August 7 - Day 92

I had a creepy thought last night. What if I die today? There is a certain story-logic to it. I die just before my very first legitimate publication. The one thing I've been waiting for all my life: validation. I die without ever having seen it, just short of the Atlantic Coast. Everyone I know reads the article thinking I'm still alive, and is not only happy, but for the first time in their eyes I'm viewed as a "real" writer. Only days later would the tragic truth be revealed. Sounds like the basis for a short story.

Here's hoping art doesn't decide to imitate life.

I left my poem to my benefactors a per my custom, with an extra verse added:

Though I miss you already

I must be on my way

But you'll see me again

This coming Saturday!

Thank you all!

Noah

Onward...

Had planned to stop after 50k, but missed the turn off I wanted and instead waited for 75k. So I'm about half way done for the day, and it's only 12:30. Not bad, considering I left late and had an interview with a fireman before I left Edmundston.

Stopped in Grand Falls at a McDonnalds. Though I didn't want to spend any money on food anymore (having enough in my bags I'm certain), I nevertheless couldn't resist the siren's call of the McChicken at half price. There is a Shopper's Drug Mart here which opens in a half hour (today is a holiday), so I'm hoping to mail off my Quebec package today, if only to lighten my load.

You see the problem today isn't rain, but a kind of fog. It's not true fog but a super-light drizzle, I think. It obscures vision after kilometer or so, but it also noticeably sticks to you and your clothes, whereas regular fog usually doesn't. Hopefully it will pass soon. But at least it keeps me cool.

Time spent cycling: 7:36:00 hours

Distance traveled: 155.91 km

Total distance: 5385 km

Average Speed: 20.5 kph

Maximum speed: 60.9 kph

Current Location: backyard in Bristol.

When I got to Perth-Andover, I rested at a tourist information center, where I found out there was another stretch of bike trail that went all the way to Fredericton! I was excited at the prospect of taking a peaceful scenic trail once more...

I nearly wrecked my bike. The road was terrible, lots of rocks and I'm sure something isn't aligned properly now because of it. Eventually I went off it, and followed the 105 highway to Bristol, where I now stay.

It's weird, but it never really felt like I was on the road for nearly 8 hours today. What's worse is how little ground I covered as a result. On a better day I would have done nearly 200 kilometers. Oh well, seems like I might be slowed down a bit more than I expected. I'll have to live with that.

There is the possibility that my journey will take exactly 100 days to complete. I figure 3 more days in New Brunswick, 1 day in P.E.I., 2 in Nova Scotia and one to get to St. Johns... that's day 99. So add another day for unexpected slow downs and it's 100. That would be somewhat fitting for the book I would think. Whether it works out that way is another matter.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea makes me wish I had a map and cartography instruments. There are a lot of details given as to location and direction, as if Verne wants you to follow along on a map. The same was true of Around the World in 80 Days. I wonder if those books were ever printed including a map to follow with?

These clouds are a benefit in that they keep me cool, for the first time in ages I've had to wear my sweater. But at the same time they do make things a little depressing as well. It's suppose to rain tonight and tomorrow morning, but after that only clouds until Thursday, when it's supposed to rain throughout the weekend. While I feel confident about the short range forecast, anything past 2 days is met with suspicion. Hopefully the rain will not come. I just don't need it.