Pink Crocs in search of Lobsters

It is too bad we missed such a close opportunity. I never thought to check your spot location. Too focused on trying to make long miles on a smokin hot day. Hopefully I won't be held up too long here in Export and I will see you in Shediac.

Rt 100 up VT then RT 112 across the heart of NH avoiding interstates is a possibe route if you don't want to miss the real beauty of the area. ..

Sorry just read your blog and realized you weren't collaborating on the route to ME.

Getting a bit behind. Monday was a pedal to the metal day. I found out that my friend, who lives in Denver, was on his way to a family birthday party and would be there that same day. And it was virtually on my flight path



so naturally I wanted to meet up with him and all I wanted to do was to put on the miles. Since I was passing through Mitchell (on I-90) I decided to take a quick look at the Corn Palace



I wasn't interest to stop or take any tours but it looked like a touristy kind of place with lots of souveniers for sale

Not many photos today but I took a photo of this neat bridge but can`t be sure where it was



After being alone for so many days it was nice to see a friendly face



He was waiting by the side of the road waiting for me



He arranged to give me a home for the night. You can read about it here

Pat:

I was a bit disappointed with Mt Rushmore. I liked Crazy Horse Monument better. Lots of things to see and buy

bob

Liberty NH:

Thanks for your suggestion but I have left the planning to my tour guides. We are taking the boring I-84. Today we had lots of congestion and the traffic was brutal

Tonight we are in Southington, CT and heading for Portland ME in the morning

bob

Tuesday I made a miscalculation. I wanted to meet a friend who lives in Chicago but I was told to stay away as the traffic would be bad as there were many events going on with many streets closed in the downtown area so she said to meet her in Beliot, WI

We had a long leisurely lunch so I got a late start to the day. I had nearly 1,000 kms to cover by the next day so I decided to ride late into the night which is something I prefer not to do

The mistake was trusting my GPS. I set it to avoid Toll Roads and it led me right into the heart of the Chicago commuter traffic during rush hour



It doesn't look that bad here but soon all traffic was stopped so I found an exit and waited it out in an air conditioned fast food restaurant



around 7pm I emerged and found that the traffic was till barely moving but I endured and it still took nearly an hour to get out of the gridlocked mess



The sun was setting fast and soon I found myself on Hwy 30, The Lincoln Highway. This is not a fast route but has lots of truck traffic and many signal lights. It was dark and I was following the tail lights of the truck ahead and I suddenly got the feeling that this wasn't such a good idea so I started to look for a place to stay. GULP, nothing around except darkness and many signs for restaurants but no places to stay

This was another 500 mile day where I had friends waiting for me to arrive. Last year when I was planning my trip I had offers from two other riders to take me to the Atlantic coast and show me around. Both of them had already arrived the day before and were mainly just sitting around the pool waiting for me to arrive



there has been a record heat wave in this part of the country and wearing ATGATT in this humidity is very hot

I arrive just after 6pm and set up camp



I have been keeping an eye on Kedgi hoping to bump into him and I find out later that he passed us around 7pm as he was heading west on I-90. If he had know we were here, and stopped . . . then he could have had some pizza which we had delivered.

Day 9: Was maintenance day. I had an appointment to have have an Oil Change done on my BMW R1200R at Kissell Motorsports in State College, PA

other than that it was a good day to stay by the pool

Damn those gadgets can be frustrating!! I have found there is a fine balance somewhere between the GPS advice, what your maps show (depending on resolution), what route people suggest, and your instinct. (And I somehow still end up choosing poorly in many instances.)

I hope you manage to avoid any more traffic like that, especially with the heat. Thanks for taking us along on your ride.

-Mike

By the way, I think that you gave Mt Rushmore plenty of time.

Well maybe on the way back.....Do the notches in NH. Up through the ski areas in VT. Across Champlain through Lake George and the Adirondacks. Some really great roads around. I even skip the interstate in my work truck when time permits.

Oh yeah we did the same drive by at Rushmore last year too.

Made it to Portland, Maine on Saturday



also visited the Portland Head Lighthouse



and a famous beach



and another (old orchard beach)



and I had my first taste of Lobster rolls

Lookin' good, Bob!

Glad to see you made it to Wall Drug. I passed all those signs when I was driving to move to Huntsville, but I was pressed for time and didn't take the exit. Doesn't look like there was much there to interest me but I'll still always feel like I missed out!

The lobster rolls look tasty...

Still no riding for me since the July 2 encounter with big rock on Oak St bridge. Front rim assessed as non-repairable. Ouch $$$

Ride safe!

JB:

I couldn't help myself. All those Wall Drugs signs for nearly a 100 miles. You just had to stop to see what was there.,

so sorry about your rim. Can't you get one from Modern. He may have a used one. Lucky thing you didn't get dumped or injured


bob

Torrential rains. Accuweather had Flash Flood warnings so decided to stay here another day



took the free shuttle from the campsite to Historic Bar Harbor, ME



no point riding and no where to store your riding gear in the rain

Had my first $13. bowl of Lobster bisque



and my first real Lobster dinner. Until now I have only had Lobster rolls



Messy but worth it. This trip is all about Lobsters as they are too expensive in Vancouver, BC



signs like this everywhere.

hope to be back on the road tomorrow. We are running a day late into Shediac, NB to meet Kedgi

bob

Bob

Glad you are enjoying lobster and the East Coast. I am days behind in my trip and I have just turned the corner if Lake Superior. I am in Superior, WI enjoying a burger at the Anchor Bar.

Angele is in Shediac, looking forward to meeting you and she is ready to make lobster rolls. If I don't get back to the Maritimes before you head West I will make arrangements to meet you somewhere nice, on the road like Saranac Lake or Lake Placid, maybe.

Kedgi

Mike & Jill:

sorry for delayed response. Problems with WiFi the past few days

Usually the GPS matches the signs but today they were conflicting again. Don't know which to rely on.

wished we had that heat now. We are freezing in New Brunswick (cold and foggy here)

bob

LibertyNH:

haven't planned my return route yet. depends a bit on the weather. It's changed for the worse here in NB right now.

I had high hopes for Mt Rushmore and was disappointed. At least you are able to see it from the road

bob

The rain finallly stopped and we were rolling around 8am.



the terrain is similar yet different than what I am used to seeing on the west coast of Canada



I am heading to Eastport, ME, the most easterly town in the US



and snap a photo of my bike with the sign



I get to the main area by the pier



and look at the boats in the harbour. Soon we head on our way to the border crossing at Calais, ME



it is busy but the lines seem to move quickly

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QywTDUJBxII/UfBuND72NkI/AAAAAAAAFys/RgdNmj4qsoo/s720/P1040982.JPG

we lose another hour

I finally make it back into Canada



and decide to dry out my tent and other stuff before it smells



we have a nice motel overlooking the Bay of Fundy, except that the fog has rolled in





It was a relaxing day, not too many miles and I am currently in Pocologan, NB



should be in Shediac tomorrow

So frustrating not to have internet access at the end of the day. Most places have WiFi and I get the signal but cannot connect. I think it is the problem of how the host router is configured, not my computer

I awoke in Pocologan, NB to my first eastern sunrise. On the west coast the sun sets in the sea, here it rises from the sea



Not a real sunrise because of the cloud cover. We have a motel right on the Bay of Fundy with a beach view



a little pricier but you have to live it up once in a while and also be able to dry out your camping equipment



lots of neat places to eat along the way

got to ride over the Confederation Bridge over to PEI



also tried to get a shot of myself, but hard to do with one hand with cars right behind



I think this is a cross-section of the bridge



I have arrived in Cavendish, PEI



My first sunset on the Island