Jacob Usher
I’m not sure if we’ve mentioned this on the blog before but we keep running into a particular phenomenon where Michael and I are on opposite wavelengths. For example, if one of us really likes a food, then the other probably doesn’t. If one is having a good day, then the other is probably having a hard day. I should also clarify that this is more of a running joke than something that has caused disagreements.
Anyways, this morning went very smoothly for me. There is almost always something minor that goes wrong. However, my tent was completely dry, the bugs were not biting, and a raccoon did not eat all of my food. Michael on the other hand… Can you see where I am going with this?
What’s left of Michael’s food after a nighttime visit from a raccoon
After our morning ordeals, we got on the road and made our way out of Port Stanley. We’ve had pretty favorable wind recently so we were due for a change. It wasn’t too strong and we had plenty of wind turbines to help us figure out exactly where it was coming from.
Typically, I enjoy (or try to enjoy) the cycling itself. It’s about the journey not the destination right? Sometimes I just try to pass the miles as quickly as possible. This morning I queued up some YouTube videos and listened to them through an earbud to do so. I wondered what I would have to say about the morning when Brian reminded me I was blogging. Not much came to mind at that point. I reminded myself that there was still a lot of time left in the day and bike touring surprises you when you least expect it.
During this time we passed a car on the side of the road with a bike on the back. This bike should have seemed familiar to us. It was a Surly with aero bars and racks on it. A while later, a woman flagged us down. The same car was parked nearby. Tammy introduced herself and explained that her husband, Jay, was cycling just a little behind us down the road.
They started a tour at a similar time as us, but Tammy had issues with an old injury in the Cascades. They bought a car so she could continue the trip while Jay pedaled. The Cascades also forced me to confront the possibility of not being able to complete the trip. Luckily the knee pain I was having went away which I was and still am very grateful for. I am also glad that Jay and Tammy found a way to continue their trip.
We learned about their daughter Chipmunk (trail name) who is the youngest person to complete a solo thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. They also happened to be riding for cancer related fundraising. You can find more about their cause at empirestateride.com. You can also find them through the BikeLoud Facebook page to learn more about their specific trip.
Bike Loud meets Jay Warren (photo credit to Tammy Warren)
Meeting nice and interesting people always brightens our day! The next 18 miles until lunch flew by for me, fueled by a Starbucks iced coffee, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, and nice views. We got lunch at a produce market and enjoyed fresh strawberries, fresh lettuce, and ice cream. We met a man here who recommended a place known for footlong hotdogs called The Arbor. I can’t think of a better meal on the 4th of July.
First and second lunch of the day
Our last stretch of road provided rolling hills and turns which gave us a break from the recent flat. We passed pretty views of Lake Erie to our right and Canada’s renewable energy grid to our left. The only downside was a pervasive smell from the lake and occasional swarms of midges.
Afternoon views of southern Ontario
We got to camp and went to sleep with more fireflies than fireworks. Not all is peaceful though. It is about 11pm as I am writing this and our camp is under attack by raccoons. I have chased them off once already but they will probably be back.
A raccoon scopes out its next target