Tour Day 53 I'm On A Boat... A Much Older Boat July 17 10

I want to start today a little differently. I want to start by say thank you to my family. Mom and dad I know you guys have not always seen eye to eye but you guys have done one heck of a job. Not many families would be ok with saying goodbye to their son for an unknown amount of time, to an unknown location, along a route that even I do not know. So for that I thank you because it is paying off in spades.

The day started with a few thoughts in my mind. I was thinking back on Canada and thinking of what my favourite memory was. I decided that it was the night we were raided by racoons. Olivier, Charles, and I trying to scare off the racoons. Then after they left we all peed all around our site to keep them away. It was very majestic and very hard to describe. It felt as if it was a real boys own adventure at that point.

The campsite that I left was odd. I did not see one woman or girl the entire time I was there. It felt as if it was the campsite for newly single men. I say that because all the guys left early in the morning to go to work, and they only had there trailers and a few miscellaneous goods spread out in front of them.

The ride was short today only 120km so I took in the scenery and spent a bit more time going on my way to the ferry. Backtracking along highway 1 was actually harder then I thought it was going to be. I remember climbing a lot more getting to st. Johns and it seems that I did not get a lot of downhill on the way back.

Once off the highway I got onto route 100, which was beautiful. It was a great way to end my trip in Newfoundland. Nice rolling hills with an almost constant view of water. Because my ferry was at 8pm and I was going down the road at 12:30pm I had the road to myself. I rode down the centre of the road for minutes at a time without a car going either way.

Once at the ferry terminal the employees ask “are you sure you want to check in now”? Well I had no option because really there is not much to see on the road so all is good. On the plus side I had a chance to catch up on some much needed social media, replace my chain, and get some reading in.

The book I am reading is the long way around which is about a motorcycle trip around the world. Granted they have a lot more money, a lot more staff, and a lot better grammar then I but still I found it odd reading the story because we are going through the same things. Every word I could relate to in some way. I read to escape reality and here this book is making me relive my own reality (ill be it in a brighter light).

Getting there so early also gave me a chance to talk to a lot of people about what I am doing and why I am doing it. As well just a chance to talk in general about nothing. It was awesome because everyone here has a story. They say you don’t come to Newfoundland for the weather, but you do come for the people and the stories.

The staff at the terminal were also worthy of a comment because they played a game of baseball while getting paid during the slow hours.

Other then that really the only other thing to talk about is the fact that this ferry is far less luxurious, and defiantly rocks more. And I think I am going to try to take the bus from north Sydney to Monkton or st. John because backtracking really blows. We will see if they will allow me with all my luggage and a bike, or whether I will have no other option but to backtrack.
I would update my distance info but I forgot my computer on my bike and cannot retrieve it while I am underway.
Trip Distance: 119km
Ride Time: 5:41hr
Avg. Speed: 21.04km/h
Total Distance: 2983km
Total Ride Time: 320hr
Destination: Atlantic Ocean