Hello..er, I mean Bonjour
Distance: 116.4 kms
Riding Time: 4:13 hrs
Average Speed: 24.6 km/h
Max. Speed: 57.0 km/h
So I'm finally a week into my tip. I'm feeling physically stronger on the bike, more confident on the road and lucky...extremely lucky to be doing this. It is a very weird feeling I have; like I'm in some kind of time warp. The last week flew by, but I've had sooooo many experiences and have made memories that will last a lifetime already. I really wish that my life was always this full.
Tonight I'm in Val-Brillant on the shores of Lac Matapedia. I went over-budget yesterday so I decided to do a little free camping. Found a park, Parc du Bois et Berges that runs adjacent to the lake. It's a nice spot to rest for the night.
Today's riding flew by, but lasted just as long as usual. I had a tailwind that lifted me up out of the valley of Chaleur Bay and despite the rain and the hills I had tons of energy to spare when I arrived, and thought maybe I'd just keep going. However, the winds changed directions and I decided not to do battle today.
General impression of Québec so far: french is hard to speak and understand, and nobody speaks anything else...here at least. And Beer = cheap and everywhere. :)
Bon nuit
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A crazy idea became a spontaneous adventure when I decided to pedal a bicycle to Calgary, Alb. from Halifax, NS in the summer of 2011. Inside you will find stories, pictures, routes and the equipment I used for this journey.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Day 7: Beresford, NB to Campbellton, NB
Fraises: Le Fruit de L'Amour
Distance: 114.3 kms
Riding Time: 5:08
Average Speed 22.2 km/h
Max. Speed: 57.7 km/h
# of enormous steel salmon spotted: 2
A gorgeous day right from the beginning. I got on the road shortly after 9 am, which is early for me (I'm getting better at being a morning person). After reaching the coast of Chaleur Bay the views were amazing. I took the long way to Campbellton, opting to stay off of the busy NB-11 hwy that would have cut out the hilly town of Dalhousie. The views across the bay were well worth it though.
I stopped by a fruit stand selling locally grown strawberries, and after a long day cycling I devoured the whole quart on the spot. A very kind lady named Rita from a nearby town named Val D'Amour offered them for free after we had a long and interesting conversation.
Arriving in Campbellton with the sun shining off of the water of the Restigouche tide head and public fountains providing a welcoming cool mist, I am blown away by the beauty of the place. There is a huge steel salmon monument jumping out of a large fountain who goes by the name of Restigouche Sam. Restigouche Sam is a protected species and cannot be harvested by those without a permit, so there goes that plan (I brought my fishing rod, but so far no fish). Restigouche Sam is sitting almost directly across from a large bridge that spans the waterway and connects New Brunswick and Quebec. Tomorrow I'll be entering the land of the Quebecois.
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Distance: 114.3 kms
Riding Time: 5:08
Average Speed 22.2 km/h
Max. Speed: 57.7 km/h
# of enormous steel salmon spotted: 2
A gorgeous day right from the beginning. I got on the road shortly after 9 am, which is early for me (I'm getting better at being a morning person). After reaching the coast of Chaleur Bay the views were amazing. I took the long way to Campbellton, opting to stay off of the busy NB-11 hwy that would have cut out the hilly town of Dalhousie. The views across the bay were well worth it though.
I stopped by a fruit stand selling locally grown strawberries, and after a long day cycling I devoured the whole quart on the spot. A very kind lady named Rita from a nearby town named Val D'Amour offered them for free after we had a long and interesting conversation.
Arriving in Campbellton with the sun shining off of the water of the Restigouche tide head and public fountains providing a welcoming cool mist, I am blown away by the beauty of the place. There is a huge steel salmon monument jumping out of a large fountain who goes by the name of Restigouche Sam. Restigouche Sam is a protected species and cannot be harvested by those without a permit, so there goes that plan (I brought my fishing rod, but so far no fish). Restigouche Sam is sitting almost directly across from a large bridge that spans the waterway and connects New Brunswick and Quebec. Tomorrow I'll be entering the land of the Quebecois.
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Day 6: Black River, NB to Beresford, NB
The Cars in the Drive, But Nobody's Home
Distance: 102.5 kms
Riding Time: 4:27 hrs
Average Speed: 23.0 km/h
Max. Speed: 50.1 km/h
# of off-topic stats today: zero
Today I woke up at around 6 am to thunder showers. I decided that I'd wait it out and if it didn't slow down that I would just take the day off. Luckily, the rain stopped at around 8:30 and I started to get going. After a quick bite to eat at Tim Hortons I jumped on the NB-8 headed north to Beresford, just passed Miramichi. This highway was lacking for a good shoulder and also traversed a very desolate forested area; so my only entertainment was my mp3 player. I ran out of water halfway between the middle of nowhere and ghost town, so I started knocking on doors in a very small residential area. I must have knocked on 10 different houses - nobody was home! There were cars in the driveway and doors were left wide open, but there was no one to be seen. I started to think that these were one of those mock-up nuclear testing villages that the military uses. I eventually found a small diner down the highway where the counter person filled my water bottles up (with a roll of her eyes) and I was on my way.
After I arrived in Bathurst I travelled through the town and grabbed a bite to eat. There was a nice church that I passed that had a spiral staircase going all the way up the steeple tower. I didn't manage to get a picture though because I was tired and wanted to get to the campground in Beresford.
Camping Malybel is about 10 kms outside of Beresford to the north. It comes with all the amenities, including a pool and a big, twisty waterslide. However, after climbing the 8 flights of stairs to the top of the slide I found out that it costs an extra $9 a day to go down it. What a rip off! So I settled for swimming in the kid-infested pool instead.
Tomorrow I'll be heading to Campbellton, NB on the border with Quebec.
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Distance: 102.5 kms
Riding Time: 4:27 hrs
Average Speed: 23.0 km/h
Max. Speed: 50.1 km/h
# of off-topic stats today: zero
Today I woke up at around 6 am to thunder showers. I decided that I'd wait it out and if it didn't slow down that I would just take the day off. Luckily, the rain stopped at around 8:30 and I started to get going. After a quick bite to eat at Tim Hortons I jumped on the NB-8 headed north to Beresford, just passed Miramichi. This highway was lacking for a good shoulder and also traversed a very desolate forested area; so my only entertainment was my mp3 player. I ran out of water halfway between the middle of nowhere and ghost town, so I started knocking on doors in a very small residential area. I must have knocked on 10 different houses - nobody was home! There were cars in the driveway and doors were left wide open, but there was no one to be seen. I started to think that these were one of those mock-up nuclear testing villages that the military uses. I eventually found a small diner down the highway where the counter person filled my water bottles up (with a roll of her eyes) and I was on my way.
After I arrived in Bathurst I travelled through the town and grabbed a bite to eat. There was a nice church that I passed that had a spiral staircase going all the way up the steeple tower. I didn't manage to get a picture though because I was tired and wanted to get to the campground in Beresford.
Camping Malybel is about 10 kms outside of Beresford to the north. It comes with all the amenities, including a pool and a big, twisty waterslide. However, after climbing the 8 flights of stairs to the top of the slide I found out that it costs an extra $9 a day to go down it. What a rip off! So I settled for swimming in the kid-infested pool instead.
Tomorrow I'll be heading to Campbellton, NB on the border with Quebec.
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Day 5: Shediac, NB to Black River, NB
Unplanned Detours = Bad
Distance: 142.0 km
Riding Time: 5:54 hrs
Average Speed: 24.6 km/h
Max. Speed: 52.0 km/h
# of bloodthirsty dogs sighted: 6+ (They hate cyclists)
Today was hot and muggy. The morning ride was great as the sun wasn't fully up, but after having a lunch break at the Bouctouche sand dunes it started to get quite warm. I inevitably got lost after detouring to see the dunes, but the pictures I got made it worth the extra kms. The beach there is excellent too and I would definitely recommend a visit.
I jumped on the NB-11 hwy after finally figuring out where I was and after getting almost eaten by a rabid German Shepherd on the loose. Luckily I was headed downhill so I outpaced him by a little bit. The highway was good for the most part, with wide shoulders, but these started to become sporadic as I neared Black River and Miramichi.
Looks like it might rain tomorrow.
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Distance: 142.0 km
Riding Time: 5:54 hrs
Average Speed: 24.6 km/h
Max. Speed: 52.0 km/h
# of bloodthirsty dogs sighted: 6+ (They hate cyclists)
Today was hot and muggy. The morning ride was great as the sun wasn't fully up, but after having a lunch break at the Bouctouche sand dunes it started to get quite warm. I inevitably got lost after detouring to see the dunes, but the pictures I got made it worth the extra kms. The beach there is excellent too and I would definitely recommend a visit.
I jumped on the NB-11 hwy after finally figuring out where I was and after getting almost eaten by a rabid German Shepherd on the loose. Luckily I was headed downhill so I outpaced him by a little bit. The highway was good for the most part, with wide shoulders, but these started to become sporadic as I neared Black River and Miramichi.
Looks like it might rain tomorrow.
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Day 4: Shediac (Rest Day)
Parlee avec moi
Took a day off to enjoy this beautiful town on the shores of the Northumberland Straight. I checked out Parlee beach and the wharf where people were fishing for Mackerel, but only catching small perch. The beach was very long and since I was there when the tide was out there were all sorts of tide pools with dueling Hermit crabs. Later on I tried my hand at cooking tacos on my camp stove and it turned out excellent if I do say so myself. Had some wine afterwards and slept like a drunken baby :)
Tomorrow I'll head to Black River, just outside of Miramichi, NB.
Took a day off to enjoy this beautiful town on the shores of the Northumberland Straight. I checked out Parlee beach and the wharf where people were fishing for Mackerel, but only catching small perch. The beach was very long and since I was there when the tide was out there were all sorts of tide pools with dueling Hermit crabs. Later on I tried my hand at cooking tacos on my camp stove and it turned out excellent if I do say so myself. Had some wine afterwards and slept like a drunken baby :)
Tomorrow I'll head to Black River, just outside of Miramichi, NB.
Day 3: Amherst, NS to Shediac, NB
Shoulders - The Broader, The Better.
Distance: 73.3 km
Riding Time: 3:34 hr
Average Speed: 20.4 km/h
Max. Speed: 36.2 km/h
# of giant lobster sightings: 1
Today was an easy ride compared to yesterday as I only went about half the distance, but two important things happened:
1) I drove safely on the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). After some consultation with a motorbiker at the information center at the border, I found out that the shoulders were actually quite wide on the NB-2 Hwy, and that my original route was a two-lane highway with very narrow shoulders. So, after some deliberation and a quick prayer I mustered my courage and pedalled onto the highway. With a 5 foot shoulder most of the way it was easy going, way better than my previous experience on the NS-103 (read: no shoulders + 115 km/h average = scary!). I can only hope that my inevitable run-ins with the TCH are equally as good in the future.
2) I found someone willing to let me camp in their backyard. I was nervous at first about asking favours like this of random strangers, but it turned out great. Thanks to Nap and Susan Pellerin of Shediac for being so kind and inviting to a random cyclist. Again, I hope my experiences with this backyard camping campaign will go equally as well in the future - although I doubt that I'll always get breakfast cooked in the morning like here!
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Distance: 73.3 km
Riding Time: 3:34 hr
Average Speed: 20.4 km/h
Max. Speed: 36.2 km/h
# of giant lobster sightings: 1
Today was an easy ride compared to yesterday as I only went about half the distance, but two important things happened:
1) I drove safely on the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). After some consultation with a motorbiker at the information center at the border, I found out that the shoulders were actually quite wide on the NB-2 Hwy, and that my original route was a two-lane highway with very narrow shoulders. So, after some deliberation and a quick prayer I mustered my courage and pedalled onto the highway. With a 5 foot shoulder most of the way it was easy going, way better than my previous experience on the NS-103 (read: no shoulders + 115 km/h average = scary!). I can only hope that my inevitable run-ins with the TCH are equally as good in the future.
2) I found someone willing to let me camp in their backyard. I was nervous at first about asking favours like this of random strangers, but it turned out great. Thanks to Nap and Susan Pellerin of Shediac for being so kind and inviting to a random cyclist. Again, I hope my experiences with this backyard camping campaign will go equally as well in the future - although I doubt that I'll always get breakfast cooked in the morning like here!
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Day 2: Truro, NS to Amherst, NS
Why a Fully-Loaded Bike is Like a Decrepit Sailboat
Distance: 142.6 km*
Riding Time: 6:43*
Average Speed: 21.1 km/h
Max. Speed: 50.1 km/h
# of coyotes spotted crossing the road: Just 1 :)
*These stats include a 10 km trip backtracking to Brookfield to look for sunglasses that I later discovered in a pocket in one of my bags...
Wind - in the face. Mountains - kind of (I don't know if the Cobequid mountains pass as true mountains). I've come to the conclusion that a bicycle, fully-loaded, is like a hybrid between a decrepit sailboat and a rowboat. If the wind is behind you, you are sailing, but if it's in your face you gotta row your ass off to basically get nowhere. This is the reason that cyclists wear those fancy, peter pan-esque tights - not for fashion as you might have previously thought. Anything that flaps in the wind is slowing you down basically. This might even be the reason that some cyclists shave their legs, but I'm not going there...yet. haha.
Anyway, the roads weren't bad for the most part, past Oxford a little rough. It was a long ride, but I made it to Amherst, the bordertown between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I'll be heading to Shediac, NB tomorrow, only a short 80 kms and I've decided to take a day off and visit Parlee Beach for some relaxation. The water should be warm and hopefully the sun is hot.
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Distance: 142.6 km*
Riding Time: 6:43*
Average Speed: 21.1 km/h
Max. Speed: 50.1 km/h
# of coyotes spotted crossing the road: Just 1 :)
*These stats include a 10 km trip backtracking to Brookfield to look for sunglasses that I later discovered in a pocket in one of my bags...
Wind - in the face. Mountains - kind of (I don't know if the Cobequid mountains pass as true mountains). I've come to the conclusion that a bicycle, fully-loaded, is like a hybrid between a decrepit sailboat and a rowboat. If the wind is behind you, you are sailing, but if it's in your face you gotta row your ass off to basically get nowhere. This is the reason that cyclists wear those fancy, peter pan-esque tights - not for fashion as you might have previously thought. Anything that flaps in the wind is slowing you down basically. This might even be the reason that some cyclists shave their legs, but I'm not going there...yet. haha.
Anyway, the roads weren't bad for the most part, past Oxford a little rough. It was a long ride, but I made it to Amherst, the bordertown between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I'll be heading to Shediac, NB tomorrow, only a short 80 kms and I've decided to take a day off and visit Parlee Beach for some relaxation. The water should be warm and hopefully the sun is hot.
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Day 1: Lr. Sackville, NS to Truro, NS
"Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning's End"
Distance: 90.3 km
Riding Time: 3:59
Average Speed: 22.6 km/h
Max. Speed: 51.5 km/h
# of arseholes yelling out car window: Just 1
Wow! Is all I can say. So far, it still hasn't completely sunk in what I'm up to. Said a sad goodbye to some of my family and my girlfriend last night and today. It was hard to leave, but I knew that what I was doing will be good in the long run, so I shut off my mind and just pedalled.
The cycling is tough with all the weight; I guess like 60+ lbs, but I'm sure I'll get used to it - or die trying... But man, when I took off the bags to get groceries earlier, I was flying! Scotia Pine Campground is alright, but pricey at $30 + for an unserviced site. And then they have the nerve to make you pay for a shower too! For shame.
Things are going well so far though. Met another cyclist, a man from Dartmouth named Bill. He's super laid back and kind of reminds me of a hippie Santa. There are also two other cyclists in the campground, but I haven't talked to them. Oh, on the way here I stopped at Shubenacadie wildlife park. Got some great photos, but I don't have a way to upload anything for the time being...Hopefully soon.
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Distance: 90.3 km
Riding Time: 3:59
Average Speed: 22.6 km/h
Max. Speed: 51.5 km/h
# of arseholes yelling out car window: Just 1
Wow! Is all I can say. So far, it still hasn't completely sunk in what I'm up to. Said a sad goodbye to some of my family and my girlfriend last night and today. It was hard to leave, but I knew that what I was doing will be good in the long run, so I shut off my mind and just pedalled.
The cycling is tough with all the weight; I guess like 60+ lbs, but I'm sure I'll get used to it - or die trying... But man, when I took off the bags to get groceries earlier, I was flying! Scotia Pine Campground is alright, but pricey at $30 + for an unserviced site. And then they have the nerve to make you pay for a shower too! For shame.
Things are going well so far though. Met another cyclist, a man from Dartmouth named Bill. He's super laid back and kind of reminds me of a hippie Santa. There are also two other cyclists in the campground, but I haven't talked to them. Oh, on the way here I stopped at Shubenacadie wildlife park. Got some great photos, but I don't have a way to upload anything for the time being...Hopefully soon.
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Saturday, July 16, 2011
Popular Questions
After I got it in my head that I wanted to do this trip, it was only something I joked about with my girlfriend at first. Then I became obsessed with researching gear and looking at other people's websites to see what had been done before and how they did it and it started to become more and more realistic. After all, this trip, while it may seem crazy at first to a non-cyclist, is actually quite common. In fact, I'm doing a shorter route than most. The norm is Vancouver to St. John's which is around 7500 kms; Halifax to Calgary is about 3700 kms if you flew (I'll figure out the total distance when I get there). So some answers to some common questions that I've gotten are below...
How long will it take, you ask? Should be about two months, give or take - more likely give as I'll be doing touristy stuff along the way.
Where will I stay? I brought a tent with me and plan on camping most of the time, but I plan to stay with some relative along the way and in order to save money and meet interesting, like-minded people along the way I used a website called www.warmshowers.org, which is a forum for cycle-tourists worldwide who are willing to host other cycle-tourists for free. Otherwise I will be free-camping and randomly asking strangers to sleep in their yards.
How will I carry all my gear? Glad you asked. There are two common ways to carry gear on a bike. Use a trailer or use racks and panniers (Pannier, I've discovered after entering New Brunswick, translates to basket. From wordreference.com "a basket, especially one of a pair carried by a beast of burden". An apt description), or a combination of the two. I decided to use panniers because it's more compact and lighter than using a trailer (more on gear later).
Why are you doing this? I'm a masochist? No... Sort of. There are a few reasons ranging from simply necessity to move to more philosophical-type reasons:
1) I wanted to get out of Nova Scotia because I was in rut. I graduated with a BSc and did my honours, but I didn't want to go back into school right away to specialize and then start a career etc. etc. I wanted to shake things up a bit and I thought moving would be the remedy. I chose Calgary because my brother is there and offered to put me up for a bit until I could land a solid gig.
2) The want to move on a bike comes from many different desires. I wanted to test myself physically and psychologically, to see if I would come out broken or with new eyes on life. Then I figured that I'd already flew to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver before, and I remember looking down at Northern Ontario and Manitoba at all the lakes and wondering what they looked like standing beside them - so being able to see most of Canada directly was another motivator. I would also be stopping frequently so I could get to meet people on the way, as opposed to driving when you only stop at a motel every 500-1000 kms. Also, to travel on my own volition and be totally self-reliant really appealed to me and it has become a rite of passage. Anyway, I could go on and on about why I wanted to do this trip...but that's the gist of it.
Those are all the questions I can think of right now, but if you have another one, please let me know.
How long will it take, you ask? Should be about two months, give or take - more likely give as I'll be doing touristy stuff along the way.
Where will I stay? I brought a tent with me and plan on camping most of the time, but I plan to stay with some relative along the way and in order to save money and meet interesting, like-minded people along the way I used a website called www.warmshowers.org, which is a forum for cycle-tourists worldwide who are willing to host other cycle-tourists for free. Otherwise I will be free-camping and randomly asking strangers to sleep in their yards.
How will I carry all my gear? Glad you asked. There are two common ways to carry gear on a bike. Use a trailer or use racks and panniers (Pannier, I've discovered after entering New Brunswick, translates to basket. From wordreference.com "a basket, especially one of a pair carried by a beast of burden". An apt description), or a combination of the two. I decided to use panniers because it's more compact and lighter than using a trailer (more on gear later).
Why are you doing this? I'm a masochist? No... Sort of. There are a few reasons ranging from simply necessity to move to more philosophical-type reasons:
1) I wanted to get out of Nova Scotia because I was in rut. I graduated with a BSc and did my honours, but I didn't want to go back into school right away to specialize and then start a career etc. etc. I wanted to shake things up a bit and I thought moving would be the remedy. I chose Calgary because my brother is there and offered to put me up for a bit until I could land a solid gig.
2) The want to move on a bike comes from many different desires. I wanted to test myself physically and psychologically, to see if I would come out broken or with new eyes on life. Then I figured that I'd already flew to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver before, and I remember looking down at Northern Ontario and Manitoba at all the lakes and wondering what they looked like standing beside them - so being able to see most of Canada directly was another motivator. I would also be stopping frequently so I could get to meet people on the way, as opposed to driving when you only stop at a motel every 500-1000 kms. Also, to travel on my own volition and be totally self-reliant really appealed to me and it has become a rite of passage. Anyway, I could go on and on about why I wanted to do this trip...but that's the gist of it.
Those are all the questions I can think of right now, but if you have another one, please let me know.
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