- Day 1 -1 Week
- Day 1 -12 Hours
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
- Day 10
- Day 11
- Day 12
- Day 13
- Day 14
- Day 15
- Day 16
- Day 17
- Day 18
- Day 19
- Day 20
- Day 21
- Day 22
- Day 23
- Day 24
- Day 25
- Day 26
- Day 27
- Day 28
- Day 29
- Day 30
- Day 31
- Day 32
- Day 33
- Day 34
- Day 35
- Day 36
- Day 37
- Day 38
- Day 39
- Day 40
- Day 41
- Day 42
- Day 43
- Day 44
- Day 45
- Day 46
- Day 47
- Day 48
- Day 49
- Day 50
- Day 51
- Day 52
- Day 53
- Day 54
- Day 55
- The End
- Retrospective
We woke up a little later today. I called about an early check in but they said they could not promise anything, and such a short day… Why kill ourselves to run to Vancouver? We’ve gone thousands of miles, climbed hundreds of thousands of feet and persevered through countless miles of wind to get here… What will an extra 45 minutes really matter at this point?
Breakfast was good. They had the biggest waffle maker to date! The cereal dispenser wasn’t… dispensing. After a moment of well, what now? The breakfast attendant came over and shuck the dispenser like she was demonstrating what NOT to do to a baby. And out came the cereal. A good technique to know, though, a problem I’ve never encountered, leaving me to question if the real problem was their machine.
Back in the room we were getting ready. I was also trying to read the Simply Cycling blog. I think because I’m currently on a bike tour, but their story has had a real effect on me. I saw a tweet about them yesterday, and really haven’t stopped thinking about them since. I know I am blessed, and I am grateful every day. But to think how little preparation I’ve done for this trip, how many times and places it could have gone wrong… *knocking on wood*. I understand riding across North America is way different then South West Asia, but does anyone deserve this? Cycling feels like such a pure and simple thing. Sure people with road rage get all made that they might have to wait an entire two seconds to get around you, and I’ve been cut off by someone who “needs” to make that light, but run over and killed? For religion? Who’s god says “kill those riding bikes… they’re probably different than you.” I don’t want to get overly political or creedical(?) so I’ll change topics but I was reading their blog this morning while packing comparing and contrasting their writings with mine, knowing my number of days into their trip they were murdered.
Doing a last minute check I saw my rear wheel was low… No flat! OH, what the crap! 3/5 Mike/Jerry. It was nice to have the comfort of the room, light of the lamp, and garbage can to hold up frame instead of making due on the shoulder as cars race past. However, these ideal conditions I still could not find puncture. I took the tire off completely to scour the inside of the wheel. After a long search I’m ready to put everything back together.
Out of the hotel and on the road out of town. There was cycling lane over a bridge where we could see cyclists ahead. Over the bridge we saw a second pair. We slowly preceded unsure of how to stay on our choose road. Several cyclists approached from behind. We started to veer right… We called back to ask if that way was our route. The cyclist said nothing while a car stopped at the stop sign… who was getting out of his car for some reason, called out in the affirmative. The cyclists left us hanging but the car helped us out… +3K miles and you see all kinds of stuff. We swing around the islands in the road and head the same direction as the un-helping cyclist. And suddenly we’re on Route 7 with morning rush car traffic and 20ish bikes. It was super fun to be in a big group of cyclists… like riding into Paris amongst the pelon. Their energy was super fun to have around us. I think they were more annoyed that these slower wider touring bikes were among the road bikes. Many of them had numbers attached to them but said it was not a race but a ride. Soon all but one up front turned right. Shortly we caught up as the lone rider was asking directions, preparing to turn left, while we continued straight.
There was a short run along a suburban area slowly becoming more and more urban. There was a monorail or the like overhead just ahead. Public transport, the truest sign of urban living. There were also more and more pedestrians, the other urban marker. As well as road bikers out for an early after noon ride. At a light we shared a few words with one. He seamed genuinely impressed with our time across, though way under estimated our time left.
Welcome to Vancouver. !!! We’ve made it across. Unlike the Mississippi or Rugby or any of the other markers across, this is unquestionably the west coast city we’ve been heading to for 48 days.
I felt a surge of thoughts and ideas. Like I have officially gained this experience and so now the new knowledge is unloaded and accessible. +3K of watching people, feeling peoples changing ideas and behaviors, working for my movement across this grand continent. All leading us here.
Some construction that was pretty annoying but ended soon enough. One turn and our hotel will be on the left. We came into town on this road that has lead us all the way to be one turn and a few blocks away from our hotel. It’s early but we have the time for a walk through town and well earned cocktail. Our hotel is far from the nicest of our trip, but good location, reasonable price and most importantly … WE ARE HERE! WE’VE MADE IT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA!!!
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2 thoughts on “Day 48”
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From Sea to Shining Sea!
BRAVO
YEAH!