Day 67 – August 9 – Sharon, VT to North Woodstock, NH – 65 Miles

Today turned out to be a big challenge and significant accomplishment.  We woke at 6:00 and were on the road at 7:00.  We stopped for coffee, juice and homemade donuts at the Sharon General Store.  We were climbing the grade outside of Sharon by 7:30.  The weather was heavily overcast and cool.  Rain threatened.

There were several short but very steep portions on the climb.  Definitely steeper than the 12% grade we had experienced yesterday.  Slow and steady got us to the top in a reasonable period of time and the backside descent provided a long more gradual slope.  Fog shrouded the hills on the east side of the pass.  Along this portion of the route, the repair work on the roadway and bridges from damage caused by the rains of hurricane Irene in 2011 was evident.   Flooding had washed out over 65 bridges and portions of 200 roads.  We had one detour for a bridge that was being rebuilt.

In the Village of East Thetford, VT we stopped for an early lunch. Just as we were getting off our bikes it began to rain.  We put on our rain covers and hoped the rain would stop by the time lunch was finished.

Broken clouds and partial sun greeted us after lunch.  Crossing the Connecticut River at East Thetford we entered New Hampshire.  Immediately we had to detour due to reconstruction of an Irene flood damaged roadway.  The detour was rather minor and soon we were back on route.  Our route took us north following the Connecticut.  At North Haverhill, our route would take a right turn directing us east and toward our second significant climb.  At North Haverhill we took a break and put on sunscreen as the clouds had cleared and we were faced with hot and humid conditions.  Traffic was light but the roadway was steep and twisting on the first portion of the climb following State Route 116. As the climb moved onto State Route 112 the road widened and the steepness of the grade lessened.  The climb crested at 1900 feet and a short time later we crossed the Appalachian Trail.

As we neared the summit, overcast skies had returned and the western skies had turned threatening.  The 9 mile descent into North Woodstock/Lincoln, NH went quickly. Severe storms with damaging hail are predicted for this evening. We opted for a hotel in North Woodstock.  Tomorrow, depending on weather, we hope to start our final major climb of the trip.  The climb over Kancamagus Pass at 2,855 will be steep and our highest climb in the east.  The descent on the far side will take us into Maine.