Turns out I am rubbish at ultra riding and blogging about it simultaneously. Go figure! 

The ride was hectic and all-consuming. I managed some social media posts, which really helped build some momentum around the fundraising for Cycle for Sight. Smashing my initial goal of $2000, we are now a mere $225 away from reaching $5000 in support of research to treat and cure blinding eye disease! I cannot express my gratitude for all of the support from family, friends, people I met on the trail, and the online community.

If you would like to donate - no amount is insignificant! - here is the Cycle for Sight donation site.

I'm setting out first thing tomorrow to attempt to yo-yo across Newfoundland and back on the NL T'Railway by mountainbike. That's nearly 1800km and over 5,000m of vertical elevation.

I have a few more things left to tweak on the bike, and then hoping for a good night's sleep and an early start. I really hope this rain clears up before I set off.

In any case, the trail will be wet, rocky, bumpy and horrible in many parts, and I have no idea if I will make it. There are mosquitos and overgrown trails and large ruts from significant ATV use and lack of maintenance. If my bike holds up, and more importantly if my body holds up, it will be a crazy feat for me to accomplish. I am also on a tight timeline with some work commitments on the other end which will force me to push myself to make decent time.

So I thought while I'm at it, I would like to raise funds and awareness about a very important charity - Cycle for Sight. Please check out my fundraising page for more details about this charity.
My goal is only slightly more than $1 per kilometre, so if you think my efforts are worth that, consider making a donation towards a portion of my route and let's see if our collective efforts can add up to a significant donation.

I will do my best to just keep pedalling. I'm not aware of anyone else who has done this entire route self-supported on bike and all in one go, so it might even be a record...if I make it!

I will try to send some updates, and John will also post to let you know how I'm doing periodically.

Feeling very vulnerable putting this out there in case I don't make it. But, we won't know if we don't try, right?

If you're curious about the NL T'Railway, there was a write up in Bikepacking.com recently and the original cross-NL ride as far as we know was by Malcolm who is the go-to and you can read his blog Slow:Biker to learn about his exciting adventures on a bike.