161km...hot,humid,hilly,headwind,hell

Hello,

Today qualified for one of the top 5 hardest days of the ride....think about that.  It started early with Michael and I waking up at 7:30a.m. We heard a scratching at the door which was the one and only lion killa "Baron" the dog.  Baron jumped on our bed and swatted me with a paw. I went flying across the bed and landed on the floor laughing. Baron is an absolute tank and weighs almost as much as me. We ate a large breakfast and the hostess told us she was a natural nudest. My legs are still changing, now they are no longer greek gods but italian  stallions. All the muscle that wasn't needed is eaten away and what's left are 2 extremely strong and cut pistons. I left the wild bed and breakfast and headed out on the road with just some spandex shorts. I left the shirt in the car...what a great call. I felt so alive as the wind whipped across my bear chest. Dirt covered my back because the roads were wet but I didn't care. I jumped in a lake just for fun and was having a really great time. At lunch I had done 60km and was feeling super strong. From that point on the day went to hell. The road was so terrible I can't even explain it. Pot holes covered the foot wide shoulder and it was just terrible. Riding on such a brutal  surface exhausted me because I had to throw my bike all over tarnation to avoid destroying the rims. I was so frustrated and mad with the roads that I shouted in anger and stopped. I picked up a rock and hurled it at the shoulder to try to hurt it because it was really hurting me. The rock landed in the sand a couple inches away. I starred at my failed attempt to make myself feel  better and bing! another life lesson. When stuck in a terrible, life threatening position, one must look at the positive because looking at the thousands of negative things only worsesn an uncontrollable situation. I got back on  my bike and headed off down the worst road I have ever had the pleasure of riding on. I met up with the parents and started to rant about how pissed I was. I wasn't mad at them but I just needed someone to listen. I have 2 regrets on  this trip, one being riding up on Hwy 17 instead of the 11. Not only is this route terrible in the road condition department it's full of hills the size of North Ontario's stock. I started to get absolutely exhausted and suffered so much. My legs went numb from the constant lactic acid overload. It was horrible....and then the crash happened. My body smashed into my mind and I layed down on  the side of the highway. I was so exhausted I felt like I could go to sleep and never wake up. I started to get into tunnel vision while lying on the sharp gravel and cars pulled over. A man came up and asked if I was okay, at this point my parents were around me and said he is tired. I looked like I was dying, dirt and road grit covered every inch of my body. I crawled into the forest like a dog trying to separate itself from people to die. I lay in  the forest bed and wondered how I was going to complete the remaining 34km. (not if). The key component to  my success for this ride is I don't accept failure, I don't give up. I don't know how I developed my determination but it's there with an undying roar. Anyways mother produced a milkshake and I drank the whole thing.It picked me up big time and I started to smile again. I got on the bike and started to race towards Petawawa. Dad joined in and I cruzed the last bit. We went to the motel, I ice bathed and headed to dinner. At dinner I looked at my mom. Both are eyes got wet and we started to cry. These were not tears because of the hell I have been through. I can't explain them. I have been through so much. I have given every ounce of soul and muscle to this ride and have dug so deep into my being that I thought I may never come back. This ride is almost over. I have 2 days left and only 250km. I won't realize what I have truly done for years but I know its incredible, special, rare and so so powerful. My life will never be the same and so many people have been inspired and touched by this story. 28 days on the road, 4200km, 196 hours on the bike, hundreds of bars and gels, gallons and gallons of water, 10s of thousand of calories burnt. 8 pounds of muscle born, 1 pound of fat lost (probably less,  I was very slim to start)  and one incredible ride! Its still not over but its dam close. Queen's I look forward to meeting your student body and celebrating with my new friends. Friends in other provinces, I wish we could all be together when I cross into campus. Christmas time in Victoria will be a rage for sure. I'm going to stop writing now, I still have to eat this huge lasagna I bought and am excited for tomorrow's ride. Dave, get pumped. Family, get stoked. I'm only 250 something km away and this dream is going to happen. Love your life, love the people in it, believe in yourself and the human spirit. 

Goodnight

Adam Beaudoin

Petawawa ON