Tuesday, 23 May 2006

Recompense Shore to Chewonki campsite

The morning was uniform grey and chilly. I packed up my homemade tent and [walking] poles for the last time on this trip and cycled back into Freeport to the Post Office. Surface shipping was quite cheap ($30) so I packaged the tent and sent it on it's 4-6 week voyage back home. I'll miss my tent - especially the hammock which I was looking forward to having for lazy sunny afternoons.

[Note to self: 1) Move tie-back loops out of seams. Place on outside of seam, folded back away from the seam; loops to the outside. Attach inner toggle higher than outer loop. 2) Move pegging loops to outside seam approx. 2-3 inches from the edge to create a 'skirt'. 3) Add pegging loops and velcro to groundsheet to match flysheet.]

After that I went back to the library for a couple of hours. (I'm spending more time in the library typing than I am on the road peddling!) (Just kidding; I'm sure I've got a permanent saddle shaped impression in my butt!) I also passed some time in a couple of long chats with a [former cycling] couple at the Post Office and 2 ladies working in the library. By the time I emerged from the library it was nice and sunny and lunchtime, so on a recommendation I went to Isabella's Cafe for a toasted steak sandwich.

Then it was time to take the plunge and pick a new tent. In the end I opted for the North Face Tadpole 23 ($134 That's about 71 GBP at current exchange rates. Amazingly cheap.) By the time I left Freeport it was 1:30 pm and a lovely sunny day with a nice cool breeze; perfect for cycling. I passed through Brunswick onto the Androscoggin River Bike Path which from the name and the map seemed very promising and indeed started out that way, but just ended up running next to the busy US1 before rejoining some quiet country roads.

The next town Bath, was nothing like it's English namesake. I was determined to find somewhere for a nice Latte, and I actually found an information board with a town plan on - something I'd noticed has been missing from most of the places I've been through. As the library was so close I was tempted to pop in briefly. I found that here I could upload my digital photos onto the web (something that is not possible in most places) so I ended up spending an hour uploading most of my photos so far. Now I just need to figure out how to make them available for easy viewing.

By now there was no time for a coffee if I wanted to get to a campsite before dark. Luckily while I was on the internet I checked on where the Chewonki campground was and how to get there as it is marked in the wrong place on my map. It turned out they charged a hefty $30, and they also charged for showers too. (Only 10c for 3 mins or 25c for 8 mins.) It was a bit of a disappointment when I was standing there naked putting my dime in to find that it would accept my money. The shower next door accept my money but delivered no water. There was no-one around so I had to make do with a splash wash from the washbasin. Lovely.

All the campsites I've stayed at so far have been very quiet - usually I've been the only person there with a tent.

Distance: 41.1 miles
Cycling time: 4:16
Total distance: 304.2 miles