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Some Days

ellisoutback
Jun 21
1 min read

ree

Enough said.

Recent Posts

The End

Unbridled Enthusiasm

Unbridled Enthusiasm

St John’s Not Quite

St John’s Not Quite

Comments

Just finished three presentations at Spartans annual summit. Thanks to the generous donations from Spartan controls it has helped push total donations past the $11,000 mark for Indspire. That’s some seriously positive stuff.

If you are inspired, hit the link below. Thanks

https://www.bikepackadventurecanada.com/

Just finished three presentations at Spartans annual summit. Thanks to the generous donations from Spartan controls it has helped push total donations past the $11,000 mark for Indspire. That’s some seriously positive stuff.

If you are inspired, hit the link below. Thanks

https://www.bikepackadventurecanada.com/

Great day hiking Goldilocks and now burger and beer at Island Lake Lodge. Could it get any better. 👍🍺😎 @islandlakelodge

Great day hiking Goldilocks and now burger and beer at Island Lake Lodge. Could it get any better. 👍🍺😎 @islandlakelodge

Unbridled Enthusiasm

What a day. The title says it all. We got up and had an easy downhill ride into St Johns. First stop the Rocket Bakery for breakfast. Great choice. Kelly’s place is awesome. I recommend a visit if you’re in the area. She even did a little video with me to post on her site. Thanks again Kelly. Several people in the shop came over for a chat so it took a bit for us to get moving.

The next section out to Cape Spear was a little bit challenging. Several hills just to finish off the trip with a bit of a kick.

Needless to say I was pretty happy at the finish. Even let out a few cheers to celebrate getting it done. It did not take long before several people came over to see what all the fuss was about. Met several lovely people and even a couple of veterans from Calgary on a motorbike adventure. Very cool. After about an hour and many photo’s we moved on to the lighthouse. And then, just like that it was all done.

Stopped by the beach to dip my front tire in the Atlantic and open the champagne. Unfortunately, I only ended up with half a glass. Most of it ended up on my bike. Oops. Too much enthusiasm.

Back over the hills and into St John’s. we had to do a beer with fish & Chips to celebrate our arrival in St Johns. Then it was off to the campsite. That’s where things got interesting. There was a big crowd near the campsite, Deaf Leopard concert. That’s not a good sign. Turns out the campsite was full and most of the hotels, at least the ones under $500 a night were full too. AirBnB, same. Well, the options were dwindling, so it was time for Warmshowers. Thank you Wade, he is a legend. He had a place where we could stay.

I never had any doubts. 🤪

Unbridled Enthusiasm

What a day. The title says it all. We got up and had an easy downhill ride into St Johns. First stop the Rocket Bakery for breakfast. Great choice. Kelly’s place is awesome. I recommend a visit if you’re in the area. She even did a little video with me to post on her site. Thanks again Kelly. Several people in the shop came over for a chat so it took a bit for us to get moving.

The next section out to Cape Spear was a little bit challenging. Several hills just to finish off the trip with a bit of a kick.

Needless to say I was pretty happy at the finish. Even let out a few cheers to celebrate getting it done. It did not take long before several people came over to see what all the fuss was about. Met several lovely people and even a couple of veterans from Calgary on a motorbike adventure. Very cool. After about an hour and many photo’s we moved on to the lighthouse. And then, just like that it was all done.

Stopped by the beach to dip my front tire in the Atlantic and open the champagne. Unfortunately, I only ended up with half a glass. Most of it ended up on my bike. Oops. Too much enthusiasm.

Back over the hills and into St John’s. we had to do a beer with fish & Chips to celebrate our arrival in St Johns. Then it was off to the campsite. That’s where things got interesting. There was a big crowd near the campsite, Deaf Leopard concert. That’s not a good sign. Turns out the campsite was full and most of the hotels, at least the ones under $500 a night were full too. AirBnB, same. Well, the options were dwindling, so it was time for Warmshowers. Thank you Wade, he is a legend. He had a place where we could stay.

I never had any doubts. 🤪

St John’s Not Quite

The plan was St John’s today. Didn’t quite make it. We’re in a suburb called Mt Pearl. Hunkered down in a campsite just on the edge of the city. Tomorrow’s the day. A 25k ride out to Cape Spier tomorrow and the adventure will be complete. Crazy to think that will be it. No words can really explain how I am feeling. Maybe it will come to me. 🤔

Had a great day riding. Some very typical GNBR terrain. Check out the bridge pic. Even had a close encounter with a large family of ducks that decided the trail was their’s. Never a dull moment on this route. I have decided the Mathew Kady and the Kennet Brothers are kindred spirits.

St John’s Not Quite

The plan was St John’s today. Didn’t quite make it. We’re in a suburb called Mt Pearl. Hunkered down in a campsite just on the edge of the city. Tomorrow’s the day. A 25k ride out to Cape Spier tomorrow and the adventure will be complete. Crazy to think that will be it. No words can really explain how I am feeling. Maybe it will come to me. 🤔

Had a great day riding. Some very typical GNBR terrain. Check out the bridge pic. Even had a close encounter with a large family of ducks that decided the trail was their’s. Never a dull moment on this route. I have decided the Mathew Kady and the Kennet Brothers are kindred spirits.

The Last 100

Really getting pretty excited. You can probably tell from our distance today, 149km. I think that may be a record for the trip. Tomorrow ~75 into St Johns and Friday we finish it off with a ride out to Cape Spear. Honestly can’t believe it’s coming to an end. Don’t really know how I feel about it. Crazy. 🤪

The Last 100

Really getting pretty excited. You can probably tell from our distance today, 149km. I think that may be a record for the trip. Tomorrow ~75 into St Johns and Friday we finish it off with a ride out to Cape Spear. Honestly can’t believe it’s coming to an end. Don’t really know how I feel about it. Crazy. 🤪

Ah the Norwester!

Lots of rain overnight. The morning did not look better. We decided to continue. How bad could it be, right? It was supposed to start clearing up by noon. Well the rain continued and the wash from the traffic definitely soaked us. Add to that a 1 deg windchill. You get the picture.

After 15k we decided to do second breakfast and try to wait out the rain. By 1:00 it was not improving so we continued anyway. I will admit my fingers and toes were numb. First time on the trip. As the afternoon progressed the rain did stop and the roads dried. We were cold and damp and there were no camping options near us by the end of the day. Best bet, a hotel. Dry out and a nice meal at the Don Cherry pub. I did not know he had a franchise 🤔

Ah the Norwester!

Lots of rain overnight. The morning did not look better. We decided to continue. How bad could it be, right? It was supposed to start clearing up by noon. Well the rain continued and the wash from the traffic definitely soaked us. Add to that a 1 deg windchill. You get the picture.

After 15k we decided to do second breakfast and try to wait out the rain. By 1:00 it was not improving so we continued anyway. I will admit my fingers and toes were numb. First time on the trip. As the afternoon progressed the rain did stop and the roads dried. We were cold and damp and there were no camping options near us by the end of the day. Best bet, a hotel. Dry out and a nice meal at the Don Cherry pub. I did not know he had a franchise 🤔

Come from Away

Quite the day. Had another short jaunt this morning. We were headed to Gander. We did pass a couple of small places but since it was Sunday morning did not anticipate anything being open.

Just as we were leaving Appleton we noticed an open sign at the convenience store, bonus! In we went. Well wouldn’t you know it, we had a great chat with Renie and Marylee. Once they found out about the charity they quickly made donations. Thanks so much you two. Not only that but they were so very kind, definitely a Newfie thing. First giving us extra food and then beer for the road. A little early for beer though, so I had to decline. So nice.

It wasn’t long before we pulled into Gander. We heard from some locals that there was a musical on “Come from Away” about all the planes that got diverted here during 9-11. What a great show. Definitely showed the friendly and kind Newfie culture we have been experiencing. Such a special place, The Rock. 👍👍

Come from Away

Quite the day. Had another short jaunt this morning. We were headed to Gander. We did pass a couple of small places but since it was Sunday morning did not anticipate anything being open.

Just as we were leaving Appleton we noticed an open sign at the convenience store, bonus! In we went. Well wouldn’t you know it, we had a great chat with Renie and Marylee. Once they found out about the charity they quickly made donations. Thanks so much you two. Not only that but they were so very kind, definitely a Newfie thing. First giving us extra food and then beer for the road. A little early for beer though, so I had to decline. So nice.

It wasn’t long before we pulled into Gander. We heard from some locals that there was a musical on “Come from Away” about all the planes that got diverted here during 9-11. What a great show. Definitely showed the friendly and kind Newfie culture we have been experiencing. Such a special place, The Rock. 👍👍

Flying Boat

Interesting day today. Had a great breakfast and yarn with the locals at the Tim’s. Really does feel very Canadiana. Hello Marge Delahunty. Short day so we had a few stops. First my new tire hadn’t quite seated so we had a little roadside repair work. Of course the gentleman who lived across the road came out to see if he could help.

Then lunch at the Southside Hair & Tanning. I’m sure she does that too, but she also runs a great little convenience store. We were just heading out of town when we came across the whole community heading to the Flying Boat Festival. We couldn’t miss that now could we. Had a nice snack and mingled a bit before continuing.

Our final destination for the day, one of NFLD’s great provincial parks. Could a day of riding get any better?

Flying Boat

Interesting day today. Had a great breakfast and yarn with the locals at the Tim’s. Really does feel very Canadiana. Hello Marge Delahunty. Short day so we had a few stops. First my new tire hadn’t quite seated so we had a little roadside repair work. Of course the gentleman who lived across the road came out to see if he could help.

Then lunch at the Southside Hair & Tanning. I’m sure she does that too, but she also runs a great little convenience store. We were just heading out of town when we came across the whole community heading to the Flying Boat Festival. We couldn’t miss that now could we. Had a nice snack and mingled a bit before continuing.

Our final destination for the day, one of NFLD’s great provincial parks. Could a day of riding get any better?

Another kindness to play it forward. Good Karma everywhere. Thanks Renie & Marylee.

Another kindness to play it forward. Good Karma everywhere. Thanks Renie & Marylee.

Half Way

We are now half way across NFLD. And wouldn’t you know it, tire trouble. I run tubeless which necessitates a pump up here and there. For whatever reason my back tire has needed a bit of air once a week or so since I first got the tires installed. Over weeks the tire has slowly required more and more air. It was slow to start but in the last couple of days it’s gotten quite bad. A pump every couple of hours is not a good sign.

Usually you can see the leak. The sealing fluid marks the spot for the leak. This one is pretty weird. I’ve seen leaks along the rim, around the spokes or valve, leaks on the tire itself. This time not that. After some close inspection I found the leaks along the sidewall of the tire. The tire was slowly delaminating, who knew.

So off to find the best replacement tire I could find. That’s my 4 rear tire for this trip. As usual I pushed, my equipment to the limit. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Half Way

We are now half way across NFLD. And wouldn’t you know it, tire trouble. I run tubeless which necessitates a pump up here and there. For whatever reason my back tire has needed a bit of air once a week or so since I first got the tires installed. Over weeks the tire has slowly required more and more air. It was slow to start but in the last couple of days it’s gotten quite bad. A pump every couple of hours is not a good sign.

Usually you can see the leak. The sealing fluid marks the spot for the leak. This one is pretty weird. I’ve seen leaks along the rim, around the spokes or valve, leaks on the tire itself. This time not that. After some close inspection I found the leaks along the sidewall of the tire. The tire was slowly delaminating, who knew.

So off to find the best replacement tire I could find. That’s my 4 rear tire for this trip. As usual I pushed, my equipment to the limit. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Passing Rob’s kindness forward to Indspire. Have you been Indspired?

https://indspire.crowdchange.ca/79419

Passing Rob’s kindness forward to Indspire. Have you been Indspired?

https://indspire.crowdchange.ca/79419

Gaff Topsail

I had this day circled. I knew it was going to be a tough one. The last really big remote ride of the trip. 100k along the old rail-bed, climbing to the highest point we would reach here in Newfoundland. No roads, no services, just bush.

We were off early to try and get a good start. The T rail trail so far had been pretty rough and today it dolled out all she could offer: deep gravel, sand, washboard, deep ruts and encroaching bushes. It kept us on our toes and certainly caused slow progress and several close calls throughout the day. The peek we crossed over was called Gaff Topsail. Very interesting, name fitting, windy and bleak even the trees decided not to grow up there. After concentrating for 8 hours and a hot day to boot we were certainly done. Definitely type 2 fun.

Trail angel Rob gave us water, beer and apples. It’s always so nice to meet such friendly generous people along the route. Rob’s generosity helped us push through to Badger. Ended up at the local restaurant and had a great turkey dinner, NFLD style. Probably 8000 calories. Luckily we needed all of them.

Gaff Topsail

I had this day circled. I knew it was going to be a tough one. The last really big remote ride of the trip. 100k along the old rail-bed, climbing to the highest point we would reach here in Newfoundland. No roads, no services, just bush.

We were off early to try and get a good start. The T rail trail so far had been pretty rough and today it dolled out all she could offer: deep gravel, sand, washboard, deep ruts and encroaching bushes. It kept us on our toes and certainly caused slow progress and several close calls throughout the day. The peek we crossed over was called Gaff Topsail. Very interesting, name fitting, windy and bleak even the trees decided not to grow up there. After concentrating for 8 hours and a hot day to boot we were certainly done. Definitely type 2 fun.

Trail angel Rob gave us water, beer and apples. It’s always so nice to meet such friendly generous people along the route. Rob’s generosity helped us push through to Badger. Ended up at the local restaurant and had a great turkey dinner, NFLD style. Probably 8000 calories. Luckily we needed all of them.

A Rest Day

We decided to have a rest day. And by rest day I mean we packed up and did a quick 30k ride to the next town. Much of the riding was along a canal, so very easy riding. We ended up in the village of Howley. Had a meal at the local restaurant/bar. They are famous for all things moose. Turns out Howley is where they first released moose onto Newfoundland. Even ended up meeting a local at the town park. Had a great chat.

What a great spot. The camping was awesome and the swim in the lake even better. Great way to spend a quiet day. 👍😎

A Rest Day

We decided to have a rest day. And by rest day I mean we packed up and did a quick 30k ride to the next town. Much of the riding was along a canal, so very easy riding. We ended up in the village of Howley. Had a meal at the local restaurant/bar. They are famous for all things moose. Turns out Howley is where they first released moose onto Newfoundland. Even ended up meeting a local at the town park. Had a great chat.

What a great spot. The camping was awesome and the swim in the lake even better. Great way to spend a quiet day. 👍😎

Crank Day

We awoke by the sound of rain showers. Quickly decided the best option was to head to Cornerbrook. After about 2 1/2 hours of mixed gravel trail we were pulling into town. First stop coffee and breakfast. After that we headed to the bike shop. First one for a while. I needed chain oil and Davey was having problems with his crank. Periodic clicking noise as he rode. We all know how irritating those are. Well it ended up being a bit of a wait at the shop and turned out to be his rear hub. Long story short, they could not fix it so Davey is riding with a Dickey, I mean Davey rear hub 🤞.

It was after 3:00 before we left so decided to take the road for the last 40k to Deer Lake. Another day in the bank. 👍😎

Crank Day

We awoke by the sound of rain showers. Quickly decided the best option was to head to Cornerbrook. After about 2 1/2 hours of mixed gravel trail we were pulling into town. First stop coffee and breakfast. After that we headed to the bike shop. First one for a while. I needed chain oil and Davey was having problems with his crank. Periodic clicking noise as he rode. We all know how irritating those are. Well it ended up being a bit of a wait at the shop and turned out to be his rear hub. Long story short, they could not fix it so Davey is riding with a Dickey, I mean Davey rear hub 🤞.

It was after 3:00 before we left so decided to take the road for the last 40k to Deer Lake. Another day in the bank. 👍😎

George’s Lake

KM 200 and boy what a spot. Beautiful lake with a nice pebbled beach to camp on. We arrived about 4:00 and decided this spot could not be missed. We were so right. Had a wonderful late afternoon evening, setting up camp, swimming, making supper and basically enjoying the beach.

The ride was similar to the yesterdays. Lots of rail trail with varying trail conditions. Definitely feel a little roughed up by the end of the ride. It was so nice to have the great finish to a great day. Tomorrow, Cornerbrook. It’s a good thing too since Dave’s derailer is making some nasty clicking sounds and Cornerbrook has a bike shop. Nice!🚵🏻‍♂️

George’s Lake

KM 200 and boy what a spot. Beautiful lake with a nice pebbled beach to camp on. We arrived about 4:00 and decided this spot could not be missed. We were so right. Had a wonderful late afternoon evening, setting up camp, swimming, making supper and basically enjoying the beach.

The ride was similar to the yesterdays. Lots of rail trail with varying trail conditions. Definitely feel a little roughed up by the end of the ride. It was so nice to have the great finish to a great day. Tomorrow, Cornerbrook. It’s a good thing too since Dave’s derailer is making some nasty clicking sounds and Cornerbrook has a bike shop. Nice!🚵🏻‍♂️

West Coast

Great camping spot at a provincial campground. $20. By far the best value anywhere I have been. Well done NFLD. We were off early. A bit of tough sand to start the day. Deep sand, tough going for sure. Then the rest of the day was a real mixture. Rough, smooth and everything in between. Even got a little pavement. The great views and amazing people made for a memorable day.

We ended the day at the Pirate’s Haven RV park. Run by Ruth and her family. What a nice friendly place. A shower, great food and a nice spot for the tent. Could it get any better after 100k and 7 hours in the saddle?

West Coast

Great camping spot at a provincial campground. $20. By far the best value anywhere I have been. Well done NFLD. We were off early. A bit of tough sand to start the day. Deep sand, tough going for sure. Then the rest of the day was a real mixture. Rough, smooth and everything in between. Even got a little pavement. The great views and amazing people made for a memorable day.

We ended the day at the Pirate’s Haven RV park. Run by Ruth and her family. What a nice friendly place. A shower, great food and a nice spot for the tent. Could it get any better after 100k and 7 hours in the saddle?

What a place.

What a place.

Nova Scotia Complete

A great day on the bikes. A few hills, some great stops along the way and some light rain to keep us cool. By 4:30 we were in North Sydney. Since the weather forecast was for more rain, why not take the night ferry. When on the bike I am always on the lookout for a dry place to sleep.

We had a few hours to kill so we celebrated completing Nova Scotia at a great little restaurant. Awesome seafood, great beer and super friendly staff. Headed to Tim’s for desert and then onto the ferry. See you on the Rock.

Nova Scotia Complete

A great day on the bikes. A few hills, some great stops along the way and some light rain to keep us cool. By 4:30 we were in North Sydney. Since the weather forecast was for more rain, why not take the night ferry. When on the bike I am always on the lookout for a dry place to sleep.

We had a few hours to kill so we celebrated completing Nova Scotia at a great little restaurant. Awesome seafood, great beer and super friendly staff. Headed to Tim’s for desert and then onto the ferry. See you on the Rock.

How it feels 🚵🏻‍♂️😎

How it feels 🚵🏻‍♂️😎

Boreal Brain Fog 🤔

96km of beautiful riding on the Cabot trail. I don’t think it really sunk in until today. Canada has a lot of Boreal Forrest and I’ve had the chance to ride it. A lot. I think it was getting a bit mentally challenging. The Cabot trail seems to have lifted my brain fog. Even though the climbing has been hard the views have been spectacular. What an amazing place. We got to basically spend the whole day in the National Park. And the great thing is by bike you get to take more in and stop more frequently. It was a great day.

Boreal Brain Fog 🤔

96km of beautiful riding on the Cabot trail. I don’t think it really sunk in until today. Canada has a lot of Boreal Forrest and I’ve had the chance to ride it. A lot. I think it was getting a bit mentally challenging. The Cabot trail seems to have lifted my brain fog. Even though the climbing has been hard the views have been spectacular. What an amazing place. We got to basically spend the whole day in the National Park. And the great thing is by bike you get to take more in and stop more frequently. It was a great day.

Off the Mainland

I did not know. Cape Breton is an Island. Obviously I am from out west, duh! This is actually quite cool. I started this trip over a year ago, from an Island off the west coast of the mainland. Now, here I am over a year later and I’m off the east coast and again on an island. This time I have two Island to conquer: Cape Breton and Newfoundland.

First, let me apologize for yesterday’s post. It was a bit weird. Maybe I was just having a weird day, I don’t know. Anyway, today, even though it was challenging, had me pumped.

We had an interesting day. I guess tropical storm Chantel decided to provide us with some free cleaning services. It certainly kept us on our toes. But as seems to always be the case, we ended up in a nice little motel with a cool pub next door. Got some great food and live east coast music to finish the day off right. I’ve been wanting to visit Cape Breton for a long time. So far, she is not disappointing me. 😎👍

Off the Mainland

I did not know. Cape Breton is an Island. Obviously I am from out west, duh! This is actually quite cool. I started this trip over a year ago, from an Island off the west coast of the mainland. Now, here I am over a year later and I’m off the east coast and again on an island. This time I have two Island to conquer: Cape Breton and Newfoundland.

First, let me apologize for yesterday’s post. It was a bit weird. Maybe I was just having a weird day, I don’t know. Anyway, today, even though it was challenging, had me pumped.

We had an interesting day. I guess tropical storm Chantel decided to provide us with some free cleaning services. It certainly kept us on our toes. But as seems to always be the case, we ended up in a nice little motel with a cool pub next door. Got some great food and live east coast music to finish the day off right. I’ve been wanting to visit Cape Breton for a long time. So far, she is not disappointing me. 😎👍

Road to Antigonish

I could talk about our day. The rain, the route, the great food, Blah, blah, blah. You guys must be getting tired of this no? Maybe I am too.

The daily blog started many years ago now. My mom liked to keep in touch and it was a great way for her to experience what Lana and I were doing. Then after a while I started enjoying the journaling part of it. I really have never been a writer. To be honest, I hated writing in school and over the years, procrastinated any writing I had to do on the job. But somehow, after all the repetition, the writing became something positive. Reviewing my day and writing down what happened seemed to crystallize the memory. I like that, I’m doing this crazy trip, it would be kinda nice if I remembered it. So there you have it. A non writer who started writing.

Then after my mom passed my friends kept me doing it. This trip has been kind of special. First off, it’s way longer than any of my previous adventures. Also, since I’m raising awareness and money for the Indspire charity, it’s important to put myself out there. I know that, but it’s also for the first time, felt like a bit like work. What! Work, I thought I had moved on from that. I guess not.

So here we are. I thought today’s post could be a bit different. And by different I mean a bit off. Don’t worry. It can’t get worse. Can it😬

Road to Antigonish

I could talk about our day. The rain, the route, the great food, Blah, blah, blah. You guys must be getting tired of this no? Maybe I am too.

The daily blog started many years ago now. My mom liked to keep in touch and it was a great way for her to experience what Lana and I were doing. Then after a while I started enjoying the journaling part of it. I really have never been a writer. To be honest, I hated writing in school and over the years, procrastinated any writing I had to do on the job. But somehow, after all the repetition, the writing became something positive. Reviewing my day and writing down what happened seemed to crystallize the memory. I like that, I’m doing this crazy trip, it would be kinda nice if I remembered it. So there you have it. A non writer who started writing.

Then after my mom passed my friends kept me doing it. This trip has been kind of special. First off, it’s way longer than any of my previous adventures. Also, since I’m raising awareness and money for the Indspire charity, it’s important to put myself out there. I know that, but it’s also for the first time, felt like a bit like work. What! Work, I thought I had moved on from that. I guess not.

So here we are. I thought today’s post could be a bit different. And by different I mean a bit off. Don’t worry. It can’t get worse. Can it😬

Nova Scotia

The bike trails in PEI are fantastic. We made great progress in the morning and were in Charlottetown for lunch. Great coffee shop and back on the road. We expected to camp somewhere along the trail. Kind of did not happen. Got closer and closer to the ferry and realized with a bit of a push we could make the last ferry.

While it was never my intention to complete PEI in a day it ended up happening. Got the ferry with 10 mins to spare and by 8:30 we were setting up camp in Nova Scotia. Another province down, two to go!

We also ran into another bike tourer. Only the third one of the trip. Rebecca is a lovely young lady travelling by herself from St Johns to Victoria. I find these young people so inspiring. Go Rebecca!

Nova Scotia

The bike trails in PEI are fantastic. We made great progress in the morning and were in Charlottetown for lunch. Great coffee shop and back on the road. We expected to camp somewhere along the trail. Kind of did not happen. Got closer and closer to the ferry and realized with a bit of a push we could make the last ferry.

While it was never my intention to complete PEI in a day it ended up happening. Got the ferry with 10 mins to spare and by 8:30 we were setting up camp in Nova Scotia. Another province down, two to go!

We also ran into another bike tourer. Only the third one of the trip. Rebecca is a lovely young lady travelling by herself from St Johns to Victoria. I find these young people so inspiring. Go Rebecca!

PEI What!

Well I did not anticipate this. We’re in PEI. Great day riding. Not to hot, not to cold. Not wet rough. Not to wet. Not to steep. Just Right! And when everything is right, you make good time. Now I did make a little navigation error. What’s an extra 8k? Dave’s a good sole and did not give me a hard time about it.

We did have to take a shuttle across the bridge. Bit of a rigmarole. Bags off and then back on, once you’re across. I decided that a celebration was in order. NB complete and on to the next province. It feels a little weird. Never thought about the end on this trip. Way too hard when it’s so far in the future, just thought about the next day. Now all of a sudden it’s getting real. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And the weird part. I seem to be getting there faster and faster.

Who knew. 🤔

PEI What!

Well I did not anticipate this. We’re in PEI. Great day riding. Not to hot, not to cold. Not wet rough. Not to wet. Not to steep. Just Right! And when everything is right, you make good time. Now I did make a little navigation error. What’s an extra 8k? Dave’s a good sole and did not give me a hard time about it.

We did have to take a shuttle across the bridge. Bit of a rigmarole. Bags off and then back on, once you’re across. I decided that a celebration was in order. NB complete and on to the next province. It feels a little weird. Never thought about the end on this trip. Way too hard when it’s so far in the future, just thought about the next day. Now all of a sudden it’s getting real. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And the weird part. I seem to be getting there faster and faster.

Who knew. 🤔

Beauty Day

We got a winner. Up early and on the road by 7:00. Absolutely amazing day. Nice city trails as we left Fredericton. We needed to resupply on our way out. All the grocery stores were closed for Canada Day so today was it. After resupply we had a quick McCafe and on we went. The trail slowly got rougher and eventually it down right closed. That’s right we hit a section were we could go no further.

Luckily there was a quite secondary road parallel to the trail. Had a great picnic lunch in Gagetown and then a small ferry across the river. We had planned for a ~85k day. Unfortunately our camping option did not pan out. We’re camping in the forest tonight. Wish us luck. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Beauty Day

We got a winner. Up early and on the road by 7:00. Absolutely amazing day. Nice city trails as we left Fredericton. We needed to resupply on our way out. All the grocery stores were closed for Canada Day so today was it. After resupply we had a quick McCafe and on we went. The trail slowly got rougher and eventually it down right closed. That’s right we hit a section were we could go no further.

Luckily there was a quite secondary road parallel to the trail. Had a great picnic lunch in Gagetown and then a small ferry across the river. We had planned for a ~85k day. Unfortunately our camping option did not pan out. We’re camping in the forest tonight. Wish us luck. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Fredericton

Really happy. I’ve made it to Fredericton. And, it’s still June. That is, the very last day of June. So maybe we should review a bit.

Started: June 1st Ottawa
To Date: June 30th Fredericton
Total Distance: 2250km
Riding Days: 26
Rest Days: 4
Average daily: 86 km/day

Total riding days since Victoria >126
Total distance since Victoria >10250km

To be honest I can’t believe it myself. Only have ~ 2500km to go. So on we go. But not today. Dave and I are going to have a rest day tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day. No, I mean the day after tomorrow.

Oh ya, you gota love the geriatric specific signage 🤔

Todd and the crew at Savage’s Bicycle shop are legends. Thanks.

Fredericton

Really happy. I’ve made it to Fredericton. And, it’s still June. That is, the very last day of June. So maybe we should review a bit.

Started: June 1st Ottawa
To Date: June 30th Fredericton
Total Distance: 2250km
Riding Days: 26
Rest Days: 4
Average daily: 86 km/day

Total riding days since Victoria >126
Total distance since Victoria >10250km

To be honest I can’t believe it myself. Only have ~ 2500km to go. So on we go. But not today. Dave and I are going to have a rest day tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day. No, I mean the day after tomorrow.

Oh ya, you gota love the geriatric specific signage 🤔

Todd and the crew at Savage’s Bicycle shop are legends. Thanks.

River Time

I know, don’t mention the fact that we had more rain. Well, I won’t mention it. While waiting to depart we had breakfast in the camp shelter. Once things developed in a positive way we set off.

We spent the whole day riding along the St John River. Sometimes on the road, sometimes on Qaud track and sometimes on trail. Bottom line, what a great day. Really enjoyable riding along this river valley. Had a great breakfast stop and wouldn’t you know it by the time the day ended we had clocked over 100k. Even got to see the longest covered bridge in the world. Who knew?

River Time

I know, don’t mention the fact that we had more rain. Well, I won’t mention it. While waiting to depart we had breakfast in the camp shelter. Once things developed in a positive way we set off.

We spent the whole day riding along the St John River. Sometimes on the road, sometimes on Qaud track and sometimes on trail. Bottom line, what a great day. Really enjoyable riding along this river valley. Had a great breakfast stop and wouldn’t you know it by the time the day ended we had clocked over 100k. Even got to see the longest covered bridge in the world. Who knew?

Road Gods
They were definitely helping us today. Rain had started in the night but luckily stopped before departure. We had decided on a good breakfast before heading out. Rule number #1 don’t trust google maps. Many times the opening hours are not correct. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed. Luckily the guy running the gas station had food and we ate our breakfast in the restaurants covered deck.

A couple of hours in we came upon the town of Perth Andover. Just as we arrived we spied this Bistro Cafe. Score! Amazing food, really nice couple running it too. Lots of veggies which was such a nice bonus. The lady running it even gave us some of her homemade juice to try. Since the weather was less than stellar we decided a plan was in order. Really limited options for accommodation coming up unless we wanted a big riding day. Also, the weather was not looking to good later in the afternoon. The gods had spoken again. We would have a short day. Only 20k down the road was the last campsite. We could arrive early, dry out our tents from last night and prep for an evening of more rain. We even got a stiff headwind to confirm our decision. It’s funny, I would have forced the trip a few years ago. Now, I let the trip come to me. 🙏🚵🏻‍♂️😎

Road Gods
They were definitely helping us today. Rain had started in the night but luckily stopped before departure. We had decided on a good breakfast before heading out. Rule number #1 don’t trust google maps. Many times the opening hours are not correct. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed. Luckily the guy running the gas station had food and we ate our breakfast in the restaurants covered deck.

A couple of hours in we came upon the town of Perth Andover. Just as we arrived we spied this Bistro Cafe. Score! Amazing food, really nice couple running it too. Lots of veggies which was such a nice bonus. The lady running it even gave us some of her homemade juice to try. Since the weather was less than stellar we decided a plan was in order. Really limited options for accommodation coming up unless we wanted a big riding day. Also, the weather was not looking to good later in the afternoon. The gods had spoken again. We would have a short day. Only 20k down the road was the last campsite. We could arrive early, dry out our tents from last night and prep for an evening of more rain. We even got a stiff headwind to confirm our decision. It’s funny, I would have forced the trip a few years ago. Now, I let the trip come to me. 🙏🚵🏻‍♂️😎

The good vibes continue. Savage’s Bicycle, Fredericton. Took my bike in for some maintenaence. No appointment, no problem, Todd drops everything and looks after me right away. Thing is he won’t charge me for his shop time. Opportunity knocks, I pass it forward to Indspire.

The good vibes continue. Savage’s Bicycle, Fredericton. Took my bike in for some maintenaence. No appointment, no problem, Todd drops everything and looks after me right away. Thing is he won’t charge me for his shop time. Opportunity knocks, I pass it forward to Indspire.

What a Difference a Day Makes

For all the challenges we had yesterday today was the opposite. Got up to a beautiful morning next to a magical lake. First order of business, check out the lodge for 2nd breakfast. 👍👍. Then off we went. There were a few hills but mainly down and 2hrs in we were stopping for lunch.

Two more riding hours and our day with 80k complete was done. Welcome to Plaster Rock. We decided on a nice little restaurant for dinner. After a bit of a chat with the locals we headed inside. First up Marty offered to buy Dave and I a beer. How nice was that. Definite play it forward material. Thanks so much Marty. Then a great meal.

We headed down to the town campground our day complete. A good one I must say.

Oh ya, I did have a bit of a bottle holder mishap. Fatigue failure. I think I know about that one. 🤔

What a Difference a Day Makes

For all the challenges we had yesterday today was the opposite. Got up to a beautiful morning next to a magical lake. First order of business, check out the lodge for 2nd breakfast. 👍👍. Then off we went. There were a few hills but mainly down and 2hrs in we were stopping for lunch.

Two more riding hours and our day with 80k complete was done. Welcome to Plaster Rock. We decided on a nice little restaurant for dinner. After a bit of a chat with the locals we headed inside. First up Marty offered to buy Dave and I a beer. How nice was that. Definite play it forward material. Thanks so much Marty. Then a great meal.

We headed down to the town campground our day complete. A good one I must say.

Oh ya, I did have a bit of a bottle holder mishap. Fatigue failure. I think I know about that one. 🤔

Day 1 for Dave

Dave says Hi everyone 👋. I definitely needed a rest, repair and resupply day before starting out on the NB phase of the journey. Even more important, since the first 3 days out of Campbellton we’re looking pretty challenging. Remote with very limited resupply for 200k. Add to that, some challenging hills and Dave’s first few days on the bike, this was not ideal for one’s first day in the saddle. Well, what could possibly go wrong. I believe in you Dave!

We were off pretty early and made some descent time. The hills were definitely making themselves felt but the morning was cool, so all went well. By lunchtime we had passed our first camping option, too early to stop so we decided to kept going. That’s over going to be a problem. The afternoon warmed noticeably and to add to the hills we got a nice strong headwind. Definitely started sucking our legs. As the afternoon progressed, we just could not find any good spots to camp. In the end we crested our last big hill and realized a nice lake with campground and lodge was only 20k further. Why not, it was nearly all down hill. Easy right?

And with that our luck ran out. The last 10k was a gravel road. Mmm. More like forest trail, rutted, downed trees, swampy, a real mess. Then we found out the restaurant in the lodge was closed. Missed it by an hour.

No worries we ate our dinner by the lodge then headed to the campsite. Passed the map location for the campsite, no campsite? Ahhhhh, another challenge. We decided to head back. I would just ride past the next corner to be sure. Wouldn’t you know it there it was. Yes! That’s where everything came together. Beautiful spot right on the water. Maybe the 9 1/2 hours in the saddle was worth it after all. Well done Dave, you’re a legend.

Day 1 for Dave

Dave says Hi everyone 👋. I definitely needed a rest, repair and resupply day before starting out on the NB phase of the journey. Even more important, since the first 3 days out of Campbellton we’re looking pretty challenging. Remote with very limited resupply for 200k. Add to that, some challenging hills and Dave’s first few days on the bike, this was not ideal for one’s first day in the saddle. Well, what could possibly go wrong. I believe in you Dave!

We were off pretty early and made some descent time. The hills were definitely making themselves felt but the morning was cool, so all went well. By lunchtime we had passed our first camping option, too early to stop so we decided to kept going. That’s over going to be a problem. The afternoon warmed noticeably and to add to the hills we got a nice strong headwind. Definitely started sucking our legs. As the afternoon progressed, we just could not find any good spots to camp. In the end we crested our last big hill and realized a nice lake with campground and lodge was only 20k further. Why not, it was nearly all down hill. Easy right?

And with that our luck ran out. The last 10k was a gravel road. Mmm. More like forest trail, rutted, downed trees, swampy, a real mess. Then we found out the restaurant in the lodge was closed. Missed it by an hour.

No worries we ate our dinner by the lodge then headed to the campsite. Passed the map location for the campsite, no campsite? Ahhhhh, another challenge. We decided to head back. I would just ride past the next corner to be sure. Wouldn’t you know it there it was. Yes! That’s where everything came together. Beautiful spot right on the water. Maybe the 9 1/2 hours in the saddle was worth it after all. Well done Dave, you’re a legend.

New Brunswick

As I was crossing the bridge I had a bit of a moment. I started calculating in my head: BC, Alberta, Sask, Man, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario & Quebec. Wow that’s over 10,000k. I realized I was smiling. Have to admit, it felt pretty good. Hot, tired, sore, smelly for sure, but pretty good none the less. The other good news, I was meeting Dave here in Campbeltown. He is joining me for a bit. It’s going to be great having company for a bit.

After a quick hello Dave and I decided to head to the town campground. I was planning a rest day and being in town seemed like the obvious choice. Oops, the campground did not accept tents, too dangerous the lady at the check-in said. Mmmmm, I have to admit after travelling across Canada, between being in the bush, single track, rivers, wild animals (Bears), traffic I found the idea of a town campsite being too dangerous for my tent, well, in a word, funny.

We were back on the bikes. The closest campground was 4K out of town. Turns out it’s awesome. It always works out in the end.
Rest day and resupply tomorrow. Only the Maritimes to go!!!!

New Brunswick

As I was crossing the bridge I had a bit of a moment. I started calculating in my head: BC, Alberta, Sask, Man, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario & Quebec. Wow that’s over 10,000k. I realized I was smiling. Have to admit, it felt pretty good. Hot, tired, sore, smelly for sure, but pretty good none the less. The other good news, I was meeting Dave here in Campbeltown. He is joining me for a bit. It’s going to be great having company for a bit.

After a quick hello Dave and I decided to head to the town campground. I was planning a rest day and being in town seemed like the obvious choice. Oops, the campground did not accept tents, too dangerous the lady at the check-in said. Mmmmm, I have to admit after travelling across Canada, between being in the bush, single track, rivers, wild animals (Bears), traffic I found the idea of a town campsite being too dangerous for my tent, well, in a word, funny.

We were back on the bikes. The closest campground was 4K out of town. Turns out it’s awesome. It always works out in the end.
Rest day and resupply tomorrow. Only the Maritimes to go!!!!

Making Time

I awoke to dry, calm conditions. Forecast was good for the day. It seems like the perfect day to make a little progress.

Good choice. The hills were smaller and less frequent. All coastal riding here with small towns every 10 to 15km. Had a great lunch at a little restaurant along the route. Any time I see a trucker stopped, I know it must be good. Got a great chuckle out of the bathroom. I rode pretty steady and by 4:00 I was pulling into my campsite at New Richmond. Good thing too, the rain was just starting. Made camp under my tarp, just in time. More rain tonight. It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. We will see, we will see 🤞🤞

Making Time

I awoke to dry, calm conditions. Forecast was good for the day. It seems like the perfect day to make a little progress.

Good choice. The hills were smaller and less frequent. All coastal riding here with small towns every 10 to 15km. Had a great lunch at a little restaurant along the route. Any time I see a trucker stopped, I know it must be good. Got a great chuckle out of the bathroom. I rode pretty steady and by 4:00 I was pulling into my campsite at New Richmond. Good thing too, the rain was just starting. Made camp under my tarp, just in time. More rain tonight. It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. We will see, we will see 🤞🤞

Pretty Stoked. I’m in New Brunswick.

Pretty Stoked. I’m in New Brunswick.

Blown off Course

After the previous day of rain, coffee shops and an early motel stay, I was hoping I could get a good day of riding in. The day definitely was looking up. Better in that it as not raining, but man it was cold and windy. And by windy, I mean some of the gusts literally brought me to a full stop. So the day was challenging. When the wind was in my face I was flying along at ~5 km/hr. When it was with me a staggering 35 km/hr. The last time I experienced wind like this Lana and I were riding the high plateaus of western Argentina. Now, just add relentless sets of sharp steep hills all day, you get the picture. My legs are cooked. Found a great campsite with very friendly proprietor, now for some rest time.

Blown off Course

After the previous day of rain, coffee shops and an early motel stay, I was hoping I could get a good day of riding in. The day definitely was looking up. Better in that it as not raining, but man it was cold and windy. And by windy, I mean some of the gusts literally brought me to a full stop. So the day was challenging. When the wind was in my face I was flying along at ~5 km/hr. When it was with me a staggering 35 km/hr. The last time I experienced wind like this Lana and I were riding the high plateaus of western Argentina. Now, just add relentless sets of sharp steep hills all day, you get the picture. My legs are cooked. Found a great campsite with very friendly proprietor, now for some rest time.

Some Days

Enough said.

Some Days

Enough said.

Ahhh, The Gaspésie

Ahhh, The Gaspésie

A bit Windy

Well maybe more than a bit. The scenery continued to be pretty cool. Especially for a prairie boy. Even starting to hear some Acadian folk music. Most everyone in this area also speaks English. I am definitely noticing a change. Kind of makes sense when you think about it. Quebec is a big province. People from Montreal are not going to be the same as people from the Gaspé. Definitely getting more of the east coast vibe down here.

Back to the weather. Not looking so good I am afraid. Supposed to have showers today and rain for the next couple. 🤞. Sky is definitely telling me it’s going to rain. Luckily it was only the wind that challenged me. By afternoon it had cleared a bit.

Found an awesome campground. All by myself out the very back of the place. More than once I’ve been sent to the most remote part of the campsite. Camped by a stream with song birds all around me. Makes for a great end to another day.

A bit Windy

Well maybe more than a bit. The scenery continued to be pretty cool. Especially for a prairie boy. Even starting to hear some Acadian folk music. Most everyone in this area also speaks English. I am definitely noticing a change. Kind of makes sense when you think about it. Quebec is a big province. People from Montreal are not going to be the same as people from the Gaspé. Definitely getting more of the east coast vibe down here.

Back to the weather. Not looking so good I am afraid. Supposed to have showers today and rain for the next couple. 🤞. Sky is definitely telling me it’s going to rain. Luckily it was only the wind that challenged me. By afternoon it had cleared a bit.

Found an awesome campground. All by myself out the very back of the place. More than once I’ve been sent to the most remote part of the campsite. Camped by a stream with song birds all around me. Makes for a great end to another day.

Should I stay or Should I Go

I awoke and packed up as usual. No one was around the night before and no one had come buy. That changed just as I was about to depart. A nice gentleman informed me that the campsite was closed. However he said it was OK that I stayed and there would be no charge. How nice is that.

I had a pretty big day planned. 50k to the next bigger, and by bigger I mean a small town with a few shops. Then it was 100k with no services. My gas was still an issue. It’s looking more and more likely I will have drop off the route to find some. Last time I had this much trouble finding camp gas I was in Spain. I have a day or so to decide but time is definitely running out.

I finished the day on a long stretch of quad trail, definitely pretty bumpy for most of it. At the end of the trail was this awesome rest stop. A cool little building to get out of the weather, outhouses and picnic tables. Even grass to pitch my tent. I’m sure no one will mind. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Should I stay or Should I Go

I awoke and packed up as usual. No one was around the night before and no one had come buy. That changed just as I was about to depart. A nice gentleman informed me that the campsite was closed. However he said it was OK that I stayed and there would be no charge. How nice is that.

I had a pretty big day planned. 50k to the next bigger, and by bigger I mean a small town with a few shops. Then it was 100k with no services. My gas was still an issue. It’s looking more and more likely I will have drop off the route to find some. Last time I had this much trouble finding camp gas I was in Spain. I have a day or so to decide but time is definitely running out.

I finished the day on a long stretch of quad trail, definitely pretty bumpy for most of it. At the end of the trail was this awesome rest stop. A cool little building to get out of the weather, outhouses and picnic tables. Even grass to pitch my tent. I’m sure no one will mind. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Join me on my summer challenge “Play it Forward Summer”. When strangers show you kindness play the kindness forward.

Join me on my summer challenge “Play it Forward Summer”. When strangers show you kindness play the kindness forward.

The Appalaches

Who knew, it’s kind of obvious when you think about it, of which I had not. I am camping less than 10k from the border to Maine. The Appalachian mountain range starts here. For some reason I never thought about it being in Quebec too. I nice surprise.

Not as hilly today but the ones that were on my route kept my legs busy and my pace slower. Had a pretty short day planned so I stopped at every little town along the route. Made for an interesting day.

The other reason I was stopping at every town, a we error on my part. I had planned to stop at a Canadian tire on my way out of QC as I was running low on camp gas. Of course, you guessed it, I forgot. Now I was stopping at every store along the route hoping for some gas. Nothing so far. It’s getting dicey as I’ve got some longer stretches ahead of me with only very small towns for resupply. Pray for me 🙏

The Appalaches

Who knew, it’s kind of obvious when you think about it, of which I had not. I am camping less than 10k from the border to Maine. The Appalachian mountain range starts here. For some reason I never thought about it being in Quebec too. I nice surprise.

Not as hilly today but the ones that were on my route kept my legs busy and my pace slower. Had a pretty short day planned so I stopped at every little town along the route. Made for an interesting day.

The other reason I was stopping at every town, a we error on my part. I had planned to stop at a Canadian tire on my way out of QC as I was running low on camp gas. Of course, you guessed it, I forgot. Now I was stopping at every store along the route hoping for some gas. Nothing so far. It’s getting dicey as I’ve got some longer stretches ahead of me with only very small towns for resupply. Pray for me 🙏

Let the Hills Begin

Yup, it’s started. I was off just after 8:00am. Working my way further and further from QC. You can definitely feel it when you leave a city. Each small town gets less and less affected and then, all of a sudden, it’s done. You have gone full rural. Well that’s where I ended up after about 70k. It was still early and my legs were feeling good so I decided to push on to the next camping site. It was up in the hills and it sounded pretty nice.

I kinda knew the hills would start and did they ever. The last 25k took me 3 hours and I must admit to a being a bit tired when I arrived. Up and down from about 200m to 600m. There was no-one around when I arrived, so I followed the instructions to the dedicated Vélo camping. Right by a river. Sweet! This is such a great spot. Goodnight everyone!

Let the Hills Begin

Yup, it’s started. I was off just after 8:00am. Working my way further and further from QC. You can definitely feel it when you leave a city. Each small town gets less and less affected and then, all of a sudden, it’s done. You have gone full rural. Well that’s where I ended up after about 70k. It was still early and my legs were feeling good so I decided to push on to the next camping site. It was up in the hills and it sounded pretty nice.

I kinda knew the hills would start and did they ever. The last 25k took me 3 hours and I must admit to a being a bit tired when I arrived. Up and down from about 200m to 600m. There was no-one around when I arrived, so I followed the instructions to the dedicated Vélo camping. Right by a river. Sweet! This is such a great spot. Goodnight everyone!

🌧️Weather Hickup🌧️

Had a great day off touring around old Quebec City. Definitely ate too much. By the time I got back to the campsite the rain started. Checked the forecast and sure enough it was not looking good. Broke out the tarp and set myself up for a night in the tent.

By morning the rain had stopped but the sky was certainly not telling me I was out of the woods. I broke camp quickly and headed out. I knew there was a breakfast stop about 3.5 k ahead so decided to have my coffee there. Great spot. While having breakfast I checked the weather and my route. Not looking too good. No campsites for 75k and no hotels anywhere along my route. Add to that 90% chances of rain for the whole day. What to do? Luckily the gods gave me the answer.

As I was leaving the restaurant the rain began. Off to the McCafe next door. They have good internet. While sipping my second cup a plan presented itself. A backpackers 1k down the road. Decision made. For less than my campsite I got to spend the day in this lovely dry house. Bike in the basement drying, nice bed, nice common area and great kitchen. Plus, they have breakfast. So after a massive day 4.5k I called it. Good decision I must say.

🌧️Weather Hickup🌧️

Had a great day off touring around old Quebec City. Definitely ate too much. By the time I got back to the campsite the rain started. Checked the forecast and sure enough it was not looking good. Broke out the tarp and set myself up for a night in the tent.

By morning the rain had stopped but the sky was certainly not telling me I was out of the woods. I broke camp quickly and headed out. I knew there was a breakfast stop about 3.5 k ahead so decided to have my coffee there. Great spot. While having breakfast I checked the weather and my route. Not looking too good. No campsites for 75k and no hotels anywhere along my route. Add to that 90% chances of rain for the whole day. What to do? Luckily the gods gave me the answer.

As I was leaving the restaurant the rain began. Off to the McCafe next door. They have good internet. While sipping my second cup a plan presented itself. A backpackers 1k down the road. Decision made. For less than my campsite I got to spend the day in this lovely dry house. Bike in the basement drying, nice bed, nice common area and great kitchen. Plus, they have breakfast. So after a massive day 4.5k I called it. Good decision I must say.

It was going to Happen
Whenever I do this kind of trip you hit mental challenges along the way. For me it was today. For whatever reason I just found the riding tough today. It was not hilly, weather was nice, not too hot. Really had no reason to struggle. But I did. Chalk it up to, mmmm, don’t have anything. I got it done!

Ended the day just outside Quebec City at a KOA. Have not stayed in one of these for like 25 years. Must say I am impressed. Reasonable price, great staff, lots of facilities. And, they even have a shuttle to old Quebec City centre. I was going to grab a hotel on the outskirts tomorrow after my visit. This way it’s way better.
1) I get a rest day.
2) I can be nice and clean while I visit.
3) No bike to worry about.
4) Save myself the cost of a hotel

How good is that. So maybe the riding was tough today, but my campsite, cheered me right up. 👍😎

It was going to Happen
Whenever I do this kind of trip you hit mental challenges along the way. For me it was today. For whatever reason I just found the riding tough today. It was not hilly, weather was nice, not too hot. Really had no reason to struggle. But I did. Chalk it up to, mmmm, don’t have anything. I got it done!

Ended the day just outside Quebec City at a KOA. Have not stayed in one of these for like 25 years. Must say I am impressed. Reasonable price, great staff, lots of facilities. And, they even have a shuttle to old Quebec City centre. I was going to grab a hotel on the outskirts tomorrow after my visit. This way it’s way better.
1) I get a rest day.
2) I can be nice and clean while I visit.
3) No bike to worry about.
4) Save myself the cost of a hotel

How good is that. So maybe the riding was tough today, but my campsite, cheered me right up. 👍😎

First Week Done

So my first week is done.
529km. I feel OK with that. Honestly it’s been a pretty good first week. Starting on easier terrain, only one hill all week, certainly gave my body time to adapt. Thanks Helen and Malcolm, I transposed your hiking idea to my ride!

Had an interesting day today. Continued my swing through the Eastern townships. Started this morning in Drummondville and ended the day just outside of Victoriaville. On my way out of town to the campsite, I ran into an interesting phenomena. The bike track was packed with scooters. And I mean rush hour traffic packed. Now the last time I experienced this was in Benidorm, Spain. Kind of blew me away. Not all oldies either. It’s kind of sad to see so many people whose fitness is so limited 🥲.

Feel super lucky that I can keep going. For now anyway. 🤞🚵🏻‍♂️

First Week Done

So my first week is done.
529km. I feel OK with that. Honestly it’s been a pretty good first week. Starting on easier terrain, only one hill all week, certainly gave my body time to adapt. Thanks Helen and Malcolm, I transposed your hiking idea to my ride!

Had an interesting day today. Continued my swing through the Eastern townships. Started this morning in Drummondville and ended the day just outside of Victoriaville. On my way out of town to the campsite, I ran into an interesting phenomena. The bike track was packed with scooters. And I mean rush hour traffic packed. Now the last time I experienced this was in Benidorm, Spain. Kind of blew me away. Not all oldies either. It’s kind of sad to see so many people whose fitness is so limited 🥲.

Feel super lucky that I can keep going. For now anyway. 🤞🚵🏻‍♂️

Oka National Park

Nice easy ride today. Got supplies and a great coffee in Hudson and then the ferry across the Saint Laurence. Pretty cool, I am just upstream of Montreal here, can really start to feel the history coming out. What history I remember that is. 🤪

I decided to stay at the Oka National park. Turns out it’s a national park but run by the province. Anyway, it’s super cool. Since I am a cyclist they give me special treatment in Quebec. Guaranteed spot and a discount. Only $22. Yes you saw that right folks. Best value I have seen. BC was close but everywhere else quite a bit higher. Not only that but food seems cheaper here too. I’ll have to see how my budget goes.

Oh ya, the mosquitos are out, in force too. Ah Canada in early summer. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Oka National Park

Nice easy ride today. Got supplies and a great coffee in Hudson and then the ferry across the Saint Laurence. Pretty cool, I am just upstream of Montreal here, can really start to feel the history coming out. What history I remember that is. 🤪

I decided to stay at the Oka National park. Turns out it’s a national park but run by the province. Anyway, it’s super cool. Since I am a cyclist they give me special treatment in Quebec. Guaranteed spot and a discount. Only $22. Yes you saw that right folks. Best value I have seen. BC was close but everywhere else quite a bit higher. Not only that but food seems cheaper here too. I’ll have to see how my budget goes.

Oh ya, the mosquitos are out, in force too. Ah Canada in early summer. 👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

Coffee & Nudity

I love this travelling stuff. First off I made an error, as usual. When getting my food on the outskirts of Ottawa (it was Sunday remember) I decided to skip getting coffee. Lots of little towns on the way, I would buy some when I found a good cafe, get them to grind me some for the road. Good plan right?

What day do small town cafe’s choose to close? You got it, Monday. So finding coffee on my ride this morning was tough. It was after 10:00 before I detoured to get my fix. I really needed it. But boy was that painful. I solved that problem today. Nice ground coffee on board. 👍

Big day today as well at about 95k. Just kind of worked out that way. Ended up at this fancy campground called Camping Plein Bois, very nice. Since it’s early in the season the only open washroom/shower block was the one for the nudist area. Turns out there’s just one room for all men and women and an open common multi shower too. This was going to be interesting. Well I needed a shower, that much I knew, so it was time to drop my sensibilities at the door. One shave and shower later I was done. Did not even have any interesting moments. What will tomorrow bring?

Coffee & Nudity

I love this travelling stuff. First off I made an error, as usual. When getting my food on the outskirts of Ottawa (it was Sunday remember) I decided to skip getting coffee. Lots of little towns on the way, I would buy some when I found a good cafe, get them to grind me some for the road. Good plan right?

What day do small town cafe’s choose to close? You got it, Monday. So finding coffee on my ride this morning was tough. It was after 10:00 before I detoured to get my fix. I really needed it. But boy was that painful. I solved that problem today. Nice ground coffee on board. 👍

Big day today as well at about 95k. Just kind of worked out that way. Ended up at this fancy campground called Camping Plein Bois, very nice. Since it’s early in the season the only open washroom/shower block was the one for the nudist area. Turns out there’s just one room for all men and women and an open common multi shower too. This was going to be interesting. Well I needed a shower, that much I knew, so it was time to drop my sensibilities at the door. One shave and shower later I was done. Did not even have any interesting moments. What will tomorrow bring?

It’s About Time!

After some time on the phone with WestJet a baggage strategy was put together. I was very happy to see the baggage office open when I arrived at the airport. Roul helped retrieve my bike and just like that things were looking up.

It had rained all day Saturday so really being delayed kinda worked out. Thanks again Helen for the hospitality. Sunday morning and I was up by 5:00am. It had seemed like forever and finally the riding was going to begin. By 7:30 I had the bike unpacked, gear mounted and I was ready to go. Off I went.

It was not long before the rain started, so it was find a coffee shop time. After an hour or so the rain lightened up and I was on the move again. The day was cool and wet but overall not too bad. After about 65k I decided to call it for the day. I’ve got a great camping spot with a food truck out front. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to improve. Fingers crossed. 🤞🚵🏻‍♂️

It’s About Time!

After some time on the phone with WestJet a baggage strategy was put together. I was very happy to see the baggage office open when I arrived at the airport. Roul helped retrieve my bike and just like that things were looking up.

It had rained all day Saturday so really being delayed kinda worked out. Thanks again Helen for the hospitality. Sunday morning and I was up by 5:00am. It had seemed like forever and finally the riding was going to begin. By 7:30 I had the bike unpacked, gear mounted and I was ready to go. Off I went.

It was not long before the rain started, so it was find a coffee shop time. After an hour or so the rain lightened up and I was on the move again. The day was cool and wet but overall not too bad. After about 65k I decided to call it for the day. I’ve got a great camping spot with a food truck out front. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to improve. Fingers crossed. 🤞🚵🏻‍♂️

Murphy is Alive & Well

It certainly did not take long for the adventure to begin. Lana dropped me off at the airport quite early. No worries, I had time, just how I like it. I have become so familiar with travelling with my bike, check in was smooth and easy. Even had a couple of hours to kill to go for a good walk.

First sign of trouble was a flight delay. Only a half hour. I must admit when our delayed incoming flight arrived and then had to wait for the ground crew, I had a feeling it might get interesting. We were a good hour late when we pulled away from the gate. Arrival, wouldn’t you know it no ground crew. By the time we got off I was feeling for my friend Helen who came to pick me up.

This is where it gets interesting. They closed the ramp due to weather, protect the baggage handlers. A first for me I must say. After about an hour they said we were good to go. Great, get these bags and we’re off. Then 5 mins later, you guessed it closed again. That was it. I got Helen to pick me up. We drove back to her place. I had a quick bite to eat and then headed to the airport. Well, my day finished off as it would. No luggage, No baggage agent, they all went home. My impatience cost me. Now I’ve got to find my luggage. An opportunity for tomorrow.

What a start to the trip.

Murphy is Alive & Well

It certainly did not take long for the adventure to begin. Lana dropped me off at the airport quite early. No worries, I had time, just how I like it. I have become so familiar with travelling with my bike, check in was smooth and easy. Even had a couple of hours to kill to go for a good walk.

First sign of trouble was a flight delay. Only a half hour. I must admit when our delayed incoming flight arrived and then had to wait for the ground crew, I had a feeling it might get interesting. We were a good hour late when we pulled away from the gate. Arrival, wouldn’t you know it no ground crew. By the time we got off I was feeling for my friend Helen who came to pick me up.

This is where it gets interesting. They closed the ramp due to weather, protect the baggage handlers. A first for me I must say. After about an hour they said we were good to go. Great, get these bags and we’re off. Then 5 mins later, you guessed it closed again. That was it. I got Helen to pick me up. We drove back to her place. I had a quick bite to eat and then headed to the airport. Well, my day finished off as it would. No luggage, No baggage agent, they all went home. My impatience cost me. Now I’ve got to find my luggage. An opportunity for tomorrow.

What a start to the trip.

P-Day

The time has come. Final packing and organizing. Lana and I head to the airport tomorrow. I must admit to being a bit nervous. Good right 🤔. Always happens just before I leave.

Toughest part, definitely, leaving the love of my life. I know, very sappy of me. The other part is leaving Fernie. We’ve set up a great spot here and it’s an amazing location. Add to that the summer weather has arrived. Kind of always makes me reflect. What were you thinking mate? It would be such fun and so much easier hanging out here. As usual that’s not what I choose.

So off I go. I know it will be challenging, I know it will be surprising, I know it will be rewarding. Just step out the door and let the adventure take you. To be honest, I love this stuff👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

P-Day

The time has come. Final packing and organizing. Lana and I head to the airport tomorrow. I must admit to being a bit nervous. Good right 🤔. Always happens just before I leave.

Toughest part, definitely, leaving the love of my life. I know, very sappy of me. The other part is leaving Fernie. We’ve set up a great spot here and it’s an amazing location. Add to that the summer weather has arrived. Kind of always makes me reflect. What were you thinking mate? It would be such fun and so much easier hanging out here. As usual that’s not what I choose.

So off I go. I know it will be challenging, I know it will be surprising, I know it will be rewarding. Just step out the door and let the adventure take you. To be honest, I love this stuff👍😎🚵🏻‍♂️

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Hi, Im on an interesting ride. Wow, gota love life. There is no retirement for me. Keep growing, Keep Learning, Keep challenging myself. Welcome.

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