Day 58 8/7/19

Baker Mills, NY to Cornwall, VT; 72 miles, mostly cloudy, calm, 70’s and muggy

Mid afternoon storms were forecast but once again we dodged them somehow. The ride continued on NY 8 with plenty of ups and downs. After crossing the Hudson River there was a more interesting climb to go over the ridge between Brant Lake on the west and Lake George on the east. According to the mapping tool I used to map the route we have been following through the Adirondacks, it was a 4 mile climb with an elevation gain of almost 900 feet. A little taste of what is ahead in VT and NH. We turned north at Lake George and continued on to Ticonderoga. There we took a ferry (finally a real ferry ride) across Lake Champlain to Vermont. Vermont has its own vibe compared to the more tourist and park atmosphere of NY just across the lake. A political boundary does change things. Riding to finish the day we passed dairy farms, orchards, and had vista views of the Green Mountains. They must be crossed tomorrow. And yes it is hilly in VT.

 

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Day 59 8/8/19

Cornwall, VT to Sharon, VT; 61 miles, 5-10 SW, rain early, then sunny, 70-80’s, muggy

We delayed riding a bit this morning to let the heaviest rain pass. I decided to ride the “Covered Bridge” alternative to avoid riding through busy Middlebury. It was nice riding on back roads but no covered bridges. Next up was the 10 mile climb to the Middlebury Gap. It wasn’t too bad as there were stretches of lower grade between the steeper pitches. The downhill was quite exciting on a steep and curvy road. The remainder of the day followed VT 100 and VT 107. Both follow the White River valley and I was riding downstream in both cases. So it was essentially downhill the remainder of the ride with a few up hills as a reminder that you are riding in VT after all. There are not a lot of lodging options in this part of VT besides B&B’s. Since we do not have a fixed destination in mind at the start of the day, our accommodation search is always just-in-time. The Adventure Cycling maps list possible lodging options. In Sharon we called the one and only B&B and it was our luck that it is run by a cycling couple who welcomed us with open arms. They have also done cross country trips so we had much in common.

 

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Day 60 8/9/19

Sharon, VT to Big Rock Campground (Lincoln, NH); 72 miles, 5-10 SW, sunny, 60-70’s

Today was a day of “major climbs” as described by the Adventure Cycle map profile. That equates to 3.5 climbs for a total of almost 6000 feet of elevation gain. The half climb includes going halfway up the Kancamagus Pass east of Lincoln, NH at the end of the day because well the riding was still going strong at that point. We crossed the Connecticut River from Vermont to New Hampshire so one more state to go. The day also featured not one but two legitimate covered bridges unlike those replicas earlier in the trip. One of the climbs crossed the Appalachian Trail at the summit and we thought about our good friends Marji and Jim who hiked past there on their way to completing a through hike. Lincoln is very busy at the height of tourist season in the White Mts, a big change from the quiet small towns we have been staying in.

 

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Day 61 8/10/19

Big Rock Campground NH to Naples, ME; 75 miles, partly cloudy, 10-15 NW, and 50-70s

The first six miles completed the climb to the Kancamagus Pass. The grade really only became somewhat steep at 9% within a mile of the pass. Based on the map profile and my observation descending, the climb is much harder going west bound than east bound as it is steeper for a much longer distance. We descended to Conway, NH and the route included a side road with yet another covered bridge. From Conway it was then a short ride to cross over into Maine at Fryeburg. This being a weekend, the main roads were very busy with backups at every light. A fortuitous bike trail allowed a bypass of road construction just over the state line. From Fryeburg the route followed less traveled state roads and back roads to Naples through lake country. While the biggest climbs are history, there were and will be many hills to ride up in ME all the way to the end of the ride. Today there were more downs than ups as we traveled away from the mountains toward the coast.

Most photo credits are to the SAG driver.

 

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Day 62 8/11/19

Naples, ME to Damariscotta, ME; 76 miles, sunny, 10 W, 60-70’s

The ride continued to follow less traveled state roads and country roads towards the coast. Yes, it is hilly in Maine, very little flat sections. In particular there are these short really steep sections that challenge my lowest gearing. Not complaining, just reporting. This was what I call a slow day due to the hills, but also due to  many route turns and the time it takes to make sure you have made the correct turn. Some roads are unsigned so keeping track of mileage is important, something I have mental lapses about at times.  Cell coverage is not always available as a backup. The scenery has been forests, lakes, and the occasional little Maine town. We had a nice chat with a couple from Madison, WI we met on the road that were completing their self contained cross county trip today in Brunswick. They had started on 5/30 so they have made good time. We rode through Brunswick, Bath, and Wiscasset along Highway 1 on the way to Damariscotta where we are staying tonight with friends of Sally. I have now seen tide water on the east coast so technically I have crossed the continent. However, there are still miles to go to reach the final goal of Bar Harbor.

 

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Day 63 8/12/19

Damariscotta, ME to Bucksport, ME; 69 miles, sunny, 10 SW, 60-70’s

The ups and downs continued, especially on the state roads. There were longer stretches of riding on US 1 with a generous shoulder and less traffic than yesterday. The route is following the coast line by cutting across the headland peninsulas. US 1 has flatter hills and more traffic. The state roads have less traffic but more hills including the “steeps”, those short sections of high gradient. Along the way I spotted a beast that looks like it must be in the cattle family, but I have no clue what it is. We passed through the bay towns of Rockport, Camden, Belfast, and Searsport before arriving in Bucksport. This is the second year in a row I have biked to Belfast. Last year it was the end town for the Trek Across Maine charity ride I participated in. Belfast has a working ship yard and a large boat was being hauled into a large building for some dry dock work as I rode by. At the end of the ride I rode over this magnificent bridge to Verona Island just across from Bucksport over the Penobscot River where it empties into Penobscot Bay.

 

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Day 64 8/13/19

Bucksport, ME to Bar Harbor, Me; 46 miles, mostly cloudy, calm, and 70’s

The bike ride across the continent is now finished. The official Adventure Cycle Northern Tier route eastern end point is the town pier in Bar Harbor. The route followed US 1 and then turned off on a great quiet back road before reaching Ellsworth and the tourist traffic on ME 3. Then it was over a couple of hills through Acadia NP to town.

The total distance as measured on my bike cyclometer is 4179 miles. It has been a great experience to again complete a long cycle tour. There is the feeling of personal accomplishment but also the chance to see the sweep of our country coast to coast, and to meet people one would not otherwise come in contact with. I am thankful to have the health and fitness to undertake such a journey, and that it was completed safely and without any serious events (besides four flat tires). A big thank you to Sally for supporting me along the way, I could not have done it without her. It will take some time for me to further reflect on all we have experienced.

Thank you for following the journey on the blog ( and a special shout out to Millie my biggest fan). I would be remiss if I did not mention that the trip was a fundraiser for Journeys of Solutions and there is a Donate button at the top of the page.

The end.

 

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Amigos en Acción April 2019 Update

Amigos en AccionAmigos en Acción has been off to a great start this year, and we have so much that we would like to share with you! First, since we haven’t done it yet, we would like to give you a bit of a recap of 2018. It was a fabulous year in the program, in spite of the socio-political issues that began in April 2018. One of the things that made last year so special is the fact that it was our first group of students to participate in the program for the full three years (students who begin the program in 4th grade have the opportunity to participate until they graduate from 6th grade). These students will always hold a special place in our hearts, as they were our “guinea pigs” in everything, and they were an incredible group of students. They grew so much intellectually, physically, and emotionally in the three years that they were in the program. We watched them develop new friendships, work through obstacles, and develop skills to deal with the trials of daily life. And, oh, how they grew in English! I am so proud of how much they learned in those three years, and especially of their willingness and excitement to learn something as new and strange as English – because let’s be honest, English is a tough language to learn if it’s not your native language! As much as miss them this year in the program, we are excited to see how they will continue to learn and grow as they begin secondary school.

In December 2018, co-founders Ashley Sullivan and Martha Rojas had the opportunity to travel to Rochester, NY thanks to Ciudad Hermana Rochester – El Sauce and a generous grant from the Paul Wenger Fund for Peace Through International Understanding through the First Unitarian Church of Rochester. During the visit, we had the opportunity to meet with past donors and connect with new ones through presentations at various public and private schools, universities, churches, and other organizations and groups in the area. We are deeply grateful to those who opened their doors to us to hear about what we do both through Ciudad Hermana and Amigos en Acción to positively impact the El Sauce community. We also received a generous donation of an iPad from one of our donors, which has opened so many doors for our students. With it, we are able to access the internet to allow students to search for information for homework and projects. Plus, we are so excited for the chance to connect our students with students in the Rochester area through Skype calls.

This year, we have our hands full with 30 students actively participating! As it is still early in the Nicaraguan school year, we are working to get to know each of our students and help them to develop friendships with each other (we have students from two different elementary schools, so the program allows them to meet other children they wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to meet). We are helping our students to develop good study skills, to be independent, to take initiative to solve problems, to work with their classmates, and so much more! We took some time at the beginning of the school year to play many get-to-know-you games and team-building activities to break down barriers and help them to develop confidence, and will continue to do so as the year goes on to ensure we maintain a positive environment.

Amigos en AccionWe also would like to invite you to participate in our fundraising campaign, $92 from 92. If you haven’t heard about it yet, check out our previous blog post to see more details:

https://journeysofsolutions.org/92-amigos/

Remember, ANY donation helps us to make sure we can continue providing this program to our students, which includes homework help and educational reinforcement, a healthy snack, English classes, and other activities to help students develop skills they will need to be successful in school and beyond. Students attend our program from Monday through Friday from 8:00-11:00am, then go to school in the afternoons, and they LOVE participating! A new student recently told his family that he loves coming to the program and doesn’t want to miss, because we have so many cool things for them to use!

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so online or by check. Remember, all donations are tax-deductible! When you make a donation, be sure to designate Amigos en Accion as the recipient. You can follow this link for more specific information about how to donate:

http://journeysofsol.wpengine.com/make-a-donation/

Thank you in advance to anyone who is able to support our mission in making sure these children have a chance to participate in this program!

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WHAT’S NEW with the WIDOWS in TIRUVANNAMALAI

Dearest friends of the Widows of India,

We share this update to inform you of the latest happenings for the widows in South India, with deepest gratitude in our hearts for all your support, without which none of the following events would have occurred.

Our Om Shanthi Old Age Home has become a strong beam of light in Tiruvannamalai and the outlying area.  Our project has become very well-known as being a very well-run support and haven for aging and abandoned women who here find refuge and loving care during their final years.

Public and civil authorities are recommending our services, as do the many westerners who come to visit after learning of our services to both old and young widows (who very often have multiple children).

The Om Shanthi Old Age Home has become a safe haven, currently housing 29 beautiful goddesses (ages range 70 – 93) who are lovingly cared for round the clock by a staff of nine wonderful women (also widows).

I (Anna) spend three months of the year in Tiruvannamalai, and Paulette typically spends 6 weeks here.  Kirsti Shields (of Journeys of Solutions) and her daughter also experienced the magic and beauty of the widows in the home this year.

Together, we all share in the efforts to contribute the maintenance of this worthy place, where destitute elderly women can live peacefully through the end of their days, instead of out on the streets.

 

HELPING YOUNG WIDOWS AND CHILDREN:

This aspect of our project (the Old Age Home) is flourishing beautifully, and we now have directed our attention to another “hotspot”, where help is urgently needed.

There are many, many young widows with children whose husband has recently passed away, and who now stand facing a huge void in their lives.  They have lost their husband, the children their father, and the women now face the need to support themselves and their children, alone, without resources.

We have three social workers who go out in to the community to seek out and screen the needs of those who are now in desperate straits, often with little to eat.  Our social workers are very well attuned to the suffering of these young mothers, as they are widows, themselves.

Many live in the very rural and remote outskirts of Tiruvannamalai.  The widows and their children are so very grateful when we arrive with a sack of rich, dhal, and cooking oil!  We then sit with them,  listen to their story, and determine how we can best address their most urgent needs.  We help each family according to their specific need.   Every situation is different.

Many times, it is medical care which is most immediately needed:  HIV, malnutrition, and depression is widespread.  Their little hut’s roof in which they live needs repair – rain comes through in the rainy season, while they sleep on the floor.

We then look at helping to find work for these most often illiterate young women, whose only education has been to care for their families.

Last, but not least!  So very, very  important is the education of the children to whom is owed a fighting chance for a future in their country, which is so quickly developing its power and resources.   All widows are very strongly concerned about the future of their children, and it is ingrained in all children that education is the key to their rescue from a life of poverty.

All children are provided with schoolbags, school uniforms, and other materials which they need.  We also look to support children with higher education, as well.  Currently, we are giving support to 95 widows and otherwise destitute women, along with 172 students, of all ages.

The subdued flickering of hope seen in the eyes of the widows and their children upon our first visit is replaced with great joy – we see this in their eyes upon our follow-up visits made after some time of support.

It is because of each and every one of you that we are able to share in this reward for our endeavors, which we herewith share with you!  Without your kind support, none of this could have happened!  There are so, so many more who need our help!

 

With deep gratitude!

Anna & Paulette

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