Not Great Times

Thought for the day: Red meat is not bad for you; green furry meat is bad for you.

Things were left in the motel after having to break into a medieval axe collecting hillbilly's ("I don't know what no visa is") house after hiding from a storm. Surely that's got to be the bad times done for a little while...

Erie Canalway Trail after the storm

Cycling along the Canalway Trail the effects of the storm were ever present; fallen trees and branches all over the place. Other than that it was a simple day. And the day after was simple other than putting in a few more miles to try and get to Niagara Falls quicker: 150 miles in 3 days - I've done it before.

Then, it rained. Before when it's rained I've done 20 miles but this time I did 50. And I went along the Erie Canalway Trail again which was alright in the morning when it was concrete, but then it turned to gravel which acts like a fusion of mud and sand when waterlogged. This makes the peddling tough as the bike sinks and loses traction, and covers everything in a gritty mud. Make it to the motel I want to stay at, but they own two motels and check-in is only at the other motel so I have to go that little bit further, and back again to get a room. Once clean and warm again I try and check the internet, but I need a password so it's back out into the rain and to the other motel to get the password. Get back again and all my clothes are soaked and the internet doesn't work. Something I'd eaten was disagreeing with us too so I wasn't feeling particularly great. Surely that's got to be the bad times done for a while...

There was a bit of rain first thing yesterday but it actually cleared up so I wasn't bothered by it. Get into me slightly wet cycling gear and pack away me damp clothes and set off - THWUNK! I know that sound. Yup - back wheel is wobbling all over the place again and another spoke has called it a day. Steal wireless from outside Subway to find the nearest bike shop and it's 15 miles in the wrong direction. A mile or two on a wobbly wheel is doable in an emergency, 15 is not a good idea. It'll have to be walking which'll take maybe 4 hours, or I can hitch-hike. Got picked up by some guy in an absolutely knackered white pick-up truck that smelt like an ashtray and sounded like a permanently missed gear. But I got to the bike shop and got the bike fixed. By the time I cycled past my original start point I'd lost 4 hours - 3 in the afternoon and 50 miles to go. Kept up the 10 mph average and made it to the hostel at about 8, just short of a new PB (best is still 66 miles in a day, I did 65) but I did go past the 1500 mile mark (over 2400 km).

Destination reached - Niagara Falls

Not knowing anything about the place and doing no research, I thought that Niagara Falls would be some quiet place surrounded by forest and National Park, but no. Niagara Falls is a city and leading up to the city is suburbs and farmland; all of it populated. You can tell where the money is though; as soon as I reached Niagara the road was suddenly brand new smooth tarmac. Few days of (much needed) rest here and then it's on to Harrisburg.