Portsmouth, NH  June 14

I took a rain delay in Ayer. It rained all day yesterday so I holed up and stayed dry. Today was great, the morning overcast and cool, the afternoon sunny and cool. The ride was through small New Hampshire towns with quintessential town squares ringed by lovely homes that have been carefully restored.

As I waited for a bus to disgorge its students I asked, “When’s the last day of school?” In unison the seven of them yelled, “Today!” And they whooped and hollered.

Portsmouth is wonderful, not only because I’ve found my first brewpub, but because of the vitality that exists in the city. After a delightful repast at Portland Brewing and knocking back two of its in-house beers, I walked around the downtown. People were everywhere—dining alfresco, sitting on benches enjoying the cool evening, window shopping, or enjoying the buskers.

One shop that caught my eye had a window display of typewriters and fountain pens. Those two objects that disappeared from my life so long ago are now hot, trendy and expensive. Isn’t that the way it always is? What was is new? From now until I depart this earth I’ll save everything so my heirs can sell it when it comes back into fashion. My legacy.

The Adventure Cycling Association’s (www.adventurecycling.org) Atlantic Coast route that I’m using starts in Bar Harbor, ME and ends in Key West, FL.  One of the reasons I decided to do it in reverse was to sort of follow Spring as it moved northward.  Spring moved faster than I have but all along the route the grasses, trees, weeds and flowers have exhibited the vibrancy of the color of youth versus the faded, dulled, sun-bleached palette of late summer. Another marker has been the strawberry season. As I have moved north, so has the strawberry picking season. Delicious!

Portsmouth back street

Portsmouth waterfront