Another 60+ mile day with a lot of climbing, this time back to the typical northern New England format of short, steep climbs. Jim decides to follow Google maps bicycling recommendations since there were 3 alternatives of considerable variation in distance. The BIG PROBLEM with Google bicycle mapping is that you aren’t told when you’re being routed on a dirt road. RideWithGPS doesn’t have the dirt road identification problem, but it has its shortcomings. We’d encountered the Google Maps dirt road problem on previous days, but, with one exception, when we had to push the bikes up a very steep hill because we couldn’t get any traction, the dirt roads were ok. In short order, after passing a beautiful scene of fog on a lake by Newport, we are routed on to a dirt road. Things go well for a mile or two and then we are confronted by another steep grade on loose gravel. Off the bikes and we push. This time the hill was shorter than on the prior day, and we could see the top not too far away. As we near the top, we are passed by 3 guys on gravel bikes speaking French. We say hello as they pass us. At the top of the hill, we vow not to follow Google without trying to get more information whenever we were being routed to back roads (this pays off later in the day).

Mid-day Google wants to take us off the main road. Jim is instantly suspicious and stops at the bottom of a little hill just off the main road. On the main road a hundred yards earlier, we noticed a guy on a riding lawn mower finishing a job and cruising along the side of the road. He turns shortly after we do and asks if we’re lost. I am worried that we’re being led on to yet another dirt road with some massively steep pitch. So, we ask the guy on the mower what’s ahead. Dirt road for sure. He gives us directions for getting to where we want to be on paved road. Len is so grateful that he asks the guy if he’ll give Len a tow back up the hill we just came down (just so Len can get a rolling start). Laughter is the response. The directions were great, and we avoided the dirt.

Shortly thereafter we were riding next to a lake. I see a guy standing on top of a white Lexus RX with a camera pointed at me. I’m thinking “why is this guy filming me?” when suddenly as I approach the car, a guy goes zooming by on a bike, says hi, and disappears in a cloud of dust. Meanwhile …

Eventually, we arrive in Littleton. The Littleton Motel advertises itself as the oldest motel in New Hampshire. It consists of white-painted units arrayed along a gently sloping hill. The interior of our unit is paneled with knotty pine and is very well maintain. I am happy that I wasn’t able to get a reservation at Hampton Inn. The Littleton Motel is in the center of the beautiful small town of Littleton. We were later told by a friend who grew up in the area that Littleton used to be a dump. Not anymore! There are many restaurants and shops. The courthouse/county administration building is beautiful and there isn’t a scrap of trash on the streets.

After getting cleaned up, we walk down the main street looking for a place to eat. There are many choices, and we decide on a Mexican restaurant with an outdoor patio. It’s starting to get cold, and the patio lacks heaters, so we opt to eat inside. The menu features build your own margaritas with several excellent tequila choices that are really too good to use in a margarita. There are only a few items you’d expect as standard fare at a Mexican restaurant, so we both settle on paella. It was a lot of food and not great as paellas go.

That night we prepare mentally for the last part of the next day’s major climb, a 12% grade for the last 0.2 miles of a fairly long climb.