Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Day One Hundred Fifty-one, 090729 - Millbridge, ME

Day One Hundred Fifty-one, Date Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Time in Saddle: 7:23
Distance for the Day: 69.29 miles From Belfast To Millbridge, ME
Accumulated Trip Distance: 7023.73
Altitudes: Starting/Ending 99’/50’, Highest: 441’ Accumulated: 3386’
Speeds: Avg: 9.3 mph, Max: 34.0 mph
Weather: 60°
Expenditures: $83 (yipes!)

Woke up at 5am. It was foggy, but I saw some blueness straight up, so that was hopeful. I packed up and was ready to go by 5:45am. I stopped at mini mart in Bucksport and got some food items and drink ($5) at 9:27am. A little while later and up the road, I went over the amazing, very modernly designed Penobscot Bridge. I took several pictures of it despite all the fog, and continued north on Hwy 1. By 9:52am, the fog started to break up, but there was an upper cumulo-stratus layer still blocking the sun, but I could begin to feel the infra-red heat through the clouds, anyways. I stopped at the Dunkkin Donuts in Searsport to charge up my notebook, and, since I was there, *anyways,* also got a donut, bagel w/cream cheese and hot cocoa ($5), too. At noon, I stopped in Ellsworth, ME, and went into the Cadillac Mtn Sports shop to check for reflective triangles (didn’t have them – no surprise – no one does, anymore), but picked up two pairs of expensive, high-tech cycling underwear ($48) (hey – I’m worth it. I probably shouldn’t say this, but my ass crack is getting *callused* - can you believe it?!) I then went to Subway a few doors down the road for a meal deal ($9) and to read my book (getting close to finishing it). I then decided to check to see if the Denny’s next to Subway had free wi-fi, and surprise - they did. So, I stopped at Denny’s for dessert and free wi-fi ($7) (not necessarily in that order), and finished uploading my two last blog entries with pictures. I took off at 2:15pm. The weather was warm and humid, but I could see the clouds off in the east that were probably going to rain on me. Bummer. Nothing for it but to continue on, rain and lightning or no rain and lightning. By 3:22pm the weather did indeed looked like it was getting ready to rain. I went to a Lowe’s for Shoe Goo ($3) and a Wal-mart for trail mix and a sewing kit ($6), so now I had everything I needed to repair my tent. Continuing north on Hwy 1, at 4:59pm I found a wallet (N44 30.697’ W68 10.281’) with no money or credit cards or anything, but some stuff in it identifying Heidi Bauer as the owner. I gathered up some of the contents that were scattered around the immediate area, and turned the wallet over to a policeman who I met at a mini mart a few miles up the road who said he’d get it to her. I got some drinks at 5:37pm at that mini mart ($3). I discovered I’d kind of gotten off my route – not too bad, but I was following the coast more, so it took a little longer to make actual forward progress. I found a marginal stealth camp at about 7:30pm behind a utility building off the road. In order to stay out of view of traffic, I had to set up on dirt/gravel area (N44 33.154’ W67 53.034’). There were a lot of mosquitoes, and a couple of ‘em got me. I covered up with rain gear and head net while I set up, and used the Avon Skin So Soft to keep ‘em off my exposed hands. That stuff really does work! Due to the clouds, it was prematurely dark, so I had to use my penlight to read my book after going to bed at 8pm. A brief thunderstorm passed over, but it didn’t go right overhead, so it rained a bit, with no close lightning strikes.

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