the fresh scents in the air, the sound of rushing waters splashing on rocks as they made their way down the hills that we found ourselves climbing, and the small towns that define Vermont. We’ve captured some of visuals in the accompanying photos. In the photo of Debbie riding her bike, 
you’ll see a farmer’s patriotic gesture out in his corn field. 
We entered the Green Mountain National Forest early in the day as we rode up Middlebury Gap.
The apex of the climb topped out at 2,100 feet above sea level. We had other significant climbs later in the day as well. In total, we climbed 4,400 feet. While eclipsing each of the past two days, we expect to reach new heights tomorrow. Some of today’s climbs, although not large in numbers, tended to be very steep. Actually, the steep descents were a bit more hair raising than the ascents, including descents of 12% and 13%. In the photo below, Debbie is catching her breath from a long climb up Middlebury Gap while contemplating the steep descent that awaits, as indicated by the 12% grade sign in the background.It was a beautiful day for riding and enjoying the surroundings.
The temperature was in the 80’s with the favorable west to east wind at our backs. We met our goal of reaching the New Hampshire border, which keeps us on track for a Wednesday arrival in Portland.
