("Cliff Notes" Version: The word for today is "uphill". We began with an almost unrelenting upward climb for 12 miles, gaining about 800 ft in elevation. Highlights were: accomplishing our 'stretch goal' of reaching Ware & passing thru numerous small towns & farming communities).
We set off at 11 a.m. from our own house - no "dropoff by Ava" was necessary. Temperatures all day were moderate, in the 70's. Our first couple of miles was an easy downhill cruise to Sewell Pond in town, but that was about our only respite for several hours. For the next 12 miles or so thru northern Worcester, and into the towns of Holden and Rutland it was nothing but upward. Sometimes the angle of incline tapered to near zero, but that was about it!
Determined not to expend all our energy early, we got off our bikes and walked them up many of the steeper inclines.
We enjoyed our lunch break at a Country Store right on the Holden/Rutland line.
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| Yet another great lunch choice! |
At this point in time, we wondered if we could
possibly ascend any higher. Then...we turned around a bend in the road to reveal yet another long incline! Finally we crested a long, steep hill in the town center of Rutland. It was an odd feeling, pausing outside the town fire-station and noting that the land fell away in all directions. Even distant hills and mountains
appeared lower in height than where we stood.
(interestingly, this evening I looked up Rutland on
Wikipedia and learned that it is the
geographic center of Massachusetts as well. So I guess being perched on the crest of a tall hill is appropriate!).
Our one regret is that we never got to see Evie at her restaurant. Oh well, maybe it was for the best.....
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| "Heavy Evie" was nowhere in sight. (Perhaps hovering over the fryolater?) |
The Gods were kind on the other side of Rutland as we sped downhill for a quick couple of miles alongside a State Forest, and tranquil Long Pond. Leaving State Route 122A and onto country lanes for a 1/2 hour or so was a bit of a mixed blessing. A wide variety of remote homes and farms lined the roads and there was no traffic. However the road surface was terrible in some spots and after a while you develop a quiet fear of being 'lost in the woods', and wonder if you are not straying way off-course? Fortunately, for those moments of puzzlement, it is an easy task to flip on the GPS unit that we carry, which usually resolves any doubts within a minute or two, as it locks onto satellites far overhead.
I find it interesting to look at abandoned structures (homes, farms, businesses, barns, etc.). Many of course are old, well beyond repair, and await a bulldozer or perhaps an earthquake to bring them down. Others look...valuable, resurrectable, like the previous owner walked away 4 weeks ago. Here's one in the former category:
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| Fixer-upper? NOT!! |
I heard much gnashing of teeth behind me as we rode, then walked up a particularly steep rise to the village of Oakham. We took a breather in a park just down from the center of town and, a few minutes later, a town employee took a break from mowing the baseball field and came to chat. He suggested an alternate route which involved an immediate 180 down the hill. Elizabeth was all for that!! We took his advice, but were shortly huffing and puffing uphill again.
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| Perhaps this explains budget shortfalls at the D.o.T? |
We began to see more operating farms and vegetable gardens in New Braintree, and then saw an honest-to-goodness "Munsters" house replica. I would have taken a photo, but was too busy gawking as we rode past.
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| Vegetables in New Braintree |
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| A particularly "spic 'n span" Barn in New Braintree |
Just as it seemed that there was no real escape from uphill climbs in these parts, we began a long (12 mile) gradual descent into the Pioneer Valley, passing thru the hamlet of Gilbertville, on our way into the old, mill-town of Ware.
We were immensely proud of our results today. The longest ride we have taken thus far (not just on this trip, but on ANY one day) and definitely with the most hilly sections. It gives us a lot of hope for crossing the Berkshires next month. My cycling partner really showed her mettle today.....seriously...I was impressed!
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