Had a decent sleep. I seem to be dreaming more so does that mean deeper sleeps or just that I am remembering them?????
The time change has messed up my sleep a bit and it is still a bit dark at 6 AM, but there is enough movement in camp that I wake up before it is time to get up. And this morning, we could hear the tide gurgling in. Almost sounded like it was outside my tent - well it practically was!!! But it was WINDY when we got up and let's just hope that wind is going in the right direction. Otherwise - it could be nasty.
We were the cook crew for breakfast - made eggs and got stuff washed up and people were out of camp VERY EARLY. I think by the time we left, it was 7:45 AM which is very early. It was cool by the water and everyone was worried about the wind and the long day - 150 K.
The day started off not bad and we had a tail wind. Well - more like a cross wind that sometimes was a tail wind. We met up with some of the others around the 40 K mark. No bakeries in New Brunswick, but a small convenience store was sufficient to find a pecan tart and chocolate milk. Becky was having some problems with her brakes which turned out that they got a ride to the bike shop to get new brake pads!!!! Yep - that is kind of important!
Then back on the road after a quick stop. While it wasn't raining, we did have drizzle and the darn drizzle was cold. Of course - we left in such a hurry this morning that I forgot to pack my heavy rain gear and it was on the truck. Some good that did me!!!! But I did have my shrug and I put that on under my wind breaker and I was fine. I had to take my glasses off because there was so much drizzle that I could see better without them than with them. You get drizzle, they get foggy and well - just plain hard to see through.
There wasn't much to stop and look at today which was fine because the weather wasn't the greatest. We did find a restaurant in the local Shell station which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and we had lunch. Had a bit of a chance to dry out, but not much. Fortunately when we got outside, it had more or less stopped raining so we had a chance to dry out.
And the hills - oh yes - we had hills today. But nothing of them were bad, they were just long but not very steep. And once I put my spirit into them - it wasn't that big of deal. At some point in the day - the sun actually tried to shine and I ended up taking my shrug off, but kept the wind breaker on all day.
Then we arrived at Miramichi. There was a note on the map that there was a HIGH narrow bridge that we had to cross. If that was a problem, then we could take an 18 K detour. Are you kidding??????? No way was I going to take a detour. This was a time for sucking it up and just do it. Of course, Neil was in the lead and to make things worse - the sidewalk on the bridge - NARROW!!!!!! Never mind the truck traffic which caused drafts depending on the direction. Let's just say that I rode the entire length of the bridge - a tad white knuckled perhaps, but I did it. I did glance down once or twice, and let's just say that it was a LONG LONG way down. I took a picture, but I don't think it turned out well. Have a look on-line and see the bridge - pretty scary!!!!!!
Once we got off the bridge, we then had a FIERCE head wind for the last 50 KM of the ride. It was a LONG slog - some of the shoulders weren't the best and you had to stay focused. Neil and I did a pace line for part of the 50K, but at times, I was even too tired to keep up with that!!!!
One thing I did learn today - if ever you are adjusting a Brooks bike saddle - be careful. I had adjusted mine the night before because it was getting a bit soft in the middle. I gave the screw TWO full turns. Well that made the seat ROCK hard today and that, coupled with the wind - I was hurting. in the arms, the butt and just about everywhere. So - lesson learned - tighten the seat, but NOT too much at any one time!!!!!! I think without the wind, it would have been OK, but the two together - well it wasn't fun. But my knees didn't hurt at all!!!!!
And honestly once you see the campground in front of you - well you forget all the bad stuff of the day!!!!!!
Got my tent set up - got my laundry done (it is a rest day tomorrow) so I have an entire day with NOTHING to do. I can't wait. And this is our LAST rest day. Can you believe that!!!!!! Now we do have a pretty strenuous eight days of riding ahead of us (OK - so not that strenuous) but this is our last riding segment coming up. Hard to believe, but yes - summer is almost gone!!!!!! Everyone is starting to talk about what they will or will not do once the trip is over. Me - I just want a nice long hot shower with a white fluffy towel. And to be able to go from bed to washroom to kitchen without going outdoors!!!!! Simple things - nothing fancy!!!!!! Also will have to give up eating!!!!!! But you know - we are not really eating HUGE quantities of stuff - but enough to keep up going.
Like today - that wind was so fierce, I was running out of gas in the afternoon. Had to stop and eat something. Then it was time for a pit stop in the woods because there was no other place. When I got to camp and went to the washroom, HMMMM - I found leaves in my shorts. Oooops - I guess I am out of practice since Northern Ontario. Then we were back on the road, but about 8K from camp, Neil found a small place where we could have pie and ice cream. What the heck - we have worked our butts off so we stopped!!!!!!!
There was lobster on the menu tonight, but I just had the pasta - I am NOT a bit lobster fan. And we had a couple of TdC vets (from 2008) stop by - we spent quite a bit of time chatting with them.
Time for bed - well not really, but the mosquitos are so bad, the only place to get away from them is in the tent. So here I am typing away and hopefully I can pick up the WiFi signal and post this blog. Otherwise - tomorrow.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!
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