rochester, new hampshire

Grand old flag and a grand old New Hampshire barn.

 Day 57, next to the last day! 41.64 miles from Boscawen, New Hampshire to Rochester, New Hampshire. We are right across the border. On the other side . . . Maine. And a few miles more . . . the Atlantic Ocean! Are we ready? I feel kind of like it's Christmas Eve. Not too sure I'll be able to sleep tonight because of tomorrow. (Just kidding about that!) After today, I could sleep on a pile of bricks! The description for today's ride looks something like this: Hill. Hill. Hill. Hill. Hill, and Hill. Seems like most of the hills were uphill too. STRAVA says we climbed 2,281 feet on our journey to the sea! I believe it.

Margaret took a picture of Smokey and said, "Fire danger low except for the flames coming from their bikes as they race to the coast!!!" Tomorrow, we'll cross over into Maine and pedal about thirty-nine miles and finish this ride. I'm not sure about the flames but we will probably be moving a little faster than we have been.

This evening we drove tomorrow's route in our Explorer just to check things out. It is relatively flat with maybe two or three hills. We'll get over them and finally get to check out the Atlantic! I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, I would get a big red marker and do a huge checkmark beside this journey. Then I'd find an ice cream shop and buy a huge banana split with the works: a scoop of chocolate, a scoop of strawberry, a scoop of vanilla, one banana, strawberries, pineapple, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, chopped peanuts, and a cherry on the top. I've been thinking about that the whole trip. That's bucket list stuff right there! I'm doin' it! I'll take a picture for the grand finale blog.

I just read the last three encouragement notes I received from so many of you. I've been able to read two or three each day. I usually would read them the night before and then again in the morning. It worked out just right. I also received text messages and Facebook notes galore. I am blessed and grateful for the notes and also the many prayers that came with them.

"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

You did that! Thank you.