Guest Post: Skipper

Note: if you haven't read the post from yesterday, Skipper has returned home!  Here are a few thoughts of his experience of the trip!

When Jeremy and I parted ways after completing the Long Trail in 2018, I knew that we had a connection that could always be renewed, but I had no idea that our compatibility would lead to a re-connection in the way that it did. When he announced that he was going to ride across Canada, and would welcome others who might want to ride with him, I knew that, given my new interest in bicycle touring, this was a golden opportunity. And so, on July 17, I set out from my home in Connecticut on The Big Ride!

First some numbers

Total days: 40
Days in Canada, with Jeremy: 32
Total distance: 3300 kilometers (2052 miles)
Distance in Canada: 2261 kilometers (1405 miles)
Mechanical problems: 1 flat
Zero days: 11 (though we did do some rides to explore the areas where we were)
Nights camping: 11
Nights in motel or hostel: 5
Nights with Warmshowers Host: 3
Nights with friends or family: 21
Provinces visited: 4
Fireworks shows: 3
Poutines: 7

Before the journey started, I was a little unsure what to expect. I had never done more than a five-day bicycle trip. I had never ridden in Canada. I would be traveling on roads and trails I had never been on. I would be tagging along with someone who was taking his own journey. I would be meeting many new people. I would be seeing and experiencing new places, foods, languages, music, and ways of living. Part of the point of the trip, of course, was to have all of those new experiences, but still, I had no idea how it would all go. Well, as the Canadians say: It did not disappoint!

Indeed, it couldn’t have gone better. I saw new places, I met new people, I ate new foods and drank new beers, I learned about Canadian history, art, culture, and politics, and I got to ride on some really spectacular roads and trails. Even the weather turned out “good.” That is, we managed to dodge the rain or find shelter from the rain much more than we should have, considering how many days it did rain somewhere around us (or on us). The details, of course, are all in Jeremy’s awesome blog. Suffice it for me to say, it was an excellent adventure!

It was truly a treat to be so warmly welcomed and well-treated by the many friends and family with whom we stayed. It made the journey so much richer and more interesting to meet so many of you, and to experience what it is like to actually live in Canada and be a Canadian. Indeed, if anything exceeded my expectations, it was the warm welcome I received from all of the people with whom we stayed, and the thorough education I received about Canada (how lucky I was to be traveling with a history major who enjoyed sharing his knowledge and insights with me). Wow!

And, finally, I would like to add that traveling with Jeremy is really special. He is a consummate gentleman and companion. He is a kind, intelligent, informed, articulate, easy-going, and very generous man. It was a pleasure to be with him, learn from him, and share the journey with him. I am eternally grateful.

Jeremy, I hope the rest of the journey goes well. I look forward to reading all about it (and seeing the great pictures) in this blog. And I look forward, hopefully, to more travels together in the future.