Day 67

July 18 - 42km (Oakville)

My body was completely spent. The push into Toronto last night took all my energy, and it didn’t help that I stayed up late chatting with my friends. I enjoyed every moment of it, however. I was surprised at how seamlessly I fit in again - I hadn’t seen my friends in over 2 months, but it felt like not much had changed.

I had to wake up early in the morning, which didn’t help my exhaustion. This exhaustion was more than just feeling sleepy; it can better be described as a tiredness coursing throughout my entire body. This was relevant because my journey home was not yet complete. I had to make it back to Oakville, where my family was waiting for me.

I spent the day in the city, procrastinating on leaving. I saw some friends and got some food, but eventually I mustered the courage to get on my bike. I only had to travel 40km, but I was facing a lot of mental resistance.

I can say in retrospect that my mental resistance was justified. The path back was supposed to be a relatively easy ride, but my body was begging me for a break. I had to remind myself that I would be taking a nice rest at home, with a comfy bed and a hot shower - I just had to push.

And push I did. The last 10km were surreal. As I started to see familiar businesses and landmarks, the realization of what I accomplished hit me. I had just biked from St. John’s to Toronto, and I was so close to home. This motivated me and I found an extra reserve of energy that washed my exhaustion away.

As I pulled onto my street, my mom was waiting with my dad on call to greet me. I will never forget the joy on her face as she hugged me - a core memory.