Even though I wasn’t paddling these were “river days” in that they were part of the trip. There are a lot of behind the scenes logistics to a trip like this and these were a part of that. I had two days before heading out again. One of those was occupied with appointments I had made before planning this trip.
I spent the next day just writing and resupplying. Most of the resupply was easy as I had prepared a bunch of dried meals weeks earlier. I gathered up enough food for eight days and got rid of a few unnecessary items I had been carrying.

The following morning I headed off at 6 AM with my Ebike strapped to the back of my car. My boat, Jenny, was at Turners Falls where I had gotten off the river three days prior. I was driving to Old Saybrook CT where my paddle trip would end when the river met Long Island Sound. From there I would ride my bike back to Jenny and continue my paddle to the sound.
On any long trip I often look forward to my resupply days in town as a way to relax. But in reality these break days between the journey are often a whirlwind of activity and do not feel like a relaxing break. Besides needing to resupply I try to shower and wash my clothes. I catch up on correspondence and make needed repairs to equipment. I look at the next section of my journey and make any necessary arrangements, such as where to leave my car or how to get water when needed. I spend a lot of time writing and posting the next set of blogs. I try to catch up with friends. I recharge all my electronics, which include my phone, a small portable power bank used to recharge items as needed and a mini iPad to write on. I also try to do some calorie loading as It is difficult to carry enough food to really keep up with my calorie output when I am moving my body all day, every day. Often I feel a bit unprepared and rushed when I finally set back out, and this time was no different. As I was packing the car I kept hoping I would not forget some really necessary item.
It was raining while I was loading my car in the early morning hours. The rain stopped just as I prepared to get into my car. I looked up and was greeted with a wonderful rainbow. I took some time to enjoy that beauty of nature, grateful for the reminder to slow down and enjoy the beauty around me wherever I am. I hoped it was a good omen of what was to come.

The drive to Old Saybrook was fairly uneventful. I stopped at a farmer’s market and picked up four ears of corn and a pint of blueberries. I was missing having access to the abundant, fresh foods of summer. I parked my car at the middle school where they allow overnight parking. I could see the cove where I would take out one quarter mile away but I chose not to walk down to it. I wanted my first arrival to be via the river.
My bike is close to sixty pounds. When unloading it from the bike rack on the back of my car I felt a twinge in a muscle on my side. I was glad it seemed not to be a big deal. It was only later that I realized it was injured more than I had realized at the time. It bothered me on and off for the whole day of riding.
I covered 73.6 miles on that first day on my bike. My bike thermometer registered in the high 90’s for most of the day. Even though I was riding close to the river, I recognized how much hotter it felt being on pavement than on the water.

It was interesting to see the river from the vantage point high on a bridge rather than from on the water itself. I was riding through towns I would later paddle through and I was sure my experience of them would be much different at river level. Again this had me thinking about perspective and the various ways we see something depending upon the spot we are viewing it from.

I had worried about riding my bike through some of the larger cities in CT and Mass but in general it was not too bad. I relied on Google to map out a route, and while it seemed convoluted, often having me turn every quarter mile or so, I mostly avoided large roads with no shoulders.
I was definitely ready for a stop when I reached Chicopee. My friend Bix had connected me up with a friend of hers who offered me a place to stay in Chicopee. I had a delightful visit with Fergus who is dedicating his life to protecting the environment. When he offered to buy dinner for me I was reminded that magic can happen anywhere.
Fergus ordered burritos and we drove to the restaurant to pick them up. When we arrived he realized he had left his wallet at home. We were both penniless. He went in hoping they would take some sort of internet payment. They didn’t. But what they did do was insist he take the burritos on the house! I love the kindness that can be found everywhere.

The next day I again set off on my bike. I had forty more miles to get back to my boat. Fergus had given me a holder for my phone which attached to the handlebars of my bike. It made following the many turns on back roads much easier to follow. I thought of how much easier it would have made my recent VT 251 bike trip, but rather than spending too much time ruing what I had not had, I expressed gratitude for this new item making my life so much easier. On trips like this I am aware of how much excess stuff I have at home. But I am also aware of how useful some simple items are. I hope I can keep finding the balance between having too much and selling myself short.
I stopped for a quick bite to eat, placing my sunglasses on top of a dumpster. I looked at them and thought “Don’t forget they are there.” Of course I did. Luckily I realized it within a few miles so I backtracked to get them. But this put me behind schedule for arriving at Turners Falls. I had made arrangements to meet Beth who had helped me arrange leaving my boat in Turner’s Falls. I did not want to make her wait so I pushed myself to peddle harder and faster. Still, I could not resist stopping for an ice cream cone at a farm stand. After taking the first few bites I found I could ride and eat it at the same time.
My GPS failed me in the last few miles taking me in what I knew was the wrong direction. Recognizing that I was on the wrong side of the river, I decided to make it back to Barton Cove the old fashioned way by asking for directions. I miss the human interactions I lose when I rely solely on technology to get me from place to place.

I thought when I arrived I would take an hour or so to eat more and load Jenny before heading off. But the folks at Barton Cove were eager to help me with the portage before they left for the day. They were willing to drive my gear the almost three mile portage around the dam and I did not want to miss out on that opportunity. Because of covid concerns they were not willing to have me in their truck. As a result I threw Jenny onto their truck, refilled some water bottles, and headed off on my bike to peddle the portage. When I arrived at the put in I hastily pulled what I needed from my bike and changed from biking to paddling clothes. Jenny was unloaded from the truck and my bike was loaded on. It would be taken back to Barton Cove where I would pick it up when I finished paddling to the sound.
Beth helped me carry my stuff down to the river from the parking lot and I once again prepared to set off down the river. I wasn’t sure what lay ahead but I was glad to be off on the final leg of this journey.