A Bike Adventure

Yesterday I had the pleasure of going for a bike-ride down by Lake Ontario along the Waterfront Trail.  If you are not familiar with the Great Lakes, then you are probably not familiar with the Waterfront Trail (you may not be familiar with it even if you live near the trail, too, I don't know what you know).  The trail currently stretches from east of Cornwall on the Saint Lawrence river all the way to just north of the border at Detroit (roughly).  The goal is that one day the trail will extend and connect the Saint Lawrence to all of the Canadian Great Lakes (Sorry Lake Michigan!).  The lakefront treks make for lovely, peaceful scenery and it's always a pleasure to travel the trail.

Yesterday morning, the air was crisp and the only wind was generated from my own forward motion.  For the most part, the morning was clear and almost too bright as the sun rose above the treeline.  The only haze or mist gathered above the eastern horizon.  Few people are out on the trails on a Sunday morning, and even better, fewer people are out on the roads (side note: if you are practicing driving and want empty streets, Sunday morning is prime time!) meaning that I had a smooth ride.

Some days, when I get on my bike, I feel like I could go forever.  Honestly, yesterday was almost one of those days.  I originally planned to bike down to the lake and then run a bit along the trail, but as I flew over pavement, I found I just wanted to keep going--I just wanted to push further and faster than I'd gone before.  I would love to go on a cycling trip.  My dad has many stories from when he was in his early-to-mid-twenties of his own bike trips.  For instance, he and a friend from university went from Waterloo University to the Maritimes in a 21 day trip (eating mainly peanut butter and honey sandwiches as I'm told).  To me, that sounds like a lot of fun.  Sure, it would be a lot of hard work, too, but I think there is something to be said about going somewhere with your own strength.  Nowadays, almost anyone can hop in a car and drive somewhere, but to cycle it?

Unfortunately, at this point in my life, I'm not in a place where I can go on a bicycle adventure. (1) I don't have the time--I work a contracted job and can't have a couple weeks off to cycle somewhere. (2) I don't have the necessary supplies--namely, my bike is not built for hardcore riding and I would need a different one along with the necessary bike bags and camping equipment that would fit on a bike. I would also need to learn how to better service a bike as anything can happen in the middle of nowhere.  (3) I'd need a bicycling buddy.  As much as I want to go on a trip like this, I don't want to go alone.  I can't think of any of my friends wanting to take part in such an adventure though.  None of them are big cyclists or campers, let alone both.

So, at this point, I can't see a bike adventure happening in my near future.  I hope for someday.  Until then, I will go where and when I can.  Ever aiming to go the greater distance--that little bit farther into the unknown.