This is a video I made when I arrived at Peggy’s Cove. Enjoy!

Greetings again from Halifax!

I’ve been here for more than three weeks due to my financial predicament but it appears it has come to a close as I have a flight home.

As it was not my intention to end my trip in such a tight spot, hoping beyond hope that sponsorship would come through, I turned myself into a charity case in the process.

While I was here in Halifax, I pondered on the events of my trip and how friends, family and strangers literally helped me cross the finish line by their support. I call it true charity; something given unconditionally. This was something I wasn’t expecting to be receiving unto myself and was the main driving force behind my cause.

I had hoped that the many businesses I asked would help me on my journey. Heninger Toyota in Calgary was the only business to jump on board and I appreciate it very much. I felt I still had a chance to show that true charity still exists amoungst businesses by asking around here in Halifax. So I would like to thank the Halifax Backpackers for letting me stay for free by working for my stay. Also, at my stay at the hostel, Global National interviewed me on my cause and my situation. It aired a few days ago, and I’m not quite sure what angle they took on the story, but my intention was to raise awareness for local food banks and their necessity in helping those in need.

SHAW GMC has bailed me out by paying for a plane ticket home and covering some expenses. They even offered my job back when I get there; something I was certainly concerned about given my current situation. I want to say thanks to them as well!

The Atlantica Hotel here in Halifax offered me 2 free nights and all the staff I spoke to there were quite friendly and eager to help me. I need to acknowledge their support as well and say thanks. I enjoyed my stay there and would recommend the Atlantica to anyone. Awesome pool, hot-tub and sauna!

So with true charity existing in business, as I have experienced, I believe we have hope as a people in Canada, regardless of our situation. There are good people here doing good things and if you don’t believe me, just ask me and I’ll tell you my stories.

In closing, I must say that not many people would or could cycle their way across Canada and certainly fewer would put themselves in such a risk to achieve it. I accomplished my goal but am humbled in the process. As much of an individual effort it was for me to reach the end, there is no way I could have done this on my own. Thanks to you all who supported me in various ways; I know you know who you are.

I will be in Calgary this week after a long absence. Life will not be the same. Some things will be easier; others more difficult. The one constant that remains is my faith the God can pull me through. He proved it.

I knew right at the moment my brother decided not to continue that there would be consequences greater than just having to carry the 4-man tent. With my budget blown right out the window, as the person I was splitting everything with faded from view, I thought I would just be able to pull through and get home. I was wrong. And it may have been my doubled appetite that did it; something I didn’t anticipate. But there could be a million reasons why I find myself strapped for cash and a plane ticket home.

My goal was to raise awareness for the Calgary Food Bank and I believe I have done that, though I don’t feel like that job is yet finished. I set out to bike across the country and reach Peggy’s Cove and I have accomplished that. My goal was also to raise some money for the food bank and cover my costs by way of sponsorship and from those who are connected to me. Oddly enough, I did accomplish that as well, but the difference wasn’t near enough to cover my costs or even split anything with the Calgary Food Bank; a job I feel is unfinished and an enigma I hope to solve.

Just because I touched the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove with my bare hand does not mean that I am done. I have a passion for helping people and though my dream of using this trip as a way to do so seems lost, I have hope that with the power of an accomplishment of a lifetime, my voice can be heard. It might also be an interesting story for a man to journey across the country for the food bank and then have to use it himself when he returns.

I’m currently residing in a hostel in Halifax and resting. As each day goes by, I get closer to the end of my rope and into unknown territory. I am a ressourceful man and I believe I still have a few ways to spread the word and afford a plane ticket home. Quite literally I would not have finished this trip if it wasn’t for those who donated. I am also quite sure that I would not have finished this trip if it weren’t for the thoughts and prayers of all of you.

I am very much alive and well at this point. I do what I can do and always have hope. The future looks filled with obstacles, but so did the horizon between Vancouver and Peggy’s Cove. I lived and will continue to live. Your concern for my well-being is appreciated but do not worry for me, pray for me. I leave you with these words for now with the promise of words to follow in the days to come and an update of the remaining days of my trip.

Enjoy these pictures for now:

Hello all, as I sit here in the visitor centre at Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, I am pressed for time, so can’t update my journal yet… I’ll also try and get Matt to update the map… Oh yeah… almost forgot… I’m DONE!!! I rolled into Peggy’s Cove around 4:00 pm on October the 1st… I stayed and watched the sunset, took a zillion pictures (to be added later) and got some congratulations from the tourists… Last night I camped by the water here and then woke up to see a cloudless night filled with stars and then sat on the rocks to watch a beautiful sunrise…

Today and the next few days I have a plan to cause a media stir in Halifax about my trip… I tried to do this yesterday but was told that that Priest story has taken precedent over everything, but if it had been any other day… sigh… If nothing happens, then I’m on my way back to Vancouver to pick up my vehicle and then driving home to Calgary…

To all of you who helped me on this trip, you must know how much I appreciate your support in every way… And to those of you waiting to hear from me, please be patient as obviously I have a lot to accomplish here as my trip wraps up…

It’s been an amazing journey, I feel great and I’m out of money;) God is faithful and my first ever lobster experience leaves me saying, “Meh…” As I stood on the rocks behind the lighthouse watching the ocean spray, the sun was shining, the birds were soaring overhead, the wind was blowing through my hitchhiker-ish hair and beard combo and I’ve never looked so good in bike shorts…

Details to follow in the days to come…

Yes I visited Green Gables, and you can make fun of me later;) I’m just on the run here but the trip is wrapping up soon! PEI was half interesting and half fighting bad weather and let’s just say I have some stories to tell…

Today I biked through my first chunk of Nova Scotia and spent most of the day climbing hills against the strongest wind I’ve had in a while, but the day wasn’t all bad: I stopped to pluck some apples from a tree hanging over a fence at a farm and had some cows run over from across the field and protect it… Then they chased me beside the fence as I left… I had a perfect moment in a section of old highway where there is a gauntlet of trees on either side, every color of autumn, the wind died down and provided a soothing breeze, the slope was slight enough for me to just coast down hill not too fast or slow, there were no bugs, no cars and the pavement was free of rocks and pot-holes… Ahhhhh, a perfect moment…

Later I met a lady named Gerda who wears a vest and carries a stop sign to help kids cross the road and she invited me into her home for supper and a bed to sleep in… Two hours later we were climbing through a tunnel with water rushing past as she showed me Wentworth Falls and the long straight hole it creates through the mountain (one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, other than bike across the country)

I plan to arrive in Peggy’s Cove on October 1st, probably later in the day, but certainly before dark… It’s hard to believe the trip is almost over, I don’t know if I want to stop! But it will be nice to relax again and throw away some of the things I’ve been toting around for almost three months that are almost useless and falling apart but still just useable enough to keep…

Anyways, I’ve got some tough decisions to make in the next week, so please pray for me and keep me in your thoughts… I have to rely on some miracles here, but that’s really the story of this trip…

God Bless

Jordan

Hey All, I’m going to make this short and sweet as I am pressed for time, but I am in Moncton, New Brunswick right now with my uncle’s sister (which usually means your mom, unless not blood related- which is the case here) and her husband (Trudy + Gary Steeves)… I am within a day’s ride of the bridge that crosses over to PEI!

In my last post I estimated that I’d finish my trip on September 30th, well that still might be the case, but I’m leaning towards October 1st…

Anyways, here’s what’s happened:

Day 78: Saint-Leonard to Woodstock: Woke up. Ate breakfast. Used kettle provided by motel instead of my camp stove. Oatmeal was, well, oatmeal, but added some milk provided by motel. Ate muffin provided by motel. Drank coffee provided by motel. Motel was cheap but good and kind. Left in the cold of a new cloudy day. Put on new gloves bought a few days before. Hands warm. Laughed at weiner dog chasing me. Sun comes out. Gloves no longer needed, after an hour. Haven’t put them back on since. Good investment. Take back road to Grand Falls. Pass by farm with one, no two, oh crap, three large dogs who decide to chase me. They nip at my heels and try to run me off the road. I yell at them to go home and show no fear. They listen. I pass through Grand Falls and cross over giant bridge to get to another back road. Ate lunch which included chocolate covered almonds. Got back on road and enjoyed a beautiful ride by the river with the multi-colored autumn trees. Made it to Woodstock. In New Brunswick, not the concert in 1969. Set up tent. Talked with french lady. Ate supper. Called mom. Forgot flashlight. Searched for tent. Found tent. Went to sleep.

Day 79: Woodstock to Fredericton: Woke up super early. Got packed up. Skipped breakfast… because I saw a Smitty’s on my way through the night before. Ate french toast and bacon. A luxury. Got out of town early. Took the main highway (which is new and awesome) and climbed hills. Giant hills. No relief in the middle. Straight climb. Didn’t stop. Surprised myself. Many kilometers up hill. Determination was the key. And the prospect of eating more chocolate covered almonds. No incidents to speak of. Made it to campground in Fredericton. Met two older ladies on bikes, one of which was from Whitehorse and knew Malkolm (the 17 year old I rode with in Ontario). The other lady graciously offered me dinner at her place. I accepted. We rode to her house. I ate and drank to my heart’s content. I had apple crisp. And then more apple crisp. Good conversation. Said thanks and left before it was too dark. Rode back to tent. Had shower. Had sleep.

Day 80: Fredericton to Gagetown: Woke up and ate. Got packed up and left. Rode through downtown and finished errands. Took pictures and ate lunch by the river. Left town and took the back roads. Back roads were busy and narrow. Weather was cloudy and windy. I was unhappy and frustrated. Should have taken main highway and gotten further sooner. Made it to campground outside Gagetown and set up tent. Ate dinner and met a nice couple. They offered me pork and peas with rice. I showered and planned to use the pay phone. The payphone was a deathtrap and surrounded by at least ten large spiders. A picture would not have done it justice and all I can say is that I decided not to use the phone, after staring in awe for five minutes. I went to bed thinking about the phone of death and then the rain woke me. I just used the word “and” in every sentence in this paragraph and I don’t know why.

Day 81: Gagetown to Moncton: I woke up just as the rain was subsiding. I didn’t get much sleep because I was tossing and turning. Apparently (I say apparently but really I knew and was too lazy to do anything) I set up on uneven ground and kept rolling off my sleeping mat. Well I sucked it up and got out to make breakfast. I packed upand got out in decent time. I dressed in my rain gear and not too far down the road I changed out of my rain gear. Then it rained. I put on half my rain gear. It stopped raining. I kept on half my rain gear and got hot and started to sweat. I took off the remaining rain gear and the sun dipped behind the clouds. Then I found something to distract me from the weather.

It was the trees. Up until this point I had only caught glimpses of the vibrant colors of autumn. Today I passed such deep reds and oranges and golden yellows they took my breath away. I admired the beauty and felt better about my day. I rode far and fast. I cruised my way to within 30 km of Moncton and stopped at a gas station where I met a member of the skinhead gang in Calgary who was hitchhiking. I gained some perspective on the troubles Calgary has with gang wars in a place almost as far as I can be from Calgary on this trip.

I continued onwards and made it to Trudy and Gary’s place. They welcomed me with arms wide open and fed me too much good food. I showered in the most awesome high-pressure shower ever and did my laundry. I put on my Quebec Nordiques t-shirt and got comfortable and talked sports with Gary. As the evening got late I went to bed and watched sports centre briefly on the TV in my room. As my eyes began to close I turned off the TV and reached for the lamp. That’s the last thing I remembered, until I woke up 6 hours later in the same position, covers and sheets still neatly placed and my bare feet hanging off the end of the bed. Apparently I was tired. Well I got under the covers and got more comfortable. Naturally, at this point, I found it hard to sleep. Sigh.

Day 82: In Moncton: Today is a miserable, rainy, windy and cold day and I have some important financial business to take care of so Trudy and Gary offered their place for another night. Gladly accepted over a large breakfast of champions. Tomorrow is the trek to the bridge… to PEI…

*ALERT* To whom it may concern: I plan to be in Peggy’s Cove on September 30th… This is a rough estimate, so give or take a few days, but for all the ladies planning to meet me there for hugs and kisses, be warned: you must proceed in an orderly fashion… Security will be present for crowd control and pictures with me will be available after the show… Ahem… Sorry, just a little wishful thinking there… OK, actually I plan to be completely alone aside from God’s presence shining from the clouds, the whales swimming by, the eagles soaring overhead, the rabbits and deer and wolves and bears emerging from the trees in perfect unity, the love of my life standing on the rocks with her long hair blowing in the wind as the ocean tide splashes over the rocky shore… Yikes! Sorry, there I go again… Hmmmm, maybe I need therapy… or a Skor Blizzard…

So apparently northern New Brunswick is just an extention of Quebec… I did see my first Canadian flag though, as I exited Quebec, and I thought of it as a worm on a hook… like, “Sure, we love Canada, look at our giant flag!”… and then you never see it again… But there are a lot of good people there, so I respect their right to be unique, and make poutine… glorious, glorious poutine…

Anyways, northern New Brunswick is entirely Francais… So as I just got used to using my french, it seems I’ll be using it longer than I thought… (by the way, I’ve been complimented 3 different times on my french, and a few times people were suprised to hear me speak english! Not bad for only having to speak french twice in 9 years… Maybe I should work for the CIA…)

So here’s the Quebec story:

Day 70: Hawkesbury to Montreal: I woke up early. Showered. Went downstairs and said good morning to Marie. She greeted me with tea and toast and eggs and fruit and oatmeal and a smile. I gladly accepted them all. We spoke long but it was good conversation and then I got packed up and ready to go. She prayed for me as I left and get this: she tells me I look good with my beard! Never had I expected such words to be spoken. I mean it’s allright, but I’ve never thought I could grow a spectacular beard like my dad. Well I guess this is good enough. Maybe I’ll keep it. (I don’t think she was just saying it to be nice either because we spoke about that compliment in some detail afterwords:)

I said my thank you’s and goodbye’s and using the details of the stranger I met the night before I wound my way through what was left of Ontario and through a sneaky little back road I entered Quebec. As I crossed into the world of french, I wasn’t expecting to see any signs to welcome me, but there was a little Quebec sign (in my pictures) and then my first “Arret” sign, which as I mentioned earlier, is supposed to mean stop, but nobody really seems to actually stop here in Quebec.

I then found the streets that would turn into “La Route Verte” which means Green Route, or Green Lane, but anyway it is a path for bikes to follow all through Quebec… It is a series of side-roads, or major roads with bike lanes or actual bike paths all conected to get you anywhere in Quebec you want to go… Very cool… So I followed the streets and paths into Montreal with ease and enjoyed the very noticeable change in culture, with the closely built houses, the numerous trees and the lack of fences…

As I made my way to the hotel (had to stay in one in Montreal) I passed by Place Jacques-Cartier which is where I enjoyed the best poutine I’ve ever had, about three years ago while I was in Montreal for one of many work contracts. After settling at the hotel, which wasn’t far, I made my way down for some poutine and practiced my french. I made short conversations with those I encountered, but managed to put a plate of steaming fries, gravy and curds in front of me. It was sublime, but not as good as I remembered. I then made my way back to the hotel (where there is a very nice lady at the counter:) and there was a group of tourists gathered around the TV there wacthing a movie. I joined them for a bit and had much free popcorn. I made my way back to my room and watched the Bears lose to the Packers. Ugh. I showered. I snacked. I slept.

Day 71: Montreal to Louiseville: Woke up late. Left late. But I did enjoy my free breakfast which included multiple croissants with melted cheese and jam. Said goodbye to the same nice lady at the counter who just happened to be working the morning after working the late shift. I got back on the trails in Montreal and tried to leave the city. For those of you who haven’t been to Montreal, it is a LARGE city and I spent half of my day winding through residential areas until I crossed the river. But on my way through I passed by a school where the kids were outside for recess. Through the chain-link fence, I could see I was approaching a group of kids, one of which was watching me intently. As I passed by, he got into a running position and took off! He was trying to race me along the fence all the way to the end. I took the challenge and kicked it into high gear with a devious look on my face. I passed the young man and just as I turned the corner at record speed, I could see the look of surprise/joy/defeat on his face. That’s right, I win.

I crossed the river and made it to Celine-Dion-ville. It’s not actually called that, I think it’s Charlemagne or something like that, but they have multiple shrines, signs and businesses dedicated to her and it’s no wonder she’s so high on herself; these people worship her! I got through the creepy town and made it to the outside of civilization and the start of farmer towns. It’s difficult to describe the beauty out there, but Quebec’s beauty really begins to show its colors when you exit the big city. Many trees and quaint homes scattered across corn fields and the like make up my field of view. I made it to Louiseville as the sun was going down and planned for Quebec City the next day.

Day 72: Louiseville to Levis: Woke up early. Really early. Left really early. I knew I had a lot of ground to cover, but I didn’t anticipate how long it would take to get there. I actually had some contacts in Levis, or more specifically, Pintendre, which is right across the river from Quebec City. Their names are Troy and Lorilee Weisner and they have four children. I found a phone to use and let them know what time I planned to be there. Lorilee said she would have dinner prepared for me. Sweet! After a good coversation with my parents, I made it to Trois Rivieres which has roads that look like an earthquake went through. I hit a large bump so bad that my front handlebar bag flew off, breaking the clips that hold it in. I had to go to Canadian Tire to buy a strap to keep it on.

I made it to Subway for lunch. At least if you go to a restaurant you can just point to something on the menu, but here was my first big challenge in french: ordering a sandwich. It was lunch hour so the lines were long and the french was flying back and forth around the room. I got up to the counter and tried my best to order, well it turned out that my accent was a problem and my vocabulary wasn’t quite up to par yet. I ended up pointing at stuff and nodding and as people stood in awe of the english speaking man who needs food. The lady “sandwich-artist” was actually very kind and accomodating and if there was one thing I learned it was to try speaking with their accent and remember as much vocabulary as I could. I got my sandwich though, but what a nightmare!

I realized a few hours down the road that time was ticking and so I phoned Troy and told him I would be late. At this point, I mist say, that I am quite fit now, compared to the beginning of the trip and my energy amazes me everyday, yet I still felt the need to settle for my good old tasty friend: the green Monster energy drink. Boom, down the hatch. Eyes popping, ready for a heart explosion. Well the drink probably did nothing other than give me a rush, but I didn’t even think about the kilometers passing by, I just rode. Up hills, against the wind, in the dark, it did not matter.

It was quite dark when I got to Quebec City but it wasn’t too late…yet. So I tried several ways to try and cross the river, but every route I took I was greeted with signs telling me I can’t bike there. Frustrated, I found a Mcdonald’s and phoned Troy asking him to pick me up. That’s right, I cheated. Although technically all the extra biking around I did would make up for the distance to Troy and Lorilee’s house but it was getting late and I had to make a decision. So this man whom I’ve never met comes to pick up this strange and crazy bike guy and him and his wife invite me into their home to offer me a plate of excellent food and a room to sleep in before heading to bed themselves. Thanks for your hospitality you guys! You are awesome. I can’t believe I tried to go as far as I did that day, but I made it to the house and that was enough for me. I ate. I slept in a nice comfy bed.

Day 73: Quebec City: I decided to take a day to rest after all the distance I covered the day before. I awoke to the sound of TSN sports centre and was up right quick. It’s Troy’s morning tradition to eat breakfast and watch sports. Me too! So I got a variety of breakfast items and watched and talked sports. Afterwords, Lorilee told me she was planning on going to visit a friend and she could drop me off at the ferry which goes to old Quebec City. A great way to enjoy the day I figured, so I accepted. Good thing too, because it was amazing. From the moment I arrived after the short ferry ride, the sun was shining and the place was bustling with tourists but not too many tourists.

I walked around for three hours and saw all I could see. I snapped pictures like never before and absorbed as much of the rich culture, architecture and atmsphere as I could. It reminds me of being in Europe and they do a really good job of keeping everything clean and beautiful. A lot of old Quebec is located on a hill with cliffs, so you can climb your way through the narrow roads and see all the old buildings, or you can ride a tram-car if you want. I walked. One thing that is quite evident with the french culture here, is their catholic churches. So many giant, beautiful and old churches dedicated to numerous saints are scattered accross old Quebec and for the most part, the whole province.

I needed to get back to the ferry, but before I did I bought a Quebec Nordiques T-shirt, which I can justify because if you’ve ever seen my pictures of me in Egypt, I was wearing my friends’ Winnipeg Jets T-shirt because the airplane lost my luggage. So I decided I will only wear anything Oilers related and anything from a dead franchise:) I love hockey!

The ferry took me back over the river and I still had some time before I was getting picked up so I went over to a small place called Capitaine’s and ordered their “mini” poutine. Well it wasn’t mini (good thing I didn’t order a large) but it was the best poutine I’ve ever had. It blew my montreal poutine experience right out of the water. If you ever get a chance to go to Levis, go to where the ferry takes off and check out Capitaine’s. So good. Multi-layered in heart-stopping goodness. Hey, I can burn it off, remember? Ha!

Well I got picked up, made it back to the house and met the kids. We enjoyed dinner together and then made our way to their favorite icecream place. I can’t remember the name but they serve soft-serve icecream in many flavours and then cover it in a thick and hard shell of either milk or dark chocolate. I ordered a medium maple icecream covered in dark chocolate. So good. Muli-layered in diabetic goodness. I can burn it off, remember?

Back at the house I got what I needed to get done, except for finish my blogging. But as I was blogging, Tim came down (the third oldest) and gave me $7 dollars of his own money for my cause. I didn’t know what to say, that’s a lot of money for a 6 year-old and I didn’t know how often he gets money. I graciously accepted and made sure he knew how thankful I was by leaving a note on his bed as I left the next morning. So I went to bed late because I was still blogging but had a great day.

Day 74: Levis to Riviere-Ouelle: I woke up early enough. Ate a big breakfast as Lorilee continued to offer me more food and I accepted. I got packed up and said goodbye to the amazing Weisner family (thanks again you guys!). I made my way to the river and got back on La Route Verte and noticed the wind wasn’t against me. It wasn’t really with me either but with the warm sun out, it was a perfect day for riding. I flew my way towards Riviere-Ouelle and found my way through more gorgeous Quebec countryside. Nothing of note to speak of on this day, but I found my way to the campground and randomly met up with another engish-speaking family from Vancouver Island with their daughter from Ottawa. After setting up my tent and investigating the showers, they invited me to join them for food and wine and conversation. We got to know eachother well and talked about many things. Through the course of the evening I got to know the interesting trio of Theda (the daughter) who has an amazing voice and shared some opera with us, Albert who has an interesting outlook on life and does pottery (I drank coffee out of a beautifully made mug) and Yvonne who is an artist and teaches any who are willing to learn from her isolated but gorgeous home near Vancouver Island.

After the socializing, I had a nice, long shower which cost me four quarters but was well worth it. I walked back over to my tent and Theda greeted me with a bag of her home-made dried fruit for my ride the next day. She urged me not to eat it until tomorrow, and I assured her I would try. I did not eat it until the next day. I said goodnight and enjoyed some time under the stars before going to sleep.

Day 75: Riviere-Ouelle to Saint-Louis De Ha! Ha!(seriously, that’s the name, look it up!): I woke up to a cloudy, rainy morning, but it stopped raining long enough to have a good breakfast. The trio of anglophones offered me some coffee, fruit and anything else they had. I gladly accepted and had a slice of the biggest and bect mangos I’ve ever had. They gave me more food to pack in my lunch and then we all got packed up and said goodbye. We didn’t know eachother very long, but long enough to feel the need to hug as we said goodbye:) I got going in good time and made my way towards Riviere-Du-Loup which is where my trail stops following the St. Laurent River.

It was raining as I rode there and I realized it was the first rain I’d seen since before Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario! It’s been a good run of weather for me since then. Well after an incredible ride along the shores of the river to Riviere-Du-Loup, I turned southward towards New-Brunswick. This is where the route presented me with something I did not expect. The trail started to wind its way through the trees and it continued that way to the New Brunswick border. Over 100 km of forest trail and it was amazing. The weather wasn’t all that great with the rain coming back and going but the wind was strong and it was at my back. I took some great pictures of the trail and it led me to a campsite in the middle of no-where right beside it.

Before dark, I managed to set up my tent, get a great fire going with wet wood and eat some dinner. At this point I realized I hadn’t used my “bearbangers” I had bought in BC to scare off bears. I guess I hadn’t been in a good place to test them out, far from people. Well here I was, far from anyone for miles and the chance to testing out something that explodes; I could not refuse the opportunity. I got in position with the pen-shaped launcher and let it loose. BANG! I’ve never been close to a shot-gun going off before, but I imagine that’s what it sounds like. Forget scaring off bears, I think everything living within a ten mile radius was heading for the hills. I went to bed confidant that nothing would bother me in the night. I was right.

Day 76: Saint-Louis De Ha! Ha! to Saint-Leonard: Well I woke up early and very alone in the woods. I made breakfast and got packed up. I realized as I prepared breakfast that I had to use my water bottle’s water for my oatmeal because there was no water around, so I made sure I grabbed some at the closest town. The day was another trek through the winding forest trail, down by a waterfront and then all the way to New Brunswick, which is where I realized that the trail actually continues through New Brunswick but now it’s called the Trans-Canada Trail. The problem is that it’s not finished, so I followed it for a ways into Edmunston, had some food, bought the cheapest pair of gloves I could find (it’s getting colder here) and then continued on down the highway towards Saint-Leonard. I found a nice and cheap and amazing little motel spot call P’Tit Auberge and stayed the night there. The bed is so comfortable, I slept really well.

Day 77: St. Leonard: I woke up late. Enjoyed the free coffee and muffins and ate breakfast. Got all packed up and ready to go and was offered another night to stay at the motel here for even cheaper. The owner even offered me hos laptop whcih is what I’m currently typing this out on. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get caught up and rested up for what is supposed to be a great day for weather tomorrow. And for a room cheaper than a campsite! So I’ll enjoy my time here and set out for Woodstock in the morning.

Thanks to everyone for all your support. Please continue to pray for me and know that I am still going strong and enjoying myself.

Until next time!

Jordan

Alors, tu peut voire en haut que peut-être je suis dans la belle province du Québec. J’ai arrivé ici avec l’anticipation que je peut utilisé ma français après près-que neuf ans. Je suis fatigué. J’aime le poutine. Je m’appelle Jordan. Je suis fini! Bonjour. Au revoir!

As you can see I am in Québec now and I felt like expressing this french language I’ve had churning inside me for almost 9 years. I won’t translate the above, mostly because it’s more fun for me this way, but I’ll tell you that near the end there I kind of de-evolved into my kindergarten days and even used the dreaded “Je suis fini” which my french teachers always despised because you should always say “J’ai fini” which means “I’ve finished” instead of “Je suis fini” which means “I am finished” or essentially, “I am dead”.

It’s been a fun and interesting ride since my days in Peterborough and as I sit here in a cozy house provided by Troy and Lorilee Weisner in Pintendre, Québec (close to Québec City), I am stuffed from much food and chocolatey goodness and enjoyed a nice relaxing day in the old city of Québec.

So as per usual, sit back, put your feet up, grab a nice big cup of java, a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and snuggle into your favorite lumbar-supporting desk-chair… On y va!

Day 65: Peterborough to Actinolite:Woke up early. Ate glorious breakfast and chatted with Marilyn. Left late and said goodbye. Sent package full of stuff I was lugging around that I didn’t need anymore, home. Made gear lighter. Flew through the city and into the wild. Tried to see how far I could make it and ended up at Actinolite, nowhere near as far as I wanted to make it. A rather uneventful day, but beautiful greenery surrounded me and the sun was shining. The small and unremarkable town of Actinolite just happened to be close to a campground I decided to settle at because it was getting late and there wasn’t another spot to camp for miles. As I was leaving Peterborough, I was looking forward to Actinolite because the name reminded me of Aphrodite, the greek goddess of love. Actinolite is neither greek nor the goddess of anything. In fact I’m quite sure the closest thing to greek in that area is the “Opa!” at the mall in Peterborough. Anyways, I nervously tried to pay for my site as money has been tight for a while and I had just transferred some. Turns out my debit card was denied, but the family that runs the place there let me stay for free anyway. Set up tent. Cooked food. Slept to the sound of a bubbling brook boasting a bright and brilliant banner of beautification benefitting the betterment of my brain. Bob.

Day 66: Actinolite to Perth: Woke up to several spiders staring at me through the net of my tent. As I packed it up, I bid the spiders farewell with a gentle tapping. I ate oatmeal with raisins. I drank water. I slathered the sunscreen even though I could still see my breath. The sun came up and warmed the day quickly. Today was probably the most unexpected day in terms of terrain. I want you to imagine what it would be like to travel forward on an ever winding road and every time you turn the corner, there is another hill to climb. For basically the entire day I climbed hills. No descent. Just a gradual climb up and up and up. I think there is a greek myth based on this idea and relating it to Hades or hell. Well it was not hell, but it was terrible. It didn’t help that I accomplished all this against the wind. But after the day of up, I arrived in Perth and was greeted by the amazing Dairy Queen sign in all its glory and enjoyed a skor blizzard (which are much cheaper out here). I rode over to the campground and tried to pay for my site four times but nobody was there to take my money. There was also nowhere to leave my money. So I relaxed outside my tent until the sun went down and replaced my brake pads on my bike all by myself. I fell asleep to the sound of a barking dog.

Day 67: Perth to Ottawa: I woke up to a large glowing orange sphere penetrating the deep fog. As I hadn’t paid for my site yet, I also had not recieved the code for the washroom or the code for the padlock chained to the garbage bin. You’d think for a campgound so tight on security that I would be forced to pay somehow. But I never did. I found my own personal washroom in the woods, ate breakfast, got packed up, looked for someone to pay (to no avail) and left. I decided to take some back roads to Ottawa. The back roads were ripe with the smell of cattle, ringing with the sound of shotgun blasts and riddled with the the infestation of buzzing BMW’s careening around corners. Long story short: I made it through the back roads and through Ottawa to Parliament. As I snapped photo after photo of the beautiful buildings housing a rich heritage and ridiculousness we Canadians call government. Amidst the crowd of tourists was a group of Inuit persons attracting a crowd in celebration. As I approached I could hear a woman with a microphone at the center talking about her music career. Immediately I thought of Susan Aglukark but wasn’t sure it was her until she broke out in song with “O Siem”. (If you don’t know who I’m talking about, she was a big hit in Canada about 15 years ago, look her up!) Well I liked the song back then, and I liked it this time as it was sung live.

After I left Parliament I made my way towards East Gate Alliance Church (where Stephen Harper attends) and met Bill Buitenwerf, the pastor there. He greeted me and took me to his home and set me up for the night. I met his two young kids Jason and Aaron and then Bill came up with the awesome idea of taking out the boat on the river, do some BBQ and go tubing! I gladly accepted the unexpected and we were off. I ate four burgers, then Aaron convinced me to go tubing with him. I considered how good I look in a wet-suit and got set up. Well it didn’t take long for Bill to realize that he would have to push the speed right into the danger zone to get me off that tube. I think when I hit the water I was more surprised that I was still hitting the water, I must have skipped at least three times. Miraculously, as Aaron had also abandoned his tube (and is much younger and smaller than me) he apparently was flung off his own tube and on to the bottom of my overturned tube, staring straight into the sky with a look of confusion. Quite the sight. We laughed and decided to climb back into the boat and tour the river before the sun went down. We cruised down the coast and saw where the Prime Minister’s house was, saw Parliament from the coast view and then went towards the casino in Hull, Québec (the opposite shore of the river). Actually, there are some waterways leading towards the casino and we chanced the fading light to follow them. The casino is certainly a sight to behold, but at this point the light was gone. We blazed a trail across the dark water back to the dock with a giant flashlight in hand, attracting bugs and dodged a bat or two. I must say, what an enjoyable end to the day, I am greatful. As we went back to Bill’s house, I met his wife Jennifer, a kind and generous woman, and then went to bed.

Day 68: Still in Ottawa: All you need to know about this day is that I rested, enjoyed my time in our nation’s capital, ate three giant slices of pizza followed by a Dr. Pepper, tried to play X-Box with Jason and Aaron but failed miserably and accomplished some errands.

Day 69: Ottawa to Hawkesbury: I woke up and got packed up so I could meet Bill and many others at the church for the men’s breakfast. I arrived and explained my story to many of the gentlemen present as I loaded my plate with pancakes, fruit and syrop. Adorning the table was a platter of thick ham, which is where I loaded up on non-kosher goodness. I got to meet some good people that morning, including Jim Kahle, the father of a few good friends of mine and we discussed the woes of the Ottawa Senators. Jim and a man named Vic (Vic is notorious for speaches, which I remembered from a wedding three years back when I was in Ottawa the first time at this very same church… FYI -I made the wedding cake:) handed me a wad of cash as I left and refused to accept my humble refusal. So I loaded up on another generous helping of food (a vegetarian would starve here) which is where Bill came over to tell me he paid for me. After the look of embarassement with stuffed cheeks left my face, I said thank you and wondered why I ever thought the food was free. It turns out the men’s breakfast is technically free, but you have the option to throw money in the pot for future such breakfasts. I ate more slowly and thankfully.

I said my goodbyes to Bill and his kids and to all those that were there. I had one more errand in town. My grandfather, aunts and uncles and cousins had collaborated to transfer me some money which couldn’t have come at a better time. (If you guys are reading this, thanks again!) I zoomed out of Ottawa towards Hawkesbury, where the older parents of a man named Bob, whom I met at the breakfast that morning, awaited my arrival at their humble abode. The ride was uneventful but beautiful and I made it to Hawkesbury. As I pulled up to the street of Marie and Maurice, I stopped in a parking lot to get my bearings. Just then a man pulls up in his car and asks if I need some directions. Well then he describes that he is also an avid cyclist and tells me how to get into Québec with ease, which was a concern of mine. He then gives me his information and tells me he’s there if I need him and takes off. Cool but strange how things work out sometimes.

I arrive at Marie and Maurice’s condo and was warmly greeted by the older couple. They sat me down at their table where they had company (Jeff and Ruby- a nice and humble dutch couple) and a plethora of things to munch on. Then as Maurice sat comfortably on his sofa, Marie served me and served me. Food and more food. Then we had dinner. A home made pizza, an omelette and fresh tomatoes with a cup of hot lemon green tea. Marie is a french-canadian woman of 77 years of age and appreciated my “merci” even though it was pretty much the only french I spoke. Such an amazing woman, so vibrant and accomodating; she would offer to cook me lasagne from scratch if I asked. Well we all enjoyed some good conversation and I went to bed relatively early. Fell asleep to the sound of wind blowing through the trees outside.

To be continued!

It’s getting late here at Troy and Lorilee’s place and I need my sleep for a long day, but I promise I will try and continue my story-telling…

Thanks for all your support everyone!

By the way, I am terrible for remembering to take pictures, but the things my eyes have seen could never be fully expressed by a picture… There is such beauty in this country and I urge you to see it someday… I hope the pictures I HAVE taken are enough of a glimpse for you… And actually today I went a little crazy with the snapshots in Québec City, so I hope you enjoy that too…

Just check out the gallery I posted on the side-bar, under Pictures