Day 34 – Part 2, Newburyport, MA and zero days

Arrived at my daughter, Áine and son-in-law’s home at 17:05 after 39.54 miles (64 km). The trip total is 4091.62 miles, or 6585 km.

I set out from Nashua, NH late in the morning, figuring there was no rush. I forgot to check the weather forecast. Around Salem, NH it started to get colder and started raining. Even though I am familiar with the area, I decided to use the GPS to find the shortest route.

I haven’t lived here in many years and there are all sorts of new residential areas. Using the GPS bicycle navigation it took me through many areas I wasn’t familiar with. As the rain intensified, the raindrops started hitting the phone/GPS screen and acted as finger taps. I would look down and see a map of the world with a little red spot showing I was in the United States, or it would have opened some other app, such as Solitaire. It was getting useless, so I carried the phone in my rain coat pocket.

It would mumble something about “GPS signal lost.” I took to taking the phone out, restarting GPS, memorizing the next few miles and then putting it away. This really slowed progress.

When I arrived in Haverhill, MA, it was a downpour. Suddenly, something splashed into my right eye and I couldn’t see a thing. I’m figuring some toxic waste from the road had blinded me. It was burning like hell. Then I realized that I had not ridden in the rain for some weeks. All my dried sweat had accumulated in my helmet and the water was now releasing it, it would then drip down into my face and eyes. I cannot describe how painful it was, totally blinding me. I pulled over and wiped out what I could. With all the potholes and puddles, I needed keen eyesight, it could have proved dangerous.

Even though I had a good breakfast at a Paneras and stopped for a BLT at an IHOP, I was running low on energy. My body, for the last few days, was begging me to stop. I kept going but found that I was getting off the bike and pushing it up the smallest hills, I just had nothing left. It is fortunate that this trip is coming to a close, if not, I could see having to take a week off to build up my strength again. This wasn’t such a problem when I was younger, am I getting old? Perhaps? Naw, couldn’t be. Maybe I’m just getting over that cold I had.

When I was about a mile from Áine’s home a road crossing had a sign that said the road was closed, the bridge was out. I was tempted to ride down and see if I could get across with a bicycle (I know the bridge) but decided to ride around the lake. I just couldn’t fathom having to come back up from the bridge, so added another three miles (5 km) to the ride. So be it, I was too tired to argue with myself.

I let myself into the house. The dog was glad to see me, but the cat (Midnight) was absolutely thrilled. What a strange twist, it is usually the other way around. In any case, following some rest, I will continue with this story in another post. I’m too tired to continue.

Author: Dennis Blanchard

Dennis Blanchard was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He and his wife Jane moved to New Hampshire in 1980 where he has climbed thirty 4000-foot mountains, biked the trails and enjoyed the wilderness. Never living very far from the Appalachian Trail, Dennis was always aware of the seductive siren’s call to hike it. Dennis is an electronics engineer who has freelanced for amateur radio, technical and motorcycle adventure magazines. He now lives in Sarasota, Florida. View all posts by Dennis Blanchard