August 14, 2018
I feel like I have been riding a long time. Not just in miles but I am noticing the subtle signs of seasonal change. Here and there, there are leaves that are beginning to turn. They have Wooly Bear caterpillars here too and if the winter prediction that we all get from them is to be believed, they will have a short winter here.
We left New York and the friendly Adirondack Mountains behind this morning. We rode down to Lake Champlain and took a ferry across to Vermont. Immediately I was struck by the difference. No more orchards, farms or vineyards. It is mostly hardwood forests with quaint towns and villages tucked into the valleys between the White Mountains. Though they are not high in elevation, they are steep and pointy on top! The descent into the town of Stowe was a welcome ending to the day.
I posted this on Facebook too but many don’t realize that this is where the Von Trapp family from “The Sound of Music ” landed after their escape from the Nazi’s. They still have a presence here. The day was not good for pictures but the town has a certain appeal. It follows the valley so it is long and thin. Probably not the best for walking, maybe they have a shuttle bus but we did not see one.
The idea of satiety has continued to float into my thoughts as I ride. By satiety, I do not mean the feeling we get at Thanksgiving when we are lying on the couch listening to some ball game and wondering if we could possibly have another bite of pumpkin pie. The meaning I am after is rather the feeling of being satisfied, whether after a good meal, a good workout, or putting in a good effort toward the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. At the end of the day, when you are tired, can you ask yourself… is this a good tired or a bad tired? Your body knows and will tell you.
One of the ways I have learned to keep from being on the energy rollercoaster is to avoid carbohydrates as much as possible. It takes a few weeks for the body to adjust but then you get into the state I like to call “slow burn”. There is not lactic acid buildup in the muscles, there are no hunger pangs. You have to be vigilant to avoid the sugar but the reward is getting to ride for 90 miles with minimal recovery needs. I brought along a small bottle of ibuprofen and have not needed even one.
As we wind down the trip and cycle to the sea it is hard to think about being done with this ride. I am conflicted between being happy to be back with loved ones and seeing what else the road has to offer. This is an Amazing Country and we must get out there to experience what it has to offer.
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