Friday, 19 May 2006

Wyman's Beach to Hidden Valley Park

The rain had returned by morning - it was cold and grey. I went back to bed to see if things would improve, but by 7:30 if anything it was worse. At least my homemade tent had passed it's first test. I was missing my old tent (Terra Nova Solar 2) which was more comfortable but not as flexible as my pitch 2-ways or hammock and flysheet contrivance. I think the thing I miss most about my old tent, is the fact that I had a routine; everything has a place. I don't have any such routine yet with the new tent. Also, I'm already thinking of how I could have made it differently, and alternative designs. After an hour of heavy rain I started to get some water coming through the seams at the places where I had put some elasticated tie-back loops. I had worried about that but it didn't seem too serious as they are right at the ends, but when it drips to the ground, it does tend to splash quite a way. (Hadn't thought about that! You don't always camp on grass.) The other seams seem to be okay so I don't know what I can do about this. (Any ideas...) I should definitely have had a trial run before setting out. (I worried about that too)

Anyway, with things starting to get wet, I packed up and by the time the bike was loaded up the rain had more or less stopped. I cycled back to the route again (I am following a cycling route published by the American Adventure Cycling Association http://www.adv-cycling.org/ Atlantic Coast, Section 1) at Dunstable and then headed to Tyngsborough. I passed a sign for the Town Hall and Library, so I stopped off to use the internet. By the time I came out again the rain was coming down very heavily - but coming straight down, so at least there was no wind. I set off in the rain but soon stopped at the Dream Diner for Brunch. Food is the one thing I could afford to indulge in here if only everything else wasn't so expensive. Egg (over-easy) home fries, Kielbasa (A sort of Polish sausage - sort of like Saveloy I guess, can't remember exactly what Saveloy is like, it's so long since I've had any.) wheat toast and tea $6.83 The thing I really like about America is there no being stingy on tea or coffee. No poxy little pot or cup. Sometimes you don't even have to ask; a free refill mug just arrives with a fresh tea-bag in. Bliss

The rain had eased off by the time I set off again, crossing the Merrimack River which was so much in the news a couple of days ago with all the flooding. Soon I was crossing my first state line, leaving Massachusetts and entering New Hampshire, The Granite State. I also stopped at my first big supermarket to suss out what they're like over here - pretty much as you'd expect but I just need to get used to the layout and find out what I can and can't buy of what I'm used to. My next stop was at a bank to get some more cash (where does it all go!) and ask directions. It's lucky I did as I had missed my turning half a mile back. I'd just stopped to take off my rainjacket as it was looking brighter when there was a huge clap of thunder overhead. Thunder is bigger and better here too; much louder and just roils around for ages. Sure enough a couple of hundred metres down the road the rain came down heavy again.

I was soon lost again and had to stop for directions at a Fire Station. Maybe it's my European eyes not picking up on the road signs or not following the directions. Some of the bigger/busier roads have numbers and a direction (east/south etc) but there are no direction signs - you know, "So and so" this way. Usually at junctions there are street names but often not even that. Often my directions say something like "Turn left onto such and such street (unsined)" - how do I know if it's "such and such" street?

Pointed in the right direction I picked up the route and stopped for a tea at a gas station diner at West Windham (Had a funny chat with 2 fat birds) I'd done less than 30 miles and it was already after 3pm. I'm struggling to put on the miles here, but it's early days yet. No rush.

The sun put in a brief appearance. I set off again. The rest of my ride was dry with lots of short but sometimes tough up and downs. After 40 miles I turned off the route to Hidden Valley Park where camping was $27. (Better than last night's $32, but still seems expensive to me) After my experience with the tent this morning I opted to pitch the tent in hammock configuration. Not sure how well I'll sleep on my back after at least 30 years of sleeping on my side or front.



Distance: 41.0 miles
Cycling time: 4:35
Total distance: 107.8 miles