The 30th message from Canada

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Michael is still visiting with Coby and Tom, as he prepares to continue his bicycle riding adventure:

"Again I wake up early and I did sleep well. I have breakfast with Coby because Tom already had his. Coby has an appointment with her doctor today, and Tom and I are going to do some shopping for me as I'm leaving tomorrow.

We drive to the doctor's office and drop off Coby there. Tom and I complete our shopping run and go buy a few highlighters at a Dollarama branch. While paying, the cashier, a young woman, asks if I like a bag for my items. "No, its okay, hoor!," I answer. I am shocked by my own words. Fortunately, she must not have understood. Dutch word “hoor” sounds a lot like “whore” in English. That's not the way to make friends. Tom has much fun about my mispronouncement during the next 10 minutes.

We pick up Coby, who had been waiting for us. On the way back home we pick up a good cup of coffee and a doughnut. Tom gives me a road atlas, that also contains the USA, in the afternoon. I look for a possible route through the USA. It appears to be a better option.

Tom has meanwhile found and litter of raccoons that he wants to get rid off. They look cute, but if mother gets angry she is a completely different animal – fierce and aggressive. It's not easy to get these animals out of the eaves of the woodshed. They do not cause any damage yet, but go, if the young are mature, find other places in the area. Their urine and feces stinks badly. In addition, they can transfer diseases.

Later I help Tom manually removing dandelions from the lawn. There are many and the lawn is huge. I just do my part...

Tom and Coby take me to a really good steakhouse in the evening. On the way out, Coby is going to see her doctor again because her cold and cough will not go away. After dinner we go and pick up the prescribed antibiotics and a puffer. I hope she gets well soon.

I feel uneasy this evening. I find that I really do not want to suffer riding my bicycle again. I have doubt about my decision. Should I have accepted the Honda and use that to travel around? Who in his right mind gets to have a free car and refuses it? A free car, while Canada can truly be hell for cyclists! All I hope is that I've made the right decision. Though I would rather have driven around by car, that's not what I came to do. I really want to do everything to continue the journey and reach my goal. When I see the weather forecast, it is predicting a few days of rain... Bummer!"

Han Schomakers, editor

Translation by Albert Dijkstra