Transitions in life can often be stressful and sometimes downright scary. But when you look at the right angle and place, adventure, and excitement shine through. In my most recent transition from the Southeast to the Northeast, many things have changed but particularly notable were the weather and environment. Having driven up the east allowed for time to take in those changes. From Birmingham, AL in early May where the sun is punishing and the air is wet with humidity to Asheville, NC where the nights are cool, the days balmy, and the Blue Ridge mountains beautiful. And an eye opening stretch to New Hampshire, where mountains slowly sank, and tight cities clustered near the coast. Only to be replaced by new and mysterious mountains, the Whites. New Hampshire, where the spring feels like an unusually cool Alabama winter, and you can experience the changing of the seasons a few times a month. To me it’s a new Ham, different, interesting, and exciting.
In a new area, I feel urged to become acquainted with its forests, streams, trails, food, and character. Having a bit of time to explore before the beginning of the term, I looked for every opportunity to get to know my new home. I searched and found trails to mountain bike in Manchester’s Bear Brook State Park which provided some sick vertical DH with quiet, serene, and secluded lakes. In North Conway, I careened around the corners Red Tail Trail but only after paying my vertical debt climbing a wall of tarmac known as Hurricane Mountain Road. In researching cool places and things to bike, I came across the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (xNHAT) and the Cross Vermont Trail. These trails are 80 plus miles each of wide and smooth gravel snaking just north of the White Mountains. While I had a beefy bike with large tires meant for steep descents and jagged rocks, these trails were more suited for a rugged road bike that doesn’t feel like riding on a 40 pound bag of potatoes. Not wanting to drop the clams on a brand new bike, I sought out Queen City Bike Collective who repairs, rebuilds, and refurbishes bikes to get them back out on the trails and streets. After chatting and waxing poetic about bikes, we landed on a lightweight steel bike from the 80’s to rebuild. After scrapping for parts and getting some elbow grease on the hands, we had forged a new bike designed for two purposes. To have a whole bunch of fun and bike across two states. All bikes need a name, with Pepper at my side the limits of what we could achieve were out of sight. On the streets of Manchester, Pepper and I met the Valley Street Grave Gobblers. In the foothills of the white mountains, we found quiet dirt roads to climb for miles backdropped by the Ossipee range. Each day we venture further and explore more, with the goal of crossing Vermont and New Hampshire ever present in the back of our mind and headset.
When inspiration and excitement strike, its best to dive into it. A fast approaching date, June 21st is the start of Green Mountain’s interpretive trail week where kids up to 14 can walk the Blue Heron and Artemis trail to snag some free ice cream from the legend-dairy Bobby Sue’s for completing the trek. However the trail itself was a bit incomplete, with a section in need of a small bridge to cross a bog. No one seemed particularly excited to jump into bridge craft due to GMCG’s (Green Mountain Conservation Group) plethora of projects. However being new and without responsibility, I felt the ants in my pants to take on the challenge. Shuffling through wood piles, getting help from volunteers and staff, and both simultaneously creating and scrapping ideas; we have a new bridge! It’s an amazing feeling to create something, to put a piece of your inspiration and self into the physical world. Especially when doing so allows others to experience the beauty that surrounds us and eat mind-melting ice cream.
As my term progresses, I hope to seek out that which springs me out of bed in the morning. To explore and experience the natural wonders that surround New England. Travel the roads and trails by bike and foot. Watch inspiration, ideas, and passion manifest itself through projects, excitement, and biking across Vermont and New Hampshire. There is plenty to do and little time to do it. Best to get out and after adventure.
Spencer graduated from the University of Alabama Birmingham with a degree in chemistry and a minor in biology and forensics. In case you couldn’t tell, Spencer loves all things bikes, so strike up a conversation if you see him around GMCG! Learn more about Spencer here!