Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Day 95: Fitzgerald's Pond to St. John's, Newfoundland! (105km)
There are so many posts that I have wanted to start with, "we're in (blank) city!" And of course, arriving in St. John's deserves that kind of excitement, but it is also so hard to fathom that we haven't yet had the chance to react to it. As momentous as this occasion is for us, it comes along with a touch of sadness and even loss. Don't get me wrong, there have definitely been many moments, days, and even weeks that we have simply wanted to be finished, and we are eagerly anticipating our return home. But out of all of the days and places that we've ridden, Argentia to St. John's is the only route where we've had no hesitancy about whether to go forward, no desire to turn back. Starting out in Vancouver, we tried daily to quell the innumerable doubts about our abilities while suppressing anxieties about the battery of risks involved in taking this trip. Three months later, all of the time, costs, sweat, and struggle have introduced us to hundreds of people and communities, and fostered a lifetime's worth of laughter, joy, and memories.
If there was any lingering uncertainty about whether going the full distance was 'worth it', arriving in Newfoundland yesterday was the ultimate persuasion. Riding onto the expansive island was like entering another world, one with a mystifying sense of openness. Our ride today took on a similar mystical quality as we rode undulated along the steady hills. The roads were in great shape and the grades were just steep enough to remind us to slow down and savour the sweeping vantages of densely treed peaks cutting sharply into valleys.
Our lack of moose sightings during this trip has become something of a joke after months of riding past 'moose night danger' signs on the highway. By the time we reached Bathurst and Miramichi, people would chuckle and say, "Just wait. You're in New Brunswick." The chuckling stopped as we cycled through Nova Scotia but we were assured Newfoundland would bring us better luck. Today, with the passing of every boggy pond or glistening lake, we expected to see moose in such an idyllic habitat. At one point Alex stopped and peered into some trees, proclaiming, "now there's a moose if I ever saw one."
I looked in and saw a long tail swishing back and forth, "really? Are you sure that isn't a horse?" Sure enough two horses came trotting toward us, excited by their own wildlife encounter. It seems that moose have continued to evade us on this ride but I'm sure we'll see them again in Ontario.
Riding into St. John's after hours of boundless wilderness felt like we had parachuted into a city. We stopped at the welcome sign and felt awash with so many emotions led by a wave of disbelief. After 7262km, 739 granola bars, and 23.5kg of loose granola, we are finally here. I'm sure the realization will sink in over the next few days as we enjoy St. John's and make preparations for our flight home. So far we have found a warm and delicious welcome at the Delta Hotel St. John's, which has very generously donated a two night stay on their Signature floor. We have already delighted in a gift box of chocolates and complimentary hors d'oeuvres this afternoon. Tomorrow we have an exciting grand finale planned at a rehab centre here in St. John's along with Mayor O'Keefe and other distinguished guests, you won't want to miss Alex's post on the event!
If there was any lingering uncertainty about whether going the full distance was 'worth it', arriving in Newfoundland yesterday was the ultimate persuasion. Riding onto the expansive island was like entering another world, one with a mystifying sense of openness. Our ride today took on a similar mystical quality as we rode undulated along the steady hills. The roads were in great shape and the grades were just steep enough to remind us to slow down and savour the sweeping vantages of densely treed peaks cutting sharply into valleys.
Our lack of moose sightings during this trip has become something of a joke after months of riding past 'moose night danger' signs on the highway. By the time we reached Bathurst and Miramichi, people would chuckle and say, "Just wait. You're in New Brunswick." The chuckling stopped as we cycled through Nova Scotia but we were assured Newfoundland would bring us better luck. Today, with the passing of every boggy pond or glistening lake, we expected to see moose in such an idyllic habitat. At one point Alex stopped and peered into some trees, proclaiming, "now there's a moose if I ever saw one."
I looked in and saw a long tail swishing back and forth, "really? Are you sure that isn't a horse?" Sure enough two horses came trotting toward us, excited by their own wildlife encounter. It seems that moose have continued to evade us on this ride but I'm sure we'll see them again in Ontario.
Riding into St. John's after hours of boundless wilderness felt like we had parachuted into a city. We stopped at the welcome sign and felt awash with so many emotions led by a wave of disbelief. After 7262km, 739 granola bars, and 23.5kg of loose granola, we are finally here. I'm sure the realization will sink in over the next few days as we enjoy St. John's and make preparations for our flight home. So far we have found a warm and delicious welcome at the Delta Hotel St. John's, which has very generously donated a two night stay on their Signature floor. We have already delighted in a gift box of chocolates and complimentary hors d'oeuvres this afternoon. Tomorrow we have an exciting grand finale planned at a rehab centre here in St. John's along with Mayor O'Keefe and other distinguished guests, you won't want to miss Alex's post on the event!
Day 94: Argentia Ferry Terminal to Fitzgerald's Pond NL
A few hours after our post yesterday we climbed aboard Marine Atlantic's brand new ferry and started on our graciously donated passage to Argentia. The ride was relaxing and smooth. Neither Vanessa or I have ever been very far from land on the ocean and it was a treat to leave the shoreline behind and see nothing but blue in all directions.
We docked in Argentia around 2:30 pm and made the short trek to a campground about 26 km from the terminal. We wanted to go further, but by the time we were finished with pictures of the Newfoundland sign and the rugged coast it was 4:30 by the time we reached site and pushing to the next campground 80 kilometers down the road might have been pushing our luck.
Tomorrow we have a full day's ride into St John's and will complete our cross country trek. It's hard to believe we're so close to completing this challenge. We've been riding for so long now that it's become more of a lifestyle than a journey.
If you are reading this post we are most likely minutes from our goal. Tonight we're camped in a valley and are without reception. We'll post this as soon as we can.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Day 93: Sydney to North Sydney/Newfoundland Ferry (34km)
If we thought that the prairie winds were a force to be reckoned with then the post-tropical storm Irene gusts were probably better not to be confronted with a bicycle. This morning we started out in the wake of the rain storm to make our way to the Sydney Heart and Lung Wellness Centre before turning back toward North Sydney.
The wind gusts along the coast were powerful enough to force us to a stop and/or push us off (or into the middle) of the road but we rode carefully and made it to the centre. We had a great visit with the remarkable staff and members of the centre's programs. It's so inspiring to meet with people who have recovered from cardiac episodes and the workers who provide support. It's always tough to pull ourselves away.
Luckily when we poked out again the rain had cleared into sun but we still had the wind swirling recklessly and hurling sand and gravel at our faces. If today's wasn't just a short ride to meet our ferry connection I think we would have stayed off the roads. Though for once I think that our overly weighted bikes helped by keeping us grounded during the aggressive gusts. We made our way slowly along secondary highway 305 to take advantage of added tree cover and less traffic to be swept toward. In the end, because we made it here safely and got off exceptionally easy as far as hurricanes go. The ride was pretty fascinating. We watched traffic poles sway and birds flap motionless against the wind. For the last stretch the wind was behind us and propelled us into North Sydney like motorcyclists.
Now we're staked out at a library and blogging early since we made it to North Sydney with nine hours prior to sailing. The forecast suggests the winds will dissipate in the evening and Marine Atlantic is not expecting any cancellations or delays. Marine Atlantic has generously sponsored our passage to Argentia and we're really looking forward to our ferry trip. All week people have been telling us great things about the vessels and staff onboard. Our first overnight boat ride promises to be an interesting experience!
The wind gusts along the coast were powerful enough to force us to a stop and/or push us off (or into the middle) of the road but we rode carefully and made it to the centre. We had a great visit with the remarkable staff and members of the centre's programs. It's so inspiring to meet with people who have recovered from cardiac episodes and the workers who provide support. It's always tough to pull ourselves away.
Luckily when we poked out again the rain had cleared into sun but we still had the wind swirling recklessly and hurling sand and gravel at our faces. If today's wasn't just a short ride to meet our ferry connection I think we would have stayed off the roads. Though for once I think that our overly weighted bikes helped by keeping us grounded during the aggressive gusts. We made our way slowly along secondary highway 305 to take advantage of added tree cover and less traffic to be swept toward. In the end, because we made it here safely and got off exceptionally easy as far as hurricanes go. The ride was pretty fascinating. We watched traffic poles sway and birds flap motionless against the wind. For the last stretch the wind was behind us and propelled us into North Sydney like motorcyclists.
Now we're staked out at a library and blogging early since we made it to North Sydney with nine hours prior to sailing. The forecast suggests the winds will dissipate in the evening and Marine Atlantic is not expecting any cancellations or delays. Marine Atlantic has generously sponsored our passage to Argentia and we're really looking forward to our ferry trip. All week people have been telling us great things about the vessels and staff onboard. Our first overnight boat ride promises to be an interesting experience!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
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