Another Saturday on the NL T'Railway

A bit of the trail that levels out before a slight decline by the Hydro plant (heading North) and onto the big smooth rock-and-roll section that shakes your brain around in your skull.

I was hoping for a lovely long ride today but I bailed on the plan and turned back because it is STILL ONLY 5 BLOODY DEGREES HERE!!! (And I made some poor clothing choices.) It was cold and damp and after pushing over the really rocky bit by the Hydro plant, I was sweaty and I had chosen wool which actually made me colder because I forgot to wear a base layer (thinking it would warm up enough). Anyhow, I just wasn't feeling it, so decided to turn back and come home.

So I did only 50kms instead of the planned 135kms but John decided to forge ahead without me. I am only somewhat rueful that I didn't do the longer distance. But also grateful for the rest and a little afternoon nap with the cats.

On the positive side for me, I paid more attention to drinking and eating today, which I’ve learned the hard way I cannot neglect. And I was able to test the Camelbak again (slightly less painful this time, albeit far less distance than the last time we did 130km on the T'Railway). The saddle bag is working out perfectly on the fully containing only the bivvy at the moment. 🤗

It looks lovely now by the time I got back to Seal Cove. I actually considered turning around, but the prospect of lunch and a hot shower were far too compelling.

There's an iceberg over on the other shore! I wish it were closer.

Earlier that morning around 7:30AM, I had decided to get a head-start on John and only had to wait a few minutes in the cold outside the coffee shop in Holyrood before he showed up. There was nowhere to lock our bikes, so we ended up trying to lock them onto this railing between the garbage bins and the drive-through lane. This was very stressful. 

I thought my glove might help drivers spot the obstacle so they didn't ram into our bikes as they left the drive-through.

The staff refused to allow us to bring them inside, despite there being only 2 other patrons sitting in. I have completed the online survey and it's a new establishment, so we are hoping that they take our request into consideration. The trail passes very close to the restaurant, and it's one of the few places where you can stop to eat, so they would probably attract more business if they made their building more cyclist-friendly.

John is a legend for continuing on for as long as he did. He ended up doing 175km on that bloody horrible trail. He had a quick stop at the Gravy Train - the only place we have managed to find along the trail in that entire area that serves food. It also started to rain as he got closer to home, so by the time he arrived, his hands were bright red from the cold and he was soaking. Luckily, he has a wonderful wife who had already gone out to pick up Chinese and some Crafty Radlers as a kind of pre-Fathers-Day celebration. We watched the final Killing Eve episode, and he was asleep before it was over.

Fries, dressing and gravy...a Newfoundland speciality ;)