Homeward Bound

Aug. 12th I was on the train, once again sleeping sitting up in coach.
I text messaged home that I wasn't meeting as many people as last time because I just didn't feel like talking to people. I kind of went into a funk or a blues period.
Mary Esta text messaged back: "You don't feel like talking? Because you know everyone will be jealous when you tell them you biked clear across Sask. :) I told Mr. T you're coming. He got so excited."
That message picked up my spirits, I can tell you.

At one point, we were deep in the Ontario woods, eating lunch in the dining car.
When you come into the car to eat, you are placed at whichever table the attendant says, and so you meet lots of people this way. I was with a couple from Winnipeg, and a girl from England.
The girl suddenly says 'Look, a wild horse running.'
We looked, and there it was running at a slow galop through the brush away from the train. It was a small one.
I said to her 'I think that might be a moose, though.' She was really excited then.
First time for me seeing a moose that wasn't in Algonquin in the fall.

Aug. 13th. The commuter train to Belleville left an hour before we got to Toronto as we were late, again.
Via desparately needs it own rail line (it has to share with CNR freight trains, and oddly enough, the freights have precidence and the Via has to stop time and again to let them by) but what political party other than Elizabeth May's Green Party is going to give us that.
Instead, Via had to set up a taxi bus to transport us to our hometown destination, so down the 401 we zipped in the middle of the night, and Lucas had to stay at his son, Martin's, until it arrived in Belleville, which was 2 am. (He didn't HAVE to, he just wanted to be there to meet me - both he and Martin were - felt really nice). Before we could leave Toronto, we all had to wait for some people's luggage to be pulled off the train from Winnipeg. There was some sort of hold-up so that it was another hour before we could leave Toronto. There were 3 bus taxis, I think. Via had called ahead to see if the commuter train could wait but that didn't happen. I bet this happens all the time. It must cost the company thousands.

When first I planned this trip, I was drawn to the idea of being out in the quiet and grandeur of nature. Now that I've done the trip, I realize that the magic was in the people I met. My knees hurt quite a bit but I had no leg cramps while cycling the whole trip. They came on the train trip home.
Anonymous said...Ever think of making this into a book.... remember Spokes? Spokes of a Canadian Trail.... heehee. Thanks for letting me overtake your pc so I could upload the Mirror for Dad! (that's a giveaway of who I am!)