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Riding my bicycle across the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
Where’s Francis? Follow along daily on my map: https://share.garmin.com/FrancisDavis (ask me for password)
It’s been good. Yesterday provided some of the best riding I’ve ever done. One sweeping road between Warren and Hancock particularly engendered this excellence. A mild descent, tight corners, and beautiful scenery. Rolling fields were interrupted by boulders and mountains covered in thick green trees on either side. Closer to the road, when it was wooded, the trees were sparse pine, growing in a big substrate. The road itself was beautiful, perfectly cleaving between two mountains. That was the best riding of the day. Mark and I had another late start from our WS in Montpelier. The people were too nice! We set off and, about 15 miles in, stopped for lunch at a corner outside seating restaurant called “Canteen” in Waitsfield, VT. I’m writing this just as much for you as I am so that I can remember it so that I can return. It was that good. Continuing on through Warren, a tiny New England town situated next to the Mad River, we stopped at a popular local swimming hole. The Warren Falls swimming hole was beautiful. Crystal water flowed over beautiful boulder structures, creating pools, small waterfalls, and an idyllic setting. It was perfect for swimming, and many locals were there. After swimming, it was 5:00 and we still had about 30 miles to do with one large climb into the Green Mountains. As evening set in, there were about 5 miles of riding left. I was whipping down the backside of the mountain gap we’d climbed, hearing newer, higher pitches of wind flowing through my helmet straps. Another great section of road. Corners. No traffic. Steep. It was so good I blew right past the dirt road turnoff for our campground. Fortunately I only made it about a mile before I realized my mistake. After turning around and just pulling into the dirt road, a truck approached me from behind and I saw Mark’s jovial face poking out of the passenger window. Apparently he’d ridden 5 miles past the turnoff, all downhill. A kind Vermonter gave him a ride back to the dirt road. We set off again. At this point it was dusk, and the dirt road was never ending. I stopped to put the bike lights on, sending Mom a brief text that I was OK, but not at camp yet.. Reception was spotty. Overjoyed, Mark and I rolled into camp around 9:30 in the dark. He set up the tents. I made dinner. Cheap ramen with duck eggs, spinach, and green onion. It was fantastic. Full, I sat in my sleeping bag looking at the stars before I was overcome with sleep. TM: 5:20, AVS: 11.3, DST: 60
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