Belfast to Brunswick - 76 miles cum - 126 miles

Today was pleasant cold day in November except it is only September 11th. It was only 52 degrees this morning and never got over 62 degrees. I am glad I brought my full fingured gloves for this trip. I wore my wool long sleeve jersey along with my rain jacket and I was pretty comfortable. I have never had a wool cycling jersey before but it is pretty nice. Keeps wicking moisture and keeps you warm. I left the motel at 7:30AM and crossed the river into Belfast over a restored pedestrian bridge. I stopped for breakfast at a little diner which was very quaint. A lady had told me in Bar Harbor that Belfast if a nice little town without all of the tourist traps that Bar Harbor has. I started on my way and a young man cycled up behind me. We rode along for about a mile as he was very curious about what I was doing. He just graduated from Georgetown University and is killing time before he starts graduate school. He is planning to bike the Baja Penninsula in Mexico. That is not for me!! He left me when we got to the main highway and I started out for Brunswick. The road was not in great condition and had very narrow shoulders or about 20 miles or so until I left highway 1 and started on rte 90 in Camden. This was much better as it wasn't as much climbing and it had a nicer shoulder. I picked up Rte 1 again in Warren but it was in much better condition with nice wide shoulders. Just as I got to Waldoboro, my maps said to take the old Rte 1 into Waldoboro. This was a mistake. There were some of the steepest hills I have encountered so far. I know the Main road would not have has such severe grades. Anyway I finally made my way down a very steep hill into Waldoboro and met a young couple pushing their bikes up the hill. I stopped and we chatted for a few minutes. I showed them some of my maps of which they were not aware as this was their first bike journey. They were riding from Portland to Bar Harbor against the wind as it was out of the North all day. They were trying to make it to Camden for the night. After I got back on Rte 1, I vowed not to leave it again as the shoulders were 6 feet wide and in very good shape. I eventually passed a couple of young girls packing all of their gear heading North wearing tanktops!!! I didn't get a chance to talk to them but they had to be cold. I eventually made my way to Bath and again stayed on Rte 1 and avoided my map routing me on a back road. By now I had 68 miles in and had seen all of the back roads of Maine I cared to see for this day. All of sudden Rte1 turned into an Interstate I-295, It was not listed as such on my maps. I figured, great, I haven't seen a state trooper all day and now I will probably get a ticket. I got off at the first exit and as luck would have it, there was my motel!! I felt pretty good today even though the milage was a third more. I ate more often and I think that helped. Now I need to find a store that sells more power bars for tomorrow. Another 70 miles plus day but at least it promises to be 72 and sunny!!