Wood Islands to Truro 81km (7480km total).
I had eggs and ham for breakfast and Judy insisted on filling my bag with sandwiches, apples, muffins and ju-jubes while Jim helped me set-up Bob. It was only a 5km ride to the ferry and they said they would shut up the cottage and come and wave me off. As I approached the ferry I saw Andy jogging down the road and we stood in the lime-up together. We couldn't help but notice a few cars were being turned away and then an employee came up to us and told us the ferry had broken down and they didn't know when it would be going again!! This trip has gone so smoothly I couldn't believe this would be happening now. Driving back to the bridge might be an option in a car but by bike or foot it wasn't!! There was a cafe on site so Andy and I headed there to hang out. When Judy and Jim arrived Jim said there was another ferry so they would probably send that over, they said to keep in touch because they knew people in the area if we did get stranded and after more hugs I said my final good-byes to them.
It was great to be able to spend some time with Andy and I learnt a bit more about his endeavours. Last summer he ran from Vancouver to Thunder Bay and this summer having started from Thunder Bay he is heading for Newfoundland. He is picking up garbage on the side of the road and recycling bottles and cans in the towns he passes to raise awareness about recycling. Then next summer he will start in Newfoundland and work his way back across the country, because he wants to clean the other side of the road. Like all the other cyclists I have met and those walking and running he was incredibly humble about what he is doing. He has met a number of the same people I have this summer including Sebastien, Astrid and Eric and I asked him how he found stopping last year and returning to a more 'normal' life for the winter. His response, just start planning your next trip!! I am really going to miss the people I have met on the road, there is a special bond between us and it is difficult to explain unless you have undertaken such a journey. It was partly knowing that Sebastien would be running until mid November that gave me the idea to keep going to Halifax and I think if I had spent much longer with Andy I might have turned left instead of right off the ferry and headed towards Newfoundland!!
For those of you on facebook you can support Andy here https://www.facebook.com/millionbottlepledge
and Sebastien here https://www.facebook.com/CanadaRuns or at http://www.outrundiabetes.ca/
In the end we were only an hour or so behind schedule as they sent another ferry and sped us across to Nova Scotia. Both Andy and I were trying to make use of the wifi to update blogs and emails etc. and the crossing flew by. I convinced Andy to accept some of my yummy food (thanks Judy) and wished him the best of luck before he hit the road.
It was great to be able to spend some time with Andy and I learnt a bit more about his endeavours. Last summer he ran from Vancouver to Thunder Bay and this summer having started from Thunder Bay he is heading for Newfoundland. He is picking up garbage on the side of the road and recycling bottles and cans in the towns he passes to raise awareness about recycling. Then next summer he will start in Newfoundland and work his way back across the country, because he wants to clean the other side of the road. Like all the other cyclists I have met and those walking and running he was incredibly humble about what he is doing. He has met a number of the same people I have this summer including Sebastien, Astrid and Eric and I asked him how he found stopping last year and returning to a more 'normal' life for the winter. His response, just start planning your next trip!! I am really going to miss the people I have met on the road, there is a special bond between us and it is difficult to explain unless you have undertaken such a journey. It was partly knowing that Sebastien would be running until mid November that gave me the idea to keep going to Halifax and I think if I had spent much longer with Andy I might have turned left instead of right off the ferry and headed towards Newfoundland!!
For those of you on facebook you can support Andy here https://www.facebook.com/millionbottlepledge
and Sebastien here https://www.facebook.com/CanadaRuns or at http://www.outrundiabetes.ca/
In the end we were only an hour or so behind schedule as they sent another ferry and sped us across to Nova Scotia. Both Andy and I were trying to make use of the wifi to update blogs and emails etc. and the crossing flew by. I convinced Andy to accept some of my yummy food (thanks Judy) and wished him the best of luck before he hit the road.
Good-bye PEI.
The Nova Scotia flag flying proudly on the ferry.
Nova Scotia, my 9th and final province.
Andy heading down the road.
I was heading for Truro and my final Warmshowers stay for this trip. Bob had sent me quite detailed directions for a route that would keep me off the highway. Whether I would stay dry would be another issue as the cloudy sky got increasingly dark as I approached Pictou. I followed the 376 through a few small towns and then got sucked in by a sign for a historic wood church. The sign indicated 1km but I ended up on a dirt road and then had to go through a farm before eventually finding the spot. It was quite pretty with the backdrop of the fall colours and a view over Loch Broom so I sat and had lunch. There was also a monument to the Cameron's who had emigrated to Canada from Scotland. Nova Scotia is latin for New Scotland.
Loch Broom historic wood church.
Monument to the Cameron's who emigrated to Canada from Scotland. I will be staying with Grace Cameron in Halifax!!
Then I followed the 4 most of the way to Truro. It was quite blustery but I was happy to be dry and made it most of the way to Truro before the heavens opened. But when they did they dumped a significant amount of water in a very short period of time and although I had enough time to put on my jacket and booties I got soaked. I arrived at Bob and Glenda's looking like a drowned rat. I really hope that will be my last soaking in the rain. Bob and Glenda were awesome, they have a basement apartment for guests and put a sheet down for my wet bag, gave me a clothes horse to hang my wet clothes and newspaper to stuff my shoes. I showered and put on dry clothes before heading upstairs. They were so easy to talk to and have bike toured all over the world, most recently in the Spanish Pyrenees. They would not let me help with dinner and instead gave me a chair to sit on in the kitchen so they could hear all about my trip. We had a wonderful pasta dish followed by Bob's strawberry shortcake for dessert. I am really going to miss the Warmshowers part of this experience, everyone I have stayed with has been so friendly and interesting and I have loved to hear their stories while realising how special my trip has been as I share mine.
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