Chunky Monkey

The highlight of our ride today was finding ourselves at the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory just outside of Burlington, Vermont.   Many of us did the tour and were given a sample of the flavor of the day, Chocowlate Chip.    Of course, I (also) had a kid's scoop of Chunky Monkey at the Scoop Shop and we took photos around the Cowmobile.   It was a cyclists dream come true.   Grand Tetons - okay.  Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory -- awesome!   Well, not really but it was great fun and an easier riding day for us.  Vermont is beautiful and the rolling hills, good weather and lighter schedule (only 50 miles) today made this a very relaxing way to begin to wrap up our trip as this is the last week.  We are now at a campground in Stowe, Vermont. 

Yesterday we rode from Lake Placid, New York to Burlington, Vermont and had a nice break in the day viewing the Ausable Chasm -- river, waterfalls and cliffs along the route.   As we wrap up the trip we are all faced with bittersweet emotions.   Part of me wants -- like Forest Gump -- to just turn around and ride back the other way.   I've spent all this time on my bike. I could simply keep going and going and going and going.   The other part knows that all good things must end and the memory of this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life.  Kris, one of our 50-something riders from Washington, rode this trip about ten years ago and came back for another time this year.  She mentioned that there wasn't a day that she hasn't thought of some aspect of the trip every day since.    I also spoke with Charlie, a rider who has joined us for several weeks along the route who he did a similar trip in 1992.  Charlie mentioned that for the next six months he woke up wondering what city he was in!  

I turned to Philippe (from France) who is on a computer next to me at the beautiful Stowe Free Public Library and it took us a few minutes to figure out where we were before Burlington, Vermont.   The pace is truly like a circus -- pulling up our tents and moving to the next town each day.   Yesterday was a treat though as we were able to stay at the dorms at the University of Vermont just up the hill from downtown Burlington. 

My big activity yesterday night was playing the role of Activity Director.  I spoke with Rob Panzera, the owner of Cycling Camp San Diego, who was visiting a friend on our tour.  He agreed to give a 45 minute talk on his cycling camp, nutrition, and cycling skills (climbing techniques).    After dinner and our evening meeting about 30 riders gathered around some shade outside of the dorms and he gave a nice talk about it all.