September 22: Almost to Maine

South Royalton, VT Sept 22 to Conway, New Hampshire (Rode 107 Miles)

I stayed Sunday night and Monday night with Lori’s (my wife) parents at Camp Joseph in South Royalton, Vermont. Betty (Lori’s mom) fed me well and I gained 2 lbs while I was there. Camp Joseph is a fairly simple rustic camp for people to stay at. It is used mainly for girl’s camps and Boy Scouts in the summer time and for some family reunion type of get togethers. The camp is simple but well kept and nice. A pretty little place.

Right next to Camp Joseph is the Joseph Smith Memorial and an LDS Visitor’s Center to answer questions for people and tell about the story of Joseph Smith. I had never been there before so I took the time to go through the visitor’s center and then see where the old house stood, the old stone bridge, the old Mack home foundation, and the Joseph Smith Memorial.

Lori reminded me that she was baptized in the Memorial Building (Visitors Center) when she was a small girl. They don’t generally do baptisms there anymore.

As I walked around the memorial and looked at the place where the house stood where Joseph Smith was born, I could feel the Spirit of the Lord there like I had never felt it before. It is a very real and strong feeling that you receive as you walk around the memorial. As I stood by the memorial I knew that Joseph Smith had been called as a Prophet of God in the Latter Days. There was simply no doubt in my mind. The Joseph Smith Memorial is a very special place.

I was asked to tell a little bit about my journey at Family Home Evening at the Memorial Visitors Center on Monday evening. The Missionaries from around this local area, some local members, and some people who are not members of the Mormon Church but were just in the area or at the Memorial gather each Monday Night to have a little Family Home Evening. I spoke about the Parable of the Frogs and the Parable of the Dove. I also told how this little journey of mine has renewed my faith in mankind. I have come to understand that there are a lot of great people in this world. Most people are very good people. It has been comforting to me to witness that first hand. This trip has also taught me that we can overcome anything in life if we just give it our best and hang in there till we succeed. Climbing some of these mountains on this trip has taught me that

After I took a few minutes to speak then we watched a movie about the hand cart treks across America. The movie was very touching. The hardships, hunger, and deprivations that some of the Pioneers endured to come out West was incredible. It makes this little journey of mine seem trivial in contrast.

After Family Home Evening, Brother Mitchell (The Elder in charge of the Joseph Smith Memorial) let me watch the movie of the Story of Joseph Smith. It is a relatively new movie only at the visitor’s centers around the world. A very moving, uplifting movie. I had not seen it before and was glad I had the opportunity to see it. Afterwards he was nice enough to drive me back to Camp Joseph.

Lately I have had to climb some pretty steep mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire. Some of the grades have been as steep as 12% to 15% as I have been climbing. I used to think 7% grade mountains were very steep. Now when I am climbing 7% grades I consider that a resting position as I ride my bike. 15% grades make you really appreciate the fact that it can indeed get steeper than 7 %.

Life is like that. You think it is tough and you have it bad until it really gets bad and then you realize that what was going on before wasn’t so bad after all. If we hang in there our Experiences helps to keep life in Perspective – but we have to hang in there first.

Today I climbed a lot of mountains. I started off climbing about 1000 feet over South Strafford, then a good little climb over Thetford Hill, then Piermont, the two good climbs past North Haverhill, then up through Kancamagus Pass with about a 2500 foot climb. I got over Kamcamagus just before 7 pm and then was able to ride downhill about 20 miles into Conway, New Hampshire to finish the day at about 107 total miles.

As I rode into New Hampshire you could see the country side change as you go from Vermont into New Hampshire. There seems to be more coniferous trees and fewer deciduous trees. In either case the landscape does change a little. Both states are very beautiful. The scenery on this trip is incredible.

I continue to meet nice people. A man on a motorcycle slowed down last night and asked me if everything was ok just because he was being nice. It was dark and I was still about 5 miles from Conway and he was just checking to make sure I was ok.

Today was a pretty good day. Cool cloudy weather, just a little wind in my face – not too bad, but the cool day had the breeze blowing down the mountains. Since I was climbing mountains most of the day it was nice that the temperatures were about 60. I was dripping wet as it was when I was climbing, but the nice day made it much better.

I am not sure, but I don’t think I have any more big mountains to climb on the rest of this trip. I have lots of hills and some of them are pretty steep but any girly-man can climb little hills. So I guess I can to.

It was nice to visit with Lori’s folks and it was nice to visit the Joseph Smith Memorial. That is a very special place.

Time to go to bed. I found a real nice Gazebo by the Conway Firestation. It will make a nice hotel for the evening. The Conway Ramada Inn, I think it is called. I’ll see if I can get in a few more miles tomorrow. I am only about 5 miles or so from Maine so I will get into Maine in the morning.

Dan

Three Witness Tree Camp Joseph Sept 21 09 Sharon VT 15