Day 99- The Middlebury Gap

This morning I got breakfast again at the Swift House. I had fruit and oat meal. I would need some food this morning because I had some serious climbing to do this morning. The most serious climbing I gave done since Colorado.

The temperature really cooled off from what it had been for the last few days. Apparently, the last few days had been flirting with all time high temperatures for this time of year. It had seemed pretty nice to me; what did I know about the local climate and what was normal or not. So today was MUCH cooler. I mean put on the long underwear and long fingered gloves cooler. It was also welcomed since I was going to tackle the Middlebury Gap this morning. A little bit here about local use of the language. In the West, we use the word “Pass” where we cross over mountains in a low point. In Vermont, apparently they say “Gap” and in New Hampshire they say “Notch”. So I am riding over what I would call a Pass this morning. It is a 1500 foot climb which is nothing to sneeze at. It will take some effort and by all accounts has some very steep portions along the way.

But before all of that I got to talk to Dan Brown, the owner if the Swift House over breakfast. What an amazing person. He is an adventure enthusiast and very interesting to talk to.

I invited him to come to Wenatchee some day and I really hope he does. I would really like to return the favor he gave me.

The beginning of the climb up to the Middlebury Gap was “as advertised”. It was really steep but for only about a half mile. Then the grade moderated and was fairly reasonable to ascend. I made the top in about 90 minutes only to find that they did not have a sign to announce the top of the Gap.

Luckily I have been to enough of the top of passes that I know when I am at the top! Plus, there was a “downhill” symbol to verify it too. And the downhill was fun. It had been a long time since I had really gone DOWNHILL. I mean on a bicycle to be clear.

Well, That was all well and good, but I still had riding to do after the big climb. It was big rollers after that and it took a toll on my quads muscles after a few hours. I was headed for the town of East Thedford and I was going to get in late. Partly because I had a few distractions along the way.

I kept taking pictures of the scenery, checked out more Covered Bridges and even had to talk to the Dartmouth women’s cross country ski team who were doing some dryland rollerski training on one of the hills I was climbing up in the late afternoon.

I did get to East Thedford in plenty of time to get settled in though. That was good since tomorrow was going to be another big day.