Up early and did all the cliché bits attached to starting a
long trip – took my coffee to the porch and watched the geese in v formations
flying over the poplars – or whatever trees they were, underneath clouds that were just daring me to
get on a bike. There had been heavy rain overnight but there was a break and the
morning was calm and deceptively warm, the air holding a moist heat that I just
hadn’t associated with Canada.
Set off at 9.30 and the overnight rain meant the bike was covered
in the clay from their dirt road within the first 2 minutes.
Stopped by the Trans Canada Highway sign at the end of their
road for the obligatory photo and I was off!
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| It has to be done - and hopefully another on in 7 weeks time! |
No problems at all until just outside Toronto - can't believe I'm riding my own bike and can see the CN Tower - when the temperature dropped dramatically and heavens opened and I was riding in
heavy rain compounded by spray for the next
70 miles until I pulled off at Woodstock for fuel and a Double Whopper
at Burger King – well, I was so cold and wet.
Although the rain stopped, the wind got stronger as I approached the border and really did swipe
you when it felt like it.
Crossing the border via the Bluewater Bridge from Sarnia, Ontario
into Port Huron, Michigan was hairy, ok,
even scary, as by then the wind had got bored with little swipes and was moving
on to fully fledged running drop kicks. Customs clearance though was a dream,
only took around 20 minutes after the guy in the office understood I was
shivering with cold and not guilt and fear of interrogation – he hadn’t realised I was on a bike – and there
was me in my full macho riding gear – how disappointing. They didn’t even look
at my vehicle docs after all that worry – did though confiscate the satsuma I
was saving for later and it was my favourite one. Let me keep my bananas
though.
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| Bluewater Bridge, the border between Sarnia, Canada and Port Huron, USA |
Already people approaching me and engaging when they see the
bike and realise it’s got British plates and I’m enjoying that. Brought down to
earth though by a lad behind the cash desk at a service station who asked where
I was going and when I said across to California he said “no way, how far is
that?” On telling him proudly "about 3000
miles" he replied” how long’s that gonna take – a couple of days?” Knew these guys covered incredibly long
distances but...
Safely ensconced in a motel in Lapeer, Michigan but it’s freezing
outside, literally. Just had to go down and put a tarp over the bike as the snow has come and already it's white over.
I’m heading south – I know, some say I have been doing that for a long time.
I’m heading south – I know, some say I have been doing that for a long time.
