biking
I slept until 9:30, it was incredible! Made for a late start, but I think my body is slowly falling apart. Made my first stop at a donut shop 10 miles north that was great. The second I walked in the owner was like, nah you don't want that one on the bottom, the top ones are the fresh ones. In exchange for good company and hearing about the book of Mormons/some interesting history lesson about the Babylonians and pyramids, I got my coffee, donut, and bran muffin bought for me by another patron. All the Mormon stuff came at the end of the convo so it's all good. It was a ridiculously beautiful day but hard to go 10 miles at a time... My legs were pretty shot. I called it quits after 50 and stopped in a small, one light town called Harbor Beach. With all my free time I did laundry! And not jump in the lake with all my clothes, like legit real laundry mat laundry. I no longer smell myself, which is a plus. Lakeport state park to harbor beach 50 miles glad to see these signs againyo dawg, where's the lake?
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Slept in just a little longer than I wanted.... I didn't exactly pay full price for my campsite since I purposefully got in late, so every truck engine I heard in the morning freaked me out. But finally out without the mounties on my back. I'm not sure if it's all the wind or the clean refreshing Canadian air, but my sinuses have been all sorts grossness. I have to say though, I've become an expert at snot rockets. Uphills, downhills, in traffic, left, right, doesn't matter. So if you see me riding back in Durham you might want to give me a little space... Weather picked up a little and since I can be a wimp when it comes to rain or wind I stopped off under the awning of an RV park, and got to spend some time with the park manager Mario (sorry if I got your name wrong dude, I'm pretty bad with names). He got to hear about my trip and I got to hear about his adventures backpacking and diving. Apparently the Bruce Peninsula where I was a few days ago is diving central because of the clear blue water and hundreds of years of shipwrecks. So basically sweet water and awesome things to look at. The great thing about this trip is all the people you meet, the hard part is having to peace out from them too. I finally made it down to Sarnia to say sayonara to Canada. There I had to call the bridge. Literally, I called a bridge. I didn't call operations, or public works, or some department... I called a bridge and they answered "this is the bridge". They don't let pedestrians or bikes over, so I had to throw my bike into a maintenance truck to take me over. After getting dropped off, U.S customs looked at me like I was an idiot and had no idea how I got there or why I was on a bike. Thankfully the Canadian maintenance dude walked in right and explained he gave me a lift, right as officer jerkface was asking me unload my riding jersey. I guess Canada was ready to give me back. At about 3am I woke to someone going through my bike stuff. From the safety of my tent I saw about 6 pairs of beady green eyes flipping through stuff, and remembered the GD tortillas I left in my frame bag. Figured if I barked at them they scamper away, since raccoons hate dogs, right? Must not have been convincing. So I got out of my tent and kind of yelled at the big one tearing through my stuff.... and eventually launched a Teva towards it. The second that sucker hissed at me I was back in my sleeping bag, fully zipped up trying not to pee my pants. I don't have much of an agenda for this trip, but animal attack and rabies isn't one of them. From the tent I launched the remaining Teva before moving onto both riding shoes. When I get back to school I'm totally telling the kids it was a bear attack. point farms provincial park to lakeport state park 95 miles Back in towNde-rabiEfying everything in the amI made my way into Southampton and Port Elgin, towns that reminded me of my Cape Cod days with prominent marinas and interesting down towns. The beach towns have all been pretty laid back, but apparently will get absolutely slammed next week once schools let out and the tourists come. But I guess I'm a tourist too. Took my time going through the port towns and avoided the main highway.... But once I got back on the highway I destroyed it. I think I had a sweet tailwind because I tore up the road to the provincial park I was going to stay at. Pretty uneventful day but some nice views. Canadaso many of TheseWoke up to a swarm of laughing sea gulls at 5am, but didn't actually get moving until 7 or 8, and messed around Lions Head for a little while. The wind was miserable again, making it hard to maintain even 10 or 11mph. I said before I hated hills... But I really think wind is worse. At least you have the descent on hills, wind is just constantly terrible. Called for some bad weather so a gracious family that lives right on a smaller lake took me in. Staying with Donna and Dan has got to be a highlight of this trip. I got to meet two of Donna's daughters, her parents, and another traveler from France who was staying with them. They are just the type of people I'm so thankful are in this world, genuinely generous and caring. It's hard to leave great places and people. Even though it didn't storm, I was super glad to get out of the wind and have a real bed. lions head to chesley lake 35 miles Suckers were working hard todaythis is a lake?Unlike Mackinac island, Manitoulin Island kind of sucked. It's huge, apparently the largest freshwater island in the world... So all the cool stuff to do was 20 or 30 miles to the west. Really I just burned it down the main highway to the ferry. Part of this trip is just doing it, unplanned, stopping when I want to and doing what I want. But I really should have planned/looked at a schedule this morning because I got to the ferry dock at 9:40, and the ferry left at 9:30. The next ferry wasn't until 1:30pm, so basically I tooled around in this tiny town, cleaned my bike, and chatted with people around. I met one 75 year-old who was biking to and from Toronto, but he had been at the ferry dock for literally 4 days trying to hitch a ride for himself and all his gear back to Toronto because he was too tired. Once I got off the island I went straight to Bruce park, which had some amazing cliff features, with Fing freezing water. The older gentelman waiting for a ride to Toronto told me about a campsite in Lions Head.... And I lucked out that some awesome climbers let me set up next to them, because the place was booked. Manitowaning to lions head 60 miles waiting on the ferryhad to race The motorcycles off the ferryshower for the dayParted ways with my travel buddy in Espanola, where she'll go on to Sudbury for a stop off at home and reduce her gear (not to brag but with some pointers from me). From there she'll continue to Nova Scotia. Her story: https://northernlife.ca/local-news/remember-your-roots-ride-an-eye-opener-for-sudburian-324759
The ride into Manitoulin island was awful. It was hill after hill, and finishing a hill was really a lull before the rest of it. The 22 miles into the island felt like 60, and I had to watch my odometer slowly gain miles. I really should have done some hill training. By the time I got on the island I realized how gross I really was. I'd been camping for a week and something, and disgustingly enough haven't done laundry the whole trip. As a remedy I jumped in the lake at the first beach I saw, which at least 'cleaned' myself and my biking clothes. Met an older gentleman who asked me about my trip and asked what I wanted to be "when I grew up". Haven't gotten that one in a while, and I think I disappointed him by saying an astronaut pirate. Or is it a pirate astronaut? Massey to Manitowaning 74 terrible miles Riding with someone else has been great... And better conversations than the ones I've been having with myself. Again, don't tell my mom, but the roads have been terrible. You have to fight for a foot of shoulder that's often washed out or cracked up, with logger trucks or RVs whizzing by. Canadian highways are a lot crappy than US highways. Can't say it's been the most fun or scenic, but I guess there's gotta be stretches like that. Swam in the river and camped at Massey. Iron bridge to Massey 65 miles dont tell me what to do, canadalakes and riversStriking out from the weird bike shop (after getting a folding tire), I met up with Vivian who is doing the Trans Canada route. She started in Vancouver and will end somewhere in Nova Scotia. In the least judgmental way possible, I'm pretty glad about the way I packed compared to other people I've met on the road. Vivian would be the first one to say she packed too much... Altogether her bike weighs like 140 pounds, it was hard to lift the back up. Still though, she's averaging 80 miles a day going her own pace. Made it onto St. Joseph's Island just to mess around, but not a ton unless you want to go further into the island. Ended up being a frustrating detour because I got my first flat going back over the bridge. 50 miles and some ridiculous hills later found a campsite just outside of Iron Bridge. An awesome 85 year old gentleman gave us pork chops and potatoes to cook on the gas grills provided by the site. Meat and potatoes, can't beat that! at least it was a pretty place to change a tireall is good!The best part about this trip, and type of trip, is all the people you meet. Sounds corny but it's true. Scott and I got a bite to eat the night before, then had breakfast at an awesome mom and pop bakery the next morning. Both of us travel differently... He had panniers on the front and back, traveled a little slower, but had comforts I don't - like warm clothes, a good pair of off bike shoes, and a towel. I have less and go faster... But he seemed grossed out by my soup from can and 8 pop tarts a day diet. That's the great thing about the road, you can travel however is best for you. Scott is a great dude and I would have loved to bike with him more, but we're going opposite directions. I went north to sault st. Maria in a pretty uneventful ride. The only cool part was having to throw my ride into the bed of a pickup and get driven over the Mackinaw bridge because it's too high and windy for bicycles. The driver kept trying to get me about all the dog sleds people use in the winter and the freshwater dolphins and sharks caught in the summer. Up before Canada I ran into Bruce and another biker headed in my direction. It's good to run into other bikers, but sometimes it feels like the same convo you've had a million times of where you came from, how headwinds sucked, and how bad you smell. Crossing into Canada was a little terrifying on the international bridge, but I'm alive. I camped behind a bike shop that lets you set up for free - and met a couple and their dog who had been biking on the road for 5 years. 5 fricken years. That's nuts... I like biking but not that much. And I like dogs, but not enough to lug one behind me. Mackinaw City to Sault St Marie 60 miles bridge i crossed over... In a trucklocks of Sault st. MaRIecrossing into canada (the bridge Was...scary)they took my pepper Spray. What the heck canada |
AuthorHey I'm Alex Soper, a dude living in Durham, NC. I work for a public school, so thankfully I get a long summer break to try out different adventures. ArchivesCategories |