July 16
End: Perth-Andover, NB
Miles: 0.0
Total: 4295.9
I woke up after my restless night and decided it was time to get going. I was highly visible, as I was sleeping in a park in a residential neighborhood, and cars were starting to pass by.
I continued the long walk from the airport to the nearest Bixi bike station. I wanted to take the Bixi bikes again, mostly because I was tired of walking. I went to a grocery store and got some food, then hung around town for awhile.
I went back to the underground city to recharge my iPhone and use the Internet. I stayed there for a long, long time watching highlights from old FIFA World Cups and from the USA’s recent miraculous games in the most recent World Cup. Finally I left and went to pick up my gear from Stumper.
A few raindrops fell as I got on my Bixi bike, and I thought I was going to get poured on. I dropped off the bike at the nearest rack and started walking, thinking it would be easier to avoid the rain. It wasn’t too long before it started to rain, and thirty seconds after it started to rain, the downpour began.
Thankfully I immediately found a building with a large roof over its awning, and hung out with others and watched the misery around us. People were running, and bicyclists were just out of luck. Some more people occasionally would seek shelter underneath our roof. Finally the rain slowed down and folks started to head back out, but not me. I was in no rush, and waited until the rain stopped completely before I ventured back out from underneath my shelter.
I found Stumper’s apartment building, but couldn’t get ahold of him. A man came out of the building and begrudgingly let me in. The door housing my stuff was locked though, so I just came back out. I was beginning to get worried when Stumper showed up. I got my stuff, thanked him, and headed for the bus station.
I had a ticket to Perth-Andover, New Brunswick. Instead of going back to Amqui immediately, I had decided to hike the dreaded province which I had previously skipped. I hoped to meet up with Lake, who was on the IAT and headed up through Maine.
It was a late night bus trip. I was interested in a man traveling to St. Anthony, Newfoundland, which is very close to where the Eastern Continental Trail ends. I would have loved to talk with him, but everyone was going to sleep on the bus, including me.