Day two

day two

headwinds gusting to 60km/hr

We made it to Carleton Place after struggling with some serious headwinds. Gusting to 60km from the West. It rained and blew all night long as well. We camped on a grassed verge at the back end of the WalMart parking lot. We're going to try to make it to Perth today and take it easy. It should only be three hours or so on the road. I am tender in a few spots and stiff but otherwise surprisingly OK. Mike's knee is giving him some grief so he's gone off to buy some kind of brace.
Leslie travelled with us to just past Stittsville. After the first hour we stopped and I offloaded a pile of stuff I decided was heavy and superfluous. We left it on a picnic table and Leslie made a note saying it weighed too much and it was free for the taking. At another brief stop the wind knocked Mike's bike over and it landed on my trailer and left the first of what is sure to be many dents in the fender. Mike took my bike for about 5 km midway through the day as I was sapped of energy at that point. We were going along some gravel/dirt track and Mike was out of sight ahead when the front wheel came off and sent him for a spill. He sustained a few minor scratches but nothing serious, thank God.
We met a woman on the road yesterday who had started at Halifax and was riding back to BC. She was making much better time than us so I probably won't catch up to her again.
I started thinking that it might be nice to get up to Northern Ontario and camp for the summer near Manitoulin Island then ride back to meet my girlfriend in Brockville. It is far too early in the trip to make any concrete decisions like that but I do fondly remember Manitoulin from my youth.

I thought it might be a lot easier to do this instead of typing.

nearly ready

Dad suggested I might make use of one of these.

The gear

I laid out most of the gear today just to look at it in one bunch. There is a lot of it. Missing from the picture is the bike and trailer, panniers, and a few other things still to be purchased.

2 cycling shirts
4 T-Shirts
1 Wind jacket
1 Rain suit (jacket and pants)
1 Rubber like yoga mat
1 Cotton yoga mat
5 Bungee cords
1 Box of Ziploc freezer bags
1 Sling shot and replacement band
1 Explosive atmosphere flashlight
1 Hunting knife with scabbard
3 mesh stuff sacks
1 55L Drysac
2 pair cycling socks
1 cycling cap
1 set cycling gloves fingerless
1 set cycling gloves full finger
2 cammo tarps
3 maps (all of Ontario)
1 35L light duty drysac
1 collapsible take down buck saw
1 emergency blanket (space blanket)
10M yellow rope
1 5L platypus water bladder
1 5L drysac
1 campfire espresso maker and cup...that's right a campfire espresso maker
1 camp stove
1 cooking pot
1 fry pan
1 set sporks
1 set cooking utensils
1 water bottle
1 swiss army knife
1 camp towel
1 hiking pillow
1 sleeping bag
1 tent
1 sleeping bag liner
1 air mattress
1 foam seat pad/chess board
1 pair new bicycle shoes
1 pair water resistant booties
1 box of bits and pieces, spare spokes, cables, lube, multi tool etc.

the countdown continues

So the countdown continues. Just over six weeks left. JeFurry is still with me but might be adopted tomorrow. He has nearly gone a few times but people change their minds at the last minute sometimes. Today I was almost physically sick for a minute when I thought about the reality of what I am setting out to do. I have almost all the equipment I think I'll need with a few exceptions. I'll need some dehydrated food and the like. I am going to have a going away party at the Wild Oat on the 29th of May after work.

I know

I know, I know. I haven't posted in a while. I will get to it soon...maybe later today.

Busy busy busy

I've been busy lately getting prepped. Today Peanut the cat is going to her new home and tomorrow Jeffery the cat is going to his new house.
I picked up a handlebar bag, some panniers and a sleeping pad yesterday from MEC. The air mattress was not inexpensive at $140 plus taxes! YIKES. I thought it prudent to make sure that I could get some good rest. I got the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Sleeping Pad

60 days notice

I gave two months notice to my landlord yesterday. That makes things a bit more real.

64

64 days to go ...if I counted right. I still have an apartment full of stuff to get rid of but I am nearly done collecting what I think I'll need for the trip. I picked up three maps and had them laminated on the weekend. These will get me to the Ontario/Manitoba border. One of my customers also donated a camp fire single shot espresso machine. That will be nice to use now and again.
I heard from a friend that she has room at her place on Camano Island if I get that far. I like the idea of having a destination that far away. I have no idea if I'll get that far or if I'll want to stop there if I do but I like the “realness” of having a destination.
I am really looking forward to ridding myself of all the material stuff I am surrounded by. My life will be so different with no television or computer or “stuff”. Not to mention the fact that I'll be outside all day, every day, and be getting exercise on a regular basis.
I think I'll have a going away fund raiser party just before I leave. I spoke to the guy that owns the cafe I work at and he said it is fine with him if I have a party on the 29 May after closing. That will give me three days to get any last minute stuff I might need before hitting the road.

freaking out!

I keep having moments of panic thinking I am making a mistake or that I don't have enough time or money. This week I need to give my landlord 60 days notice. That is one step that I dread. It will make the whole thing much more "real".
As for progress on equipment I picked up a frying pan, some cutlery and a pot from MEC for the trip. I also changed the handlebars again. I think these ones will work better. They are longer than the other ones so I need to re-do the break cables and while I am at it I will put new gear cables on. I also picked up extra cables in case I break one on the road. I still need to get some spare spokes, an air pump and inner tubes for the bike.
I still need a camp stove and air mattress still as well.

still on track

So it turns out that it cost me $500 to find out I owe $1600 in taxes. AAAARGGGGGHH. So a new bike is definitely out of the question. I've been rebuilding an old Fiori Napoli that I have turning it into a touring bike. So far I've changed the handle bars, brake levers, brake cables, seat and added a mirror.The picture above is the bike before any modifications. I plan to put new wheels and tires on it and that should be all it needs. I sold off a bike and trailer combo to a coworker and the remaining stock from my 125G planted tank to a fellow aquarium enthusiast. I also picked up a camouflaged tarp and some reflective safety tape from Canadian Tire. I was donated another camo tarp and a sleeping bag. I still need a camp stove and cooking utensils.
I spoke this week to the two different people who want to join in for the first part of the journey and they are both still on board. The "plan" so far is to leave Ottawa on the 1 June heading towards Trenton Ontario where my brother lives. One rider will ride to Kingston with us and there meet up with his wife who will drive down for the weekend. They will spend a few days in Kingston together and then take the car back to Ottawa.
The other rider is so far joining me for the first month or so. She has to be back in Ottawa for July 1 but may just fly or bus back from wherever we are to Ottawa and then return to me on the next day. That is all tentative though at this point.
I still need to find a new home for my two cats. That is my biggest worry (besides financial) at this point.

Set backs and a pony

Well I was hoping to get a nice tax refund and use it to get some stuff for the trip. I had calculated a refund of just over $2000 but the tax people say I owe. Bummer....I guess the new bike is out of the question. About ten minutes after getting that news I got a "Pony". I got the "Pony" thing from a friend of mine. When things look bleak she says "with all the shit around here, there must be a pony in here somewhere"
So the pony: A customer at the cafe I work in came up and said "my wife tells me you are bicycling across the country" "that's right" said I. "can I contribute?" he asks. "sure" I say thinking he'll put a couple dollars in the tip bowl. Then the guy gives me a $100 dollar bill. "Are you sure?" I asked "Oh ya" he says "I've got lots of money and I like to help people. It'll come back to me"
WOW ....so maybe I'll get a better bike somehow after all. I still have about 75 days before my intended departure date so lots of things could happen.

Stuff is sold and stuff is bought

Well the purge is in full swing...I've sold my Leather Biker Jacket , my 4" rise leopard print platform boots , my 75 gallon fresh water tank complete with Neolamprologus pulcher and Julidochromis transcriptus
Last night I picked up a brand new tent, some socks, a light weight jacket and a cycling shirt from Bushtaka and a new bike trailer and the dry sack that goes with it from Mountain Equipment Co-op.

a smaller convoy?

Well the Toronto bound rider has decided to take on a different challenge. It appears the convoy may be me and one other...or maybe just me.

We got us a little old convoy

Blogging lesson number one just learned....write in a program that has an autoback up so if the internet crashes you don't lose all the fucking work you just put in. AARRGGHH

Alright let's write this again....

It seems that two different friends have expressed and interest in joining in for part of the trip. One would like to go as far as Kingston Ontario and the other as far as Toronto Ontario.

Wouldn't it be cool if I went all the way across the country with people joining in and dropping off as we went? We'd have us a little old convoy

So I meet with the Toronto one in the morning to discuss weather they are going to join me.

Squirrel

I was amped at work today. The boss told me I was "squirrely" I was just darting back and forth and full of energy. I am not even remotely ready to actually begin the trip but I just wanted to "get on with it"
Although I don't have any actual destinations or directions in mind I think I'd like to try the Trans-Canada Trail
So far the plan, such as it is, is to head westward. I have a brother and his family in Trenton Ontario and my parents in Cambridge Ontario and I'd really like to see them. I am approaching this trip as if it were the journey of a lifetime, by that I mean I don't intend to turn around and come back at any time. Perhaps I will or perhaps I will circle the globe. I really don't know what I am doing or where I am going. I want to remain open to whatever happens.

The start...

Well my people I have recently decided to "just do it" I am shedding most of my personal "stuff" and getting on my bicycle and riding off into the sunset. I'll be selling off my tanks and stuff and my furniture, clothes and electronics and giving up my apartment.
 
There is no precipitating event. I am not running away from something. I am not running toward something. It is just a manifestation of a feeling I've had for some time now. I have no family here or dependants.
 
I've felt the need to "shake things up" for a few years now and I've decided that there is no reason not to do it. ...Well actually the only reason I can think of is ..."I'm afraid" and that is not a good enough reason to stop.
 
I've made "Pro and Con" lists and every Pro has a balancing Con....eg. I won't have a job-I won't have rent to pay....I have to give up my fish and cats-I'll see all kinds of wildlife.


Anyway, you get the idea. My plan is to leave June 1st or so....that way I can sell the last of whatever is left at the Great Glebe Garage Sale.

I am currently in Ottawa Canada and the plan so far....not much of a plan... is to go west ish....

I don't think I'll be back but then again I have no real destination or time frame in mind. I am just going to "do it"