I woke up at 5 a.m. on a wet bed. My neck and shoulders were in a puddle of sweat. 9 hours of dead-to-the-world sleep literally drained me. I rolled over onto a dry spot and conked out for another hour.
Once I was out of bed I made myself motel breakfast. I had gathered the components last night from the closet the motel calls the “breakfast nook.”
A wee sized bowl of Raisin Bran, a nectarine, a cherry yoghurt, a muffin, two cups of motel-room coffee and a pint of milk. Sounds like a lot but it wasn’t.
I rolled into Middlebury and hit the grocery store for a new razor, shaving cream, an apple, two bananas, and a pen.
Across the street was Middlebury Bagels so I had a mini second breakfast: real coffee and an everything bagel.
Properly fueled, I lit out on the route right through Middlebury College. Impressive place, I must say.
The route continued with an annoying number cod short climbs all the way to lower Lake Champlain where I caught the cable ferry to Ticonderoga, New York.
Today was supposed to be a zero day but I wanted to get back on schedule. My plan was to take it easy, go with the flow, and stop when the mood hit me.
After a roast beef sammie and an iced tea at a diner in Ticonderoga town, I headed west into the Adirondacks.
Eek.
I discovered that the map app on my iPhone shows elevation profiles. I selected a camp ground the route to which had 2,800 feet of climbing, much of it at the start.
And so for the next three miles I climbed a 4 to 5 percent grade, stopping as usual to let my body calm down from the effort. I was feeling a bit disoriented. After a couple of miles of this nonsense I remembered that I had an albuterol rescue inhaler in my handlebar bag.
Puff. Puff.
I felt the tension in my lungs ease up and could feel them expanding with each breath. The fog lifted from my weary head. What a maroon! I should have done this weeks ago.
I did the next 3/4ths of a mile without stopping. No problem!
Along the way I saw a deer lying in a field 100 feet off the road. A driver in a pick up with one of those ridiculously high front ends had hit him. A woman in a nearby driveway watched in sadness as the deer struggled to get up then plopped down again.
I rode to the top and pulled over to have a drink of water. I heard a bang in the distance behind me. Somebody’s having venison for dinner.
After that bit of drama the road leveled out nicely. I had completed my escape from the Champlain valley.
It is amazing what a difference that albuterol made today. I won’t hesitate to use it again.
I rode past Paradox and into Severance. In Severance I found a campground on route that was pretty nice for $30. Time to stop for the day.
I’m now only 6 miles shy of my original schedule. It looks like I’ll be able to find camping or a motel for the next couple of days. My only real concern is finding food along the route.
It’ll work out. It always does.
Miles today: 42
Tour miles: 1,572
A Few Spokes Shy of a Wheel 
While it may be a conundrum, at least it’s not a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.
In 2018, I rode around Lake Champlain – so I know about all those steep hills!!! I was riding my Bike Friday with the trailer attached. The trailer felt like it was pulling me back as I went up those hills. My friend who was on the ride with me also rode her Bike Friday, but with panniers and didn’t have any trouble – whereas I had to stop SEVERAL times to catch my breath, like you have had to do! I had my share of ice cream and also had the BEST BIGGEST apple pie in Vergennes (which is north of where you are).
Ooofff how sad about the deer, but I’m glad someone ended its suffering. Hooooorahhh for the inhaler working magic, what a boost in spirits!
I loathe waking up in sweat, but for me it’s usually because I’ve eating something I shouldn’t have.