Day 4: Port Ryerse to Dutton. Trip Total: 474km

Toronto, you could learn something from Port Stanley

My day didn't exactly start off on the right foot.

Leaving Port Reyes I passed by what appeared to be an innocuous fence post until the spawn of Satan ruffled its wings. I'd never seen  a Turkey Vulture up close before and it scared the crap out of me. It looked like something straight out of the Dark Crystal.  I took this as a bad omen.

2.5km into my ride I get a call from my generous hostess from the night before saying I left my water bottles and travel journal at their place. They offered to drive them out to wherever I was, but it was only 2.5km so I insisted on riding back to pick them up. Add 5 unnecessary km to my day right away.

Leaving Port Ryerse

There's a direct route to Dutton, and a very indirect route,  I chose the latter. I wasn't in a rush,  and I figured the route off of the highway would offer some nice scenery. While riding along the coastline in Turkey Point,  I found myself at a dead end.  I had to retrace my route another 2.5km to get to a road that led out of there,  so again, another 5 unnecessary km.

Turkey Point

By 11am the sun was becoming an issue.  I was riding through farm country, so there was almost never any shade. At lunch I reassessed my route and found that what google laid out as a 120km ride was now looking like 140km, of which I had 70km left to go. I had plenty of fuel and water,  I was up for it.

Check out the weird arrow in the clouds

The monotony of the farmland was getting to me. I couldn't figure out why this was any more eye catching than riding on the more convenient highway. That, and heat exhaustion was setting in.

As tired as I was,  I could hear Leonidas bellowing at me when I saw this sign

As it seemed I was closing in on the home stretch,  the terrain turned terrible as a way to further crush my spirits. Rolling hills became much steeper, and the loose gravel roads were almost taunting me with how little traction was provided.

Terrible riding surface

I eventually made it to Dutton Trailer Park 145.7km later. I'm a toasty shade of red, my knee feels like a rusty hinge, and now, several hours later, my back still hasn't unseized.

I really want to make it to Kingsville tomorrow to earn a much needed day off,  but things aren't looking good. Even if I recover enough (I'd say 50/50), the forecast is calling for rain, probably thunder storms for most of the day. Even this I might be okay with, at least it would cool off my scorched skin, but it's supposed to start very early in the am. I'm usually okay riding in the rain,  but I'm not cool about packing up my camping gear in the rain.

This will be a gametime decision when I wake up tomorrow.

I need a drink.