20190709 – Google tried to kill me today… alone… in the woods.

Google tried to kill me today… alone… in the woods.  Not sure why it sent me down a road that turned out not to be a road, and I should have turned back when it first turned in to gravel, but I was sure it was going to turn into a real road again.  I pushed my bike uphill through loose gravel, over fallen trees, then the “road” just kind of ended.  Looking at my map, I could see that I was just 1/4 mile from an actual legit road, but sadly, the trail became impassable with my bike, and I had to turn around.  Also because I had drank all my water.  

If you look at the elevation profile, there is a big hill between 23 and 29 miles.  That was 3 hours of wasted energy, but fun adventure I guess. I was able to ride my bike down the offroad and loose gravel, and that was only mildly sketchy, and mildly fun as well.
 
I didn’t want to knock on a farmhouse door and ask for water, so when I crossed a little stream, I got out and used for the first time my sawyer squeeze water filter to get me enough clean water to get to where I needed to be.  I felt actually pretty strong today apart from the stupid 3 mile bushwhacking uphill stupidity.  I saw my first bear today on the road. It was about as big as a large large dog.  I was trying to decide if I should try to get my camera out, or my pepper spray, but he heard me and scampered off.  
 

I left quite late from the hostel (fun night last night, no drinking though), and today should have been a good 4.5 to 5 hour pedal and done, but stupid me for following stupid google, and I was travelling for the better part of 8 hours.  I got caught out in the rain for the first time, but I ducked into some cover by a nearby Mcdo until it lightened up.

The scenery was beautiful again today, and something I have noticed from time to time is the strong smell of cinnamon.  I’m not sure if it’s cinnamon trees, or what, but it reminds me of big red chewing gum from when I was a kid; or it can remind me of Fireball from not so long ago.