Day 103- The Harbors of Maine

If yesterday had an autumnal chill to it, this morning was flat out cold! And the wind was blowing to make it even colder feeling. Getting out of the warm sleeping bag was not easy today. The sun was still out, but I put on a lot of clothes to keep warm. One really nice thing was that the wind kept my tent dry. Packing up my camp went really fast and easy today which was very welcome.

The route up to Bar Harbor from here would now travel northward and follow the coast more or less. Not that there would be any less hills and that they would be any less steep. Just now instead of riding from lake to lake, I would now be riding from bay to bay, and harbor to harbor.

First would be Bath, ME and neighboring Woolwich, ME. I needed to cross the US Hwy 1 bridge across the Kennebec River, but my directions left me a little confused (a common occurrence). My confusion must have been obvious because a local cyclist asked if I needed help. His name was Mark and he said that he once rode from Bellingham, WA to Boston. He was now 80 and still riding his bike. He actually led me through town and successfully got me on the bridge and on my way again. Thanks Mark!

Next was the harbor town of Wiscasset, ME. There was a famous lobster shack called Red’s Eats there and there was a LONG line to get their famous lobster roll. A lobster roll is pieces of lobster on a hoagie roll with a sauce. I passed on this famous treat due to the long line, but it was time for lunch. I found a nice place to enjoy my peanut butter and honey bagel sandwich.

After lunch I decided I would try for Camden, ME to end the day. On the way and just before Warren, ME, I suffered my 7th flat tire. I didn’t like the trend here so I checked everything out extra carefully. I found the cords in my rear tire were starting to show after over 3,000 miles when I bought it in Denver. It was time to replace the tire so I used the spare I had been carrying for some 5,500 miles now. I also used a brand new tube so I think I am good to go for the last days now.

I got to Rockport around 4:45. It was another quaint Maine harbor town.

I found a campground in neighboring Camden, ME which was my goal. Before I went there, I ended up having dinner at a waterfront restaurant appropriately named the Water Front! I finished eating just in time to sprint the remaining 2 miles to the Camden Hills State Park before dark came. I just barely made it and set my tent up in the dark. (I can set it up with my eyes closed at this point).

Back in the warm confines of my tent, I finally took all of those warm clothes off. I wore them all day it turns out. I think fall has really set in in New England.