Back In Ontario

Day 15 Tuesday September 21^st, 2010

Gorham, NH – Toronto, ON

Total Km –890 km (7129km)

Litres of Gas – 39L (389L)

Cost of Gas - $40 ($434.50)

Hotel - $0 ($463, 5 nights)

Camping - $0 ($15, 3 nights)

Ferry - $0 ($244.50, 2 crossings)

Running – 0 km (71 km – 12 runs)

Toll Roads - $3 ($7.00 – 2 tolls)

She was a bitter, cold morning to start off. I rolled through one town and the digital reading on a bank's sign indicated it was 35 degrees Fahrenheit. 20 minutes into the next town the temperature dropped to 30 degrees. I felt it all in my fingers mostly. Thick fog covered the road and vistas too. It would be quite sometime before it warmed up.

The drive was really nice though. Smooth rolling hills were always to the south of me. I saw a fawn on the road, just hanging out. It is unbelievable how much warmer it is when I have my face shield down, however on mornings such as this it clouds up quite a bit and restricts my visibility. I rolled into Vermont, I didn't even see the sign or welcome centre, and kept a steady pace. Farms were starting to become more frequent, especially dairy operations more then anything. Hay was cut and waiting to be raked and bailed. It seems late in the season for that foolishness; haying, but what do I know. I found it quite funny that I hayed during the almost unbearable July heat this year, and here was hay to be put in the mow and it was barely above freezing. Both situations sound undesirable.

I had a McDonald's breakfast, finally, and it was horrendous. I should have known better. I guess the good spirit of travel was giving me an omen at all those McDonald's throughout Nova Scotia with the senior citizen tour buses, to warn me of its nastiness. Understood.

I zipped along through Montpelier and Burlington – Pictures would be appropriate at this time, especially of Montpelier, but my right hand was more interested in the throttle as opposed to the shutter. I got into the great state of New York – Rain.

It rained for about an hour. I still had my rain togs on when I crossed into Cornwall. Getting through the boarder was simple. I stopped at the Ontario Information Centre, changed, and made some phone calls. I was off to the big smoke.

401 west. 120 km/h. 3.5 hours. 16L of gas in Trenton. Tired. Hot. That's about what was important.

Toronto – Queen Street West. Gladstone Hotel. This is when the fun starts!

I met Kites at about 6:30. He just started a pint, so I thought it would be an insult if I didn't accompany his liquid intake with him. There would be a Alex MacLeod Toronto book launch and reading of Light Lifting. Moreover there would be a Kenneth, Lewis, and Marion MacLeod music performance. We were joined by the other two MacLeod boys; Andrew and Dan, as well as a decent enough guy named Richard Tremain and his wife Teressa Duck. It was a hell of an ensemble! Minus my dear sweet baby Shelly, of course. Ormond Benson and his wife Dionne were there too. The night takes a bit of a turn with all of the libations we were enjoying. No running home though!

Alex did a stand up job with the reading and the crowd was definitely hanging on every spoken word he had to say. He was pulled like a bit of a puppet throughout the night to meet, greet, be interviewed, and all of those celebritiy-esque things he has to do. I think he should get used to it. The collection of short stories is terrific, it will sell well, and people just want to be around him. Light Lifting, presented by Biblioasis publishing, is how you can get a copy of it. Atta boy Alex!

So Kiteley and I saw 1:00, and thought wisely to shut it down.

I have been going back and forth thinking about what Shelly would really enjoy, and what she wouldn't. You would have had a great time tonight. Everyone was asking for you.... Although they knew you couldn't be there.

I have been told countless times on this trip how lucky I am. How lucky I am to have the time off, to travel around, etcetera. But I know I am lucky because I have a great one in Shelly. I miss her so much..... Soon enough my sweet baby! See you soon.