Going Gassed

July 16, 2015  - Niagara Falls (Ontario)
72 miles

Invariably, there is a day, and hopefully only one or two in a journey, where the body doth protest. Today was such a day, and for no good reason.

Perhaps it was my restless sleep, too excited (also for no good reason) to fall asleep quickly, and wakeful at odd hours, marveling at the stars through my open tent flap. Ruth and I were served breakfast by Lisa, in a basket, and could tell the joy she had in this new adventure catering to cyclists. And even having oatmeal along with her egg, scone, yogurt, cherries and jam, was apparently not enough to fuel the journey.  But what a joy this breakfast was, on a most beautiful morning.

A robed Lisa bringing us her fare, and joy

The wind had died down when Ruth and I took off, and we soon parted ways as she headed north toward Toronto, and I proceeded east to Fort Erie, across the Niagara River from Buffalo, and the true end of Lake Erie.  It was not a hard ride, it was flat and remarkably beautiful in most parts, and aided as well by a milkshake at a wonderful candy and vintage toy store in Port Colburne, where a package of items appropriate for the grandkids at the other end of this journey were strapped on my bike.

Or the long, flat but actually monotonous Friendship rail-to-trail to Fort Erie and the absence of good eating options that might have slowed me down, so PB&J had to do in front of the Niagara Parkway Memorial Arch (a good idea in 1939).  Or even the rather splendid Niagara Parkway that skirts the Canadian side all the way to Niagara Falls, one of whose tress sheltered me for a short power nap.

The Niagara Parkway Memorial Arch

Finally seeing the grandeur of Niagara Falls coming in the distance perked me up a bit, and thereafter a slow procession to the Falls, packed with tourists and a marvelous glinting rainbow.  Deciding I could go no further, I stumbled upon the Rainbow B&B, just a few blocks from all the tourist hubbub, on a quiet street, with a great shower and my own balcony on the second floor on which I hammer away on this post.

Yup, a tourist shot - had to have it.

One can never really know what causes these days, they just happen.  Gotta dial it back, get a good meal, a good nights sleep, hydrate well, and start again tomorrow.  A new day, a new adventure, crossing back into the United States and making my way to the Erie Canal.