June 18, 2015
Middleton, NS to Windsor, NS
Today was a day that started great and ended great. All good things come to those who bike. Touring really teaches you a lot about yourself and how to interact with the world. This is a lesson I have been learning since 1988, when I took my first tour through France. It's not for everyone, but it's been everything for me and has contributed significantly to my success in life. My only regret (were I to have any) is that I wish I had done more. And I have done a lot by many standards. But hell, I'm only 60 . . . let's keep going!
I guess I am being philosophical. We are one day from our stated goal: Halifax. But the trip will continue as we pedal to Yarmouth for the ferry to Portland. And then I will break away from Happy and bike to Sunderland, Vermont, to see some special friends . . . it has been too long since. So today was a great day on many levels. And transitional as well.
Number one goal today was to have my bike checked out. It had been making unruly noises since Pembroke or so and giving me little peace of mind. I thought I might get it looked at in St John, but that did not work out. Then we went to Digby (with no relief), and finally we were on our way to Kentville, which had the next known bike shop, Valley Stove and Cycle. Pickings here are pretty slim. So I called ahead yesterday, and they said they would try and squeeze me in. If I got there early!
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
So not having made it to Kingston (see yesterday), we rose EARLY. I mean, like . . . we were on the road at 7:00 AM Atlantic Time (6:00 AM for you east coasters). Jerry would be so proud of us! But then, Kentville was 30 miles hence, and we had to be there by 11:00 AM, so time was of the essence.
We had hoped to get breakfast at a local diner, but it was closed (permanently closed), so we pushed the six or seven miles on to Kingston, knowing there was a Tim Hortons there. But better yet, we found the Green Elephant Cafe was open with a full breakfast, so we settled in there. We probably lingered a bit long but were on our way to Kentville by 9:00 or so.
And the 24 remaining miles to Kentville were quite nice. Less views of the river and more views of the agriculture that is predominant in this part of Nova Scotia.
As we got closer to Kentville, traffic picked up, and the surroundings became more urban. I quickly found the bike store and noted we had arrived at about 10:50 . . . not bad!
Valley Stove and Cycle sells stoves and bikes. You have to be creative in Nova Scotia if you want to make a buck. Or a Canadian dollar, for that matter. After discussing the problem with Bill and doing some diagnostics, he determined that the drive chain needed replacing (it wore out that fast since leaving Connecticut — all those hills will do it on a fully loaded bike).
But after a test ride, the noise still did not go away, and we finally deduced it to be the bottom bracket (last replaced in Florida and reset when in Arlington). After a second test ride, that seemed to solve the problem. Bill was a great guy throughout and very generous with his time. If ever in Kentville, drop by and give him a hello.
So with problem solved, I enjoyed the ride to Windsor. It was a little tough getting out of town, but by the time we were past Wolfville, traffic was pretty much nonexistent, and the terrain was rolling countryside.
I hadn't really planned this alternate route out to the level of detail I normally do, so when we reached the Cornwallis River, our only option for crossing was to use NS-101. We had done a similar adventure the day before, and there was an exit on the far side that would take us back to NS-1, so away we went.
We were now only ten miles from Windsor, and there were many options for finding our way besides NS-1, so we tried this one parallel to the major highway we just left.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
After that, we stayed on NS-1, passing through small communities and farmland. Our accommodations were modest, the Avon River Motel, which had a certain rustic appeal to it and sat right adjacent to the Avon River.
Afterward, we walked across the river and celebrated at The Spitfire Arms Alehouse, which was clearly the center of activity in town.
Tomorrow: Halifax!
Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 2,978 miles (4,793 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 0 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |