Water, Water, Everywhere!

We have a Trivia Winner!   Congrats to Susie Eisert!

There were several correct answers for the trivia question.

The one that Susie and I found most interesting is that:

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote " Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Brunswick while her
 husband taught at Bowdoin College.  This novel, about slavery, 
inflamed the anti- slavery sentiments of the Civil War.

Abe Gindoff was very close with the second answer 
 to the question about Bowdoin College and how it relates to the Civil War:
Joshua Chamberlain, a brigadier general for the union army who fought
valiantly at Gettysburg, later became the President of Bowdoin College!

Glenn departed Brunswick at 8 AM and tried to take Rte.1,

a shorter route than his GPS indicated.   There was a reason that the GPS 

did not send him that way....he was riding on a road that did not allow

bicycle traffic.   He was soon pulled over by a policeman with

the siren and lights going to warn him about his error!  A four

mile delay didn't put him too far behind in what turned out to be a

92.93 mile leg in 6 and 1/2 hours of riding time.

Today's ride took Glenn through farmlands, near the coast and over challenging

hills, ascending 5727 feet today.  We decided that Glenn should probably

go further than Camden today since the weather was great, Glenn felt

energetic and the threat of rain for tomorrow could slow him down on the next leg.

He rode an extra 25 miles today and has 34 miles to go to reach Ellsworth

which is to be the end of tomorrow's segment.   Even in rain, he should be able to

accomplish that :)   I picked him up in Searsport at 3:30 this 

afternoon and I'll drive him to this new starting point in the morning.

In answer to some questions about Glenn's bike GPS, I took this 

photo this morning after he set it for the next overnight town, Camden.

The computer on the GPS also calculates his mileage, time pedaling,

caloric output and measures his ascent each day.

One of the great parts of doing this trip up the east coast has been

meeting up with friends along the way.  Today I had lunch with

Mirka Zapletal, a dear college friend of our daughter, Jill, and her Mom,

Tertia Cote.  Mirka  had plans to be in Lincoln, NH spending 

some time with her family during the time our journey through Maine

was scheduled to take place so she offered to drive the 2 1/2 hours

each way to meet me for lunch.   We had a wonderful visit!

Thanks for joining me and supporting I Care I Cure I Cycle!

Strolling of the streets on Brunswick, Maine, with Mirka

and Tertia before we went our separate ways today.

Glenn snapped this photo from a bridge near Belfast, ME.

Belfast is located at the mouth of  the Passagassawakeag River

estuary on Penobscot Bay.   Try saying that one three times fast! 

Today was the first day that the scenery included mountains.

This area is home to 800 foot Mt. Battie and 1,380 foot Mt. Megunticook .

The riding was more challenging but the terrain included great

Vistas.   Looking forward to more of this as we head north.

Camden Harbor was our destination for dinner tonight.

Just an easy walk from our motel, Camden's downtown area

has cute shops and a plethera of restaurants, many on the water.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Biker Glenn

is ready for an evening on the town, an early evening that is.

I think Glenn has been asleep by 9:30 each evening on this trip.

Thank goodness I have the blog to keep me busy!

The population of Camden triples in the summer months thanks

to summer residents and tourists.  

TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTION:

Locals referred to this region of Maine as _________

and how did it get that name?

Another t-shirt on the line....or perhaps some wild blueberry jam!

It is Blueberry season here and everything has blueberries

in it.  I hear we'll have blueberry coffee cake for  breakfast

here tomorrow morning.  I smelled it baking when I checked it.

I was looking back through all of the blog entries this morning and I 

came across this top 10 list that Glenn and I compiled

on the very first leg of this ride in FL in November 2009.

I changed a few words but much of it is still perfect!

10 Great Reasons to Ride Your Bike from New Hampshire to Maine 

at the Canadian border:

#10.........Better than working!

#  9.........A good way to travel north in New England without having to pay all of the tolls on Rte. 95!

#  8.........Proving to yourself (and others) that your body can do it!
#  7.........No need to pack much clothing because all you have time to wear is biking attire!
#  6.........Eating whatever you want because you know that you will burn off those calories daily!
#  5.........Great cure for insomnia by getting so exhausted each day that you can sleep anywhere at night!
#  4.........An opportunity to discover new talents like blogging!
#  3.........Another way to enjoy the Maine sunshine other than sailing or hiking!
#  2.........The chance to spend quality time with your spouse!
#  1.........Great thing to do for a worthwhile cause like I Care I Cure!

It was an "L" of a Day!

The two highlights of the day for me were a stop in Freeport, ME at the enormous 

Flagship L.L. BEAN store and my mouthwatering LOBSTER dinner....Hence, 

today's blog title!   Photos of both experiences can be found below.

More importantly, Glenn had a great ride today from Kennebunk to

Brunswick, a distance of 58.64 miles.   It was another quick and easy day for him.

This leg took him through Portland, passing the airport.

He pedaled for almost 4 hours with a stop to meet me and have a quick snack

in Freeport.   Glenn burned 3016 calories today and ate well at dinner 

to compensate.  The elevation was 2334 feet today.  The scenery was not as spectacular 

today since most of the ride was inland.  He did a few miles on the Eastern Trail 

which is part of the East Coast Greenway but it was hard packed and 

gravel-filled so he made his way on the roads using his GPS on his bike.  

On his way into Brunswick, Glenn rode through the lovely

campus of Bowdoin College.  He reached the hotel before I arrived for the first

time on this entire ride so he had the pleasure of checking in!   For those new

Blog followers, I should mention my three criteria for choosing hotels

along the route :  Free Parking, Free Breakfast and Free WiFi.  

We have all of those amenities tonight.

Choosing not to take his backpack today, Glenn stuffed his
back pockets with all kinds of goodies.  Thank goodness for the
extra storage space in biking jerseys!  

Off on Day Two from Kennebunk to Brunswick.  It was

another beautiful, sunny day with minimal humidity!  Glenn is

already worried about rain that is expected on Thursday

and Friday.   The rain gear will get put to good us, I fear!

While riding on the East Coast Greenway, known up here as the Eastern Trail,
Glenn came upon this sign that reinforces just how far he has
come....but how many miles still remain to be pedaled! 

TRIVIA QUESTION FOR TODAY!
What connection does this Brunswick College
have with the Civil War Period?

First correct answer will be rewarded with a T-shirt!
Email your answer to lynnhirsch@@yahoo.com

Meeting up on Main Street in Freeport, ME.  L.L. Bean 

must support the economy of the town...The huge Flagship

store covers an entire block or two in this town of 

shops, outlets and restaurants.  I thought it was appropriate

that we met in front of the Bike store!

Another "L" -  LARGE boot.  It was hard to

snap a photo without catching a family posing 

next to and under this gigantic L.L. Bean boot!

Our rental vehicle....Maine truly is a wonderful vacationland!

Another sign showing the presence of the East Coast

Greenway in Bath, ME, a quaint little town a few

miles from Brunswick.

Two nights in a row, we found great restaurants for dinner

on YELP.  This one was quite a gem.  Tucked away on the

waterfront in Georgetown, ME, Five Islands Lobster Co.

was the perfect place to relax and have our first lobster 

while in Maine this trip. The steamers were great too!  

Lobster traps that, I am sure, brought our lobsters in from 

the local waters just moments before we arrived!

Our view at dinner.

The seagulls were cute and amusing from afar.....

and just a little threatening up close!

Casual dining with a spectacular view!

Many lobster boats filled the harbor.....in for the night but

will head out early tomorrow for another great catch!

Dinner.....simply and delicious!

And the price was right!

Some days the perks of my job as Glenn's support 

team make the hard times worthwhile!

Tomorrow we head to Camden, Maine.   We'll be back on the coast

with more wonderful scenery....and more great seafood!

Thanks for following us and for your continued support!

If today is MONDAY, this MUST be MAINE!

Today was a gorgeous day for a bicycle ride....65 degrees

and sunny as the group set out at 9:30 AM and 75 as a high

this afternoon with no humidity. Glenn is hoping for a repeat tomorrow!

Glenn, Craig and Kevin set out from Odiorne State Park in

New Hampshire and had an incredibly scenic ride up the coast with

stops in Portsmouth, NH,  Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine and 

Oqunquit, Maine.  The bridge from Portsmouth to Maine will reopen 

this Thursday so we were just a few days early for bike 

travel across the river.   Deb Buckley and I provided 

shuttle service across the Rte.95 bridge so that the riders

could continue on their course. 

Glenn really enjoyed having "locals" lead him up the coast...No need for 

cue sheets and GPS on this leg. Thanks to Craig and Kevin!  Deb and I met up 

with them several times during the day.  It was a great day for all!

We arrived at our hotel in Kennebunk, ME at 1:40, an early day by

Glenn's standards.  That gave us time to explore the area and relax.

The stats are in for today:

2:51:47 of riding time

41.19 miles

2171 calories burned

1982' ascent despite the fact that it is fairly flat!

Deb (showing her support with her ICICIC t-shirt!), Craig, Kevin and Glenn
Ready to take off from Odiorne State Park.

Just after I snapped this photo, Glenn realized that he had a problem with
his bike.....he couldn't go more than 9 miles per hour!  He wondered if
it was his energy level or if he did something irreparable to his bike.
When he stopped to check it, he realized that the rear brake pad was
rubbing against the wheel.  Once he adjusted it, all was well!

There were many East Coast Greenway signs along this route.   

A stop for a photo op at the beach along the Maine coast near York.
There were actually people in the water which we hear can be
62 degrees at this time of the year!

These next four photos are what I like to call "drive by shootings".

When the traffic slows to a standstill, there is always a photo to be taken!

This is the view near the Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME.
The rocky Maine shoreline is beautiful and very different
from the Jersey Shore of our youth.

  In 1874 Congress appropriated $15,000 to build a light station at the "Nubble"
and in 1879 construction began. Cape Neddick Light Station, known as the Nubble,
 was dedicated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service and put into use in 1879.
It is still in use today but is inaccessible to the public. 

The rocky Maine coastline provides much fun for those
who enjoy climbing around on them. We can't wait for our
grandsons to arrive to experience this!

Snack stop at the Lighthouse!

Crossing the bridge from Kennebunk where we are staying
to Kennebunkport, the summer home of Bush family of presidential fame.
  Cute shops and restaurants line the streets.

The Bush compound...just a little summer cottage on the
Maine coast!  We hoped for a dinner invitation but none arrived.

This is just a taste of what we hope to see as our journey up the
Maine coast continues.



As always, on days like this one, our thoughts go to our nephew, Ian.
We began this incredible journey in his memory and to
raise funds for I Care I Cure.  Every mile is dedicated to him.

Thank you for the many generous donations that we have received thus far!

Bicycle Mechanics 101

We made it safely to Portland, Maine then to Derry, New Hampshire 

 for the night.  Plans are being made for a great first day tomorrow from

Odiorne State Park, NH to Kennebunk, Maine.

The first, and most important, task today was reassembling Glenn's

bike. Amazingly, this was accomplished quickly with the help

of Craig Bulkley.  I know you have all been waiting
patiently to see if this puzzle was successfully put together!

"I think this wheel goes somewhere!"

Part L fits into Part M
Would have been great to have directions to follow!

Thought that the derailler was bent.
Not a good thing.....but all was well

A seat would be good!

We're Good to GO!

Max is hydrating for tomorrow's ride.
Sadly, he doesn't realize that he isn't joining the guys on the road.

Thanks to our hosts, Deb and Craig Bulkey!
Craig and his friend, Kevin, will lead Glenn through Portsmouth
and Southern Maine tomorrow!


The "Maine" Event begins in 12 hours!

All our bags are packed.......

We are all "geared" up for the last segment 

of this ride up the East Coast!  

We are all packed and excited to begin this adventure!

Here is Glenn's bike before the packing began last night.
 I wonder if it will ever look like this again  :)

Here we go.....the dismantling begins.
First use of this bike case which was purchased on Craigslist!

Packing was very puzzle-like.  Good thing Glenn
enjoys puzzles.  The reassembling tomorrow could be interesting!

All packed up and ready to roll!  
The only thing Glenn forgot to enclose was his helmet.
 Would not have been good to forget that important item!

Good thing we each get one free checked bag!




Tomorrow we fly to Portland, Maine, and will
spend the night with friends, Deb and Craig Bulkey in
Derry, NH.   The ride begins on Monday AM!


Get ready for the "Maine Event" of our journey!

Be prepared for trivia questions about
how many days this journey has taken,
the total number of miles traveled and
 how many days of rain Glenn had to endure!
We promise prizes!!!!!

The Last Hurrah

The Countdown Has Begun! 

14 Days Until the Final Leg Begins!

It is amazing that we have almost reached the end of this journey!

Feel free to look back at the ride by going back through this blog!

November 2009
First Day of the Ride in Key West, FL

On Monday, August 5, Glenn will return Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire to

complete his adventure on the East Coast Greenway.

Here is our itinerary just in case you are near our route and want to

ride with Glenn or catch up with me:

Monday,  August 5 -  Odiorne State Park, NH to Kennebunk, Maine

Tuesday, August 6 - Kennebunk, Maine to Brunswick, Maine

Wednesday, August 7 - Brunswick, Maine to Camden, Maine

Thursday, August 8 - Camden, Maine to Ellsworth, Maine

Friday, August 9 - I will drive Glenn north within reach of the border

and he will ride south back to Ellsworth for the night

Saturday, August 10 - the family joins us in Bar Harbor

Sunday, August 11 - In Bar Harbor for some R & R

Monday, August 12 - The entire family heads north to

finish the ride with Glenn in Calais, Maine with

a celebratory lunch in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada

on our 40th Wedding Anniversary!

Samantha Edwards, a reporter for WLBZ TV in Bangor, Maine will

do a story on I Care I Cure and the ride and we hope to post a 

link here on the blog after the 12th!

Thanks, Samantha!

We hope to raise $5000 for I Care I Cure on this segment of the ride.

Help us reach our goal while supporting an incredibly important cause.

The I Care I Cure Childhood Cancer Foundation supports the development of, and raises public 

awareness about, cutting-edge, targeted therapies for childhood cancer, 

so that the treatment of childhood cancer will be gentler and more tolerable.

                                                       CLICK RIGHT HERE TO DONATE