Day 64: The Finish

Brian Richardson

We made it! After 64 days on the road, we dipped our tires in the Pacific Ocean at Sand Beach to signify the end of the journey.

Biked Loud

Our final day began well before our alarms went off at 6:30. Neither Evan or I could fall back asleep after 5:30, so we packed up our stuff and made our breakfast while watching the sun rise over Mt Desert Narrows. We took our time eating, trying to savor the last bit of time we had to ourselves.

Wes had driven up to Bar Harbor with the Malinchock family and rented a bike to ride the final day with us. We met him on the side of the road and headed towards Cadillac Mountain. Right away, it felt natural to be riding with our original group of three. We told stories about the past few weeks and had our typical bike-trip banter all the way up Cadillac Mountain. At the top, we looked out over the bay and snapped a few pictures before beginning the fast, twisty descent to Sand Beach.

Cadillac Mountain, 1,529 ft

Our families were waiting to meet us down on the beach. It was pretty emotional for both us and them to be reunited after being away for so long.

Big hug from Mom after nine weeks on the road

There is a lot of mental and physical work that goes into a bike trip, and I feel like I have been “on” for more than nine weeks. This last section has been especially demanding, with thirteen consecutive days of biking, two century days and the steepest, hottest climbs of the trip. Finishing today felt like a tremendous weight being lifted off of my shoulders; I could release a huge sigh of relief.

Around the time we dipped tires, we also achieved our fundraising goal of $3 for every mile biked, for a total of $12,600. Every penny of that will go directly to the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, who will put it to great use providing services specific to adolescent and young-adult cancer patients at UNC hospitals. Over the past few days, we’ve received a flood of donations from close friends, family members, blog readers, and complete strangers. It’s truly touching to see how many people this story has reached and how much support and generosity there is out there.

There are so many people we have to thank for helping to make this trip a success. Last night, I read through my journal and tried to take note of everyone who has helped us this summer, but I realized the list is just too long. There is no way that we could have made it here without all the kindness we’ve received, and I’m making it my goal try and pay forward that kindness further on down the road.

Day 63: Camden, ME to Mt Desert Island, ME

Evan Malinchock

CW: Mental Health Issues

There's an old adage that is spoken in the Malinchock family when we go skiing, never ever, EVER mention that it's the last run of the day. When someone says this is the last run bad things are bound to happen, as that's when you let your guard down and you are sure to make mistakes. This thought has been bouncing through my head all day and the fear of disaster on the last day was enough for Brian and I to make the phrase "keep it tight," coined by Ed Billings, one of the most spoken of the day. We kept this in mind all day but it was hard to make it a main focus as my mind was already preoccupied.

Today was the last real day of biking, the last real night of camping, the last real day of the bike trip. My gut kind of tosses and turns thinking about what that might mean to me, but my brain can't really comprehend its magnitude to myself. This trip was a watershed moment for myself and my personal mental and physical growth. This trip was an amalgamation of years of self improvement and change. 

For as long as I could remember I was a very large kid, clocking in at over 250lbs for what felt like the majority of my life. I grew up watching friends, family, and leaders alike do amazing feats like massive hiking trips and the crown jewel of them all, biking across America. Because of my physical condition I also grew up being told by multiple leaders and scouting cohort that I would NEVER be able to do a bike trip in a million years, and that my physical shape was going to last forever. This lit a fire under my butt as in my junior and senior year of highschool I managed to lose over 100 lbs in less than a year to prepare JUST for a bike trip. I did this all healthily by bicycling every single day and eating well, this developed a new set of passions for me as I began to take up cycling as a love and not just a way to lose weight. Flash forward to today and I cannot stop thinking about biking of any sorts and it is what I have been doing on semi professional/collegiate levels for the past year or so. 

This did not come without consequences, as losing mass amounts of weight can really mess with your mind. My mind couldn't (and still hasn't to be fair) caught up with my new body and I now suffer from severe body dysmorphia. Whenever I picture my current self, or even see a reflection/image of myself it challenges me and I can't separate the past Evan and the current one. Coupled with me being Bi-Polar depressive my poor mental health has been a massive factor in my life. But the trip was the one thing that kept me going towards what I wanted to be.

Though the day was exceptional in all forms, starting at a massive filling breakfast of sticky buns at an antique shop and ending on one of the most beautiful ocean front campgrounds, I was still anxious all day. This trip felt like the capstone to my past 20 years of life and it was coming to an end. It was the sole factor in me changing every notion I had about myself and developing a brand new passion that I almost center my life around. I cannot be more thankful for Brian and Wes right now as they helped make my dreams and desires a reality by spearheading this trip. 

While I sit here at camp overlooking a strait between the island and mainland Maine, I finally feel some solace and comfort in myself. An overwhelming peace that has never been there until this point in my life. This trip has given me every reason to love myself again and love the life that I am, and going to live. It is everything to me and it will hold more power than anyone can comprehend. So when I dip tires tomorrow don't be surprised if I shed a few tears, but in my opinion they are more than well deserved. 

I gave up what feels like everything to do this bike trip, it was the straw that broke the camel's back in a long term relationship, it took the chance to say goodbye to my dog for the last time away from me, and it stole a summer from me and my friends as I would have no time to share a "normal" summer break with them. But through all of this I would give up even more for the experience that I have lived on the road. For once in my life I feel at peace and that's something that is worth fighting for no matter the personal cost.

Sunset on Desert Island

Here's to the last 13 miles and the peace I find in the days to come for this trip. Thank you everyone. 

Day 62: Brunswick, ME to Camden, ME

Brian Richardson

It was raining when we woke up this morning and headed to breakfast at the Little Dog Bakery in Brunswick, so we were in no rush to start biking. Evan and I got to sit with my Dad and chat for a while. It’s been great to spend some quality time with him after being away for so long.

It was still raining when we hit the road around 8:30. The first few miles were on a bike path that paralleled HW 1 and kept us away from the heavy Brunswick traffic. Once out of town, however, we had to hop on to some busier roads with more cars than we would have liked. Our wheels would kick up dirt and grime from the asphalt and splatter us and our bikes. This kind of biking “builds character,” as Evan put it.

About ten miles in, I heard a loud pop followed by a long hiss and felt my rear tire deflate. We pulled over under the cover of a gas station for me to fix my first flat in several weeks. I replaced the tube, pumped it back up, and loaded my bags back onto the bike. As we clipped in to ride away, Evan looked down and saw that his front tire was completely deflated (this, we later learned, is called a sympathy flat). We were out of spare tubes, so we pumped it up and coasted down the road to the Bath Cycle and Ski shop to get a replacement. We made it through another 35 miles of riding in the rain without incident until I got yet another flat. Upon close inspection, I could see that my rear tire was very worn down and had cracks in several places. We broke out our trusty foldable tire and will try to make it the rest of the trip with that.

Flat tire #1

Flat tire #2

Flat tire #3

The riding conditions today were less than ideal, and we definitely did a good bit of character building, but it didn’t seem to bother us too much. We are in the final state of the trip and can smell the finish. I mean this in the figurative sense (we have only a few more days left) and in the literal sense (we could smell the salty ocean air today).

Eventually the rain stopped and we were left covered in a thick layer of grime. As we pedaled, our chains made a rough, rattling noise that would make any self-respecting biker cringe. We got to Camden, filthy and sore and mentally exhausted. In town, we met up for lunch with Charles Humble, a friend of the Steiner family and all around woderful guy who treated us to lunch. We truly enjoyed meeting and spending time with Charles and it was a great way to recover from a rough morning.

In the afternoon, we found a hose, a bucket, some dish soap, and brush, and gave our bikes a really good scrub. I can’t wait to hop on mine tomorrow and pedal with a clean drive train. We walked around town with my Dad before having dinner by the Camden Harbor. Afterwards, we got on a 101-year-old schooner for a sunset sailboat ride around the Penobscot Bay. It was a beautiful and relaxing end to our tough day. Sunset sailing doesn’t necessarily build a lot of character but, I got to say, it’s a lot more fun than changing a flat tire in the rain.

Sunset sailboat ride on the Penobscot Bay

Day 61: Conway, NH to Brunswick, ME

Evan Malinchock

Photos by Brian’s wonderful father and Bike Loud’s official photographer Ted Richardson

Sleep was so very needed this past night after our slog through the white mountains. We woke up by habit before the sun fully rose to Brian's dad pulling into the church parking lot. Mr Richardson's fresh presence was a welcomed addition to the trip as we were fairly exasperated from the previous few days of long milage with no breaks.

Early wake-up in Conway

After the reunion we made our break for the final border crossing, and into Maine. It was here that we got a few photos taken and had a mini celebration before continuing on to breakfast at Fair Grounds Coffee in Fryeburg. The coffee was wonderful and the hospitality was fantastic as we were gifted granola bars and cookies from the owners. 

Last state border!

Fair Grounds Coffee

The riding in Maine has been a lot more of the same but in a smaller magnitude. The hills are some of the steepest of the trip but very short thanks to the bizarre craggy geography of the land. The scenery was stunning though, everywhere we looked there were stand alone mountains with lakes and lush evergreen forests. The towns were all quaint little hamlets that you would expect to find in any Stephen King book (well at least at the beginning of each book). And the temperature was amazing, we were no longer drowning in the humid heat, and for a change we could both confidently say that the weather was comfortable while we rode.

After 75 or so miles (and a woopie pie later) we found ourselves in Brunswick ME, a very nice college town on the coast of Casco bay. The architecture of the town is classic New England with tall brick buildings and Victorian mansions lining pristine streets, and smaller but well put together cape houses adjacent to them. 

We spent the evening wandering Bowdoin's campus and napping before a massive Indian feast downtown. The rain is beginning to fall now in a precursor for the day to come, but with the blazing heat still a fresh memory it is a welcomed sight to Brian and I who look forward to the coastal highway the next two days.

Day 60: Orford, NH to Conway, NH

Brian Richardson

We had another 4:30 wake up this morning after a pretty restless night of sleep last night. It didn’t get below 85 degrees until around 9:30, so going to bed before then was not really an option. Around midnight, I woke up to the sound of something rummaging around in our pavilion. I figured it was Evan getting something from his bags so I rolled over and closed my eyes again. A few minutes later, I woke up to a loud banging noise. I got out of my tent and saw Evan stomping his feet on the wooden floor. He told me that a skunk had wandered into the pavilion and was searching through the trash can. We both stomped our feet to scare it away and threw the trash can away from our tents. In the morning, while we were packing up in the dark, the skunk tried come back into the pavilion and we had to chase it away again.

Packing up at 4:30

For how little sleep we got last night, Evan and I both felt pretty fresh riding out of Orford. There’s a certain feeling of clarity that comes with waking up before dawn. We rode North for 20 miles along the East shore of the Connecticut River. We watched the sun rise up over a towering ridge to our right. On the opposite side of the river, we watched the morning sunshine spread across the hills of Vermont.

Biking into the sunrise

We were planning to fill up our water bottles in North Haverhill before beginning our first of the day’s two big climbs, but it was still so early in the morning that nowhere was open. We had no choice but to start up the pass. The next town after North Haverhill was more than twenty miles away, and I was already starting to sweat and had drank half of my water. Luckily, I soon passed by a house with a man outside tending to the garden. He was nice enough to let me fill my bottles and I continued on up the pass, now with a heavier bike, but feeling much better.

It was a 1500 ft ascent and our first taste of the White Mountains. Compared the lush, smooth, Green Mountains, the Whites are rugged and craggy, but surprisingly, their roads have gentler grades. Aside from the heat and humidity, the pass was pretty enjoyable. At one point, a dog ran out onto the road and followed me uphill for at least a mile.

Local pup follows me uphill

We descended into Lincoln for a quick brunch and to fill water once more. We didn’t want to waste too much time and let the temperatures rise before beginning our second climb: Kancamagus Pass. This one was more than 2000 ft of climbing over 11 miles, most of which at an agreeable 8% grade. The top was at an altitude of 2,855 ft, but it felt like we were much higher. There were bare, rocky cliffs all along the ridge and we could see for miles down the valley. The White Mountains are notorious for having extreme winds and bad weather, so I was pretty nervous about some menacing clouds that rolled in as we neared the top. Luckily, they brought with them only cooler temperatures and no rain or lighting. We descended quickly (to avoid the storm and because we had a 12% grade!) and cruised the last 20 miles into Conway.

Storm clouds over the White Mountains

Our plan to beat the heat worked well today. We arrived around 12:30, right as the weather changed from very uncomfortable to unbearable. Once in Conway, we called around to several local campsites, the fire department, and the police department, but had no luck finding a place to pitch our tents. As a last resort, we called up the St Margaret Anglican Church to see if they had a spare patch of grass for us. They said they did and so we went over and met the pastor and some of his friends and family. They were some of the most kind and genuine people we’ve met and loved hearing about our trip.

St Margaret’s Anglican Church

To cool off, I went for a swim in the Saco River, then laid down in the shade with my feet up to drain the lactic acid from my legs. The forecast is showing cooler temperatures over the next few days, which we’re really excited about. After two early mornings and long days, we’re tuckered out and ready for a break from the heat.

Swimming in the Saco River

Day 59: Middlebury, VT to Orford, NH

Evan Malinchock

Flash back to almost two years ago in my freshman year at app. I was in my dorm room some Wednesday night sometime in the spring semester and as most underachieving college students, I was bored out of my mind. It was then that I decided it was due time to plan a day by day of a rough outline of the route that we're on right now. Interestingly enough one day of that planned trip stuck out like a sore thumb and terrified me, that day was today. Oh and one more thing, Brian and I planned on doing more mileage than I predicted two years ago in unprecedented heat.

The day began like all tough ones, in the middle of the night. I was setting my phone down and slammed my head on the bedside table and cut my head open (don't worry mom I'm totally fine, me no concussion have?). Following this incident and the minor self preservation that ensued I turned it in for an early wake up at 5 the next day to beat the worst heat of the trip. 

Waking up and riding with the sun

Brian and I quickly made breakfast, and before we knew it we were flying out the door to ascend our first pass. The first two kilometers of the climb were a brutal pitch that woke us immediately up. This knocked me out of my high range gearing for the first time since North Dakota so that was a massive upset for me. But that was but a precursor for the day.

After slowly chugging our way to Middlebury Gap Brian and I were treated to a ripping descent, 12% grade over 2 miles. This lead to the best breakfast of the bike trip. Like I love to say, breakfast is so nice I have to have it twice sometimes. I devoured some pancakes covered in walnuts, strawberries, bananas, and of course a healthy waterfall of Vermont maple syrup. This section of the day was enough to make up for the trials and tribulations of the climb and early wake up. 

What a descent!

Breakfast at the Rochester Cafe

The next forty or so miles were following a river through picturesque New England farmland through green mountains and lush forests. After hitting a few rolling hills the heat finally settled in, right before the second pass of the day. 

The second pass was about half the elevation of the first but nearly ten times the difficulty. It was constantly changing pitch somewhere between 14%-16%, this is just enough to destroy any flow you may have while climbing. Also the heat was so brutal that my ice cold water that I just filled up reached a boiling point before I even put my first few pedal strokes into the climb. After we submitted to the pass there was a lackluster descent that lead to two more frustrating climbs in even worsening heat. 

After seeking refuge in a freezer aisle of a grocery we reluctantly got on our saddles to grind out seven miles across the border into New Hampshire and to our campground. 

After setting up our campsite Brian and I ran around like chickens without heads trying to find a place to cool down indoors with no success. After a while we surrendered to the camp pool filled with screaming children and their parents. Even now in the fading light were both hoping for cool weather rest.

Vermont is an unfortunate case, it was so beautiful, welcoming, and interesting but also so short! I'll remember each greuling spin of the wheel here fondly for the people and the scenery around us that made it something special.

Day 57: Boonville, NY to Newcomb, NY

Evan Malinchock

Usually nothing that is worth relaying to the blog happens at night, but last night there was a sight to behold from our campsite. The beautiful park was covered in a sheet of eerie fog, only lit by spotty street lamps. The mood was amplified by turning 180° and viewing a stereotypically terrifying looking graveyard with the same dark fog. Brian and I were both up to see the spectacle and we're astonished by the pure spookiness of it all. 

Erwin park at night

After forcing myself to sleep we woke up and rode to a local deli for breakfast which was generously gifted to us by the chef there. From there the climbs began. The day was punctuated by consistent inconsistency, as one punchy climb and unsatisfactory descent lead to another. I was definitely out of my saddle way more than usual and that's saying something extraordinary. But as far as negatives go that's all I have to speak on because the day was absolutely stunning.

The skies were clear blue and the roads (other than being technical and tough) were so much fun to ride. Massive peaks that Brian and I both longed for were set against bright blue lakes with cute little hamlets along the beaches. It finally felt like we were back in the wilderness that we have missed so much. 

Marion River

For a lot of the day we snuck through gravel back roads that had challenging climbs. One such climb lead up to a lunch spot for the ages at the Adirondack Museum. We ate lunch in a viewing room overlooking a lake spotted with forested islands and mountains along the coast lines. 

Lunch break at the Adirondack Museum

After finishing up a brutal climb we had a fast and fun descent into a flat that took us to our final destination of Newcomb, NY. Here I called around to inns and B&B's to see if they had a patch of grass that we could camp in. One of the families in Newcomb offered up their horse stable to us along the banks of the Hudson River! It was here that we ate and made camp for our final night in New York. 

Our accommodations for the night

Knowing this is the last night (as far as plans go) in New York, I am now just realizing how fast time is flying this trip. Washington seems like such an early memory that I can't even believe that this was the same trip. Though I am looking forward to the, I'll be it short, adventure that Vermont has to offer tomorrow, I'll miss the abbreviated extent we had in the Empire State. The people against all stereotypes have been beyond hospitable, the roads have been fun and gorgeous, and the weather has been variant but welcomed. I will miss NY riding for sure.

Headwaters of the Hudson

Day 55: Fairport, NY to Pulaski, NY

Evan Malinchock

The ideal way to start a day is with stuffing your face with cookies and calling it breakfast, I'm certain Phil Gaimon would agree with my choice to eat 3 mini cookie bars for this day. Bright and early Brian and I climbed out of our cozy beds at the Ferriter’s house to the already blistering heat and suffocating humidity. After winding our way through twisty flat roads we hit our first hills since what feels like Montana or Eastern North Dakota. 

The maps warned us about hills east of Lake Ontario, but it seemed like as we skirted around the lake we were in constant battle with gravity. The hills were absurdly steep and the perfect length so there was no hope of finding a rhythm, or carrying speed into the climb after descending down a previous hill. We eventually pulled into a restaurant for lunch where we decided today would be the perfect day to push 100 miles to the town of Pulaski. 

Today was not a perfect day to push 100 miles. 

When we stepped out we got hit with a wave of heat, that I only made worse by checking the temperature on my phone. Weather Underground (the most reputable weather app) said that it was 98° but the humidity made it feel like it was just shy of 106°. Along with heat warnings there was also massive dark clouds chasing us for 25 miles into the town of Oswego, where we stopped to refill water and rest for a few minutes. 

Thunderstorm chasing us into Oswego

We hopped on our bikes to slog out another 20 miles to Pulaski, where we met up with Jack again. Thankfully Jack saved us from camping outside by offering up his motel room's floor for Brian and I to set up our sleeping pads and bags. 

After sharing a filling meal together we all went grocery shopping together, which was followed by an early bedtime for all. Brian and I were tuckered out from the century and Jack was preparing for an early morning escape to beat a huge storm that was heading our way.

“Car left(?)”

Day 54: Lockport, NY to Fairport, NY

Brian Richardson

The Erie Canal is a 363 mile long, man-made waterway that runs from Buffalo to Albany. There is a bike trail that runs alongside it for the entire length; we hopped on it in Lockport and rode it for 75 miles into Fairport today.

The trail alternates surfaces between pavement and crushed limestone. The paved sections are faster, but are also riddled with cracks and bumps from tree roots growing underneath. The limestone slows you down a little bit, but it is much smoother than the average gravel road. The only real downside to the limestone is the clouds of dust that cover you and your bike in a fine, light grey film.

The Erie Canal

After having to navigate the madness that was Niagara Falls yesterday, it was a nice mental break to ride along one single, straight path all day. We had no complicated directions and no impatient drivers to deal with. Every ten or so miles, the canal runs through a town where you have the option to cross a bridge and go fill up on water or buy food.

Around midday, I ran into another bike tourer riding west on the trail. He told me his name was Mark and that he was headed to Bar Harbor. I gave him my name and told him he was going the wrong way. Apparently he had dropped one of his biking gloves and was pedaling back to get it. His wife Judy, he said, was waiting for him further down the trail. I ran into Judy about a mile later and we exchanged our stories. She and Mark started riding from Lander, Wyoming and have the same final destination as us. Lander was one of the towns we stayed in during my cross-county trip in 2015. I even have a sticker on my bike from Gannet Peak, their local bike shop! During Mark and Judy’s ride, which is called “Craw4Awareness,” they are promoting PTSD awareness in veteran and first responder communities. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram at “Craw4Awareness.”

Judy and I on the Canal Trail. Notice her Gannet Peak water bottle and my sticker!

Today was another hot one, with temperatures around 90 and little shade to be found along the canal. By the time we reached Fairport, we were sweaty and tired very glad to have a place to stay here. My girlfriend’s aunt and uncle, Barb and Dave, heard about our trip and reached out to offer their house for tonight. We were able to shower, do laundry, scrub the limestone dust off our drive trains, and sit down for a wonderful meal with our wonderful hosts. Thanks Barb and Dave!

Day 53: Welland, ON to Lockport, NY

Brian Richardson

We decided to keep our mileage today on the shorter side (“short” meaning 69 miles) for two reasons: we had a long day yesterday and we had to pass through Niagara Falls and over the border back into the US today.

Dawn joins the Bike Loud Crew

Dawn, our wonderful warm showers host from last night rode the first 5 miles with us into Port Colborne. She got us headed in the right direction towards Fort Erie, where the Niagara River meets Lake Erie. From there, we turned North and followed a beautiful road that paralleled the river. I tried to savor the views, but there was a headwind coming in from over the water and I was more than a little tired from yesterday’s big miles. As Evan put it, we were both feeling pretty “bonky.”

bonky (adj): fatigued and low on energy after depleting one’s glycogen stores, prone to bonking

Evan drains lactic acid from his legs after lunch

In between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, on the border of the United States and Canada, a powerful torrent, 85,000 cubic feet per second, shoots down into the water below. The source is just upstream: an over-hydrated biker who just found a bathroom after getting stuck in the customs line on the Rainbow Bridge for twenty minutes. Nearby, of course, is Niagara Falls.

I had never been before, so I was glad to have a chance to finally see the Falls, but the riding in that area was some of the most stressful we’ve faced all summer. The bike path was teeming with aimlessly wandering pedestrians, all holding melting ice cream cones in one hand and trying to take pictures with the other. At the center of all the commotion was the main viewing area. There was a crowd here that looked like something from World War Z. People were clambering over each other to try and get the best view. Evan and I pushed our way to the railing to admire the Falls for all of 20 seconds, then fought our way back out and headed for the Rainbow Bridge.

Evan fights his way through the crowd to get a glimpse of Niagara Falls

The bridge took us out of Ontario and into New York. Shortly after crossing over, we received a classic New York welcome: a slew of expletives shouted from a passing driver that roughly translated to “Please get off the road.”

Tonight, we’re camped out behind the Wide Waters Drive-in Restaurant in Lockport, NY. It feels good to be back in the States and we’re looking forward to some nice biking along the Erie Canal over the next few days.

Evan drains lactic acid from his legs after dinner

Day 52: Port Stanley, ON to Welland, ON

Evan Malinchock

Very few cyclists have ever woken up and said to themselves, "let's bike 120 miles today and feel great about it!" It's really nothing that you can plan for. The day began like any post break day, we woke up in comfortable beds and slogged out some mileage before breakfast. It was then after we stepped out of breakfast that everything about our day changed. 

The winds are more imperative to how far you can go than elevation gain or loss or even temperature. Today we were gifted with powerful tailwinds that propelled us to our lunch destination that we originally chose to be our final destination for the day. It was here that we decided to turn our 70 mile day into a century, ending in Dunnville. 

We had another 30 miles of stunningly smooth roads, with a powerful tailwind, and gorgeous views of waving grain fields lined with massive ancient oak trees and wind turbines. This is the kind of biking that inspires you to ride more than you plan to. The day was still young when we reached Dunnville when we decided to make one final push for a Warmshowers host in Welland, ON. 

Riding through a wind farm

After more stunning riding we arrived at the Elliott's house, where we were greeted with a block party! The neighborhood gave us a very warm welcome that we have come to expect from Canada. 

Aptly named

The mileage today on paper seems staggering, but in reality if we didn't have the hosts that we did in Welland I would be happy to continue on this magical day.

Day 51: Break Day in Port Stanley, ON

Brian Richardson

Port Stanley is a beautiful harbor town situated on the North shore of Lake Erie, at the mouth of Kettle Creek. There is a draw bridge in the city’s center that crosses over the creek and has to lift up several times a day to let boats pass underneath. The town is big enough to have plenty of things to do and small enough that you can walk pretty much anywhere.

Kettle Creek, Port Stanley, ON

The only thing I needed to accomplish today was do a load of laundry, and this proved to be somewhat of a challenge. According to Google Maps, there is no laundromat in Port Stanley, but I asked around and found out that that is not the case. I gathered our dirty clothes and walked a half mile over to the address I was given. The “laundromat” was a shed with two washers, two dryers, and no detergent. I went down a few more blocks to an inn to ask where I could find laundry detergent within walking distance. The receptionist disappeared into the supply closet for a second and came back out with a little cup of Cascade for me (this is what I mean when I say everyone we’ve met in Canada has been nice).

Port Stanley laundromat

Once I had my detergent, I returned to the washing machine, took out my wallet, and realized that I had no Canadian coins to pay with. I went back outside and down the block to a sandwich store to ask about where I could exchange some currency (I couldn’t go back to the inn with another silly question). The cashier was happy to trade Canadian coins for my American dollars. She asked if I wanted a toonie or two loonies. I had no idea what those words meant so I just said “yes” and took whatever she handed me. It turns out those are the names for one and two-dollar coins.

I took my loonies back to the laundry shed and started the washing machine. While waiting for the clothes, I walked down to the beach and along the pier to a lighthouse. I sat for a while and watched boats come and go under the bridge.

I transferred the clothes and then found out that the dryers only accepted American quarters, so I went back to the sandwich shop and traded my loonies back for quarters. While the clothes dried, I worked on a New York Times crossword puzzle that I borrowed from Alex in Petoskey. Crosswords are my guilty pleasure and they really make for a great break-day activity. In the afternoon, I walked around the downtown area, took a nap, and finished my book. All in all, it was a pretty good day.

Day 50: Wallaceburg, ON to Port Stanley, ON

Evan Malinchock

The heat was an evident part of the day even before I got rolling. I woke up later and told Brian to run along to the next town’s Tim Hortons to wait for me inside. I felt like I was packing up in a humid swamp during a heat wave, but I was in the exact opposite location, in a city park in Canada. As I got on my bike to ride ten miles to a Tim Hortons I listened to Google maps, which decided to take me down an extremely sandy and loose gravel road. As I rolled into the breakfast break I looked like a mess, dripping sweat and covered in white limestone sand.

After a filling “Beyond meat” Canadian bacon biscuit I felt revitalized enough to bang out the mileage into a break day eve. My family was kind enough to get us a room at an inn in Port Stanley as the weather looked super hot today and tomorrow.

Classic bike trip tan lines

Just after lunch Brian and I ran into another Chapel Hill-ianite, Jack who was a soon to be senior at DA! He was biking across America and has been following our blogs for the past few weeks and finally caught up to us after starting a little later than us. It was so wonderful to hear about someone else's experiences on the road that were so similar to my own. We joked about towns and signs that were notable along the way, and things that each party might have missed. Even after we pulled into Port Stanley, we sat down with Jack to share a dinner at the hotel.

Dinner with Jack

Break day eve is always the best day on a trip, with looking forward to nothingness being the only thing you have to do it's terribly relaxing.

Day 49: Brown City, MI to Wallaceburg, ON

Brian Richardson

Compared to yesterday, the temperature today was higher and the winds were stronger. For the most part, we were on busier roads with bumpier surfaces and the scenery was not spectacular. None of this mattered though, because we had the Canadian border in our sights.

By the time we finished breakfast in Yale, it was already 84 degrees outside. Each town we passed through had one of those scrolling electric signs with messages like “Welcome to Marine City ... 95 degrees  ... Have a great summer!” The heat reminded me of my bike trip in 2015, when we took a more Southern route through states like Kansas and Missouri. I’ve grown used to the cooler temperatures of the Northern Tier this summer, so today this heat was a shock to my system.

After 68 miles, we arrived in Algonac, a small town by the St. Clair River with a gargantuan American flag flying above the shore. There we boarded a ferry to cross the river to Walpole Island, Ontario. We were greeted on the Western shore by a more modestly sized Canadian flag and a customs officer who spent more time chatting with us about our trip and wishing us good luck than looking at our passports.

Algonac, MI

Ferry from Algonac, MI to Walpole, ON

We’ve been looking forward to this border crossing for a long time now, and it has definitely lived up to the hype. Here are some of our favorite parts of being in Canada:

1. The units: As soon as we crossed the border, the temperature dropped from 94 degrees F to a crisp 29 degrees C. Additionally, the 13 kilometers from Walpole Island to our destination of Wallaceburg took us less than half an hour. Back in the states, 13 miles would have taken us more than twice that time.

2. The wind: The headwind we had all day became a tailwind after we got off the ferry and turned Northeast.

3. The people: I know it’s a stereotype that all Canadians are nice, but every single person we’ve met here today has been genuinely kind and helpful. When we arrived in Wallaceburg, we asked at the police station if we could camp anywhere in town. The police officer had never heard that kind of request before, and yet she had no problem securing us a place to stay in the park.

Day 48: Midland, MI to Brown City, MI

Evan Malinchock

The morning was like any other, Brian and I woke at the crack of dawn to roll out of our warmshowers hosts home. We soaked up the chilly morning air knowing full and well that today was going to be one of the hottest of the trip so far.

Pothole left!

After a mile or two I still felt the lag in my legs that typically disappears after a mile or two of soft pedaling. For another twenty miles I chugged my way into Bay City (our desired breakfast stop) in discontent knowing the rigor of the day ahead of me. It was here that I loaded up on calories, water, and the all important caffeine to get me through the day. Once we left city limits the sun seemed to intensify and the wind seemed to blow in our face just enough to make the biking hard and the breeze not refreshing in the least bit. The day was going to be a slog.

After a quick lunch in the plastic lawn chairs that were for sale in the shade of the Dollar General, we hit the road for a 30 mile finish in Brown City. On the outskirts of Brown City we ran into a massive haunted Mansion, the Bruce Haunted Mansion, to see a face staring back at us through the main second story window. After seeing this figure run off, a pasty white bald headed boy poked out through the front door and gave us the stink eye until we left the premises, we definitely didn't need to be asked twice.

Bruce Haunted Mansion

Once we rolled into town, before we could even get out of our chamois we pulled into a Mexican restaurant where Brian and I feasted on burritos the size of both of our heads combined. It was safe to say that we left clean plates for the kitchen to clean. Over dinner there was talk of how excited we were for Canada tomorrow and our break day two days from now. We are unbelievably excited for this massive milestone in our bike ride.

Day 47: Reed City, MI to Midland, MI

Brian Richardson

It was a crisp 55 degrees this morning, cool enough to perk me up for the first hour of biking into Evart. We rode on the Pere Marquette Trail, an old rails-to-trails bike path that parallels HW 10. There were no cars or hills, and we got to see lots of wildlife. In the first 15 miles I saw several of Michigan’s famous black squirrels, a couple of chipmunks, five deer (including a doe and her two fauns), and no fewer than ten rabbits.

We stayed on the Pere Marquette for the entire 70 miles into Midland. It passes through towns at regular intervals and it has well-made signs that make it easy to navigate. It is, in fact, a part of the rails-to-trails hall of fame.

Evan rides the Pere Marquette

Saturday was the first day of the 2019 Tour de France, which will continue for the next three weeks before ending in Paris. It coincides almost exactly with this three-week stretch of our ride from Petoskey to Bar Harbor. I’m not usually an avid follower of cycling but I’ve really enjoyed keeping up with it while on the bike trip.

Yesterday was stage 2 of the Tour: the team time trial. Each team raced a 16.5 mile course around Brussels in a tight draft line, averaging speeds of up to 35 mph. Evan and I were nowhere near that fast today, but it was fun to pretend that we were racing through Brussels, especially with my new aerobars that I borrowed from Wes’ bike.

Today felt more productive than the past few days did since we were actually traveling East. From Mackinac to Reed City our route had taken us South-Southwest, the opposite direction as Bar Harbor. Now we’re back on track and ready to cross into Ontario in just a few more days!

Day 46: Traverse City, MI to Reed City, MI

Evan Malinchock

Among ways to wake up, I think one of the best ways that you could awake is to an adorable puppy licking your face. Our gracious hosts made us coffee and treats for breakfast and we were on the road before I even had a chance to fully awaken myself!

I believe there are 3 times you wake up in a day on a bike trip, when your eyes are pried open by a dog, or the sun, or some sprinkler spraying your face. Secondly is the first coffee of the day that gets you up and moving. Finally you are awoken by a climb, and today we had a real eye-opener that was reminiscent of those passes seen in Washington. It was a long (roughly 4 mile) climb at a sharp Michigan-style grade that had us gasping for air and finally awake in the crisp morning air.

We temporarily joined a bike race outside of Traverse City

The remainder of the day was calm and flat, and we eventually picked up a bike trail to the town of Cadillac (30 miles from our destination of Reed City) for lunch and to watch the women's world cup in a brew pub! The entire bar was fixated on the TV in this small divey town in middle America. Whenever our women would do well or score we all broke out in cheers or if worse things happened a sprinkling of jeers would fall across the bar. After we won the bar erupted in applause and we left the bar to hit the bike trail and finish the day up.

Once in Reed City, Brian and I found a town park with showers and everything a smelly cyclist could need. Then we went to a dollar General to pick up dinner and almost immediately fell asleep after our hodge podge meal!

Day 45: Petoskey, MI to Traverse City, MI

Brian Richardson

We got back on our biking schedule today with a classic 6:30 wake up. Wes and the Broz’s were nice enough to get up with us to see us off, and Alex even made us a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and toasted English muffins. I felt a little strange getting back on my bike, for a couple of reasons:

Firstly, this was our first day riding without Wes. Wes has been an integral part of this trip-as the oldest member, he really looked out for us-and it definitely feels different to ride without him. Luckily, he has been grooming us for the past few weeks to prepare us to continue on by ourselves. Before we rolled out, we divided up some of his equipment: I took his electrical tape, Leatherman tool, chain lube, and aerobars, and Evan took his duct tape, water bottle, and functional pannier clips. We also have to pick up some of Wes’ daily responsibilities: searching for places to sleep, keeping us safe on the roads (“No sketchy riding!” is a favorite quote of his), and whining just enough to keep us from pushing our mileage too high.

Secondly, I hadn’t pedaled a single stroke in the previous 64 hours. This was by far the longest we’d gone without biking in the last six weeks. It felt like the part of The Odyssey when the hero Odysseus and his crew sail to Cape Malea and eat the lotus flower. The flower makes them fall into a blissful trance, lose track of their goal to sail home from Troy, and spend many days lounging around. We had fallen into our own blissful trance in Petoskey, and it was hard to leave behind, but once we were a few miles out of town, I felt like I was back in bike trip mode.

We rode 82 miles along US Bicycle Route 35, which is made up of bike trails and back roads that zig-zag along HW 31. The meandering of Route 35 adds some extra mileage and climbing, but it kept us away from traffic and made for safer and more pleasant biking. It rained for most of the day, but it was only a light drizzle-not enough to warrant a rain jacket.

There are a lot of nice people out there

Evan rides a bike trail into Traverse City

In Traverse City, we found some wonderful Warm Showers hosts, Bob and Laura, who offered showers, laundry, and a place to sleep on their living room floor. We walked into downtown Traverse City, a beautiful area that is friendly to bikers and pedestrians, where the National Cherry Festival was going on. We sampled cherry jams, cherry chutneys, cherry salsa, cherry fudge, chocolate covered cherries, and pretty much anything else you could think of.

On our walk back to the house, some of Bob and Laura’s neighbors asked us about our matching Be Loud! Sophie shirts. They invited us inside and we talked with them about our ride and our fundraising efforts. It turns out that they are an avid biking family, and that one of their kids survived cancer as a teenager. They were very familiar with the particular dilemma faced by adolescents and young adults seeking cancer treatment in a system that divides patients into two categories, children and adults, neither one of which is appropriate for their needs. Our conversation was a powerful reminder to me of the importance of the work of Be Loud!.

We joined Bob and Laura, along with Laura’s cousin, for a wonderful home-cooked dinner. We sat around the table and enjoyed a lengthy conversation on topics that ranged from bike-touring to the 2020 election. These are some of my favorites moments of this trip, when we sit down for a meal with people who were previously strangers to us and end up feeling like a part of their family.

Day 43: Break Day in Petoskey (part I)

Brian Richardson

We’re in Petoskey, MI, taking our double break day with our friend Alex from scouts. The Broz family was kind enough to let a couple of smelly bikers post up at their home for three whole nights, and for that we are very grateful.

Our day began with the usual break day maintenance: washing the bikes, tightening cables, cleaning and lubing chains, etc. We’ve put about 2700 in this trip, and now is the time when our bikes could start to have problems if we don’t take good care of them.

In the afternoon, we went to the Lake Michigan beach in Petoskey State Park. We swam, lounged on the beach, and took turns tubing out on the water. In a previous blog post, I talked about having ‘type 2 fun,’ which is miserable while it’s happening, but fun in retrospect. Our day at the beach was type 1 fun, which means it was just plain enjoyable.

Throughout the day, Alex smoked a beef brisket that we had for dinner, along with a delicious array of home cooked foods made by his family. Afterwards, we walked into downtown Petoskey to watch the 4th of July parade and see Alex’s cousin play drums with the famous Petoskey High School marching band. To top it off, we had ice cream at Murdick’s and walked down to the breakwall to jump into Little Traverse Bay.

The Petoskey marching band

The sun doesn’t go down until 9:30, so it’s not likely that I’ll be awake for the fireworks tonight. With all that we did today, I feel as tired as I would after an 80 mile day. But that’s okay because we have another zero day tomorrow!

Diving into Lake Michigan

Day 42: Mackinaw City, MI to Petoskey, MI

Wes Malinchock

I couldn't have asked for a better last day of biking today. Unfortunately, after our double break day here in Petoskey I will be flying back to North Carolina to start preparing for my new job in Raleigh. Although I am a little sad to leave the trip (I'm sure I'll miss the freedom of the road when I'm working my 9 to 5) I am not disappointed that I will not be finishing with Evan and Brian. I have already biked across the country once and the real reason I came out here was to experience the day to day of bike touring, not for the bragging rights of completing another cross country bike ride. Petoskey felt like a fitting place to stop because it was a long term goal for us and we are staying with friends here who are generous enough to assist me in getting home. This has been planned for a while now, and I am really glad that I was able to enjoy such a great day of biking for my "last day".

We decided to sleep in a little bit this morning and woke up to beautiful weather in Mackinaw City, Michigan. We headed into town for breakfast at a restaurant that specializes in pancakes where we got some of the best pancakes of the trip (and I have had a lot over the course of the last few weeks). After we had our fill, we left town for the eastern shore of Lake Michigan which we would be riding all day as we headed south to Petoskey. Along the way we missed a turn and ended up riding 8 "bonus miles" down a gravel road and back again to our missed turn in the Michigan State Wilderness Park. It was a pretty ride, but having done some major miles over the last 3 days my legs were not happy about this little excursion.

Blueberry (left) and pumpkin cream (right) pancakes at The Pancake Chef in Mackinaw City

After we were back on track we rode the "Tunnel of Trees" along the coast for the rest of the day. This stretch of State Road 119 is a gorgeous winding road through a dense forest. It was so much fun racing through the trees, ocassionally getting glimpses of the beautiful Lake Michigan. However, as the day went on we could all feel the hard work we had done in the past 3 days taking its toll on our bodies. By the end of the day, our leg muscles were burning from exhaustion and I could feel my body burning through calories like crazy. I was getting hungry enough to stop for a snack every hour or so. Brian had mentioned something about having to increase your caloric intake as your ramp up your milage like we had been doing, but I never really felt it's full effect until today.

Tunnel of Trees

We ended the day on the shores of Lake Michigan where we met our friend Alex as he was getting back from water skiing. I ceremoniously dipped my front tire in the lake, signifying that my trip was complete and then we all jumped in the water. I really could not have asked for a better day, and I know that these next two days of rest are extremely well earned after today. We have been pushing really hard to get to this point and have done a great job, I have no doubt that this ambitious attitude and great riding will continue for the rest of the trip!

Wes dips his tire in Lake Michigan