VTXL Day 1, Canaan Vt to Brighton State Park

First thing first, Jacqui survived her first night in the GFC camper.    We both didn't get as much sleep as normal.    I got enough REM and deep sleep per my watch,  2 hours total.   6.5 sleep overall . There were nearby loons, and they were LOUD at 4:30a.m.    I regretted not bringing my single hearing protection ear muff thing that I wear over the ear not on the pillow.   There was some distant tractor trailer j braking too.   

Still though, I believe she said she'd be open to trying camping again; she just needs to figure out her pillows better.  For breakfast, I made her kodiak pancakes (the protein brand) cooked with butter in the pan (makes them tastier).    She had boiling water for her instant coffee, cold milk from the fridge, and she had precooked crispy bacon.    Not a bad breakfast.   I took care of the dishes and stuff.

Oh, and the toilet in the truck was a success too!   Saved a 5am. walk up the hill to the bathroom.

We enjoyed the campfire together last night.   It was good to just hang out and talk some.   

I was optimistic on my start time, and didn't actually start until 10:30-10:45a.m.   Touch wood, so far the only thing I forget was a toe nail clipper.   I took care of it at home a couple days ago, but I missed a couple.   Solved with a Walgreens stopped in Colebrook on the drive up to Canaan

The ride today went well, the rain jacket and pants were already put to good use, had some decent rain for about 30 minutes, and enough drizzle for another hour or so.   

here's some photos from the ride today,   with the rain, i didn't take as many.   Wasn't hugely scenic today.

There was one weird tiny gas station, general store, hunting tag,  place.  I got an orange soda and small bag of chipss for salt.  Inside, they had a chalkboard up of all the reported deers taken last hunting season, like a scoreboard.   odd place, and food selection was better than you'd think.   He had 2 big german shepard dogs in the store with him with a weird Beware warning on the front door.    I think it's a redneck local hangout.   Some liquor and beer for sale too.

The bike setup worked well  on the ride today,  I'll post photos tomorrow of the bike fully loaded up.   Right now I'm sitting in the new ground chair i got as i type this.   the butt on the ground part is a bit firm, but the thigh and lower back support feels great right now after biking 5 hours.  those muscles need relief, and I sit on the tailbone more, which is spared on the bike seat, the seat bones get more abuse.   But honestly today, they were fine.  and the roads I rode were insanely tough, way worse than Erie, hopefully my butt is ok in the morning.

Anyhoo, back to the chair, I have the keyboard closer to my knees and the phone on my lap closer to me as I type this now.   a photo jacqui took of me using it yesterday.   suprised the photo came out as well as it did because she was laughing after watching my ungraceful lowering myself into it.   I'm getting better with practice.

After getting back, I also took a hot shower at the nearby bathrooms. and I put the dirty clothes in the fabric bucket, so i could clean them too.   I filled the bucket with hot water and a little soap, then quickly showered.   After finishing my shower, I held the bucket up again and captured more hot water until the shower stopped, timed it well.  added some of the dr bronner liquid soap to the bucket and manually agitated.   then I let the clothes soak in the bucket as I dried off and dressed.    Once clothed, I dumped the bucket's dirty clothes water in the sink and reloaded with cold water from the sink a couple times to fully rinse while manual agitating again.    To get things drier, I did the stomp trick on the clothes in the bucket when carefully lying it on the floor, and that got more water out. 

Back at camp, I hand wrung everything and hung them on the line i kept.   the bucket is the orange and black thing hanging to the right of the orange jacket in the photo below. i may leave the wetter stuff out overnight, the morning dew will be less than if they're still soaked.

Dinner was peanut butter on a thick slice of my homemade 50% whole wheat sourdough bread, and i chewed up 3 seedlesss dates and Mama bird spat them on the peanut butter bread slice.   gross, but it works, and i'm the only one eating it.   I like peanut butter and dates together.

also ate  2 packets of brown cinnamon sugar pop tarts 9(400cal each) and some wasabi almonds for salt.   drank 1 scoop of my protein powder mixed with water.  I burned an extra 2500 calories today biking, so I'm probably still under calories.   Will pig out in town (Island Pond) for breakfast tomorrow and resupply on food before continuing on.   More miles tomorrow, but more biking time.

  Speaking of the protein powder again, I think I'm going to save it for dinner.   I think my body will recover better if I have a protein powder drink after the ride, and to repair muscle while i sleep.

I did notify bikepacking.com that their suggested detour route also had a bridge crew replacing a  bridge.   That happend at mile 21 of 46 on my ride today.   I got through no problem, but tis the season I guess.   hopefully I don't run into that a lot.  Had to walk down a steep ravine and back up the other side.   steep 10ft drop.