A Map

Since I didn't have to work to day I decided it was time to get serious and put some work into where we are going to go. This is a loose plan that we can clean up together, I sent you a colab invite I believe.

View Dear John Let's Go For a Ride in a larger map

I envision a four day journey, allowing for beach time and maybe some fishing, though it's all fly fishing I believe. With four days the cycling will be a little more broken up, which isn't an issue for you, but may be for me. There is lots of camping on the trail as well as B&B's if we wuss out or something. I have read a few itineraries and notes on peoples rides and there are some decent climbs but lots of coastal riding.

Gear is my only question at this point. I wonder if loading up the Colnago will put to much load on those tiny wheels. Should I be looking into an alternative setup for this ride?

If we camp what do you think about tents? I got a 6man tent, it's large but not excessively heavy.

I watched Che parts 1 & 2 this week, it's a pretty good movie. Benicio Del Toro is a good actor, I'd like to see more films with him in them.

Back Online

Dear John,

Please pardon my lengthy absents, after Cj and I were burgled my online commitment has faded to checking emails on my phone and text messaging. I've been thinking about this bike trip and been feeling I need to get planning it with you. Late August would be great for me too, I think Ceej might be planning to head to Cuba around then as well. I haven't studied much of the trail so far, but much of what envision is riding, camping, seafood, ocean, surfing, and the occasional bottle of screech. How each of those things gets down is still very much in the open. In my vision I see campfires on the occasional beach, and setting up a tent where & when we see fit. I know the terrain isn't quite mountainous, but from what I remember it's fairly .....(Upy downy).

Late in the summer I hope the ocean is warmer, I seem to recall someone saying that region is cold because of arctic ocean currents, but maybe they're wackers.

N to S Alberta would be a fun ride, I miss the prairies in the summer. I have an album of panoramic views resting in the frames of cross canadian trips. Long stretches of unbending highway, bright yellow canola fields, dilapidated homesteads. Nova Scotia has some charm though, you'll see.

Cabot Trail

Dear John,
I have been entertaining the idea of doing a bit of randonneuring this summer. The Cabot Trail comes to mind and fromwhat I have seen of and read about it is a pretty majestic trail around Cape Breton Island. Rated one of the best treks in the world yadda yadda...
The whole loop is only 300 km and would be nice to do over a week. The area is full of fishing villages and beaches and campsites to stop at with lots of fish to eat and Acadians to attempt french with.
Sometime in mid to late summer would probably be best because I think it gets really wet here in the spring.
In doing it I see myself with a co-pilot, and I know Cj wouldn't be that interested, would you?