Homesick no More
Published July 17, 2011 | 
by Mary Frances
Rushville, IN - This year’s bike trip is over. Chris and John picked us all up on Saturday afternoon and we drove until 2:30 am to get home. I couldn’t wait.
Picking up the Foolish Mansion Riders at Long Point State Park, NY
I know that some readers will be surprised. In my last post, I announced my decision to continue the trip by going along the St Lawrence River and into Montreal and Quebec. This trip has been postponed until next summer, due to sheer homesickness. In 32 years of marriage, the longest Chris and I have been apart was 3 and a half weeks, which occurred when the kids and I were on our volunteering vacation in Mexico last summer. As Chris and I approached our 3 and a half week separation on the bike trip, I found the one obstacle that no amount of plan changing or route alteration could solve: I missed Chris too much to spend four more weeks away from him.
I am very happy with this decision, and the kids were okay with it. Jennifer wanted to get home in time for band camp. The other three were ready to stay on the road but now that we are home, they seem content. Chris is thrilled.
My leg injury healed on its own before I decided to come home. Riding shorter distances and taking a more relaxed attitude towards the trip worked very well. Detouring towards Canada also was a good idea.
Our Kingston, ON hosts, Heather and Josh
We finished our ride in Kingston, Ontario, where we stayed for two nights with a wonderful young couple, Heather and Josh. They were the most popular hosts by far with the children, playing games with them and spending time just listening to them rattle on. We were all excited to be going home and probably talked their ears off.
We spent our last night in Long Point State Park in New York (on the map), just this side of the Canadian border. We passed the thousand mile mark as we rode into the park. It had been a long trip.
Kingston, Ontario, is a beautiful city. It was easier crossing into Canada this time because we crossed at a much less crowded location and we also had the confidence of prior experience.
Jennifer and Mary Frances on the ferry to Wolf Island
In order to get to Kingston, we first had to take the ferry to Wolfe Island, a Canadian island that lies at the mouth of the St Lawrence River right where it empties into Lake Ontario. The water was clean and cold. I stood at the front of the ferry watching the bubbly white froth leap ahead of the boat while sail boats and sea birds passed by.
Wolfe Island has a small village on it, as well as multiple small farms and many more windmills than we could count. The juxtaposition of the sleek, skeletal structures of the windmills and the pastoral beauty of the lush green countryside was jarring. I was not
Wolfe Island windmill. Seems a little out of place.
surprised to learn later that the installation of the windmills had generated an enormous amount of controversy. There were conservationists concerned for the bats and birds that inevitably get whacked by the churning arms of the windmills. In addition, there were the locals who did not appreciate having the scenery transformed by the towering metallic presence of windmills. The irony of windmills is that, while friendly to the environment in function, clearly are not compatible with it in form.
The ride across Wolfe Island was 6.6 miles. At the end, we arrived at the village and another ferry, this one going to Kingston. The second ferry was much larger than the first one.
When we arrived in Kingston we were tired and it was late. The total ride for the day was only 40 miles and the hills had been moderate but it still felt like a long day. We rode directly to Josh and Heather’s house. They invited us inside to visit while the boys set up the tents. The mosquitoes were attacking in organized squadrons so we gratefully accepted.
I feel in love with their house on first sight. It was homey and beautiful. There was neither too much nor too little of anything. It was, as Goldilocks said of the Baby Bear’s belongings, “Just right”.
The next morning Heather drove me to buy groceries. Canadians have much better bread than we do, and higher prices. Afterwards, the kids and I set out for downtown and the Busker’s Festival. We left the panniers and trailer at the house. It was a relief to ride without the extra weight.
Kingston Street Artist (literally)
A “busker” is a street performer. There were buskers from all over the world at the festival, representing a wide range of talents. The performances took place in parks and on blocked off streets. They were scheduled so that the audience could walk from one performance as it ended to another as it began.
Our first performance was a juggler in suspenders and pants up to his arm pits. In sequence (not all at once), he balanced a hand cart on his nose, juggled while standing on a platform balanced on a big rubber ball and juggled seven balls at once. Mary Elizabeth, who can only juggle three, was put to shame.
The next performance was by a trio of street musicians from Austria. Their music was sublime. Their concert was my favorite busker performance. Inevitably it was the one that interested the kids the least.
Penta-unicyclist on Kingston
Afterwards we saw a unicyclist with a five wheel high unicycle, an escape artist who escaped from hanging upside down in a strait jacket and chains, a comedy act and a Jamaican band.
The kids loved it but I was hot and tired from sleeping in lumpy grass with lots of sticks poking me.( I had spent the whole night trying to contort myself so that there wasn’t a stick poking me in the back, elbow, etc.)
At the end of the afternoon, we went into a book store for some respite from the heat and the crowds. We found an old-fashioned book store with high shelves, old tomes and an erudite book dealer who could seamlessly navigate discussions of literature, history and politics without missing a beat.
Mary Elizabeth bought a book of poetry (which she henceforth insisted on reading to us during our bike breaks) and yet another copy of the Odyssey (we have three at home) to ride in the car on the way back. Patrick got a copy of the Mad Scientist’s Club and I got an early Dean Koontz novel. Joseph got a book on Sudoku.
After the bookstore we went into one of those game shops where people with IQs of 140 and the social skills of a fifth grader play games with inch thick rule books. The store was packed with players sitting around tables scattered throughout the store. I walked around and listened in on animated conversations about the relative attributes of fantasy characters and strategic initiatives for wars being waged with plastic tanks on cardboard fields. Nerds or not, the players were having a blast. I don’t play games myself but I envied the fun they were having.
The next morning we left for another trip across Wolfe Island. This time the windmills were actually turning. Jennifer and I stopped at an art and crafts gallery with works done by islanders. I enjoyed looking at the paintings but Jennifer preferred the jewelry.
We had a picnic lunch on the shores of the St Lawrence River while waiting for the second ferry. The water was amazingly clear and the scenery was beautiful.
Once we arrived in Cape Vincent, we passed through customs and then headed for a grocery store. I bought everyone a box of ice cream that we consumed in about five minutes. Then we hit the road for the campground.
The campground was on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Ontario, which was calm and clear. The kids tried swimming but gave up with they found how many rocks and weeds there were on the bottom of the lake. I studied for my distance learning class and felt sorry for myself for having to waste such a beautiful place.
The next morning we broke camp and packed up, waiting impatiently for the arrival of Chris and John. When they got there, I walked into Chris’ arms and held on tight. I was back home.
The Epic Northern Tier Bicycle Adventure Daily Digest for 2011-07-13
Published July 13, 2011 | - Stopped for salt water taffies. Mm good:) #
- Got up late again:) we rode 31 miles yesterday. And climbed 770 feet. We are outside adams center. #
- Back on the road after a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes:) #
- Pit stop in dexter. Dee dee get out of my laboratory! #
- Met a guy doing the same route as us. #
- Ran gun a pretty big storm. Took shelter in a library. #
- Some of the cloud formations here are just breathtaking. #
- About to board the ferry to take up to canada:) #