Miles Today: 89

Miles to Date: 154

May 7, 2015

I rolled north with the spring, a notoriously swift and fickle season in New England.

The morning was crisp, the breeze on Rye Beach chilly.

In the thrill of Day One I forgot two important aspects of bicycle travel: to ask my question to a stranger and to eat audacious food. I rectified both shortcomings today. First, I devoured an incredible cinnamon bun at Lil’s in Kittery, ME (Yeah – already in state number three).

Second, I stopped along the road in York and asked a woman painting on a lawn ‘How will we live tomorrow?’ Marcye Newton responded, and invited me to visit the York Art Association, where they had a great show of Art in Bloom in honor of spring. Marcye’s thick, brilliant flowers resonated with me. They were almost as bright as the forsythia that is abundant, unruly, and at peak color as I move north.

More than nature is changing fast. I spent several stints along U.S.1, where a few local attractions are open, but many more will within the next two weeks. Road construction abounds, landscaping is being turned, and every inn is being scrubbed in preparation for the summer onslaught. At my noon Diet Coke break (Circle K, 75 cents for 32 ounces of energy) a long line of landscape men and housekeeping women – excuse the gender reality – also refueled.

I took a long detour to ride by Kennebunkport. I wanted to ask the Bushes my question. I didn’t see them in town, but I did find this lovely church, and incredible overlook.

The last ten miles up Route 1, through Scarborough and South Portland were not much fun, but I landed ay Dry Dock in Portland by 4 p.m. for beers with my friend Chris, then pedaled up to the East End for my first stay with a Warm Shower’s host. Rich and Sarah and their daughter Cedar set a high bar. They fed me well on a roof deck with a sliver of a sea view. They answered my question. But mostly we talked about cycling routes we have traveled, and those still imagined.