Sept. 11th Day 42
Today started ok. A walk across the street for a gas station coffee. Standing under the gas pump shelter thing I could see the shadow of a flag atop it. The wind looked to be going my direction again.
When I rolled out I looked up and it was at a right angle to my direction. So so.
But I didn’t really pay attention to direction as much as the angle of the road at the point I was along it. A couple blocks later the road curved right into the wind. And stayed that way all day.
Nothing happened today other than pedaling into a Z-gear head wind. No excitement.
I did see one old man on a touring bike riding with the wind. He didn’t stop. I did look but didn’t see anything that looked like sleeping bag or tent. And from the looks of him he didn’t know how to set a tent up or was on a day trip. But I’ll never know, he didn’t stop to talk.
Later, on a long straight between towns, I noticed a pair on touring bikes aproaching. I stop. Looked like the one in front was pulling a child. He was, but that’s all I could figure out from him just riding by. By time the second person (fully loaded) passed me I didn’t even feel like waving. But I did. I think that people touring as a duo who don’t stop to say hi to people touring solo are wack. These people had the wind on their backs all day and still can’t find the time to stop and chat for five minutes.
I don’t really need the attention, I’ve been having a day long conversation with the wind. That’s gone pretty much like me saying “fuck you wind” and the wind saying fuck you even louder. I don’t like wind. I’d rather climb a hill in no wind than have wind on my back. Now today I’ve had nothing but flats and unstoppable, direct headwinds all day. So yeah, fuck you wind.

Rode from Rimouski to Rivière-du-Loup.

At night (8pm) I found a crappy place to set up the tent and ate some cheap food before bed.

If I had waited 15 more min to set up I might not have been spotted by a clerk of the store I was camping behind as he took out the nights trash. I explained I was just a traveler and would be gone in the morning. He seemed to understand.

I scouted the spot mostly because it seemed protected from the wind (in the corner of an L), and away from average foot traffic.

The wind is still whipping after 9p. The trees are making all kinds of noise. And a loose dumpster door or latch is banging around just as much.

But my tent is only swaying just a little. For now I’m good.