Let the Clouds Come

If yesterday was BRACING, today was RAW. At least early on, and for most of the day.

Raw as in 40 degrees, fog, rain, and the sun breaking through for an hour and a half at midday.

As you can see above the Inn at Schoppee Farm was socked in by fog and drizzle early this morning. There is actually a healthy, roaring river—the Machias River—behind the buildings.

A wet dog of a day.

At least the riding was peaceful and isolated again—other than a few times when I was routed onto US 1 (which has a lane-wide shoulder through most of this area in Maine), most of the route plotted through backcountry, hilly roads.

Had to stop here, after a climb with an 11.8% grade summit! Oy, the climbing—but it was cool and quiet.

Seemed like I was riding through the moorlands for most of the morning.

And then it got RAW at Columbia Falls. Heavier rain started with a cold wind assist—but right across the street…

… a government building awning did the trick. Took a 15 minute dry-ish break under the Columbia Falls Post Office awning.

Half hour later, in Columbia, a food truck on the side of US1, after another brutal climb, provided a lunch spot.

Grilled cheese and cole slaw—the preferred lunch of cold, wet bicyclists… or so I heard (or just made it up).

The sun did break out as I approached my destination in Cherryfield, ME—but I hit a road closure and a minor setback to my goal.

After a 2-mile roundabout, just in time for the blue sky highlight, I made it to Sun Shed Farm. I’m staying inside this sun shed. Why a sun shed?

Because it fits a queen size bed under a half-ceiling of windows. And the bike fits in too.

And it comes equipped with a guard kitty as a standard amenity… heh!

There are lambs, goats, ponies, a mule, cows, chickens … and piglets! On the farm, not in the shed with me.

Did I mention the guard kitty…

All done just in time for the rain to start again. While I, unfortunately, won’t be stargazing tonight with the heavy rain, I’ll be warm and dry inside the sun shed.

Bike Day 28:

Start: Machias, ME
End: Cherryfield, ME
Miles: 30.35

In case you’re wondering why the low mileage… I have 6 days to fill before I meet my tour group in Bar Harbor (which is not cheap), so I’m taking it slower and staying at more economical and interesting places until then. No crazy mileage days now—as the tour of the East Coast Greenway Trail to Washington, DC, will provide plenty of those.

What I’m Reading:

But cover up the stars, the stars
are the absence of clouds.
Let the clouds come, clouds
are vague.

— Patricia Hampl / “Tired Of”