North America

I have finalised the last of the tasks I needed to get done, and with possible rain forecast for Monday, I will be leaving tomorrow (Sunday). I packed all my gear into my trailer yesterday as a final test pack and will take it out for a 20km ride this afternnon, following the Trans Canada Trail loop that circumscribes Stanley Park and the seawall trail.

I have started to get in some kms around Vancouver before I start my trip west on the 10th or 11th. On Monday (4th) I did a lap of Stanley Park with a friend to watch the sunset. I did some riding around town on Tuesday and Thursday finalising some things. On Wednesday  afernoon I had a good ride from Vancouver up to Whytecliff Park and back, a little over 60km and a little under 2 hours.

After having three days with amazing friends at Farm Sanctuary and around Ithaca - a very friendly place for vegans, I packed my trailer and headed into the Ithaca co-op around 8am. After grabbing a 'breakfast burrito' and a couple muffins I said my final goodbyes.
The day had not started as well as one would wish - my cycling shoes were nowhere to be found in the hotel room where I had stayed with friends. There was little I could do but wear my sneakers and push off. Luckily I have picked up some $3 the plastic inserts (that normally come with new bikes/clipless pedals) before I left Hamilton - if I did not have these I was destined to have very sore feet.

I arose a little before 5am — after a very broken, sticky sleep. After packing my gear, l departed a little before 5:30, deciding to give the NY State bike route (i.e. road riding) another attempt. I headed south to bike route 5/highway 31A. I followed this to Spencerport before detouring a little south, then east following route markers and trying to avoid Rochester. I ended up on highway 252A/252 and followed this through to Pittford.
I changed to highway 96, heading southeast, and stopping for breakfast around 9am (3 hours, 70km) on the south side of the Erie Canal. It was a nice post to have a short rest and some welcome food in the company of some local ducks.