Littleton, NH to along the Androscoggen River, ME 48.7 miles

Even dropping my rear view mirror and having to look for it for 15 minutes didn’t make this a bad morning. Being camped down on the river and watching the sun come up and the mist slowly lift while the river rolled on was an outstanding way to begin the day.

I didn’t get very far down the road when the White Mountains of New Hampshire came into view. They would be putting on a show all day. I was so lucky that it was a clear day going through the Whites.

I think the three tallest peaks in the picture below are (left to right) Adams, Jefferson and Washington (The Presidential Range).

Eventually I picked up an excellent gravel road that paralleled the Presidential Rail trail and was a little faster to cover the miles on. By the way, the Cross New Hampshire trail uses the Presidential Rail Trail through the Whites and they don’t let ATVs on it and it was marvelous.

The bridge below allowed ATVs to cross the Androscoggin River from Gorham to a bunch of trails. After I went into Gorham and came back out so I could cross it, I changed my mind because the trail on the other side was reminiscent of yesterday’s ATV fest. What I didn’t know was I only had to go just a little farther and the route didn’t allow ATVs. But I turned around and went back through Gorham, with ATVs driving up and down the Main Street, and went out of town on route 2 which was a terrible choice. I managed to survive the three and a half miles before I could turn off and pick up North Road on the other side of the Androscoggin. It was a wonderful road to ride.

After a little while on North Road I came to a free Vegetable Stand, it improved my opinion of being on tour in New Hampshire.

When I got to the state border with Maine, there was an appropriate welcome to Maine sign in the form of a granite stone.

I was thinking I might spring for a campsite tonight but the only one near by was going to be expensive and I would have gotten there just before dark. So I started looking along the Androscoggin as I rode along it on North Road. I found a spot I was happy with, set up the tent and walked down to the river in my bathing suit. It was magnificent to take a dip, cool off and rinse off the road grime.

Then I put the vegetables to good use in my deluxe ramen dinner and went to bed.