Hello again, USA
Days 56-63
Hey friends! Sorry about the delay getting this one posted, I just moved to Baltimore, MD and have been busy unpacking, exploring the city, and trying to set up our electricity! All those days on the road have made living without power feel pretty normal :)
I hope these posts have not been too confusing with some days being written on the actual day during the trip while others being written in the present day. You’re all smart people, you can figure it out :)
Day 56
New Carlisle, QC — Rest day 2
Total miles: 2,583
I feel like I’m letting myself down a little by not keeping up with my nightly journals. I know how good it is for me, but I have been neglecting them. Well, most of the time it’s to get more sleep or spend time with people, so that’s good.
Today I said goodbye to Guy and Edgar who were starting their own mini journey to Percé and back. Then I cleaned my bike, watered some plants, and slept a bunch. I got a tiny taste of what it’s like to be a warmshowers host today! A group of four women around my age decided to stay here with Ann for the last night of their week-long trip through the Gaspésie. I didn’t do much hosting, but simply being here when they arrived made me feel like a host. I showed them around a little and helped them find things like plates and cups. Plus, since Ann and I already had somewhat of a relationship, we told some stories together which was cool. I felt like an adopted child. I am so excited to properly host one day.
I’ve been wanting to run into fellow travelers this whole trip, but I didn’t expect it to feel so good. That kinda sounds weird, but I don’t know how else to phrase it. It was really cool to hear about their experiences and share my own. I’ll never forget their faces when I said “I’ve been vegan for about 3 and a half years, but I’ve been eating animal products out of the dumpster on this trip.” We had a great conversation about why I had been doing that, and the food system in general. I had a ton of fun getting to know these four girls and can’t wait to ride with them tomorrow :)
Now I’m in bed listening to the seagulls cawing and the waves crashing outside. I’m excited to get back on the bike tomorrow, but definitely sad to leave this amazing place.
Day 57
New Carlisle, QC to Atholville, NB — 93 miles
Total miles: 2,676
I’m going to bed disgusting tonight. I got to my wild camping spot as the sun was setting and didn’t feel like getting in the river right before sleeping. Maybe I will take a dip in the morning. I feel so grimy. Sweat and sunscreen coats my body. Life on the road :)
After 21 days in Quebec, I’m now in New Brunswick! Pretty cool. I crossed the Salmon River into the new province and immediately found a little outdoor concert. I stayed for a few songs and even forced myself to go “dance” with the older people who were cuttin a rug. Someone who worked for the city directed me towards a youth hostel but it seemed to be out of operation. So I wandered the town, checking dumpsters for dinner, on my way to a camp spot I saw on ioverlander. I’m so glad that Julie and Stefan told me about this resource — it’s so helpful! I’m camping at a great spot on the river with a lot of other people in vans/campers. I didn’t find any dinner, though. And the mosquitoes were so bad I just had a peanut butter wrap with dates. I’ll have a better meal for breakfast.
It was a long day but didn’t really feel that long. I’m not even that tired right now. Usually when I say that, it becomes a lie…
The main thing on my mind is how much time I want to spend biking in New Brunswick. My initial plan was to continue riding along the coast, spending about 10 days here before re-entering the United States. But I’m not really feeling it right now. I feel more compelled to go through central New Brunswick and get to the states a little quicker. I know it will be beautiful along the coast and I’ll probably meet a lot more cool people, but I’m tired man. And my butt really hurts. I miss home. One thing I’ve been surprised by on this trip is how much I want to settle down near family now. Maybe not the eastern shore, or even Maryland, but somewhere at least within a day’s journey. And maybe not forever, but for now that’s what feels right. I’ve spent the last few years feeling stuck between wanting to explore more and wanting to stay close to family. Right now I feel pretty confident in wanting to be closer to family :)
Anyway, back to my debate about what to do in New Brunswick. On the one hand, I may never be here again so I want to make the most of it. But on the other hand, there will always be more that I could see or do. Plus, choosing to ride along the coast is neglecting to explore the central part of the province. So there’s really no clear choice here. I don’t need to shorten my time in Canada. But also, the initial plan to bike around the coast was a completely arbitrary decision. Ughhh. I don’t know what to do. I’ve already seen more of this beautiful country than I expected I would. The Gaspésie was breathtaking — I love it so much. So should I try to see even more? Or am I ready to move on? Maybe the decision will come to me in my dreams.
I loved riding with my new friends for the first 20 miles today. I think their companionship truly helped make a 93-mile day feel half as long. Shortly after they turned off to find their cars, I checked a Dollarama dumpster only to find something all too common. Not only do they throw away food, they open the packages and dump the contents into the dumpster. Think about that. Someone is getting paid to open up bags of chips and cookies and whatever else and dump them out. Our system is truly disgusting.
Day 58
Atholville, NB to St Quentin, NB — 68
Total miles: 2,744
Another grimy, sweaty night! And this dang tractor trailer is just idling next to me. To be fair, I am at a truck stop. There must be some reason they don’t turn the engine off, right? It’s pretty annoying for me, though. (I later learned they keep them running to power the refrigerators and other stuff that needs electricity).
My evening has been really nice, especially compared to the day. I’ve posted to instagram, made food, charged my stuff, and most importantly called my family :) Its always nice to talk with them and catch up. I’m definitely in the mood to get home, so it’s good to chat with them to settle my eagerness for a bit. No matter what, I’ve got another few weeks before I’m home, and I may never be in this position again so I ought to enjoy it!
But it was damn hard to enjoy today. I alternated between riding on a very bumpy ATV trail with chunky gravel and a sun-baked highway with lots of hills. Truly my least favorite day of the trip. I was quite upset for pretty much all day except when a kind stranger filled my water bottles (with ice too!). I worked up the courage to stop at their house and ask after passing many candidates. I was just about out of water and getting dehydrated so he was a real life saver. I’m already starting to look back on today and chuckle. It’ll probably end up being one of the most memorable of the trip! Sometimes you just gotta put your head down and grind, stopping only to make peanut butter and maple syrup sandwiches (so good). I would’ve really enjoyed the trail if my bike was set up for it. My new tires did well, but they’re still too narrow and not squishy enough to handle that kind of terrain. Some front suspension would’ve been very helpful too. Alas!
I’m excited to have a host tomorrow. It’s only been a couple of days without a shower, but they’ve been long and hot, and I’m caked in sunscreen and dirt. I will enjoy a shower SO much. I’ve got another 60+ miles tomorrow with some solid elevation gain, so my goal is to hit the road early and beat the heat. Maybe take a long break in the middle and then finish strong :)
Oh yeah, so I decided to head towards Maine rather than around the coast of New Brunswick. I’ll be in the US in two days! I know it’ll feel bittersweet crossing the border again. This feels like the right decision, though. I’ve been feeling so tired and eager to get home that I don’t think I could’ve enjoyed the extra week in NB as much as I would want to. Now I’ll get to see a little bit more of Maine, and maybe spend some extra days with friends on the way home. I’ll also be able to use my data freely again which will be nice but I’ll also miss having a forced restriction. I think I’ll continue to put my phone on airplane mode for most of the day.
It’s pretty crazy. I may never be in Canada again! I’ve felt so at home here, I can hardly believe this was my first time in the country. Everyone has been so so kind and generous. The landscapes have been breathtaking. And the bike infrastructure is epic! Well, at least in Quebec. It’s a very cyclists-friendly province.
Day 59
St Quentin, NB to Perth-Anover, NB — 69 miles
Total miles: 2,813
I feel like I just wasted about 15 minutes, maybe more, on instagram. Makes me sad and frustrated. I talk about not having time to write or do this or that, and then I throw precious time away scrolling on social media. I enjoy sharing on instagram, but even that feels contradictory. Not only do I get sucked into it myself, but I’m putting stuff out there for other people to get sucked into. I guess the photos and videos I share are very different, but it just feels weird.
Today was another tough day. Hilly and super hot. I stayed on the road for most of the day, rather than bumping along the ATV trail again. I was pretty grumpy most of the day and honestly am really looking forward to the end. On this day two years ago I was dreading the end of our 4K For Cancer ride. I wanted it to keep going forever. I’m not miserable by any means and I’m still finding joy in it, but I’ve latched into the idea of being home and settled and that’s all I can think about most of the time. Which then makes it hard to enjoy the moment, even if it’s amazing. I think being alone is the main reason this has come up. I still really like a lot of things about biking alone, but it’s just harder to keep going. Maybe things will change! I’m hoping to stay with as many warmshowers hosts and friends as I can on the way home so I can feel connected for the last 2-3 weeks.
I’m excited to re-enter the USA tomorrow and start exploring Maine. I’m also sad to leave the wonderful country of Canada. 10/10 place, would recommend! Hopefully I don’t have any issues at the border.
I saw a coyote in across the road maybe 40 feet in front of me, then 2 minutes later a moose crossed about a half mile down the road. My second moose sighting of the trip! I also saw lots of hawks and an eagle today. Big wildlife day :) Maybe I’ll see a bear before I make it home!
My host tonight is really nice. She wasn’t planning on accepting any guests, but decided to let me stay! I’m so glad because I NEEDED a shower and some vegetables. I’m really grateful that we cooked a vegan meal together — she was initially planning on turkey pot pie, but changed course after learning I was vegan and we had a great discussion about the food industry. Speaking of the food industry, I found a bunch of oranges and some twizzler candy in a grocery store dumpster today. I think there was more good stuff too but I only took one bag of oranges and a couple packs of twizzlers. I wish oranges weren’t so heavy!
Day 60
Perth-Andover, NB to Haynesville, ME — 78 miles
Total miles: 2,891
I’m feeling really great about today. 60 days! This trip will surely be longer than the ride across the country (ha, wrong!). That’s really wild. 4K felt so long and this hasn’t. I’m ready to finish it up, though. I’m guessing I’ll be home in 20ish days. Still far from over!
Two years ago today we arrived in San Francisco. Today I crossed back into the US. Feels significant, right? Significant or not, I’m very happy right now. I’m camping in a stranger’s backyard after extending my ride by 15 miles and hoping for the best. Where I planned to camp was a toss-up to begin with so I figured I’d find something down the road. I reached the “town” of Haynesville as the sun began to set and started glancing at the houses I passed. Finally I saw two friendly looking people on their lawn and gave it a shot.
It hardly could’ve been more perfect. They had passed me about an hour or two ago, coming home from work, so there was already a mini connection. With almost no hesitation they said yes to me tenting in their yard, and quickly offered me water and even a shower. After my shower we chatted for a while and they gave me a bunch of food for the road! My impromptu hosts have only lived here for a year, spending almost their entire lives in Florida. Quite the change! The guy had never experienced four seasons before!! They’re both very nice and fun to talk to. This was my first time finding a place to sleep in this fashion and I’m so pleased with the results.
I want to say that I have the privilege of being a white man in America which probably helped a lot to make me feel comfortable doing this. I have no idea how I’d feel if I was black or gay or a woman or looked different in any other way. Maybe nothing would change. Maybe I’d ride for hours in the darkness before asking strangers to sleep on their property. I’ll never know what it’s like to experience life as anyone but myself. So I want to recognize that I do have a lot of privilege that might make doing something like this feel easier and literally be easier and safer. The last thing I want to do is act like this is a one-size-fits-all kind of solution to camping in America. Even for me with my privilege, it’s scary. But I still want to share that it worked for me and there’s a good chance I’ll do it again on this trip and more in the future. I think it’s super cool to meet random people and see what happens. That feels like what’s at the core of bike touring.
I also met a man in the town I thought I’d stay in tonight. I was having my dinner when he walked over and sat down to have a chat. He had just secured some housing after six months in the homeless shelter. He shared a little about his difficulty finding work and moving around after many years of hard labor. I could see the loss of function in his hands. Honestly, I couldn’t understand him for about 25% of the conversation, but I’m really glad he came over to me. We talked for almost 30 minutes and he helped me decide what road to take to get where I am now. Nothing significant came from the interaction, but so what? He made my day a little better and maybe I did the same for him.
The road after Houlton was really great. The temperature dropped a bit along with the traffic. I mostly had the road to myself for the last 10 miles. Surrounded by trees, I felt happily alone. My butt still hurt but I didn’t really care. I felt like I could’ve kept riding for another 50 miles. If the sun wasn’t setting I definitely would have. I’m really happy that my ride tomorrow is almost 15 miles shorter now. And two shorter days after it. I think I want to stick to 60 miles or less for now on. There will be longer days, but spending all day on the bike has been brutal the last few rides. Although like I said, today was great.
The border crossing was a piece of cake. The guy seemed like he could hardly care less about what I was doing. He asked why I was in Canada and where I was going today. That was it I think. Checked my passport and sent me on my way. Nothing really changed once I got into the states. It was still hot, there were still big yellow fields of wheat all around. I think the excitement of re-entering my home country carried me on to go the extra 15ish miles today. Who knows? It’s funny to me that 60 days into 4K I was dreading the end. I was so sad to be losing my new friends and a lifestyle that I loved. 60 days into this trip and I’m very eager to be done. Which is quite surprising to me. Days like today make me excited for more riding, though. We’ll see how things develop!
I found a bunch of chips at a family dollar and a circle K. Not my favorite thing to find, but I took a couple of bags. I also found what appeared to be a brand new gasoline pump nozzle thing. I don’t think there’s anything in this world that we don’t throw away. I’ve been thinking more about my dumpster diving and how it’s not doing anything about the problem. I’m saving money which is awesome, and it’s kinda fun. And sure, I’m preventing a teeny tiny fraction of waste which is cool. I also have had some great conversations with people about dumpster diving and our food system in general. All of this stuff is awesome and I think does matter a lot. But I’d like to do more. It’d be cool to get into changing the supply chain or rules about food waste, something like that.
One thing I want to be sure to do when I get home is keep riding my bike and/or get into a different exercise routine. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a good routine that I enjoy and I don’t want to let the strength I’ve gained on this trip to slip away. I impressed myself today when I stepped up a 4ft cliff (for lack of a better word) on one leg at a closed road. I felt strong and just really good. I’m leaning towards triathlon training, but not deadset on it yet. I think what will help me most is if I have a friend to train with. So if one of my friends is down to weight train but not do endurance stuff, fine I’ll do weights again too.
Man, time passes so quickly when I’m writing these! I need to get to bed. It’d be great to get on the road early tomorrow :)
Day 61
Haynesville, ME to Burlington, ME — 57 miles
Total miles: 2,948
I feel quite bad. I don’t know if it’s because of the heat, general exhaustion, something I ate, a combination of those, or something totally different. I just feel real nauseous and super tired. I’m in a wonderful place but I’m really struggling to enjoy it because of how I feel. I have no motivation at all to do anything so I’m just gonna lie here at 6:07pm and see if I fall asleep :)
This is when I started to really go downhill. I was tired and nauseous on the ride, and by lunchtime, I found myself wondering how I’d finish the last 20 miles. I was so hot and exhausted, my motivation at an all-time low.
When I woke from a nap and had enough of feeling sorry for myself, I got back on my bike. Despite the heat and the hills, I managed to finish. More than finish, I felt invigorated. I was energized by my ability to push past the mountain of resistance I was feeling. One person slowed down next to me to ask if I was okay. Another offered me a ride. I gave them both big, genuine smiles, thanked them and kept pushing.
It wasn’t until I had unloaded my bike and sat down on the porch of the little green cabin, sticky sap popping under my sandals, that I realized how tired I truly was. My host was not in the country but told me I was welcome in her off-grid cabin. As I walked to greet the neighbors and fill up on water from their hose, I realized I could muster no more than a shuffle. By the time I made it back to the cabin I was ready for bed. While on the phone with my dad I had another realization: I was in rough shape. I yawned over and over, my stomach was in knots, and I could feel the beginnings of a fever setting in. So, I skipped dinner, skipped writing, and went to bed hoping I’d be a new man in the morning.
Day 62
Burlington, ME to Orono, ME — 38 miles
Total miles: 2,986
I woke up feeling better, but not good. I couldn’t bring myself to eat the lentils and couscous I had soaked overnight but managed to choke down two granola bars that were given to me by my hosts in Haynesville. Packing my bike was an absurd challenge. In my exhaustion the night before I left things strewn all about in no particular place. In my slightly less exhausted state this morning I hated every second I spent putting things where they belonged, securing them, and trying my best not traipse sap all over the cabin’s carpet.
Frustrated and weary I began pedaling towards Orono. It was grossly humid, but at least it was overcast. I even got a little sprinkle of rain that felt pretty good. The miles ticked by rather uneventfully, while I did my best to maintain a sort of “one foot in front of the other” mentality. I actually made pretty good time and felt better as soon as I arrived at my hosts’. Usually, I opt for a cold shower but the warm water was calling my name and I happily answered. My host had made banana bread and granola so I made myself eat some of that and then passed out.
I awoke when my host arrived home and I enjoyed socializing despite my exhaustion. I almost said no when she invited me to take a swim in the Penobscot River, but I’m glad I joined her. We talked about our bike trips, triathlons/ironmans, family, dumpster diving, career goals, and anything in between while wading in the cool water. When it was time to head home for dinner we had to time our exit to avoid obstructing the local canoeing group launching boats for an evening paddle.
I soon realized that while it was lovely to spend time with my host and the water felt great, it was probably a bad choice. I found myself shivering for the rest of the night, even after donning her 6’5 son’s sweatshirt. All I could think about was going to bed. I felt like a such a lousy guest. I planned to just spend one night in Orono but with the way I was feeling I asked if it’d be a bother if I stayed an extra day. She assured me I was welcome to stay as long as I needed, but I couldn’t help but feel like she wasn’t really that keen on having me for another night.
Day 63
Orono, ME — Rest day
Total miles: 2,986
I slept in and felt basically exactly as I had the morning before. Not terrible, but not confident in my ability to bike 50 miles, so I sheepishly confirmed with my host that I could stay an extra day. I barely lifted a finger all day. I never really felt thirsty or hungry and when I did eat I’d feel nauseous. Basically, I just laid in bed feeling sorry for myself and hoping I’d get better. Again I felt like a lousy guest because I couldn’t focus on our conversations or do much at all in return for staying and having all my needs taken care of. I knew I’d be leaving the next day no matter how I was feeling.
Next week I’ll be posting reflections from the final week of the trip! Until then, you can check out all of my past posts here. As always, thank you so much for reading. Let me know if you have questions about any part(s) of the ride :)
