More gorgeous Maine villages, and into New Hampshire

We know you wont sympathise, but there is a heatwave here, and it is stinking hot and humid.  Couldn't sleep in the little two person tent, still 22 degrees celsius at about 3am, and much hotter with two people in a little tent!  But, only sprinkles of rain, we have been very lucky.

We have had fantastic riding for the last two days.  Gentle rides, very picturesque, off the main rides (and of course our much better level of fitness helps!)

We are now being generously hosted by Brent Bell, his wife Beth Potier and their 6 year old son Holde and 8 year old dog Lucy.  Brent has done a lot of cycle touring since his cross country odyssey in the US in 1987 and they drove past us a couple of days ago while we were on our way to Freeport.  They had a 'triplet' bike on the roof of the car (for three people, Holden sits in the middle of mum and dad and peddles).  Peter noticed the bike while we were all stopped at lights.  About a block or two later, they had stopped on the side of the ride and waved us down and invited us to stay with them in Durham, New Hampshire.

Extremely generous.  Brent drove to meet us at Kittery Point at lunchtime today, took our panniers in the car, and then rode with us for 6 miles to show us the bike route (11 miles) from Portsmouth to their place.  It was so liberating to ride for so long and so far without any luggage!!  He then rode back to his car, and got to their house minutes before us.

Durham is a University town, for the University of New Hampshire.  There are about 12,000 undergraduate students, 2000 graduate students.  Renowned for its English, Outdoor Education and xxxx programmes.  Brent is an Associate Professor in Outdoor Education, specialising (his doctorate) in outdoor education (ie Outward Bound) as transitional education programmes.  He has just been awarded tenure, congratulations!  That was fascinating as I had always wondered about this mysterious 'tenure'.  We knew that it meant that you had a job for life.  But when we asked Brent about it, what we didn't realise is that you have to:
a.  Get a job that is on the 'tenure track'.
b. Faculty jobs are for a 9 month contract, you only get paid for that time, then you have your 3 months off.  If you want to qualify for tenure, you have 5 years basically to prove yourself.  So he has spent the last 5 years doing research papers, getting published, to apply for tenure, so no time off in those extra 3 months.
c. Then you have to apply for tenure.  That takes a year.  When you have tenure, you become an associate professor (in the US before that you are an Assistant Professor, which is what he was before).  Then, to become a professor, you do all that again, and apply with your documents and paper that prove your national/international recognition'.

When you have tenure, you can start taking a few more risks and being a little more controversial with what you publish, if that is your inclination.  At the moment, Brent/Beth/Hudson are out at a childrens movie.  We went to dinner with them at the University.  A fantastic set up.  It was $6 or so for a meal, (they buy it for a year at 150 meals).  Then there are all these individual stations in the cafeteria and you eat as much as you want.  Fantastic salad, a little pasta, pizza and then dessert and icecream.

B rent gave us a quick cycle tour around Portsmouth that added to our understanding of the city.  Apparently it is a 'mini' Boston.

Peter and our generous host Brent Bell on the bridge between Maine and New Hampshire at Portsmouth

Portsmouth, lovely little town, particularly with the guided tour from Brent

Submarine shipyards for the US Navy at Portsmouth (on the Maine side)

Learned more about New Hampshire as well.  The guide books and newspapers talk about it being a right wing, Republican, low tax state.  This confused us as we haven't yet met a right wing academic (but that could be our narrow sphere of reference). So we asked.  The current Governor of New Hampshire for the last 6 years is a Democrat.  You don't have to be Republican to live here.  But this is where the first off the rank Primaries are held for each Presidential election, which is just starting now.  According to Brent and Beth, New Hampshire is more libertarian, and more 'don't stick your nose into other peoples business', if they want to be gay and get married, so be it.

We don't have far to go down the coast to get into Massachusetts, and Peter is looking at the map right now.  Brent and Beth are mad keen cyclists (and snow skiers in winter), it has just started pouring with rain outside (so glad we are in a house and not a tent!!!), so we will talk to them about our route when they get home.

Carey and Peter at Portsmouth, about to go over bridge

 More lovely Maine villages, photos below.

Have to show how lily white my hands were/are, darn cycling gloves!!!

Lovely sand beach at Fortunes Rocks, just south of Biddeford/Saco, in Maine.  I recalled that Anita Shreve wrote a book called Fortune's Rocks.  Looked it up on the phone, and her main character had the last name of Biddeford (the main town nearby), this is where she is from, this region.

Wells Beach, Maine, crowded.  don't know how they fit all the houses on the island, 3 or 4 rows, on virtually no land

A lighthouse, finally!  Off York Beach, Maine. all the rest of the lighthouses were on points that were too far to ride out to.. part of the 'Maine charm.'

 

 

 

Now we are heading into the unknown. Have maps, but don't know much about what we are going to find between here and Boston.  We know that there is a Salem Witch museum that I am definitely going to, but the rest, all a big adventure!

C&P