It has been getting cold at night, down into the lower 40’s. It wakes me up and I have trouble sleeping after about 3:00 a.m. The sun started coming up this morning at around 5:30 and it warmed up a little. Once the temp was above about 50, I felt comfortable enough, so I stayed in bed a little late this morning. Still, I was on the road by about 9:00.

It was another beautiful day for riding, mostly sunny. I swear I used sunblock this morning, but still feel like I got a little crispy. Maybe I just need to be more generous with the sunblock.

I found yarn today, at New England Yarn & Spindle in Bristol. One sign on the door said it did not open until 11:00 and I got there about 10:30. Another sign on the door, however, said the store was open. The owner said she opens when she gets there, even if it is before 11:00. She was very friendly and helpful and I left with a ball of light blue/gray wool. She also took my picture in front of her store. She said she used to be a librarian and when she visited other cities, she would always get a picture of herself in front of the local library.

I had another short day and headed into Hartford, CT. I’ve notice the Northeast has a lot of old churches, so stopped to take picture of a few.

I arrived at a hostel at about 2:00 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the office did not open until 5:00 p.m. So, I had a few hours to burn. A few blocks down the street is a house Mark Twain had built when his family moved to Hartford. They lived in the house for 17 years. It is a museum now, but they do not allow photos inside the house.

Harriet Beecher Stowe was his neighbor.

The hostel I’m staying in tonight has six beds to a room, with women and men separated. So far, I’m the only man here. Maybe I’ll have the room to myself, which would be nice. Then again, it might be nice to meet some other travelers. The office closes in about an hour, so I will know shortly. I don’t know if the bed will be any more comfortable than my camp mat, but it should a least be warm tonight.