Oh my, the mosquitoes were so bad at Canal Bridge campground! This morning, after getting dressed in my tent, and packing everything up in my tent, I covered my skin in DEET. I don't think I got any more bites, but I got enough last night to last me forever!
I left mosquitoville at 7:10. Funny thing, yesterday when Mike took me the sly dog route, I was thinking we had overshot the campground, and the mile I rode to the campground after leaving Mike, I was going to have to do this morning. Upon closer inspection of the map, we came back to my route a mile SHORT of the campground. If I had gone the way I thought I should be heading, I would have ended up back in Fryeburg!
Mike had told me a different, but longer way to go to Lovell. I didn't do it. It was early enough in the morning that there wasn't much traffic. The 5 miles to Lovell were fine.
Cam, a guy from home who works at Joy Ride, and leads the gravel rides, had told me his parents own a B&B in New Gloucester which is just barely off my route. I realized I could get to them today, so I called yesterday. I left a message, but didn't hear back. I texted Cam, but didn't hear back from him either. I also set up a Warmshowers stay with the parents of the gal I met way back in Ohio on my way to Gibsonburg for tomorrow night in the town of Bath.
This morning, I checked my phone. Still no message from Cam or his parents. I decided I would stop in Bridgton for second breakfast, then check again there. If there was no message, I would go to Hemlock Campground, the last campground before Bath (still 47 miles away).
The hills getting to Bridgton, actually, the whole day, were quite steep. They were short...ish, but still leg busters. I was thinking it wouldn't be that bad, and while it wasn't horrible, it wasn't easy either. I think I probably climbed as much elevation gain as I did yesterday on the Kanc.
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| Look! A moose! |
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| Andy told me about this stop yesterday. Water and benches for cyclists. |
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| Highland Lake--one of many in the area |
In Bridgton, I ate at Ricky's Diner. It was classic diner fare. I checked my phone, and still no message, so I made my plan for Hemlock (kind of outside Poland--which is funny because I also went through Sweden today).
The hills kept coming. Oh, there were downhills, but in this case, they really did go by way too quickly! I finally reached the turn for the campground, only to be greeted with one of the steepest hills of the day. Then, to get to the campground itself, I had to go down a steep gravel road. That is totally going to suck tomorrow. There may be walking involved.
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| Tripp Pond from above--I'm camped on the pond |
I got everything set up, and plugged my phone into the outlet so kindly provided for the tent sites. There was a message from Cam, and a phone message from his mom. Shannon said they had room, and I was welcome to stay...bummer...
Well, since they are not far off my route, I'm going to stop in tomorrow to say hello on my way to Bath. I'm hoping the hills will be a little kinder!
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