Mt. Washington: "Among the Clouds"
"Rosie" and "the Boy"
With a 45 minute ride to the entrance of Mt. Washington, we decided to take all our gear with us rather than back track to Conway. Madeline still is amazed that I carry my espresso machine and coffee fixings in my pack! Then again, her SPOT and GPS seem as strange to me. Our riding styles are as different as "Rosie" and "the Boy", offering us much to learn from each other.
On the road at 7 am to catch the early morning window of clear conditions, we bundled up anticipating 40 - 50 degree temperatures at the summit. At 17 years old, the seals on Rosie's rear cylinder are getting somewhat weepy, and she's beginning to leave her mark as Harley's are known to do. This climb would push her endurance, low temperatures would help keep her from overheating!
On the road at 7 am to catch the early morning window of clear conditions, we bundled up anticipating 40 - 50 degree temperatures at the summit. At 17 years old, the seals on Rosie's rear cylinder are getting somewhat weepy, and she's beginning to leave her mark as Harley's are known to do. This climb would push her endurance, low temperatures would help keep her from overheating!
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Eight miles from the entrance to the top. My memory of going up 30 years ago (as a passenger in a car) is of cold and fog. There are so many stories of what a difficult and frightening ride it is, the anticipation is palpable. Add to that, the excitement of three years waiting to make this ride ... BREATHE!
Rosie climbs easily in 2nd gear, bottom to top. There are pull off areas every so often providing beautiful vistas, water for radiators, or a chance to cool brakes on the descent. We stop once going up. There is extra oil in my saddle bags, just in case ... |
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Summit Parking Area
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"The Worst Weather In The World"
A mile from the top, the road turns to dirt. It is narrow, with no guard rails. Navigating larger vehicles by each other, or through inclement weather, would well be frightening!
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Chili Bread Bowls from the Cafeteria
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It's a beautiful morning, sunny, no discernable wind, only the length of the incline seems out of the ordinary for me. Mt. Washington is 6288 feet above sea level. My daughter was born at an altitude of 7700 feet in Gunnison, Colorado. While I didn't get the headache and nausea of altitude sickness, I did get very tired. A serious regimen of diet and exercise is need before I ride the Rockies!
"White Deer" and "Miss Rider" at the top
As the clouds moved in, threatening the predicted afternoon thunderstorms, we headed down the mountain. While "Rosie" had no problems in second, "the Boy" has a very wide power band in his low gears, demanding that Madeline utilize his brakes. She pulled off halfway to the bottom to let them cool.
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A much needed rest stop halfway down.
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Back at the entrance, we took off what extra layers hadn't already been packed away at the top! What a gorgeous day to ride!
My feet also escaped my boots while at the Cumberland Farms in Gorham NH. |
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A young rider there was familiar with Madeline's blog and seemed a touch starstruck.
Getting my wind back, we said our fare wells as Madeline split off to head home while I kept on through Vermont. |
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