Day 86

August 6 - 118km (Alona Bay)

This is where the scary part began. After Sault Ste Marie, there was only one option to take until Thunder Bay - a 700km stretch - and the shoulder quality at times was atrocious and there was bad cell signal. As I pedalled onto the 17, I was very, very nervous.

Maybe about 70km out from the Soo, I saw a sign that said no services for 150km until Wawa. I needed to stock up on water and food, because I was going to be in the middle of nowhere for quite some time. As I was eating at a nearby restaurant, a man gave me a suggestion on where to camp. It was right next to the lake, and I thanked him for his advice.

When I arrived, it was beautiful. I was in the middle of nowhere, but I had a gorgeous view of Lake Superior. I took a dip as the sun was setting. The water was freezing cold, but it was such a welcome feeling after a long, hot day of biking. That’s when it really hit me: the isolation was to be appreciated. When my bike trip is over, I’m not going to be able to have moments like this as often.

I listened to Frank Ocean as I ate cold ravioli and read on my Kindle.