At 10:30 a.m. this morning, I rode to the pier at the end of Main St. in Bar Harbor for the start of my journey. Bikers completing these cross-country trips traditionally dip a tire in the ocean as they depart, and then again as they arrive on the other side of the continent. Some say that it is the rear tire that should be dipped on departure, and the front tire on arrival, but there are others who say both tires need to be doused in either case. Although this is not common in Methodist circles, I opted for full immersion baptism in order to be sure I was doing this right. Just as I positioned myself for this, however, a large wave unexpectedly came my way, totally drenching not only both my tires, but also my socks and shoes.

This is what the bike looks like loaded down with about 45 lbs. of gear, including a tent and sleeping bag to provide more options if I can’t find a motel.

I experienced some really challenging climbs at the very beginning of today’s route. This made sense, since I was alongside the Acadia National Park, where a couple of modest mountains–Cadillac Mountain and Sargent Mountain–are nearby. It was very comforting to have Trudi stopped at a couple points to meet me along the way.

I decided to make this first day a short one and save some strength for more serious climbs in the coming days. I finished up mid-afternoon in Ellsworth, Maine, completing only a little over 20 miles. I know, I know, at this rate I will be lucky to be home by Christmas. But I’m not in a hurry and have enjoyed stopping along the way to explore a bit and take some photos. Like this one of a wholesale Chinese food supplier.