🚴‍♂️ Rick's 1500 mile trip

   🚴‍♂️ My American blog friend, Jeanie, has asked us to host her 'squeeze', Rick. What fun is that?! Now, I am an anxiety-ridden host. I worry about things being just right. My mother was a perfectionist, and I could never live up to her standards. I haven't done a lot of washing up, or laundry, or floors, as we are hoping for an end to the water shortage. 

 Rick is on Facebook, here he is with my blog friend, Jeanie, who asked if we could billet him. He left Lansing on Aug. 13th.

Thing is, this man has been on the bike for days, and all he needs is food, wifi, and a bed! We were excited to help him on his tour. No pressure! 

This was his planned route:

You can follow Rick's journey here on Facebook:

"So far seventy is just like sixty nine although I am probably in a bit better cycling shape. That's a good thing as I will be doing... yet another, starting August 13 by riding 1500 miles to Pittsfield, MA via Canada, the Haskell Library (straddling the Canada-US Border)... I will catch a train to Toledo and ride back to Lansing. Watch this space for updates along the way. It will be an adventure of a lifetime!"

🗺 I made a map of his progress as we waited for him to arrive! He had to avoid Algonquin Park, due to the fires they had. 

 Our house guest rode a long way, and still a long distance to go. Sunday, Aug., 24th he emailed from Tweed saying he had 120km to go to get to us! He planned on doing that today. Oh my. He left at 9 a.m., and we waited to see when he showed up!

Aster made the bed for him, for me, after their Friday night visit.

Joe went for groceries. 

He finally arrived, but told us it was the worst ride of his life. 😣 And he's covered a lot of territory on two wheels.

The first thing was to sit, and rehydrate!

He was on the Trans Canada Trail, but not meant for cyclists in some places. Municipalities take different responsibility for this trail, built on old train track routes. People use ATVs and snow machines on it. Rocks, bumps, on an old railway bed isn't great for cycling. I felt so badly. He could only go 8 or 9 miles an hour, normally he manages 20 miles an hour. 

This Trans Canada Trail sign came off in a vehicle incident on the highway. I hung on to it as it is in bad shape. This was the prefect opportunity to use it!

He sat for a bit. Then a shower, then Joe took him downstairs to do his laundry, lending him some clothes. 

The next day, Monday, I had a deck to stain, so Joe took Rick around the area. They had lunch out and a fun time telling all sorts of tales. I ended up with a stitch in my back, but a finished job. Whew.

Dinner was take out, as my muscles are giving me grief! We all had Jambalaya from Boston Pizza, a Canadian chain. 

He planned out his route from us to Ottawa!

Rick plans on stopping in at Knowlton, Que., where Louise Penny lives and works. I wish him luck. We thought we'd watch the show about Inspector Gamache. The Three Pines show.  He is a fan. 

I've an orientation session for volunteer work at 9 a.m., so we'll both take off this morning. Fare thee well, Rick! 

Another last photo: of Rick. I was at a meeting the morning he left. Joe escorted him down the driveway to the highway.

We wished him well on his journey.

   

  Here is his adventure with us in Lanark County! 

UPDATE Tuesday, Aug. 26: Rick left at 10 a.m., made it to the Ottawa boundary by 1:30. Map update: rode from here to Ottawa on his bicycle (Google map).

UPDATE Aug. 28

 Our friend Rick, cycling for kms, rested in Ottawa on Wednesday, did bike repairs on Thursday. I emailed to see where he was, and he said he'd post. 

"Tomorrow [Friday] I will be camping on the St. Lawrence River after a big ride of 115 miles. The rain is stopping and the wind will be at my back. No problem. September is coming and the days are getting both shorter and cooler."

Aug. 28 - Aug. 31: Ottawa to Salaberry de Valleyfield to St. Jean de Richileau, Que.