If it were possible to condense our whole cross Canada ride into a single day it might look like this one. We started with a series of intensely steep climbs with no shoulder and plenty of traffic. We also hit construction that forced us to ride gravel up to the highest point of the day. But at the same time, the sea- and landscapes around the Bras D'or lake were truly magnificent (a word I can't recall ever having used before). We paid for those views through sweat and lactic acid production, but it was definitely worth it.
After lunch and 54 kilometres, the grades became less extreme and we coasted on smoother, rolling hills as we eventually reached a paved shoulder for the last bit into Sydney. It is hard to believe that we're here at the furthest eastern point on continental Canada. We won't be rushing away from the hills of Cape Breton just yet, the next two days are ours to rest and visit the area as well as a rehab class here in town on Monday morning.
Our ferry departure to Argentia, Newfoundland is scheduled for 10:45pm on Monday evening, the crossing takes about fifteen hours! It is too early to tell whether or not Hurricane Irene is going to complicate those plans but for now we're trying to keep tabs on the expectations for Atlantic Canada. In any case, for the sake of everyone on the storm's path, we hope it peters out soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment