What’s the word hummingbird?

I’ve been getting lots of questions about my trip, specifically if and how covid-19 will affect it. Given the current numbers and trends, I think it’s pretty obvious that I won’t be leaving on May 24th as planned. I’m disappointed, more than I thought I would be, but I’ve waited 35 years for this trip, I can wait a bit longer.

So now what?

I have several options; I could delay the trip a few weeks and still do Canada this year, I could just do the first half of the trip, Ottawa to St. John’s, or I could postpone the trip altogether to next year.

I don’t think the first option will work, delay the trip a few weeks and still do Canada this year. In order for me to do all of Canada, keep my same route (which has been carefully planned based on people and things I want to see), and be back by Thanksgiving (lots of campgrounds close at Thanksgiving, the weather is very unpredictable and most importantly, I love spending Thanksgiving with my family), I would need to leave by June 21st at the latest. I’m pretty sure we won’t be free and clear of covid by that time, so I have decided to put the trip across Canada off until next year. If it’s good enough for the Olympics, it’s good enough for Billy Baggs.

Ottawa to St. John’s

As I was figuring out the latest possible date I could leave for a trip across Canada, I also worked out when I could realistically leave for a trip to St. John’s, whereby doing just under half of the country. Ideally, and with a bit of tweaking of the route, I could leave on July 19 and make it to St. John’s with enough time at the end of my trip that Sue could join me before she heads back to work. If that doesn’t work out, the latest I can leave for St. John’s and be home for Thanksgiving would be August 30.

Our friend Simon gave us another option worth serious consideration. He mentioned that Sue and I could fly to St. John’s, have our vacation and I could bike home from there while Sue flies home in time for work. I would plan it so that I would be travelling home in September while Sue is working, giving us the whole summer together. There are other benefits to this plan as well; more time for covid-19 to settle down, cooler days, less traffic on the roads and highways, campgrounds won’t be full…AND NO BUGS.

I think I will aim for Simon’s suggestion. I am under no illusions that this covid-19 situation will be cleared up by July, and I won’t be taking any chances if covid-19 is still an issue. It’s one thing to go camping with Sue at Charleston Lake in our trailer, where if I get sick we just pack up and come home. But to potentially be in the middle of nowhere and fall ill, that’s a whole different story, and I will not put myself in that position. So as it stands now I will train for a cycle trip from Newfoundland at the end of August. I will monitor the situation, and if it doesn’t come to pass then I will do mini trips in the area this year and Grover and I will traverse the country next year.

Paddling the Rideau Canal

One other passion I have is canoeing, and another item on my bucket list was to paddle the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Ottawa. Originally my plan was to accomplish this next year, but if things don’t improve to the point that it’s unsafe to go to Newfoundland on my bike, and it’s safe enough paddle the Rideau, then that would be worth some serious consideration.

The Rideau Canal is an easy paddle with camping available at most of the lockstations. It will take about 10 days to paddle, depending on paddling speed, weather and if I want to see anything along the way. The length, following the navigation channel, is 202 kilometres, but with side trips and exploring some shorelines, I could be paddling 250 to 300 kilometres over the length of the trip.

Anyway, these are just options depending on what the situation is come July, August or September, and what Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Ford tell us we can and cannot do. One thing is for certain, we all must do our part to help this thing pass.

Be well everyone. Safe ride

Bill