It was 12 miles, and it was uphill, but it was only 4-6% grade, and it was not as bad as our imaginations led us to be. It was beautiful, and the weather held out. We did feel a sense of accomplishment when we reached the top, however, and the vista was worth it!
We had some 20 miles of downhill, which was fun. I used my brakes to keep my bike under 35 mph, because it was a curvy road, and speed in the 30's, when I could not see what was coming, was fast enough! It certainly was a fun ride down, however.
At some point I became separated from Bev, and I decided to go at my own pace on my own. Along the way I got a chance to meet a lady who had "Otis," a Sheep Dog who had a hair cut that made him look like a bear! She assured me I was on the correct route, and we chatted about Otis.
Riding with others is nice, but today I was glad to ride at my own pace. When the roads are hilly, it seems we all conquer the hills in our own way.
Tomorrow we travel to Bath, Maine, 72 miles. It promises to be quite hilly. We have four days of riding left.
