We made it!

After a few days of quiet anticipation, we finally rolled in to Portland, Maine last Friday. It was exhilarating and amazing to think we had come so far and reached our goal!  Our ride through New Hampshire and Maine was really beautiful as we encountered more rolling hills and lush foliage than earlier, by the canal.  The villages we passed through had histories that went further and further back as we went east.  There was signage at almost every turn at times, pointing put historical markers from colonial and revolutionary times. We celebrated Portland by eating lobster ( Tino loved it...I thought it was overrated...), walking through old town and along the waterfront, and touring lighthouses.  It is a beautiful town, and we learned our way around pretty well in 4 days. Our host, Luke, was wonderful, allowing us the use of his car for the time we were there, and the weather was perfect for walking, sitting in outdoor coffee shops and drinking wine at a sidewalk table in Old Town.  Then, we took care of some business, sending home a box of items, and repacking our bikes for the train ride to Boston.  We took the train from Portland to The North Station in Boston, but our host here lives in Peabody, so we too another commuter to Salem, where we barely got off with our bikes before the train started moving again....whew!  Our host, Deb, met us at the station and took us to her beautiful, quiet home here in Peabody.  She has a pool, so we got a quick swim in, and a little sun bathing before she cooked us a gourmet meal.  So nice!!!!!    She is so sweet, and took us to the train station again the next morning so we could explore Boston.  In Boston we walked the Freedom Trail, and ate lunch in a tavern that supposedly started in 1636 or something....so cool!!!  We saw the USS Constitution, and Bunker Hill, and climbed the monument to look out on a foggy day in Boston from way up high.  Today, we will spend the day getting our bikes ready for the plane tomorrow, and this evening Deb is taking us to the beach to see the Atlantic one more time and have supper outside.  What a wonderful way to spend our last week out here! We are very thankful for such gracious hosts, that have become new friends....what a blessing they are!  

Home tomorrow night!  Can't wait to see everyone again!  It has been a long and wonderful summer, but I missed everyone!  Here are some pics of some of the last of our adventures....( for now).  :)