This morning was rough for one reason. Bugs. I woke up at my regular time and thought I would sleep in because I knew I only had 110km to do today. Still I had to get up and use the washroom really bad. In a rush I accidentally left my tent open. When I came back I was going to try to fall asleep but 5 mosquitoes welcomed me. That was simply annoying but really I can deal with that. So I pack up my tent and I guess that they sent out the matting call because there was a swarm around my bags. It looked as if I had epilepsy I was getting beaten up so bad.
The road came as a pleasant relief. Thankfully the winds were down so I didn’t have to deal with that because my legs were toasted from yesterdays ride. It is still amazing to think that my body recovered to that stage with only 8 hours of sleep in a tent.
The ride today was hilly and short. Really nothing super exciting just a few nice views and a few nice people. My mind was really on the 3am ferry I had to catch to get to Newfoundland. It is a strange feeling being so close to finishing a life long dream. It is almost a sickening feeling down deep in your gut. Newfoundland is like my holy grail and the fact that in 7 hours I will be there is a simply strange.
That brings me to the other exciting thing. After getting all my chores done I stopped by the ferry terminal to see if I could play the bike tourist card on the toll lady. Well it worked. I am on the 4pm ferry and not the 3am. I also ran into another bike tourist. This is the first guy that has passed me but im not to concerned because he is doing it super hardcore. Bivois sack, 14-hour days, and loosing 20pounds over the course of the trip. I am content with my speed because I am traveling at a speed that pushes me past my boundaries but not my limits.
As I sit on this beautiful boat I am left to my own thoughts. Surrounded by people and all I can think about are my own plans for the future. I don’t know what I want to do for the trip, and I do not know what I want to do in the long run when I get home. Really the things that I set out to accomplish I have no idea on.
This leaves me doubting myself and what I have accomplished thus far. I know I have changed. I also know that I have grown up. My body and mind have changed drastically over the past 45 days. I say to everyone when you travel at the speed of smell you see the country in a different way. Well that is true but when you travel at the speed of smell you also see the world as a whole in a different way. I think that it is far simpler then we all think it is. I wish for the rest of my days that they could be as simple as having a head wind or tail wind. I wish that my for the rest of my life that things as simply as live music on a ferry could lift my mood.
As you can probably tell my mind is really everywhere today so I apologize for that. If you were wondering about the scenery in cape Breton it is beautiful. The ferry that I am on is a very pleasant space to be in for a long period of time. Really the only thing that did not go my way is the fact that the welcome to nova Scotia sign 2 days ago was covered, and there was not one here in the cape.
Anyways im going to catch some rest because I will be getting off the ferry at 10pm (hopefully) and still have to pedal to a campsite.
Trip Distance: 110km
Ride Time: 5:01hr
Avg. Speed: 21.99km/h
Total Distance: 6911km
Total Ride Time: 318hr
Destination: Ferry to Newfoundland, Atlantic Ocean
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I am still amazed at how quickly you got to Newfoundland. Take a couple of days and enjoy the province. Your accomplishment deserves to be savored.
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