Even though Kancamagus Pass is only at an elevaton of 2855', you have to climb about 2300' to get to the Pass. After leaving Conway, NH, there is roughly 10 miles of 4% climb which, while not easy is not at all hard ... just find an easy cadence and ride. Beautiful day ... sky is blue and little or no wind. While most of the leaves are still green, there are patches of gold and red, and the small river running along the road adds very pleasant visuals.
Life is good and then life turns hard (as did the saddle in the later stages of the coming climb).
After that hour-and-a-half of 4% climb, the road took a noticeable turn upward ... my guess is 7%. Twelve miles to the pass. Again it is a beautiful day, but the climbing tends to be distracting. Three to four miles an hour ... you do the math. But much unlike the climbing of the past few weeks ... short ups-and-downs ... there is a certain serenity in doing one of these long climbs. You fall into a cadence rhythm that allows you to push ahead without becoming physically uncomfortable (other than the hardness of the saddle toward the end ... pun intended). As with most people, I have an ego. One of my prides is that at my age I am capable of doing what I have been doing for the past seven weeks ... and yesterday's climb has bolstered my self-pride. It is a quiet pride, but a pride none-the-less.
In the picture above, down the road there is the ever popular "down-hill" caution sign ... 9% for the next 3 1/2 miles. Very nice reward.
After descending the west side of the Pass for about 8 miles, I stopped to talk with a young couple who were heading east to Bar Harbor ... four days away from completing their cross-country ride. We had a joyful conversation and talked of things Southwest (they were from San Diego). They asked about the coming climb they were about to take on ... I just smiled and asked if the granny gears/big cogs were functional on their bikes. Smiles all around.
Another week and the riding will be completed and I will be in Syracuse, NY. Mileage for this trip at this point is just over 2300 miles (Lincoln, NH). And Bill, even though the leaves are not meeting my demands, the visuals are stunning. There are a few trees that have been considerate enough to alter the color of their leaves, which gives me a glimpse of things to come. Many former New Englanders had said "middle of October" for the prime time, so the trees not providing me with my needs is my own (scheduling) fault.
Today looks to be another beautiful day ... and the nights are bright due to the Harvest Moon. 60 miles to the next stop. Tires are pumped up and chain is lubed ... should be a good day.
Randy. One more week on the road. Your colors timing may be just a bit off but back here we are expecting some overnights in the low 60s finally. Impeccable timing.
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