From our campground in Saint John, all that lay between us and our final destination was a ferry across the Bay of Fundy to Digby, Nova Scotia, and 300km across the peninsula to Halifax. We were so close and it was hard not to feel anxious!
The ferry crossing consumed most of Friday, but we had plans to be in a certain bar in Halifax by Saturday night and we were determined to make it. So a sprint to the finish it was going to be! Sadly, however, the weather didn’t cooperate. With thick fog and pelting rain, the crossing didn’t provide the views of the Atlantic we’d hoped for, but it did provide welcome, albeit brief shelter from the elements. Time doesn't wait for anyone, so that afternoon we pushed on through sometimes torrential rain into the evening. However, the remote, quiet roads made for enjoyable riding and we became increasingly excited with every sign that we saw quoting the distance to Halifax. By this point in the journey, the comfort of anticipation much outweighed the discomfort of wet feet. After a brief, and our only, encounter with a bear, we arrived at our destination well after dark.
Despite our efforts the previous day, we still had a significant distance remaining so we planned to set out at dawn. Unfortunately, forgetting the recent time-zone change, we got up an hour too early and set out into the darkness. Having arrived on a bicycle well after sunset the previous night, and now leaving well before sunrise, the inn’s owner clearly thought we were a little crazy! But she had no idea how far we'd come and how close we were.
Our last day of cycling was an appropriate end to a windy trip, with ferocious winds, fortunately today blowing in the right direction. Nevertheless, the hills along the coast seemed hard work, perhaps because we knew the end was so near and our bodies were giving up the fight. It was hard not to be impatient with how slowly the miles seemed to be ticking off the road signs. Anticipation of the end was almost overwhelming.
After numerous difficult experiences with big cities, we were determined to do the last one right, and do a good job of navigating Halifax. After racing a group of runners up the final, steep hill into the city, we cruised through town to Point Pleasant Park without incident. We'd planned to roll the bike down to the beach for the ceremonial wheel-dipping, but instead we were faced with an unbroken line of large rocks. We had quite a game carrying the fully-laden bike to the water, but we eventually made it with only a couple of soggy feet. We had made it.
Getting up on Sunday morning, in the knowledge that we didn't need to get on a bike any time soon was a strange, but well-anticipated and welcome feeling. We spent a couple of days seeing the sights and enjoying all the other things you can't do when you have to cycle 100 miles every day. Then, it was time to start to address all that had to be done to return us and the tandem to Boston and real life again. There had been so much anticipation and excitement about reaching the end, it had been easy to neglect the bittersweet task of accepting that the adventure was finally over and our return to normality came almost as a shock.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Nova Scotia : Saint John to Halifax
Day 42 - October 20th - Saint John, NB to Kempt, NS - 99km - 6065km total
Day 43 - October 21st - Kempt, NS to Halifax, NS - 187km - 6252km total
Day 43 - October 21st - Kempt, NS to Halifax, NS - 187km - 6252km total
Friday, October 20, 2006
Following Rivers to the Sea
Having left the shores of the Great Lakes behind us, this penultimate leg of the journey took us along a series of rivers on our way to the Atlantic. Leaving Ottawa we crossed over the Ottawa River into the province of Quebec and followed it until it became the St. Lawerence, and as the the St. Lawerence grew into a bay we turned south into New Brunswick to pick up the St. John river to take us to the sea. We looked forward to flat terrain in the river valleys and so were a little surprised when the road climbed up and down, first high above the St. Lawerence and then especially in New Brunswick, which turned out to be quite a hilly place! One particular hill, on a badly chosen shortcut off the main highway, loomed like a vertical wall in front of us and turned out to be the longest, steepest climb of the entire trip.
Crossing the Saint Lawrence at Trois Rivieres proved to be quite the adventure. We knew that bikes weren't allowed on the bridge, but after some investigation we learned that there was a shuttle service. We warned them that we had a tandem, so instead of the usual minivan they sent a huge flatbed tow truck and we crossed the river in style! We crossed the river for a second time at Quebec City, this time by ferry, taking us straight into the old town for a breakfast detour.
Quebec proved to be one of our favourite provinces of the trip, with picturesque small towns along the Saint Lawrence river, which gradually widened to an enormous estuary. Here the grain elevators that had defined a settlement in the praries were replaced by the spires of the ornate Catholic churches and as we got closer to the sea the towns developed a maritime feel. New Brunswick was our first taste of the Atlantic coast, with its rugged, rocky shoreline, but the industrial port of Saint John was quite a shock after the fields and forests we'd become accustomed to of late.
We got our fair share of both good and bad weather on this leg, first enjoying clear and bright sunny days in the rolling fields of Quebec and then enduring a few very dark and wet days through the forests of New Brunswick. As usual the wind blew fiercely practically every day and here again we got a fair mix of head and tailwinds. In this case when the sun shone the winds were at our backs, making for pleasant days indeed, but when the rain fell the wind was in our faces, making the slog slow and disheartening. In the stoker's seat, Stephanie had the luxury of keeping her head down for a lot of these last difficult days.
Given these extremes, we developed a bit of an obsession with the weather forecast, seeking it out on every available opportunity, and both rejoicing in is favourable aspects and rationalizing away its less positive predictions. Rain or shine, daytime temperatures remained very pleasant for riding but the nights started to become cold (one particular evening the tent froze even before we got in it for the night!) and a new sense of living dangerously, with the potential for the weather to turn at any time, began to develop. Signs of the end of "the season" were all around us. On this leg we stayed at two campgrounds on their last night of operation for the year and we got used to seeing the closed signs at many others. We also started to really feel the pressure of the reducing number of daylight hours, which was down to 11 by the journey's end. To cycle 100 miles, eat 3 (sometimes 4!) meals, and both set up and dismantle camp each day in this time, one needs to be efficient indeed!
Our excitement at nearing the coast increased as each river broadened and led us toward the sea. We now stand in Saint John, with only 2 days and 250km through Nova Scotia betwween us and Halifax.
Crossing the Saint Lawrence at Trois Rivieres proved to be quite the adventure. We knew that bikes weren't allowed on the bridge, but after some investigation we learned that there was a shuttle service. We warned them that we had a tandem, so instead of the usual minivan they sent a huge flatbed tow truck and we crossed the river in style! We crossed the river for a second time at Quebec City, this time by ferry, taking us straight into the old town for a breakfast detour.
Quebec proved to be one of our favourite provinces of the trip, with picturesque small towns along the Saint Lawrence river, which gradually widened to an enormous estuary. Here the grain elevators that had defined a settlement in the praries were replaced by the spires of the ornate Catholic churches and as we got closer to the sea the towns developed a maritime feel. New Brunswick was our first taste of the Atlantic coast, with its rugged, rocky shoreline, but the industrial port of Saint John was quite a shock after the fields and forests we'd become accustomed to of late.
We got our fair share of both good and bad weather on this leg, first enjoying clear and bright sunny days in the rolling fields of Quebec and then enduring a few very dark and wet days through the forests of New Brunswick. As usual the wind blew fiercely practically every day and here again we got a fair mix of head and tailwinds. In this case when the sun shone the winds were at our backs, making for pleasant days indeed, but when the rain fell the wind was in our faces, making the slog slow and disheartening. In the stoker's seat, Stephanie had the luxury of keeping her head down for a lot of these last difficult days.
Given these extremes, we developed a bit of an obsession with the weather forecast, seeking it out on every available opportunity, and both rejoicing in is favourable aspects and rationalizing away its less positive predictions. Rain or shine, daytime temperatures remained very pleasant for riding but the nights started to become cold (one particular evening the tent froze even before we got in it for the night!) and a new sense of living dangerously, with the potential for the weather to turn at any time, began to develop. Signs of the end of "the season" were all around us. On this leg we stayed at two campgrounds on their last night of operation for the year and we got used to seeing the closed signs at many others. We also started to really feel the pressure of the reducing number of daylight hours, which was down to 11 by the journey's end. To cycle 100 miles, eat 3 (sometimes 4!) meals, and both set up and dismantle camp each day in this time, one needs to be efficient indeed!
Our excitement at nearing the coast increased as each river broadened and led us toward the sea. We now stand in Saint John, with only 2 days and 250km through Nova Scotia betwween us and Halifax.
Eastern Canada : Ottawa to Saint John
Day 34 - October 12th - Ottawa, ON to Montebello, QC - 76km - 4879km total
Day 35 - October 13th - Montebello, QC to Berthierville, QC - 174km - 5053km total
Day 36 - October 14th - Berthierville, QC to Ste. Croix, QC - 146km - 5199km total
Day 37 - October 15th - Ste. Croix, QC to St. Jean Port Joli, QC - 157km - 5356km total
Day 38 - October 16th - St. Jean Port Joli, QC to Cabano, QC - 156km - 5512km total
Day 39 - October 17th - Cabano, QC to Perth-Andover, NB - 170km - 5682km total
Day 40 - October 18th - Perth-Andover, NB to Mactaquac, NB - 143km - 5825km total
Day 41 - October 19th - Mactaquac, NB to Saint John, NB - 141km - 5966km total
Day 35 - October 13th - Montebello, QC to Berthierville, QC - 174km - 5053km total
Day 36 - October 14th - Berthierville, QC to Ste. Croix, QC - 146km - 5199km total
Day 37 - October 15th - Ste. Croix, QC to St. Jean Port Joli, QC - 157km - 5356km total
Day 38 - October 16th - St. Jean Port Joli, QC to Cabano, QC - 156km - 5512km total
Day 39 - October 17th - Cabano, QC to Perth-Andover, NB - 170km - 5682km total
Day 40 - October 18th - Perth-Andover, NB to Mactaquac, NB - 143km - 5825km total
Day 41 - October 19th - Mactaquac, NB to Saint John, NB - 141km - 5966km total
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The Slog to the Capital
We arrived in Sault Ste. Marie tired, but pleased to have conquered the much feared hills around Lake Superior. The plan was to take a full rest day in Ottawa to see the sights, in only five riding days time, so after a morning at the bike shop, we pushed on East. This leg of the trip felt very different to previous legs: it had been a long time since our last rest day in Winnipeg, there was no particular feature on route, and for the first time it felt like the objective was simply our destination and not the journey itself.
Perhaps we'd been spoiled by the grandeur of the mountains, praries and lakes we'd passed through thus far, but the scenery seemed a little drab: mostly flat with abundant desolate forest and the occasional stretch of farm land. The exception was the Ottawa River valley east of Mattawa, where the rolling hills provided a fun challenge and grand views down to the water that reminded us of our time around Lake Superior.
Sadly, for much of this section, riding conditions weren't great either. The condition of the road was often poor, with endless miles of cracked asphalt and pot-holes. Most of it was without a shoulder too: the edge of the road simply crumbled into the gravel or dirt, often even before the full width of the lane. We were thankful for the relative lack of trucks, but we were now closer to urban centres than we had been for a long time, bringing with it local car traffic and impatient city drivers. The wind continued to play a huge part in determining our progress and mood. It continued to blow strongly almost every day and although we only had a full-on head wind for one day, we often faced a blustery cross-wind that made holding a steady course through the pot-holes a difficult task indeed. After hours in the saddle, the incessant roar in your ears is enough to drive you crazy and there has been much debate over whether Canada is always so windy at this time of year or whether we'd picked an unusually windy autumn.
This stretch of the trip spanned the long weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving, which we witnessed most vividly through the holiday traffic leaving and then returning to Ottawa, and in particular the many pickup trucks returning to the city with the profits of a weekend's hunting in the back. Heads, legs and antlers spilled out with perhaps intentional showmanship, and the moose count from the stokers seat, if allowed to include dead animals, shot upward. While the hunters, we assume, dined on their prize catch, we found ourselves at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in the dark, with no food for dinner, just after the camp store had closed. Thankfully, the Thanksgiving spirit at the campground was strong, and we feasted on left-over hot dogs and beers provided by our friendly neighbours.
Our last night was in Petawawa, a small town dominated by a huge armed forces base and as we cycled through town we passed miltary buildings, squadies on the march and local stores displaying their support for the deployed troops. For the first time on the trip, Canada felt like a country at war and it sruck us as odd that it should take a visit to a town like this to be reminded of this. Our campfire at the deserted campground that night attracted a visit from a very bored Military Police patrol, and while the Sargeant was very interested in our trip, he was meticulous in taking our names and addresses and left us with strict instructions to find the campground owner in the morning.
We arrived in Ottawa elated but exhausted. Given the struggle of the last few days it was somehow fitting that we punctured as we crossed the bridge to the Parliament Buildings and the 3000 mile mark of the trip. Our rest day was spent with Stephanie's parents, who supplied welcome company, warm clothes and good food, as we spent the day taking in the sights and running errands. The highlight was a tour of Canada at the national museum, which followed our route from the west coast and brought fond memories and new inspiration to complete the journey.
We depart today well rested, with the final leg of the trip mapped out and with renewed excitement. We expect to arrive in Halifax in 10 days (!). We hope to post an update on-route from Saint John, NB next Friday.
Perhaps we'd been spoiled by the grandeur of the mountains, praries and lakes we'd passed through thus far, but the scenery seemed a little drab: mostly flat with abundant desolate forest and the occasional stretch of farm land. The exception was the Ottawa River valley east of Mattawa, where the rolling hills provided a fun challenge and grand views down to the water that reminded us of our time around Lake Superior.
Sadly, for much of this section, riding conditions weren't great either. The condition of the road was often poor, with endless miles of cracked asphalt and pot-holes. Most of it was without a shoulder too: the edge of the road simply crumbled into the gravel or dirt, often even before the full width of the lane. We were thankful for the relative lack of trucks, but we were now closer to urban centres than we had been for a long time, bringing with it local car traffic and impatient city drivers. The wind continued to play a huge part in determining our progress and mood. It continued to blow strongly almost every day and although we only had a full-on head wind for one day, we often faced a blustery cross-wind that made holding a steady course through the pot-holes a difficult task indeed. After hours in the saddle, the incessant roar in your ears is enough to drive you crazy and there has been much debate over whether Canada is always so windy at this time of year or whether we'd picked an unusually windy autumn.
This stretch of the trip spanned the long weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving, which we witnessed most vividly through the holiday traffic leaving and then returning to Ottawa, and in particular the many pickup trucks returning to the city with the profits of a weekend's hunting in the back. Heads, legs and antlers spilled out with perhaps intentional showmanship, and the moose count from the stokers seat, if allowed to include dead animals, shot upward. While the hunters, we assume, dined on their prize catch, we found ourselves at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in the dark, with no food for dinner, just after the camp store had closed. Thankfully, the Thanksgiving spirit at the campground was strong, and we feasted on left-over hot dogs and beers provided by our friendly neighbours.
Our last night was in Petawawa, a small town dominated by a huge armed forces base and as we cycled through town we passed miltary buildings, squadies on the march and local stores displaying their support for the deployed troops. For the first time on the trip, Canada felt like a country at war and it sruck us as odd that it should take a visit to a town like this to be reminded of this. Our campfire at the deserted campground that night attracted a visit from a very bored Military Police patrol, and while the Sargeant was very interested in our trip, he was meticulous in taking our names and addresses and left us with strict instructions to find the campground owner in the morning.
We arrived in Ottawa elated but exhausted. Given the struggle of the last few days it was somehow fitting that we punctured as we crossed the bridge to the Parliament Buildings and the 3000 mile mark of the trip. Our rest day was spent with Stephanie's parents, who supplied welcome company, warm clothes and good food, as we spent the day taking in the sights and running errands. The highlight was a tour of Canada at the national museum, which followed our route from the west coast and brought fond memories and new inspiration to complete the journey.
We depart today well rested, with the final leg of the trip mapped out and with renewed excitement. We expect to arrive in Halifax in 10 days (!). We hope to post an update on-route from Saint John, NB next Friday.
Getting to Ottawa : Sault Ste. Marie to Ottawa
Day 28 - October 6th - Sault Ste. Marie, ON to Thessalon, ON - 84km - 4055km total
Day 29 - October 7th - Thessalon, ON to Lively, ON - 215km - 4270km total
Day 30 - October 8th - Lively, ON to Samuel de Champlain Provinicial Park, ON - 203km - 4473km total
Day 31 - October 9th - Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, ON to Petawawa, ON - 158km - 4631km total
Day 32 - October 10th - Petawawa, ON to Ottawa, ON - 172km - 4083km total
Day 33 - October 11th - Rest day in Ottawa
Day 29 - October 7th - Thessalon, ON to Lively, ON - 215km - 4270km total
Day 30 - October 8th - Lively, ON to Samuel de Champlain Provinicial Park, ON - 203km - 4473km total
Day 31 - October 9th - Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, ON to Petawawa, ON - 158km - 4631km total
Day 32 - October 10th - Petawawa, ON to Ottawa, ON - 172km - 4083km total
Day 33 - October 11th - Rest day in Ottawa
Friday, October 6, 2006
Fullfilled Anticipation
Leg three, from the Prairies into the Canadian Shield and around Lake Superior, was defined by fulfilling a long built-up anticipation. From the very beginning of this trip, even before we crossed the Rockies, other cyclists, truckers and even the everyday Joe we'd meet in diners along the way had been talking about the hills on the north shore of Lake Superior. They had become a bit of a monster in our minds and we were excited (and a little nervous) to see for ourselves what all this talk was about!
From Winnipeg, within half a day's riding we had left the prairies behind us and entered the Canadian Shield, the region of granite rock that encircles Hudson's Bay that glaciation has left filled with thousands of lakes, rivers and streams. The transition was dramatic: the praries ended in a line of trees and the boreal forests began. We took several days traversing a part of Ontario far north of what most Canadians consider Northern Ontario. The landscape could be desolate and lonely, and we were grateful for the truck traffic along the Trans-Canada highway and the occasional fishing or hunting outpost as a link to civilization.
The descent to Thunder Bay and the north shore of mighty Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, however took us to a much brighter and warmer place. For the next five days we enjoyed warm weather and brilliant sunshine, the forests turned to a mix of bright greens, yellows, oranges and reds and we'd regularly get both glimpses through the tress and grand vistas of sparkling blue as the highway weaved up and down along the shoreline. Having turned right at a fork in the Trans Canada Highway, we had left behind a large proportion of the truck traffic and the almost traffic-free roads provided some peace (and better road conditions) that was very welcome indeed. It couldn't have been better conditions to tackle these big bad hills we had been anticipating.
And tackle them we did - with great success. There were some mighty big ones: both steep ones and long ones (and a few cases of both steep and long) and we were forced into our "granny ring" ten times (compared to only three times when crossing the mountains out west). But in a way the mountains never were, they were a perfect dose of challenge followed by immediate gratification: one was never more than a couple of bends in the road from seeing the top, the decents were always right behind and just as big as the climbs, and one constantly had the feedback of the lake as a gauge of one's elevation and progress. And they did great things for changing the focus from the slowly moving odometer to the top of the next hill in sight, and the miles seemed to fly by in a way they hadn't done before. It was a good thing we were scared, as if we hadn't been they might have been too much of a shock, but given the hype we found ourselves pleasantly surprised and enjoying the journey.
Besides settling this debt with our anticipation, Leg 3 was also characterized by the sense of progress of crossing the half-way point. This built as we passed a number of milestones: a signpost indicating the longitudinal centre of Canada, another marking the halfway point of the Trans Canada highway, the 1/2 way point of the mythical distance of 3600 miles at 2880 km, the 2000 mile mark, signposts pointing to the Pacific and Atlantic with a smaller number for the latter, the Atlantic watershed (must be downhill to Halifax from here!)... With these, and now the completion of the "around Superior" hurdle, we are finding an unavoidable shift in our attitudes: whereas we had been living by the mantra of "one day at a time" considering at most the current leg of the journey, it has become increasingly difficult to avoid considering the big picture and looking to the final destination, as it now seems much more within our reach. This can be dangerous as we still have a significant distance to go, and goals set too far in the future aren't nearly as effective in motivating you to drag tired legs out of bed in the morning.
We continue to make friends and meet characters along the way, in the way one can only do when doing something crazy like riding a tandem bicycle across the country. We have been flagged down by cars on the highway on several occasions recently: by a police officer to tell us we came in on his radar at 26 kph, by a travelling pair who had seen my jacket that had managed to get loose from the back rack on the side of the highway some miles back and turned round to return it (THANK-YOU!), a friendly German couple we had met in a donut shop a couple days back who wanted to simply say hi ... For the second time we listened to the life story of a complete stranger in a small logging town, who recounted in great detail the tale of his recent near-death experience and all the insight it had provided him with. And in addition to human contact, we have been in search for wildlife and there has been a near constant lookout staged from the stoker's seat. The excitement of FINALLY spotting two moose yesterday nearly caused an accident as we screeched to a grinding stop.
So now we set off for a quick 5 day dash east to Ottawa, the nation's capital, Leg 4 of 5. We hope to write again from there. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
From Winnipeg, within half a day's riding we had left the prairies behind us and entered the Canadian Shield, the region of granite rock that encircles Hudson's Bay that glaciation has left filled with thousands of lakes, rivers and streams. The transition was dramatic: the praries ended in a line of trees and the boreal forests began. We took several days traversing a part of Ontario far north of what most Canadians consider Northern Ontario. The landscape could be desolate and lonely, and we were grateful for the truck traffic along the Trans-Canada highway and the occasional fishing or hunting outpost as a link to civilization.
The descent to Thunder Bay and the north shore of mighty Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, however took us to a much brighter and warmer place. For the next five days we enjoyed warm weather and brilliant sunshine, the forests turned to a mix of bright greens, yellows, oranges and reds and we'd regularly get both glimpses through the tress and grand vistas of sparkling blue as the highway weaved up and down along the shoreline. Having turned right at a fork in the Trans Canada Highway, we had left behind a large proportion of the truck traffic and the almost traffic-free roads provided some peace (and better road conditions) that was very welcome indeed. It couldn't have been better conditions to tackle these big bad hills we had been anticipating.
And tackle them we did - with great success. There were some mighty big ones: both steep ones and long ones (and a few cases of both steep and long) and we were forced into our "granny ring" ten times (compared to only three times when crossing the mountains out west). But in a way the mountains never were, they were a perfect dose of challenge followed by immediate gratification: one was never more than a couple of bends in the road from seeing the top, the decents were always right behind and just as big as the climbs, and one constantly had the feedback of the lake as a gauge of one's elevation and progress. And they did great things for changing the focus from the slowly moving odometer to the top of the next hill in sight, and the miles seemed to fly by in a way they hadn't done before. It was a good thing we were scared, as if we hadn't been they might have been too much of a shock, but given the hype we found ourselves pleasantly surprised and enjoying the journey.
Besides settling this debt with our anticipation, Leg 3 was also characterized by the sense of progress of crossing the half-way point. This built as we passed a number of milestones: a signpost indicating the longitudinal centre of Canada, another marking the halfway point of the Trans Canada highway, the 1/2 way point of the mythical distance of 3600 miles at 2880 km, the 2000 mile mark, signposts pointing to the Pacific and Atlantic with a smaller number for the latter, the Atlantic watershed (must be downhill to Halifax from here!)... With these, and now the completion of the "around Superior" hurdle, we are finding an unavoidable shift in our attitudes: whereas we had been living by the mantra of "one day at a time" considering at most the current leg of the journey, it has become increasingly difficult to avoid considering the big picture and looking to the final destination, as it now seems much more within our reach. This can be dangerous as we still have a significant distance to go, and goals set too far in the future aren't nearly as effective in motivating you to drag tired legs out of bed in the morning.
We continue to make friends and meet characters along the way, in the way one can only do when doing something crazy like riding a tandem bicycle across the country. We have been flagged down by cars on the highway on several occasions recently: by a police officer to tell us we came in on his radar at 26 kph, by a travelling pair who had seen my jacket that had managed to get loose from the back rack on the side of the highway some miles back and turned round to return it (THANK-YOU!), a friendly German couple we had met in a donut shop a couple days back who wanted to simply say hi ... For the second time we listened to the life story of a complete stranger in a small logging town, who recounted in great detail the tale of his recent near-death experience and all the insight it had provided him with. And in addition to human contact, we have been in search for wildlife and there has been a near constant lookout staged from the stoker's seat. The excitement of FINALLY spotting two moose yesterday nearly caused an accident as we screeched to a grinding stop.
So now we set off for a quick 5 day dash east to Ottawa, the nation's capital, Leg 4 of 5. We hope to write again from there. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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