We’ve completed Stage 1 of this trip, Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, and there hasn’t been a single dull moment. Today marks the start of Stage 2, the USA. Please reset your watches, because the clocks just went back an hour!

• Today’s Distance (miles/km): 47 / 76
• Time in saddle: 4h 04
• Max/min temp – in sun (or rather rain) (°c): 38°/15°
• Climbing (feet) : 2,230
• Calories used:
• Today’s 2nd Breakfast: Gas Station on Route 1, Maine
• Ferry + cafe time: 0h 45

I had a chat with a camp warden yesterday evening, and I told him I was heading across the border at Lubec in the morning. ‘Oh!’, he said, ‘Look out! There’s a new fella working there, and he’s a real stickler!’ My heart sank at this. ‘He had a guy on a moped come through, pulled him over, told him to bring the moped inside the office and then called for a mechanic. They even took his spark plug out! And you have to put it all back together yourself. They just leave it to you.’ Let’s see what happens, I said. ‘Sure, he may not be on. Good luck!’

I decided to change into my Humanity & Inclusion T-shirt, just to give myself a bit of credibility. As it turned out, I really need not have worried. There was such a friendly young woman at the booth when I pulled in, who kept me chatting about my ride – where I was headed, where I was from – whilst a queue of vehicles built up behind me. No one complained, to me anyway, and then I was on my way. I asked about photos and she pointed to the cctv cameras and said ‘Not right here, but over there is fine!’

And then after an hour or so of pretty hot cycling I arrived at an important point in my trip, the intersection where I joined the Atlantic Highway, Number 1

It’s a strange thought that if I stayed on just this road for the next however many weeks, I would end up at my destination, Key West Florida. That’s not my plan though, because there are many more bike-friendly alternatives that I’ll decide about nearer the time.

I stopped at this local store that did coffee almost for free in a side room, where I got a chair and table and listened to all the people coming in and greeting each other. My visit coincided with the beer delivery.

The driver, who was pretty large and wore a rock festival T-shirt, came in and shook hands with the owner, a wiry tall chap about my age, with sharp blue eyes and a way of tilting his head when he was listening. ‘How’re you doin bud?’, he asked the driver, who laughed first, then suddenly pulled a serious face. ‘Have you heard? Beer sales are down! Way down’. ‘Oh boy’, said the owner. ‘I know’ said the driver. ‘It was just the 4th of July, for chrissake! I’m mean WHAT is going on?’ Then another local guy was at the till paying. ‘How’re you doin Cheryl?’, he asked the woman behind the counter. ‘Well, I’m hot, Pete’. ‘Yes you are’, said Pete. ‘Yes, you, are’, and everyone laughed. Cheryl waved a hand at him in a ‘get away with you’ kind of way.

It was the hottest spell of cycling so far, but I made good progress on my first day in Maine. I passed a long kind of boulevard of flags, almost a mile in length, with the Pledge of Allegiance posted on boards along the way. It was an incredible sight and must have taken quite some doing.

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,”

The only drama of the day came right at the finish. I could see some very dark clouds up ahead, so decided to stop after just over 45 miles and call it a day. The minute I’d got my tent set up, a big storm began. I managed to shower and get back to the tent, but then it just got worse. I had dug out some channels in the ground in case the water collected, but these were nowhere near enough. The owner, Paul, came by in his quad bike when I was messaging inside the tent, unaware of how deep the puddles now were. He said I could set up in the Pavillion if I wanted, and I leapt at the offer.

I’m starting a new feature on the blog today. I have to find a song for every state I pass through. I know a few of you will be up for making your own contributions/suggestions but I’ll try and start things off as we reach each border. Today I have two possibilities for Maine. First is quite a nice song by James Taylor, A Little More Time With You, who sings: ‘Why leave the life I love, here in the great state of Maine?”

But I think the next choice is more appropriate, given the irony of my lowly status on a bike. Singing ‘Destination Bangor, Maine’, it’s Roger Miller from 1964 (great year, that), and King Of The Road:

https://youtu.be/4c7D0YsgnrE

One song that narrowly missed the cut was Maine-y Rivers To Cross, by Jimmy Cliff (or my personal choice, the great UB40 cover) because although the words are perfect, since I do have maine-y rivers to cross, it has nothing to do with Maine. Other near-misses will always be considered for inclusion. But no looking ahead to future States – just Maine for now. So there are the rules, go ahead and break ‘em.

Not a funny sign today, but a picture of a new flagpole for my bike (this must have been for July 4th) in the nice town of Machias, where I smelled lobster being cooked all along the high street. Sorry Beechwood, I’ve found an even bigger one: