New Hampshire

I crossed over the Connecticut River at Windsor. The river is the border between Vermont an New Hampshire. Im in state number 6 now. Surprisingly after crossing the river and getting on route 12A it seems less hilly.

Today was a great day! I found a specialty welding shop and got my bike fixed. The welder was a really nice guy and we talked quite a bit. He was a hog farmer from Iowa but moved to Vermont 25 years ago. I was worried it would be an expensive repair. He worked at least an hour. I asked how much and he said 0. Just pay it forward. He refused to accept any money from me and then he showed me where in the shop to fill my water bottles. His kindness was unbelievable. We shook hands again and I was on my way. About a mile down the road a white minivan pulled over and the welder jumped out. When I had unloaded my bike I had dropped a little spacer that goes on the rack and the panniers clip to it. I looked briefly before I left his shop but gave up on finding it. He had found it brought it down the road to me. What a great guy.

Today was really humid but not hot. 68 was the high. I went through a lot of water though. Both my bottles are 40 oz and I refilled 3 times before I got to camp tonight. I like finding water sources that I don’t need to filter!

I haven’t seen hardly any wildlife. I think that’s pretty odd. The last time I even saw a deer was way back in New York. I did see a turkey today though. I pretended it was a moose and made moose noises as I approached it. Im not sure if the noises were so realistic it felt at ease or if it was so bewildered by the sounds I was making it forgot to fly. Either way it didn’t run away and I passed within several feet of it. To be honest I think it was probably bewildered.

Tonight I’m celebrating! Getting my bike fixed and state number six. Earlier today I had passed an area where they have a farmers market every Tuesday. There was boxes under a little roof that had a free sign. I think it was for any damaged or unsold vegetables and it was there for whoever wanted the stuff. I got a yellow squash that was damaged a little and one ear of corn. Im not sure why the corn was in the bin. Nothing was wrong with it. I cut the squash up and sliced the corn off the cob into the same pan.

I boiled it first in a bit of beef bullion then sautéed it with a splash of olive oil and smoked salt. While I was eating that I put a steak in the pan.

The corn and squash had awakened my appetite and I couldn’t wait for the steak to be done. I was really hungry. I rode 47 miles today. It started clouding up and a storm was coming in behind me. Around 2 it started raining and storming. I waited out the storm in a grocery store and thats when I decided to get a steak. It was $15.99 but marked down to $9.99. I thought that was perfect but at the register I was told I needed to be a member of the rewards program to get the deal. I had been in the store too long and was worried about my bike so I just paid the $16. As hungry as I was it was an impressive feat of willpower to leave with only a steak and not 6 or 7 bags full of food! It rained the rest of the afternoon and is still raining now.

Nothing like the sound of rain on the fly to put me to sleep.