Bike At The Dawn dance
Pearl Hill Campsite
I’m sitting in a bakery/cafe in with a perfectly presented Cobb salad, a patiently produced multigrain sourdough loaf, and a view of the Connecticut river. Lunch options are numerous in Brattleboro on a Sunday, but the offerings are satisfying. Arrival in Brattleboro was a two stage process. Friday night I left Londonderry with some camping gear, including the storied hammock, and my dancing shoes packed on the bike. I rode about 30 miles to a campground in Townsend, MA where I was greeted by a cozy site and some familiar friendly faces with food! Saturday was a day of exploring the park and cooking on the campfire.
The Vermont Border
Today, Sunday, came the main event. A 57 mile route separated me and this town on the Vermont border. I knew I would be passing in the neighborhood of Monadnock, but through some combination of optimism and reckless planning I hadn’t studied the topography of the course. Thus I set out with excited apprehension late this morning. As if in answer to this mental state, the road pointed up as soon as I left the park road and turned west. Up through Willard Brook State Park. Up through Watatic Mountain State Wildlife Area. Up through the NH border town of Rindge. Learning from my mistakes, I stopped when it felt right to top off a water bottle with electrolyte fortified fluid and was greeting by a cashier from one of these hilly towns who claimed a youth time legacy of 150 mile weeks riding through this territory. In one remote stretch of 119, a police escorted train of, literally, hundreds of motorcycles passed in the opposite direction. They appeared to be riding in recognition on veterans. The things you don’t see if you don’t leave the house…
View Of Monadnock
Despite the elevation, which totaled 2200′ of climbing, and 1100′ relief, peaking at 1325′, I was grateful that the grades were mostly slow and steady, with only one steep section coming out of Keene pushing me to question if I would make it over the next ridge pedaling. A headwind occasionally gusted to make forward progress challenging on flats, but mostly served to keep me cool. However, it didn’t let up either, and varying altitude was the rule to the doorstep of my destination. The Connecticut River Valley affords no plains at this latitude.
Tonight the plan is: dance till dawn at the legendary Brattleboro Dawn Dance. In my case, I predict dancing will end with me dozing off in a chair. Happy Memorial Day!