The End

Late start today,breakfast at 06.30,a fairly jovial mood at breakfast.We set off at 08.05 for the 16.3 mile cycle to the beach.Lovely morning but plenty of traffic around.At one point all the GPS devices said to turn right,but when we did so we were all off course!! Anyway took a shortcut back to the route,and then headed down a no entry road and made it to a community bike path.This lead us to Dunkin Donuts,where we regrouped and were told that there would have to be a diversion as the beach we were headed to had been closed to erect a film set.So the 16.1 miles became 18.2.
 Arrived at the beach and walked down to the sea,plenty of photos,and eventually we drove back to the hotel for a large lunch and then said our goodbyes.

The Gang

Sohrab and a daughter

Greg and Margaret

LInda and Bill

Peyton celebrating

Jeff and Cathy

So I ended we a mileage of 3445.4 miles and climbed 107,073 ft,Elizabeth cycled a sensational 3172.7 miles.

Thank you for reading anybody who still would like to donate can still do so at

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/howard-reece-smith1

We fly out of here tomorrow at 19.15,a great memory,a load of new friends,but looking forward to our normal diet and normal hours.

Au Revoir

The Last full day

I had an email from Tom,which I found this morning confirming broken ribs,clavicle and a punctured lung.Very good to hear from him and know he is functioning.
 Over breakfast we had a discussion with Paula re Elizabeth's day,and all agreed that she should take the car to the first stop and then ride.This way she was able to avoid the worst of the hills but put in a good days cycle.
 So I set off on my own again,firstly along some flat roads and soon leaving Vermont and entering New Hampshire.The morning was a little misty which produced an evocative scene.

As we entered the new state the road started to ascend,first in small hills but eventually up a little monster of 13.8%.Folowed by a series of hills at 7-8%.Tiring after yesterday's climbs.

Again there were beautiful streams running next to the road,lovely to hear as well as to see.

One unusual sight this morning was a wild turkey that found himself in the middle of the road,not sure which way to turn.

One of the cyclists even saw a wild bear in the woods,but no chance of a photo.After 30 miles Peyton came up behind me and sat on my wheel until Ovi arrived,when Peyton hared off and I took a break on Ov's wheel up to the first stop at 35 miles.

Elizabeth joined me at the first stop for the 26 miles to the second stop,with the intention of reassessing her  before the final 28 miles.The weather was hotting up,the inital road surface poor but the scenery beautiful.

Eventually we came across a brand new road,fantastic surface,huge shoulder,such a joy that it was a real shame when we had to turn off!Elizabeth liked this sign,never seen one like it in the UK

We passed from New Hampshire into Massachusetts

and safely through to the second stop and E feeling fit so after a short break off we rode.Now into a very residential area with lots of small hills and a road closed!! The road was closed for resurfacing but we were told we could cycle down the wrong side of the road and use the brand new surface-lovely but only lasted a mile.With 25 Kms to go I spied a pizza place so we popped in and shared a small pizza(too big for us) and then with the post-prandial slump ambled along to the hotel.A clapping crowd met us but frankly I had little sense of exhilaration,just a feeling of tiredness.The trip is really over,tomorrow we will ride the last 21 Kms to the beach and share lunch together ,but the main mileage is done,the certificates handed out and we can think about packing to go home.Celebration meal this evening and a few beers all round.

A Sad but beautiful climbing day

On paper today was a hard climbing day,over 5000 ft of ascent in 3 stages,so Elizabeth decided to sit it out.She is much better after 36 Hrs of antibiotics,but did not wish to give herself any chance of a retrograde step.So I was bumped down the starting order and sent off with Ovi.
 But first things first,yesterday evening we walked off to find some dinner,heading for the Troy food market,but after a few blocks we found Tom F,his wife and Charlie partaking of a glass of wine outside a very nondescript Italian restaurant.It almost looked shut up,but we went inside,found a table ,and enjoyed a truly excellent meal.Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce and spaghetti carbonara for me, a salad and pasta with prawns for E.Her appetite was not up to eating the enormous portion she was served,but the pasta was well cooked,and the glass of wine a bonus.As we reached the front door to leave,the heavens opened and a short but really heavy downpour ensued.Only lasted 5 minutes and then we could walk back to the hotel in the dry.
 This morning there was no cooked breakfast,as it did not start until 06.30 and we were all there at 05.50.Cereal all round.Odd to sit around waiting to start and watching our bags pile up.

Greg and the bags

Said goodbye to Elizabeth and set off with Ovi,Tom G,Greg Jeff and Charlie,for 5 flat Kms through the town,then took a left and started climbing.Not steep-8% maximum-but lasted for 12 miles with some descents and further ascents.Enjoyed some lovely scenery and nearly stopped to buy a chair in the sale.

The first stop came after 23 miles and before the big climb of the day,and I was first there,a record.Set out from the stop soon after Ovi,and we soon left New York State and passed into Vermont. 

Mountain streams appeared on the right and stayed with us for a good few miles.

Steadily getting larger

We passed a strange obelisk,like a Cleopatras needle but nobody knew why it was there.

Very pretty all round,which is a benefit as one labours up the hill.

Then after about 6 miles of climbing I reached the top of Green Mountain and started the long descent.Now since my fall in Panama I have been a bit cautious on fast descents,particularly here where I do not trust the road surface and don't like the proximity of and speed of  the other vehicles.One RV passed me with only a foot to spare and the draught from his passing had me teetering over the road,even a car travelling too fast down the hill caused a significant vortex and gave me a nasty judder.As the road flattened out I came across two cyclists,fully laden with camping gear.They were cycling to Portland in Maine and as we passed a lovely lake one of them asked me to take his photo,having just photographed the lake,see below,I was happy to oblige.

Along this stretch of the road there were some beautiful wild flowers 

The photo does not do them justice,but they kept me in a happy state of mind as I rolled into the second stop which occured after 53 miles.Some lovely black cherries to eat,home made cookies from somebody and a good drink,before setting off for the third climb of the day, up to the top of Hogback mountain.Only four and a half miles and not too steep max 8.8% but as the third climb a bit of an effort.

Now I arrived at the top to find Tom(logistics) there in the van,and he told me the sad news that Tom G had come of his bike on the descent from Green Mountain,and had been airlifted to hospital.There was no other news at that stage,but at the start of another long descent,that we had been warned had a bad surface,it sure made me go carefully.The descent from Hogback was difficult as there were lots of shadows across the road,hiding the potholes,and there were plenty of those.Again some lovely road side flowers

and an annoying descent as there were three sharp little ascents hidden along the way.Rolled into Brattleboro to another watery scene

And finally the hotel.Rooms were not ready so I sat and had a coffee and soon after I finished this Elizabeth turned up in the car with more news.An RV overtook Tom at high speed and pushed him off the road into the gravel.He took a nasty tumble but the car immediately behind the RV was driven by a surgeon.The surgeon stopped and attended to Tom until the police ,  helicopter ambulance and fire engine all arrived.Elizabeth saw Tom and felt all his limbs were moving,that he had some nasty abrasions,but nothing too serious.But we await news from the hospital.

So we have passed 102082 ft of climbing and 3350 miles and are promised a mexican meal tonight,but really our thoughts are with Tom,so nearly home and dry.

Beauty in the Rain

When we awoke the sky was dark but there had been no rain,the weather forecast was for light showers.Breakfast this morning was to be taken in Denny's next door to the hotel.We all arrived there and the staff,whist very pleasant,seemed overwhelmed.Although they had been pre warned.Slowly everything became sorted and we had a decent breakfast(fresh eggs rather than pre made scrambled!).Despite the slow service we were ready to go by 07.10.Set off with Heinz and Sohrab and Tom Foster,who was suffering from a crash yesterday.His front fork broke sending him crashing into the handlebars.Xrayed but nothing broken,a new cheap bike found,and he is riding a little slower than normal.As soon as we set off there was light rain in the air,and the road out of town was of poor quality but soon we had some lovely views as we climbed a gentle escarpment overlooking the Mohawk river.This river was a very constant companion today,slowly veering away from us now and again,but always coming back into view.

We soon passed this rather splendid bridge over the Mohawk river  and very shortly after this church appeared.

I thought it should be Greek Orthodox ,so stopped to look and found that it was,in fact,the local catholic church.No idea what inspired them to have such an appearance.

 The temperature was good ,the rain intermittent and light and progress towards the only stop of the day very regular.However we did have to go 41 miles to get to the stop,so a long session.About half way there we came across Fort Klock,which proved to be a fortified house.

with some ancillary buildings .

A short stop there and we continued through lovely scenery,heavily featuring the river and the surrounding rolling hills.

Plenty of bridges of one sort or another and lots of streams running into the Mohawk.

After about 40 Kms Elizabeth began to flag,as we passed one of our support vehicles I asked if she was okay,although she said yes I should have stopped her then,but as it was we cycled another 10 Kms before she gave in and accepted a lift to the stop.All along this road the railway line ran beside the road and the river ran beside the railway line,a triumvirate of transport.

Once I arrived there ,they had erected an awning,as I moved under it the heavens opened and rain poured down.One visitor,Sue,one of Ken's daughters had driven to meet us and bought some superb banana bread,eaten with a squirt of cream,quite delicious.
 Elizabeth decided to call it a day for cycling,so I set off on my own to cover the remaining 44 miles to the hotel once the rain had stopped.I even took off my rain jacket and stuffed it in my back pocket,but it did not stay there long.Half way down the hill the rain restarted,I stopped to put on the jacket , which was just as well as it then proceeded to pour down again,drowning out any decent vision and meaning I needed a third hand to act as windscreen wiper.The scenery was still lovely,when it was visible,

 Eventually the rain stopped,the sun started to appear and Jeff and Charlie appeared with the sun to accompany me to the hotel.

This bridge was not in use but seemed a good monument.Eventually we turned off the road onto a lovely cycle track that carried us along for 13 miles.Some lovely views,rabbits,chipmunks

birds,and peace and quiet.

The Mohawk river runs into the Hudson river,which runs from the Atlantic via New York.tonight we are in Troy which sits upon the Hudson river.

Herewith the Hudson river at Troy and that ends tonights instalement.3273 miles completed,only 2 proper cycling days to go,but plenty of hills remaining.