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.