Ogunquit, ME to Raymond, ME:

May 30, 2012

Everybody loves (our motel in) Raymond

The route this morning took us again right along the coast. The traffic was minimal and we felt like we had the ocean to ourselves.

Once we were back on Rt 1 in Kennebunk the trailer tire went flat again. We pulled into a garden center to borrow a pump. The employees were friendly and helpful although the owner was not pleased that we were in the way and obviously not buying anything. The 12 yr. old tire had a piece of the wire cord puncturing the tube. I put a patch on the inside of the tire as well as on the tube but I no longer had confidence in the tire and we still didn't have a pump that worked for that tire.

A scenic place to change a flat tire. Rhona picked dead buds off plants to keep the owner off our backs.

We decided to skip our plans to pay our respects to President H.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush in Kennebunkport and cycle to Quinn's Bike shop in Biddeford. He had a new tire and a pump (which I'm sure I'll never need now).

Bricks and Mortar bicycle shops are important when you need a part that day.

I arrived right when the owner was sitting down to eat. He not only sold me the tire and pump, he mounted the tire for me. The shop has been at this location since 1952 although he just bought the business two years ago. So far he likes having the business. He sent me on my way with written directions back to our route (10 miles away)

It took a while to rejoin the Adventure Cycling Route again but we never even got lost. We made reservations at the White Pines Inn near Sebago Lake. Of course we needed to climb several steep hills late in the day but the last six miles we flew in high gears. We were moving so fast that oncoming tractor trailers were buffeted and rocked by our wind turbulence. While eating dinner we decided to modify our planned route. The Atlantic Coast Route and the Northern Tier Route run together into Bar Harbor, Maine. We are now heading west on the Northern Tier route where they intersect instead of going to Bar Harbor. There were several reasons including anticipation of very expensive accomodations in Bar Harbor. Also, we already experienced the rush of cycling right beside the Atlantic Ocean in Maine. It didn't seem worth cycling 360 miles to see it again in Bar Harbor.

Our motel had solar assisted hot water for the hot tub. The screened-in room housed the tub, sauna and a picnic table.

Gourmet dinner for the Fritsch's on tour.

Saco river. Some teenage boys were heading in to swimSeemed a little cold for that.

Today's ride: 60 miles (97 km)
Total: 966 miles (1,555 km)

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