Climbing

So, I dragged myself out of bed around 7 my time, 8 for everyone here, got my stuff ready, then went into the cafe to eat breakfast and say farewell. They have Jones Soda! So I had to get one with my veggie burger, which was quite good (though more what we'd call a slider where I'm from). I was asked about foods Nebraska is known for. All I could think of was cinnamon rolls with chilli, Kool-Aid, and Runzas. Did I miss anything? I said my goodbyes to Caitlin and Daniel and was off.

They warned me I was in for some big hills today. I told them I'd gone over some mountains though, and they told me I should be fine then. The climbs today were indeed nothing to sneeze at, one in particular requiring my utmost lowest gearand making me start thinking, "Damn, can I be done yet?" But it wasn't anything I haven't done before. And the warnings about there being lack of shoulder and the road being really winding turned out not to be the case at all, at least by the standards doing the Pacific Coast set for me.

Early in the day as I stopped at what may have been the first of what would be many scenic overlooks I would snap pictures from, an older man asked, "Beautiful isn't it?" I told him yes. And then he followed with, "It makes you wonder why people feel the need to go down into the States with scenery like this up here." He clearly assumed I was also Canadian (and why wouldn't he?). I laughed and agreed with him, not wanting to get into anything. ...But I could think of at least a couple dozen sights I've seen personally in the US that would be worth any Canadian's time. Just because there's beautiful scenery in your own country doesn't mean you shouldn't travel to see others. That's why I'm here after all. Maybe I should have told him that.

The biggest plunge of the day, after the biggest climb, dropped me into the Pays Plat Reserve where I used some wifi I think I technically wasn't supposed to. I got some encouragement from friends. Then I climbed up yet again right away (though only half as high), plunged down, then before long was climbing gradually yet again. Basically it was just a lot of up and down all day. The wind wasn't with me either, but then what else is new? But even for all the hard work, it wasn't what I would call a rough day by any means.

I got to see a cool waterfall. Rainbow Falls. I pulled into the park, asked if I needed a permit as the sign indicated, and was told, "Not on bike you don't!" Which is reason #16 to travel by bike rather than car. ...I'll come up with 1-15 later. When I asked how far it was to the falls, she had no clue, and said something like 10 minutes on bike she guessed. It was way less than that. Nobody ever knows actual distances. The falls were quite impressive, perhaps not quite as multicolored as the name would suggest, but still beautiful.

Other than that, I didn't see too much today besides beautiful views of the lake and steep cliff sides. Some good pictures passed me by at moments I was racing down hill or unable to stop. Jack Knife River. Rossport (which I blew past). A neat river. An impressive water tower on the way into Terrace Bay. But that's how it usually goes.

I got into Terrace Bay, exhausted, and started looking for a place. I found out the plaza has free Wi-Fi, which is awesome. The town has a lot going for it for being so small (1500) including a sizeable community center. I asked the checkout lady at the grocery store where to camp and she suggested places stupidly far away (as if my helmet and gear didn't identify me as a bicyclist), but then suggested people sometimes camped up Mill Road. I didn't really like the sound of it. Another man was from Manitoba, so no use there. There was advice to camp on the beach I had from Daniel and Caitlin, but no confirmation from locals. Then another lady said she had no idea, offering far away campgrounds, followed by a tidbit about people sometimes camping at the information center, which turns out to open tomorrow. ...Different answers everywhere I turned. I settled on the information center, right off the highway, easy access to facilities, and wifi even. I was settling in when an official drove up to take out the trash and I got concerned I'd be turned away. But no, she saifd I was all good. Here and the beach were both acceptable places. She was incredibly nice and helpful. She even gave me a clean garbage bag to put my food in and then store inside the garbage can as not to attract any bears. I put all my bags with food or that had ever had food in the trash can (weird feeling tossing your possessions in the garbage for safe keeping. I'm not too worried about bears now...but damn, the mosquitoes might just eat me. They really do get bigger up here.