the coffee stained blog

Sunday I left my hotel and went directly to see the friendly faces of the bike mechanics at LL Bean's bike shop (which is open 24 hours a day every day of the year... just so you know). I was in search of a product that only bikers (and perhaps other stupid people that spend hours sitting on a tiny seat) know about.... Chamois Butter. Now if you have never needed the services of said product I won't go into details of it's use, but for those of you who know... this was an emergency. The boys of LL Bean were very helpful and full of understanding for my dilemma. Thanks guys!! The rest of my day was full of head winds and hills... my favorite, but also an amazing dish of crabcakes and later a fabulous Lobster Newburg... no calorie counting for me!!! I had a great time hanging out with Ms. Bethany Plissy and the very soft bed in her sister's house. So far so good. Oh, and Milage count: Day One: 67.5 miles Day Two: 48.5 miles Total: 116 Miles

Sorry I'm so behind the times... very difficult to have internet access while on a bike. Here's what you missed: To the right: the "torture device" at the start of my ride at York Beach. Lovely picture of York Beach at 9am on Saturday Day One: This ride started out great, it was a cool, slightly breezy morning in York Beach, Maine. I was riding well and proceeded to get lost after the first turn in the directions but enjoying myself immensely. However, as the day grew into afternoon, the temperature was rising and my legs were tiring. I was ready for a bed... any bed. I reached Portland mid afternoon when the mercury hit 96 degrees and I was sweating like a man rather than the graceful goddess I truely am. After much cursing of the gods and any one within earshot, and much sslloowww riding I made it to my hotel. I was starting to think this was not the best idea (in a long line of truely fine ideas) I've ever had. But after a good dinner and a better sleep I was r

So, I'm Hours away from embarking on the summer trip I've been planning for months. Well, I call it a trip... others have called it an insane journey rivaling that of wading in the river Styx. I will be pedaling approximately 377 miles over 7 days in the beautiful state of Maine. The packing was done... then the repacking was done. Then the lifting of the bag to size up the heft of it's weight... then repacking even less. I think I am successfully down to the bare minimum that will cover my bare minimum. I am starting to wonder if I have logged the required miles to break in my sensitive extremities enough to warrant such an exertion, but the time of concern ( and bottom callousing) is long past. I am off in the morning on the first leg of my journey... pictures to come. TTFN -