner.
Camping Observations
Wow, is there a difference in the quality of campsites. Is it wooded, or are the sites open to the sun. Is there a seperate area for the tents, or do you have to share with the humungous RV's that bring everything including the kitchen sink? Are the tent sites flat? How windy is it? Do you have to pay extra for the showers? What are the showers like? Are there laundry facilities? What are the wireless internet facilities like? How far to get some food for dinner and breakfast? Is there a camp table for your site?
We are really surprised that none of the campsites we have been to yet have a kitchen or cooking facilities (unlike what we have seen in Europe and France). We have decided that is because the RV's and Caravans already have those facilities, so don't need them!
The price that you pay doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of the campground. The first one that we stayed out was pretty nice, but cost $47. The second one was only $28, but showers were 1 loonie each ($1 Canadian), but weren't any different to the first ones. The Campground in St John was fantastic, only $28, free showers, great wireless internet, but showers quite grotty. Last night though, really took the cake! Only $28. No flat sites, no sheltered sites. No phone reception, regardless of decent internet!
Stay anywhere! Well that was difficult as lots of people had spread out over about 3 sites. It was really windy so we tried to get a sheltered sunny site. It wasn't flat but worst of all, this campground didn't have a 'silence after 11pm' rule and the 18 year old kid who was 'managing' the campground wasn't going to do anything about the noise. The tent directly opposite us turned on their car stereo and drank and talked and listened to it (with the car doors open, turning the car on so the battery didn't go flat...) until about 1am. Then they woke us up again before 6.30am.
And the showers were filthy, diabolical, and toilets blocked. Boy were we glad to leave that campground (and Deer Island), in a heavy fog this morning!
Well,thats far too much information, but I was in the mood!!! Having a great time, hope you all are. I think I might have fixed the ability to add comments to the blogs. We would love to hear from you, or drop us an email if you have time, to careychurch42@gmail.com.
Off the dinner now (hopefully not fries!)
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