Tomorrow we'll be done at Mile 1, and we'll shed a tear - oh, oh, oh at Mile Zero 000

SNM Tour Day #77

As predicted this was an absolutely miserable wet, extremely windy day.  Given that we pushed hard yesterday to do extra mileage, we were well ahead of the game.  The weather report literally said "wind gusting to 50 km, gusting to 70 km, gusting to 90 km".  On the run I did go head on into winds while going uphill and I was nearly stopped in my tracks. I just kept moving my feet, refusing to stop or walk and eventually completed the run, soaken wet (with sweat) and hoping/praying/begging the road to change direction even a little as I knew cycling against this head wind would be impossible.  As it did repeatedly all tour, nature and geography were kind when I needed it and I was able to complete the morning on the outskirts of St John's as planned - wet (now from rain) and feeling that even this short mileage gave me an honest, good hard workout.  

Today on the highway we met Wayne Morris, who stopped me to chat.  He had suffered a brain tumour and abscess and was disabled for two years. He told me that he walked/ran across the province of Newfoundland in 1981 and in his life he had met Rick Hansen, Terry Fox's parents, among others who had trekked across the country over the years.  It was very interesting to meet him and hear some of his stories - I wish him all the best.

 

Thanks again to Vanessa from Arnold's Cove for her generosity.  We wish her all the best in the future - and who knows when our paths may meet again out west!  

How Vanessa looks so fresh and we looked so rough this morning is beyond me!

Tomorrow we will do the ceremonial 16 km ride along the outskirts of the city, into downtown. The final destination will likely be threefold, let me explain.  While in Victoria - Mile 0 is well known, well demarcated and well represented with a mile 0 placard and Terry Fox statue...St John's is the polar opposite.  Where the Trans Canada Highway officially ends depends on who you talk to (and even the locals aren't quite sure it seems). There is a "Mile 1" - which is a brand new arena complex.  There is also the end of the Trans Canada at the St John's City Hall on New Gower St - which is essentially right next to "Mile 1".  Both these locations are a few blocks from the ocean in essentially an industrial harbour area which is not at all friendly to the public.  A bit farther down there actually is a exceedingly modest (I'm being kind) Mile 0 monument to Terry Fox which is unmarked from the road, hidden in a tiny grassy area (not a park) just off a nondescript parking lot of the Port Authority Building.  This is also completely fenced off by barbed wire to the ocean - so I would absolutely be unable to access the water here (was obviously quite different when Terry started here 30 years ago).  Close by, there is an actual Harbourside Park which has statues of dogs and memorial placards and most importantly some access albeit extremely limited and tricky to the actual Atlantic Ocean - this is where I will dip my bike tire if I don't kill myself pulling off this manoeuver.  So to summarize, we will cycle in (hopefully with police escort) starting at 10:00 tomorrow am from exit 41A (connection between the TCH and Pitts Memorial Drive) and doing photo-ops at 4 different locations (all of which are sort of the official end of the SAD no more Tour).  We are not trying to extend the ending, it's just St John's - go figure!!

Tour Day Sponsors are Evan, Camille, Charmaine and Sullivan Strong of Calgary - thanks so much for the encouragement and very very generous support.

Random Quotes of the Day

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Larry Elder 

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

Jimmy Dean

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.

Frank A Clark

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

C.S. Lewis

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.

Edmund Hillary 

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul.  Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

Pamela Vaull Starr

 

So after 2 years of planning, almost 3 months on the road and 7600 km of running and cycling - we make a little bit of history tomorrow in St John's Newfoundland - WOOOHOOO!!!!

gusting up to 90 km an hour - really...............