calm before the storm

From Keene we head over towards Peterborough where we spend a week at Vanessa's house.  We've rented a room through Airbnb and she is used to people coming for the weekend, not the week and slightly bemused by us at first.  But we are happy to take a pause, work out an onward route, do some bike maintenance and just rest.  Our last night before here in our tent in the woods was to the sound of coyotes.  It was an eerie sound. 

Vanessa

We get on well with our host and we really like the small town.  Vanessa invites us to join her and her daughter one evening to eat at a local bar and then on to the little local cinema for a film.  We know this is not typical of Airbnb hosts - Vanessa is very generous. 




















Our ride westwards to the coast takes us through myriad little roads where we almost get lost.  We finally make it to Linda's in the rain.  Linda has forgotten that she accepted our Warm Showers request to stay a night and at first we wished we hadn't bothered.  Linda has family and friends over and 'parks' us in a basement room, as if we are the drug-addled children of an illegitimate half-brother.  The feeling of rejection soon passes once Linda is free to talk to us and we are so grateful for that basement bedroom in the night when a huge storm passes over.

Salisbury beach

It's still rainy on and off the next day as we ride through Manchester and out along back roads littered with fallen branches.  It must've been very windy last night.  We are due to stay with Matthew in Salisbury for a couple of nights but his late shift means he'll leave the key at the lodge in front of the appartment block.  Just before we get there we are waved down by a woman in a car.  "Are you Gayle and John?"  Oh, how strange.  But not once she explains that Matthew has rung her to ask if she can meet two friends coming to stay.  Monica lives on the floor below with her son Ian and their manic dog.  She tells us that the power is still down from the storm last night and she and Ian were going to cross the state line just north to get something to eat. She invites us to join them.  We've arrived in Massachusetts, but over in New Hampshire they have power.  

with Ian and Monica

 We leave all our stuff in Monica and Ian's appartment and, after walking their dog on the beach, head out to a Five Guys for burgers and chips. Oh such welcome fast food.  And as we munch away Monica asks "So how do you know Matthew?" and there's a long pause.  We don't.  And we explain about Warm Showers.  Monica takes it all remarkably in her stride.  Back at the appartment all is in darkness.  And there's a chill.  Hallowe'en is cancelled.  School might be closed again.  Everything is stopped without electricity.  Instead we chatter away with Ian, who is very sociable, and Monica, who tells us that she's from near to Belo Horizonte in Brasil.  Matthew arrives later and takes us to his flat where we meet his big and tranquil dog.  

Matthew

peace, love and hamburgers

We sleep on the lounge floor and I awake to warm breath on my face.  Not good breath, smelly breath.  I wonder why Matthew hasn't spoken and open my eyes to find his dog staring placidly at me.  Matthew is full of beans and talks and talks.  He works at a Boston hospital and is a serious photographer on the side.  After a day looking around Newburyport we meet up with Matthew, Monica and Ian in the evening. Perversely Salisbury remains without power, an off-grid island.  Matthew encourages us to stay another night and takes us all out for a fish supper in a little clam-chowder hut down the coast.  We really are lucky to share these experiences.