In St. John's!

Wednesday September 16^th, 2010

St. John's NL

Total Km – 0km (4309km)

Litres of Gas – 0L (247L)

Cost of Gas - $0 ($284.25)

Hotel - $0 ($411, 4 nights)

Camping - $0 ($15, 3 nights)

Ferry - $230 ($244.50 2 crossings)

Running – 6.5km (50.5km – 8 runs)

In the span of 95 minutes I really pulled off some crazy stuff.

I drank 2 pints of beer, split a pound of hot chicken wings and beer battered mussels with Marion, and went for a 30 minute run. (That means 60 mins for the beer and food.) When I started my run the sun was out and it was getting warm. I got on the stone crushed trail and headed for the lake. I was feeling a bit light in the head.....

I start off this run at blistering 9 mins miles. The booze is starting to have more of an affect. Within 10 mins the Memorial University women's X/C team and I cross paths. My eyes wonder. Booze is starting to sink in more. Tight shorts and sport bra tops.

I pass many attractive middle aged female runners. The sun is getting hotter. Sweat, chicken wings, mussels, and booze is seeping out of my pores.

Women rowers were walking across the parking lot. Paddles were firmly gripped in their hands. More spandex. More sweat.

The (figurative) climax was when I came across two lesbians holding hands and walking lovingly on the path. Thoughts are swirling in my head. I am thinking about the Dildo, NL and Come By Chance, NL town signs. More greasy sweat. The sun is getting hotter. Intoxication is getting more noticeable. Running becomes laboured, laboured. The path is now not wide enough for my uncontrolled gate. The Memorial University women's team.... Where's Shelly? Where's Shelly?

My day started with a mission to get out to a motorcycle shop called The Toy Box and get hooked up with some heated clothing. I set off for it and found it no problem. The problem was it was rainning. I found what I was looking for. The shop was not busy. I pulled inside to the garage area and the owner went right to work helping me out. We rigged up the heated jacket system into the 12 volt. The owner checked over the bike. He greased my chain and gave me plenty of good pointers for bike maintenance. He was a great guy. He said, “Are you that guy who was gorilla camping in Lab City?” I posted on a motorcycle message forum saying how successful it was.... He had read it!

I ride back to Marion's in the pouring rain. The heated vest is aces. I am wet and warm!

The weather does not deter us. We donned our rain togs and set off for Cape Spear. This is the most easterly point in Canada. There are less then 10 cars in the parking lot which could hold 200. We amble around the grounds. It is foggy and raining, but I am please to be in this significant location. After Marion's narrated tour concluded in 40 minutes or so, we got our wet selves back into the car, drove into St. John's, parked the car, and began our next journey which was to tackle Signal Hill. This is home to the very historic Marconi Trans-Atlantic Radio Wave connection.

When we started our sojourn, the sun was more or less out and it was more or less not raining. We took the scenic pass to get to the top of the hill. It was probably 30 – 40 minutes by the time we got to our destination at the top of Signal Hill. It was well worth the effort to summit. The top of Signal Hill offers an incredible view of St. John's. Notwithstanding there is n historic building on the top of Signal Hill named after John Cabot of all people, as opposed to Macaroni. (Marconi....) Marion also narrated this part of the tour with lots of interesting facts. I kept asking her questions and she had most of the answers. The sun was out in full force and the fog subsided. We sussed it out, as well as a few other outposts along the way down, and wisely determined it was time for beer and some snacks.

We dined at about 3:45 at Nautical Nellies. Drank the beer and ate the chicken wings and mussels. We walked back to her place and I felt a run was just what I needed.

Refer to first part of email...... Shenaniganism.......

Marion and I both confessed to be hit by the alcohol when I returned from the run. The fact that we had no water all day, an early breakfast, no food all day, and a good deal of physical exertion walking to get to Signal Hill.... It was funny.

Dinner was a great arrangement of hummus, various cheeses, salami, guacamole, chips, grapes, etcetera. Imagine, we even found a few beer to drink in the refrigerator. The best thing to do at the time seemed to be to drink them. It was. We did.

We hit George Street by 10:30. We watched some open mike performances and then a Blue Grass band performed. We went to a different bar by midnight and there was more impromptu performances by the patrons. We saw 2:00. We then saw the door. Finally we saw ourselves walking home. This was a wise decision. It had been a long, eventful day.

I usually end these journals with an ode to my dear Shelly. She is pretty dam awesome and I love her a great deal.... But I would be at a loss if I didn't brag about another great teacher, musician, family person, and all around bitch'n girl! That is Marion MacLeod.

I can't possibly write it all Marion. I will just say, then, thank you so much for being a gracious and giving host to yours truly. I had a great time – and I hope to return the hospitality you gave me in St. John's.