This afternoon I will try to bring this blog up to date on the first part of my jouney. I was awake early and got packed. See my earlier blog from Madawaska. After breakfast, coffee and fuel at the Gulf Station I dropped my 1st point letter into the mail. I was now on the clock. I have 21 days to make it to Blaine, WA. I was also feeling kinda whipped today. I had been on the road for a week and was just getting started. That was definately not my plan. I decided to just put the bike on the easiest route and make some time. I headed south on US 1. I have a picture of my bike at the northern end on US 1. I will get a picture at the Southern Terminal of this hwy when I get to Key West. Hwy 1 is a busy road with many small towns to slow down for. These are definately old towns. I see much different architeture, from early American small houses to the big family cracker box style to modern doublewides. It is interesting to look a all the stuff along the road. I find myself many times wanting to stop and get that or look at this. I have to keep moving to make any time. US 1 splits and I take the fast way to get to I 95. I get on I 95 about 3 miles from its start at the Canadian line. I will again also follow this route to its southern termination. Today I will rest and ride the superslab. Rest is a relative term and means pay attention, watch the cages and set the cruise and let her roll. I take a lunch break just outside Millinocket at a nice cool rest area. It was 78 when I left Madawaska. It is now in the low 90's. I get on the hammer and head out after a brief break. I hit the Maine Toll road and start to need to pay the same rate as a cage with a 2 wheeled trailer. I have tried to argue this before and just gotten irritated so now I just shut up and pay the toll. I continue to feel like I am being knowingly ripped off by the states.
At lunch I had called my sponser to get my head squared away somewhat so now I optat for serenity and letting go of this mentral battle. I instead try to focus on the beauty that is around me. Again, God has been good and I am riding dry. As I get toward Portland, I feel hotter and hotter. I am drinking water and it is almost hot. I check temp on the bike and ambient is over 100 degrees. No wonder it is hot.
I start to plan for my evening stop. I want to get off the road early enough to make a meeting. between the heat and the increased traffic, it is no long fun and relaxed riding. I plan on stopping about 5:oo PM. I start looking but there are no hotels on 95. I leave Maine and go through NH. That is a quick ride, about 40 miles I think. I get off the 95 and head west on the 495. I finally find a hotel. I get set up and in my room. Then I find out that they don't have in room internet, so no update this night. They do have a laundry so get the whites done. I check on rush hour for the morning and set up to leave after 9PM. It is late before I get to bed with the laundry and all. Sorry sponser but I didn't get that meeting in but our talk really helped me get my head screwed on straignt again. Tomorrow the big one. Milo
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