Saturday, August 3, 2013: Latham, NY to Brattleboro, VT, 79 miles with 6, 067 feet of climbing
After a wonderful evening with son Kevin, we were up bright and early as usual. Kevin was there to witness our departure and wish us well. 
Today was going to be a day for climbing as evidenced by the 6, 067 feet in the heading. Leaving Latham, the climbs began immediately, but these hills couldn’t compare to what was to be tackled down the road. By the fourth mile, we crossed the Hudson River, which is not as wide as the Mississippi, but still very impressive. At mile 32, we crossed into the state of Vermont and noticed immediately that there were no billboards but lots of signs for authentic Vermont maple syrup.
The climb out of Bennington was the most significant of the day, lasting between 8 – 10 miles. Of course, the descent was fast and furious. My climbing friend Drew hit speeds of 48 mph, but I was a bit more cautious reaching a hair-raising 41 mph. At mile 59, we had a 3.5-mile climb remaining: Hogback Mountain. This is the view from the summit of Hogback Mountain....
After 48 days on a bike, we were all well prepared. Several cyclists reached the summit and said, “Is that it?” almost disappointed that the mountain didn’t offer more of a challenge.
Tonight, Gail and I were invited to my friend and former college roommate Catherine’s home for dinner. We had a delightful salmon dinner with family and friends in typical Vermont fashion. 
No comments:
Post a Comment