Greetings, readers. I am posting from the North Adams Public Library. I rolled into town from my campsite first thing this morning, and this is my first stop.
It's been a few days since I left Boston, so allow me to bring you up to speed.
Day 1 went fairly smoothly. My train arrived in Fitchburg around 10:15, giving me as early a start as I could expect. I made a quick push to get out of town and through Westminster before breaking to stretch and eat. This part of Massachusetts is really a hole, full of industrial decay and uninspired graffiti. I wouldn't recommend it to a tourist.
Beyond this old ghost of economic ruin, towns are quaint and sparse. I lunched in Gardner, the "Chair City" (Were my phone not low on battery, I would have taken a picture of the 40-foot tall wooden chair that greeted me as I came into town...it was a hoot). From there, I managed to lose the road, 2A, that would take me to Athol (I'd hate to be a man with a lisp asking for directions to "Athol"), but I found a connecting road in the next town over and didn't lose too much time.
I rolled into the remote and lovely Erving State Forest around 5 and was, aside from being eaten alive by mosquitoes all evening, no worse for the wear.
Day 2 was met with a rocky start. I overslept by about 4 hours and didn't get on the road until 11. By then the temperature was climbing well into the 80s and the only main road west, Route 2, was filled with traffic. This meant rather miserable riding, as I had to spend more time checking my mirror for passing 18-wheelers than appreciating the scenic beauty of the landscape.
To make matters worse, the route was largely a steady incline, as the rolling hills of Western Massachusetts approached the looming Berkshires.
North Adams, my destination for Day 2, is surrounded on all sides by steep ridges. Entering from the west, the only road is Route 2. Because of winding, climbing roads and a shoulder no wider than 6" at any point, Route 2 is not safely passable on bike at this point. I was able to hitch a ride near Charleton and was dropped safely at the summit before North Adams. I coasted down the ridge and broke to the state park before hitting town. In about an hour I had set up camp and went to work on dinner.
Now I have a day of rest. I'm going to check out the Mass MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) this afternoon and see what North Adams has to offer for lunch and dinner.
As for my next move, I will have to alter my plans slightly. Yesterday's steep climbs and hick downs have dampened my interest in Southern Vermont. I think I'd be better off taking a bus to somewhere a little closer to Lake Champlain-- that's the part of Vermont I'm actually interested in seeing.
For tonight, though, I'm looking forward to going back to the place I slept last night. Off days rule...I'll be able to rest my muscles, eat well and at my leasure, and (best of all) bike around without lugging my heavy equipment and packs full of supplies.
Here are some pictures to leave you with (it's not letting me upload in the traditional way on this computer, so cut&paste links):
http://img259.imageshack.us/i/topofthehill.jpg/
A shot of me near the top of the ridge before North Adams.
http://img259.imageshack.us/i/panoramas.jpg/
A pan-o-rama of the view from the top. The resolution isn't great, but you get an idea of the breadth of the view.
http://img257.imageshack.us/i/darkglasses.jpg/
Ready to safely descend the hill.
http://img29.imageshack.us/i/dinnerj.jpg/
About to eat myself into oblivion.
http://img257.imageshack.us/i/bedtimej.jpg/
What it's like inside my tent.
This morning I snapped a few shots of North Adams. Nothing of Main St., but I think the residential areas are a little more interesting.
http://img41.imageshack.us/i/nadamshighroad.jpg/
http://img24.imageshack.us/i/nadamspark.jpg/
http://img148.imageshack.us/i/nadamsriver.jpg/
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If you do go through southern VT I recommend Brattleboro. You could replenish your eats supply at their co-op. And of course Burlington is cool if you head north!
ReplyDeleteBest parts about the trip:
ReplyDelete1) You're wearing a helmet
2) Fig Newtons T-Shirt
3) Bracing sense of independence
4) Having left urban environments behind
5) The future promise of hanging a hammock for sleep
bike on will! pee wee would be proud.
ReplyDeleteare you doing this vegetarian?
ReplyDeleteSince it sounds like you are going to Brattleboro, you should hit up this Murray family favorite: http://www.riverviewcafe.com/
ReplyDeleteAnd in case you don't check this again before heading to Burlington, if I may be your personal urban spoon:
ReplyDeleteMuddy Waters on Main St. for coffee and ambiance.
Manhattan Pizza on Main St. for actually very good pizza and a comprehensive bar.
New World Tortilla on N. Winooski Ave. for burritos.
Stone Soup on College St. for sandwiches and vegan pizza and other crunchy stuff.
Nectar's on Main St. for general bar needs and great fries. Forgive it for being Phish's launchpad because it's still a neat bar.
NECI on Church St. if you want to splurge.
Ben and Jerry's, also on Church Street because you're in VT afterall!!!
And probably tons of other cool yummy places that have opened in the 10 years since I briefly lived there!
Charlie -- That Fig Newton shirt is the only polyester shirt I own, so its the closest thing I have to a jersey. I ride for team Newton!
ReplyDeleteMeghan -- I'll definitely be heading to items A and B on your list today.