August 30, 2003
Day 1: Chicago to Halifax (mostly via airplane)
My flight departed Chicago O'Hare airport at 9 AM on Air Canada which provided a huge plastic bag and charged US$50 for the bike. I had to change planes and go through Canadian customs in Montreal. My bike didn't show up at Montreal, so I submitted a claim form. I was very surprised when the bike appeared at the baggage claim area in Halifax. It took me almost 2 hours to get the bike, assemble it, and change clothes. I got on the road at 5:30 PM under overcast skies with a temperature of about 20C (68F). I got on the 102 expressway and went 5 km AWAY from Halifax, all downhill to the Highway 2 exit. Then I rode on quiet highway 2 into Halifax. The road goes through countryside for a while and then starts to have more and more houses, especially along the many lakes.
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In suburban Bedford I stopped at a Canadian Tire store to buy a liter of fuel for my stove. Then I continued into the city as it got gradually darker. It was completely dark by the time I got to the Halifax International Hostel at 8:20 PM. The hostel is in an interesting neighborhood on the south end of downtown, 2 blocks from the railway station and Dalhousie University. The woman who runs the office was on her 'lunch break' and said she wouldn't check me in until 9 PM. She also told me the hostel had no secure place to store my bike. And she said I would be evicted if I brought my sleeping bag into the bunkroom. That didn't exactly put me into a good mood. I locked by bike to a railing behind the hostel and walked away (in my cycling shoes and clothes) in the darkness to find dinner. I ended up eating a Subway sandwich near the downtown waterfront, and then went back to the hostel to check in. They stored my sleeping bag in a closet behind the office and I carried all my other gear into the bunkroom and changed into 'street' clothes. I walked 4 doors down the street and went into 'Bearly's' blues club, which had a very good blues band. I sat at the bar drinking Alexander Keith's honey brown ales and danced a few times with two friendly women sitting next to me at the smoke-free bar (smoking is banned in all public places in Nova Scotia). The lead singer in the blues band was a very old guy in a wheelchair. The women said they have been going to see him for more than 30 years! I left at 12:40 AM (10:40 PM in Chicago), went back to the hostel and slept soundly despite the street noise in the open window right next to my head.
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While biking into Halifax I was passed by another touring cyclist who had just flown in from Toronto. In the Hostel I met 3 other touring cyclists - one from Brasil, one from London Ontario, and one from California.
Distance: 53.3 km (33.3 mi)
Average speed: 22.2 km/h (13.9 mph)
Maximum speed: 54.4 km/h (34 mph)
Climbing: 207m (683 ft)
Hiking: walked about 2 km (1.25 mi) in downtown Halifax
Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 53 km (33 miles)
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