Hiya everyone!
Tuesday saw us leaving Attitash bright and early to get out ahead of the heat on our longest day, 109miles- through Crawford’s Notch, the White and Green Mountains and into the State Capitol of Vermont, Montpelier. Because Vermont ain’t flat, the route in from Rest Stop 3 had a lot of climbing, the last 15 miles being the most difficult in the heat of the day as temperatures hovered in the mid-eighties. The day complete, we all went to dinner at Applebee’s and replenished essential nutrients burned off during the day. After dinner, there was a subtle exodus as people retreated to their rooms to get some well earned rest.

Wednesday started with a visit from WCAX TV in Burlington who came by to find out a little about our event, talk to a few riders and do a short TV piece on the 6:00 news tonight. 8:00 and we hit the road for our shortest day at 70 miles- now some might think (Rightly) that that’s still a helluva long ride- but after the last couple days, it seems like a walk in the park. Before Rest Stop 1, there was a bridge that was closed for repair by the VTDOT and a detour was established over a covered bridge- a 9’6″ covered bridge that my 13’1″ truck was MUCH too tall to fit under without ample space for a running start. A separate, truck detour route had been established, and that was to be my route. I’m not sure if the wind blew a sign over, or if some teenager has a new decoration for his tree-fort, or what… But I never saw a sign telling me to turn off the road I was detoured onto. As I went up a narrow mountain road. Towards Mad River Glen. Reading signs saying “This road not recommended for winter use by trucks and buses”. 15 MPH hairpin turns, 15% grades, switchbacks, narrow, winding road… Downhill speeds that would have easily exceeded 65MPH without brakes… The smell of hot brake pads…
FINALLY, I made it back into civilization, well, farmland. A stop at a local gas station confirmed what I already knew, my GPS telling me to go back the way I had come would send me right back to the closed bridge- so now, on the wrong side of the mountains, I had to blaze my own trail- Southward to Rutland, and finally on to Killington. 40-50 miles out of the way, two hours behind schedule, and swearing like a sailor who had just dropped a battleship anchor on his pinky toe.

Dinner, Trivia night, Cornhole games, lounging poolside and more are in order and in progress- me, I’m wiped out and going to bed at 8:00. Remember when your parents made you go to bed early for being naughty? Well, I’ve been naughty and I’m punishing myself.

Keep the wind at your back and the downhills in front of you,
GearMan