2019-07-05 FR – Last day and everything breaks

I did not stir entire night.  Now it is before 6 AM and I am ready to roll. Weather is perfect for biking because it is slightly chilly, but day promising to be a hot one.

All my equipment is covered with morning dew.

Today I will ride without usual GPS support or knowing exactly where I am.  My iPhone will remain OFF till I get home and put it in a bowl of rice to dry out.

07:30 start bike ride. Road is good.  Sun is in my back.

07:36 Immediately, I identified my nightly position by the cross of Shirley Tote Rd. and York Rd.  York Rd. is not on most maps, but it is visible on Google satellite view.

07:55 Relatively quickly conquered a local high point of the road. From here, you can see many miles forward and even the next mount range.  Again, most of the time incline was small enough that I didn’t have to walk my bike.

08:32 I am on a paved road leading to Forks, ME. Instead of filtering water, I asked people to fill my bottles from a garden hose.  Water was warm, stinky, but I did not notice it at the time.

08:50 last pictures taken by injured camera. I am about to make a turn on Boise Rd. that goes to Pleasant Pond and Caratunk.  One the last pictures was a spring feeding onto the highway ditch.  But camera worked long enough to show me that this is the proper turn into Boise Rd.  Another favorable sign.  Now I can use sun and stars to navigate, but it all straight forward now.

09:25 I am on the road for 2 hours.  Sun is begging to reach out and shadows are shortening.  I am on a side road off main route to Forks, ME.

09:29 a large swarm of ATV(s) flew by me with various degrees of noise.  But the main drag are the clouds of dust they lift of a gravel road.

09:45 I am on at road crossing Boise and Divide roads.  This is a first positive identification that I am on the right road.

10:15 I finished last green apple.  It means that I’ve spread my fruits perfectly.  Last one finished just couple hours before the end of the trip.

At 10:27 road made an anticipated turn to the left, then – crossing AT (Appalachian Trail) at 10:33, and now I am at cross of N. Shore Rd. And N. Cove Rd.  I only saw a driveway to AT parking.  IT is a little to the south of the trail here.

11:06 last swim in the river that goes parallel to the road.  Washed my hair, my shirt and my glasses.

11:40 arrive back to car parked at Caratunk AT parking.

12:20 all in a good working order.  I am ready to drive back home.

Odometer shows 312.5 / +26.5°C and 143 till refueling needed.

Initial preliminary time of arrival could be – 16:26

13:10 – Subway at Skowhegan, ME.  Last time I was here on Tue, May 28 – just over a month ago.  I am in dry Birkenstocks and my hiking Keens sandals are drying on the sun.  Double toasted black Forest sandwich is a perfect transition from camp food to real food.

17:35 I arrived home with 559.1 on odometer. +32°C in Newton, MA