Bicycling New England, the
Erie Canal, & around Lake Ontario 2005
Wilton to Skowhegan ME

June 11, 2005
Distance 41.2 Miles
Climbing Elevation: 1,650 feet

This was the easiest day we have had so far. We traveled 6 miles from Wilton to Farmington for breakfast. I had Mary Kay stop at the very first restaurant I saw because I did not want to go, as we had several previous times, pass up the first restaurant we came to thinking another would be just around the corner only to discover that it was the only restaurant within 10 miles. We have eaten several lunches at 2:00 in the afternoon, because we didn't stop at the first place.

After breakfast we continued to our final destination, Skowhegan. Since we were not fighting going up hills, we made great time and were in Skowhegan by noon. We stopped at a Pub and ate lunch on an outdoor deck that overlooked the river, a dam and a hydro electric power plant.

All week the temperature has been in the 80's and the humidity has been above 85%. As we ride the bicycle, carrying all our gear on the bicycle, the sweat has been pouring off our bodies. Every time we stop to take a rest, I can feel the moisture running down my chest and back. We could not have eaten lunch on that deck if we had not been in the shade of an umbrella.

After eating lunch we went to find a motel room. Unfortunately we found out that there was a convention in town and the high school graduation was tonight. The only motel rooms in town were 2 smoking rooms that really smelled of smoke. The motel manager knew of another motel 3 miles away and he called it and found out that it still had non-smoking rooms. George and Jane grabbed the one room available at a Bed & Breakfast so we are spending the evening in two different locations, about 3 miles apart.

I have spent my usual 2 hours on the computer and Mary Kay had washed enough clothes so we would have clothes to wear after we arrived in Augusta, ME, where we will spend our first rest day. Except for not being used to the weather we are all having a wonderful time.