Day 10

Deer Lake Campground to Corner Brook!!
Distance: 54km
Cumulative Distance: 865km
Cycling Time: 3 hrs 18 min
Average Speed: 16 km/hr
Terrain: Rolling with flat sections
Weather: WINDY HEAD-WINDY WINDY
Mechanicals: 2 flats (couldn't finish off the last day of the trip without any flats!)



Last night we set up camp in the POURING rain and we hoped that by the time we woke up this morning it would be all rained out. Well, that was certainly wishful thinking! We woke up to the sound of the rain splattering on the tarp above us and the sound of the wind rushing through the trees and making the water out on the lake loppy (another Newfie term - definition: whitecaps). Not wanting to finish the last day of our trip in the pouring rain, we decided to be optimistic and wait out the rain. So we waited... and waited... and waited... Breakfast consisted of a smorgasboard of the leftover food in our panniers that did not require cooking. It was a good opportunity to eat the miscellaneous nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter, chocolate chips, beef jerkey and mushrooms that had been hanging out in our panniers for most of the trip now.

1:00pm rolled around and we decided we couldn't wait it out anymore so we packed up camp in the rain and got mentally prepared for one last wet day on the bikes. We had just packed up the tent and the panniers when the second miracle of the trip occurred - the rain stopped and the sun started to shine! What a relief! We ditched the rain jackets and fixed my flat from the night before and were just about to set out when Sean realized he had a flat as well! What are the odds..... with one last lingering look at our amazing campsite (our tent had been less than 100m from the lake and if the weather had been more cooperative, would have been the perfect setting for a swim), we set out for Day 10 and the last day of our cross-Newfoundland trip.

The Newfoundland weather gods were not going to let us off easy on the last day of our trip. For the second day in a row we faced headwinds of 25-35 km/hr with gusts of 40 km/hr. Needless to say, we were not moving along to our final destination at anything but that resembling a quick pace. Our average speed of 16 km/hr is proof enough. Sean's bum was still in a disagreement with his bike seat, and with images of the turkey dinner that awaited us at Sean's parents place, we chugged along, heads down. Wind: 1 Cyclists: 0

Wind aside, I felt fortunate that it was a clear, sunny day as the scenery today was just beautiful. The Humber Valley was lush green with water flowing, bubbling, rippling and picturesque scenery in abundance. I know I have said it before, but the beauty of this place is just so unique and startling, raw and rugged, natural and untouched.

20 km from Corner Brook, the finish line in sight and the smell of turkey strong in our noses, Murphy's Law hit again and.... I got another flat! Damn, this last day was really refused to end easily! Changing a flat tire is a lot harder mentally than it is physically - when you get into a groove of pedaling and you know in your head how far you have left to go and what time you will arrive, a flat tire can be like throwing on the emergency break in the middle of the Autobahn! There have been a few times on this trip in which the circumstances have definitely tested our patience for the situation and for each other, and this was one of them! It is a very good thing that it hasn't killed us so far so I guess it can only make us stronger, as the saying goes....! We fixed the tire, called ahead to make sure there would still be some turkey left for us and pedaled onward.

After rolling through a side road paralleling the T.C.H., and passing by cute houses and people walking, running and strolling and then getting back on the T.C.H. for one last long climb, we arrived at the "Welcome to Corner Brook" sign. We took a few token pictures to prove we did actually make it and then settled in for the homestretch. Entering Corner Brook on Riverside Drive, we wound along the Bay, past the Mill and then up the last few hills of the trip. It was fitting enough that these were also the steepest hills of the trip (Corner Brook is one of the hilliest cities I have seen, and could likely be compared quite well to the likes of San Francisco!). Sean had to plan our route accordingly so that we could actually bike the last few kilometers - if we had taken the route that one would typically drive, we would have had to push our bikes up them on foot as the hills are too steep to pedal up with our heavy panniers! The legs worked and the breath became labored for one last time on this trip and finally we rolled into the driveway of 13 Cornation Street and were greeted by Sean's family and a hot turkey dinner with all the fixings.

What an adventure this has been!! Mission: to the Rock and Roll Complete!


(I am going to post some pictures of the trip in the next few days, so stay tuned!)