Day 40 - Port Huron to London Ontario

Day – 40 – Port Huron to London Ontario
Over the Blue Water Bridge we go!

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 8
Everyone was really anxious this morning. Even me. I’m not sure why. I woke very early. I really wanted to get on the bike. Maybe it was the idea of “biking internationally” or having the freeway sized 3 lane bridge closed so our group could peddle across in formation. Whatever it was, it was real and I felt it in the whole group. The bridge crossing was the highlight of the day. The ride was a good bicycle ride with very limited sight seeing, especially the way I’ve been riding lately (head down and cranking most of the time)


Ride Stats:
Distance: 80 mile route but we did 95
Riding Time:
Max Speed:
Average Speed:
Total Miles traveled:
Miles to go:

Weather:
The weather channel said the entire lower 48 would be wet today. We saw threats of it but stayed high and dry once again. Most of the ride was even sunny. Pleasant temperatures, some headwinds again and some nice tailwinds too (27 mph in stretches on the flats!)

Incidents and Rider Report
Everyone made it without incident.

How I Feel (1-10): 9
A little tired today, but not bad. Had trouble sleeping all night…bad air conditioning?

Stuff that happened:
The bridge crossing was really a neat experience. The idea of the freeway being closed for just you, and you are riding a bicycle, not being hauled in a casket, is pretty special.
We had a nice lunch in downtown London. Steve, Gerard and I got in ahead of most of the riders and extended the ride to tour the town. London is pretty impressive. A college town with a vibrant downtown. It felt very artsie. We ate at a authentic looking Italian restaurant named “Amici’s” that served a nice bowl of pasta, soup and Chianti. Afterwards we found a bikepath and a Pat Benatar concert (that we couldn’t stay up for). Tomorrow Credence Clear Water Revival comes to town too.

In London these two crazy Puerto Rican's approach us and wonder what we are doing. When we explain that we are riding our bicycles from Oregon to New Hampshire, they ask for clarification... (they didn't know where those places were). Then when we told them it was basically from coast to coast the one in the black exploded saying, "Man that is some crazy ass Forest Gump #$%! DUDE!!". We couldn't argue.

My previous experiences in this part of the country have been by boat and airplane. We have vacationed in the Great Lakes by boat stopping in both Port Huron and Sarnia to eat, fuel and dock for the night. Now I’ve been under, over and on the Blue Water Bridge. It is a spectacle.