I packed up early then we all had a tasty breakfast together. Once my belly was full, my legs were hungry for the road and I felt like I was setting off late at 9.30.
It felt good to be riding free again, although strangely quiet after two days with the tricycles. I was on quiet roads almost all day, up and down hills, into the headwind with no buffer and over 20km of rough gravel road with nobody to complain to. But I saw some bison with their baby bison, watching me with the same quietly confused expression that horses and cows adopt when I ride by.
It was so hot by the afternoon and there wasn't anywhere to stop. After 65km, I ended up sitting outside a DIY store on a display bench under the shelter of the awning. People looked at me funny whilst I made and ate my sandwiches, but I didn't get asked to leave.
On my way into town, I waved at two ladies cycling the other way on their racing bikes. A while later, I saw them in my rear view mirror and when I pulled over to don my helmet before getting on the highway, they stopped for a chat. Then I headed for my campsite.
There is a bike shop in Sault Ste Marie called Velorution that has a free campsite for cyclists. I arrived to ask for a pitch and the guy behind the counter said there was a message for me. "Are you sure? Nobody knows I'm here!". It was a message from Linda, one of the cyclists, inviting me to have dinner with her and stay at her house! Yes please!
Jennifer, the other cyclist, came to pick me up and we all went for dinner at Linda's house. We sat in the sun looking out on the river from the garden - America is just the other side of the water!
So instead of a campsite and pasta for one, I have been treated to a delicious dinner, fine wine and delightful company in a beautiful house. It was a much better way to celebrate passing my 2000km mark this morning. Thank you Linda and Jennifer :)
2000km, way to go Anna!! Thank you Jennifer and Linda for being so generous to our daughter.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the road on day 25 looks suspiciously similar to the photo on day 23! Hmmm, maybe she's not cycling across canada after all, just photoshopping cyclist friends into random pictures. Haha, only joking! Keep going Anna, you've come a long way, distance and experience, since that first 'OMFG' post of Day 1.
2000 hugs from us, Mum and Dad xxx
Well done Anna! And thanks Linda and Jennifer, what lovely people you must be!
ReplyDelete2000km - phenomenal effort!!!
ReplyDeleteAm just catching up on the last week as I have been away.
ReplyDeleteWhat fab progress you are making. I hope the sun shines, the biting insects disappear and the wind is a mere cooling breeze.
I am really enjoying following your progress and was thinking about you when I was struggling to run across Burgess Park the other night ;-)
Ann
Wow , cant believe youve done 2000km already! It's nice to be reminded how many good people there are in the world, maybe one day when you will be returning the favour and inviting people into you home whilst remembering your own adventure!
ReplyDelete