Wednesday September 4, 2013. Day 87

Whitbourne to St. John’s

As Isy has said, we have finally run out of road! After 7,340 km, we are at the end of our journey. We are tired and elated and can’t quite believe we have actually done this!

We arrived in St. John’s after 7 hours of some of the hardest cycling we’ve done so far. We fled the motel early and went next door to Robin’s Donuts for “breakfast”, then pedaled off on the #1 (TCH), continuing across the hilly Avalon Peninsula, under leaden skies and with winds gusting to 60 km/hr. After 30 km, the road turned south, the headwind was ferocious and it began to rain. We passed the sign to Cupids, the first English colony in Canada, founded in 1610. For the last third of the ride, we were heading northeast, so the wind was easier, although strong cross winds frequently threatened to blow us over. Turning on to the #2, we finally began a long and welcomed ascent towards our final destination.

We will spend the next couple of days sight-seeing, resting, organizing the shipment of our bikes back to Vancouver and generally reflecting on and celebrating what we have accomplished. We fly home on Saturday. We will do a post-script in a day or two. Thank you to all our family and friends for your constant support and encouragement, beds, meals, biscotti, Rice Krispie squares, granola bars, afternoon tea, flowers, etc. etc. It has meant a lot to both of us!

We remain on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq People.


 

9 thoughts on “Wednesday September 4, 2013. Day 87”

  1. Congratulations! You guys are so AWESOME! We’re filled with guilt as we sit on our deck drinking wine. However, you’ve only done two coasts. There’s a third one! We’ll meet you in Inuvik next summer. You bike, we’ll drive! Ha!ha!

  2. Many congratulations, make sure you have a well earned rest and if want to go anywhere take a taxi!

  3. Congratulations! We’re so pleased to read that you’ve finally finished the journey, although we never had any doubts that you’d get there. Thanks for allowing us to share a little bit of the adventure with you. Have a great rest in St John’s. Hope you’re looking forward to getting home to guaranteed good expresso nearby every morning!

  4. Congratulations!! We are in awe of your accomplishment. You are an example to us all but it is one that we have no intention of following.

    Thanks for stopping in to see us. It was the highlight of our summer. We will return the visit but by plane.

  5. Congratulations, guys. Quite an accomplishment! After following your blog I can’t drive down a highway without noticing the width and condition of the shoulder.

  6. congratulations! It is indeed a bittersweet end to this amazing journey as I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and now you have left me wanting more!! Well done! You have much to be proud of–oh, the stories you will have to share with your grand kids!,

  7. Wow, amazing stuff! So when will you be publishing “A guide to finding espresso anywhere in Canada”?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *