Today it began to feel a wee bit like we were on holiday. For one thing, the weather was beautiful. They have been setting all kinds of rainfall records in New England - e.g. rain on 17 of the last 18 days - and Pres Bush has declared some parts of New Hampshire as official disaster zones. But today was beautiful. 
The second thing that lifted everyone was conquering our last big pass. Kancamagus in the White Mountains was just over 2850' and 13 miles up, and it was tough enough. We climbed a total of about 4300' today, including one 300 metre hill which was 20% in one part. From here there's nothing much over 1000'.The third thing was entering our last state. Just before lunch we crossed into Maine. It's the home straight. As a part-timer I can't really enter into the full emotions of the rest of the guys, but I know that most of them are now ready to be done. We only did about 83 miles today, but that brings them up to around 4000 miles, so
you can imagine that Friday evening will be a welcome time.
The second thing that lifted everyone was conquering our last big pass. Kancamagus in the White Mountains was just over 2850' and 13 miles up, and it was tough enough. We climbed a total of about 4300' today, including one 300 metre hill which was 20% in one part. From here there's nothing much over 1000'.The third thing was entering our last state. Just before lunch we crossed into Maine. It's the home straight. As a part-timer I can't really enter into the full emotions of the rest of the guys, but I know that most of them are now ready to be done. We only did about 83 miles today, but that brings them up to around 4000 miles, so
you can imagine that Friday evening will be a welcome time. The couple on the bikes are Bob & Wendy from Toronto. We met them at the top of the Pass and they were very interested in what we were doing. They didn't say anything about having a faith of their own, but before they left they gave us a donation towards our good cause. Lots of nice people about!
Just a couple of incidents today. Firstly, some of the Confirmation class at St Joseph's Church promised they would turn up at 7.00am to see us
off, and true to their word, Marissa and Amy did. They hadn't realized until today that it was daylight at 7.00!
Bryan got forced off the road by a small truck, who didn't move over an inch as he went past Bryan. Paul B was sick and threw up, so was unusually slow, and Jonny left his camera behind at the lunch-stop and was 10 miles away when he discovered it. I got a puncture at about 70 miles, then a full-on blow-out maybe 5 or 6 miles later. Stuart and Paul L made an interesting detour and arrived at the church from the opposite direction to everyone else.
Just a couple of incidents today. Firstly, some of the Confirmation class at St Joseph's Church promised they would turn up at 7.00am to see us
off, and true to their word, Marissa and Amy did. They hadn't realized until today that it was daylight at 7.00! Bryan got forced off the road by a small truck, who didn't move over an inch as he went past Bryan. Paul B was sick and threw up, so was unusually slow, and Jonny left his camera behind at the lunch-stop and was 10 miles away when he discovered it. I got a puncture at about 70 miles, then a full-on blow-out maybe 5 or 6 miles later. Stuart and Paul L made an interesting detour and arrived at the church from the opposite direction to everyone else.
On the way to Oxford we drove through Norway, which means that even on the relatively short time I've been on the trip I have been in Egypt, Mexico, Texas and now Norway. Some of the other interesting towns in the area are on the sign, including Belfast.At the lunch-stop in Lovell there was a great war-memorial, and I couldn't resist taking a picture of this flat memorial stone. The whole monument was surrounded by about three dozen of these stones, most of them pretty moving, but I guess this guy felt he could commemorate his father (whom he doesn't mention by name) and do a wee bit of business as well. 
Tonight our hosts are Oxford Adventist Church of Christ, which has as one of its distinctives that they believe in "soul sleep" after death. We are just about to have dinner, so better go.
That was a good dinner - lasagne & salad - and a presentation after to the youth group, led by a
lady called Jan Olsen (with the red hair) – with us still in our smelly clothes. Now Tom and I are being hosted by the pastor, Frank Jewett, and his wife Judy. Just had a v interesting discussion on what distinctives mark the Advent Christian denomination, which neither Tom (from California) nor I had ever heard of.Seems that the new book by NT Wright (whom someone told me from the picture in the book looks surprisingly like me - which he does, but it's definitely not a pen-name!) "Surprised by Joy" is the best summing-up of their doctrine. It does sound very biblical, and Frank seems like a great guy. Must read the book asap.Time for sleep now. Big day ahead tomorrow 
- 102 miles, incl one peak of 1000', which shouldn't scare these hard-core heroes one bit. Sure sounds big to me though!
Blessings on you, and keep praying for the last two days to be safe, and for the wind to be behind us.
Tonight our hosts are Oxford Adventist Church of Christ, which has as one of its distinctives that they believe in "soul sleep" after death. We are just about to have dinner, so better go.
That was a good dinner - lasagne & salad - and a presentation after to the youth group, led by a
lady called Jan Olsen (with the red hair) – with us still in our smelly clothes. Now Tom and I are being hosted by the pastor, Frank Jewett, and his wife Judy. Just had a v interesting discussion on what distinctives mark the Advent Christian denomination, which neither Tom (from California) nor I had ever heard of.Seems that the new book by NT Wright (whom someone told me from the picture in the book looks surprisingly like me - which he does, but it's definitely not a pen-name!) "Surprised by Joy" is the best summing-up of their doctrine. It does sound very biblical, and Frank seems like a great guy. Must read the book asap.Time for sleep now. Big day ahead tomorrow 
- 102 miles, incl one peak of 1000', which shouldn't scare these hard-core heroes one bit. Sure sounds big to me though!Blessings on you, and keep praying for the last two days to be safe, and for the wind to be behind us.
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