“An adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered; an inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered” - G.K. Chesterton

I had to go to Hamilton this past weekend for an orienteering training session and to pick up a car. Like most people, I can only drive one vehicle at a time, so I thought to get a workout in on the way.

I left Owen Sound around 8 Saturday morning in cool, overcast, and windy conditions, taking backroads to County Road 3 then due south (into the wind) and uphill to Harriston. It was miserable, and I wanted to stop by the time I got there. But I pressed on to Teviotdale, having not taken my feet off the pedals for three and a half hours / 95 km. Coffee felt really good, and I was ready to carry on. Next stop: Elora, where a cup of tea and a muffin softened the blow of my sister (who had offered to pick me up somewhere along the way) not answering the phone. On I went. By this time, I was “over the hump” in terms of both distance and topography, and was now gradually making my way downhill. I crossed the imperial century milestone (100 miles / 160 km) at 5 hours 43 minutes, and pressed on hard along Highway 6, making downtown Hamilton (195km) in just under 7 hours. I “cooled down” on the way up the escarpment along Beckett Drive and ate my 4th peanut butter and honey sandwich as I spun down to my cousin’s place, clean clothes (that I had sent down earlier in the week) and a much-needed shower.