Day15-16-17: Rest Days in Woodstock

Friday June 28, 2019

It was a beautiful day for a ride, but I'm taking a rest day. My room is comfortable, reasonable, and peaceful, the restaurant on the way into town is very good and my mother lived here as a child 100 years ago. I just rode into town for breakfast, but I think I'll walk in later this morning to explore. My back is slowly getting better and walking seem to help.

I walked about 4 miles today, exploring and enjoying Woodstock. I was here on my bike almost 25 years ago and my memory from that time is very different than what I saw on my walk today. My strongest impression today was how the linear shopping area of small shops on the main street still goes on for miles. Unlike the US, where shopping centers have replaced and eliminated almost all of the local shops and replaced them with shops that are pretty much he same all across the country. I was struck by this in 1996 on my first ride across the US so it isn't a new thing, but it is nice not to see it in Woodstock. Speaking of chain shops, I stopped to eat at Tim Hortons on the way home. I had Poutine and tea.

I'm planning to ride to Paris ON tomorrow and follow the trail(s) from there to Hamilton using open Cycling Maps.

I was checking on places to stay in Hamilton and saw that it was going to be difficult to find a room. Duh! Monday is Canada Day! I've been aware of that for days but my brain, despite a previous experience - I got the last motel room in East Grand Lakes MN on Canada Day in 1996, didn't put two and two together. I've just asked the motel I'm in if they have a room for me on Canada Day. I've also checked into camping at one of the many parks in this area. I'm not sure how my back problem would affect being able to camp, but since I camped with a broken collar bone on my first cross country tour, I should be able to get in and out of my little tent with a stiff back!

I simply can't find any place to stay in Hamilton until after Canada Day, and, this morning, I was able to book two more days here. I like Woodstock, have a decent place to stay, a good place to eat, and still have a very sore back and legs, so staying here also seems like a good idea. I now plan to ride my bike, unloaded, in this area today and tomorrow and ride on to Hamilton on July 2nd.

I've gotten to know Woodstock more in the last three days as I waited for Canada Day. I've also gotten to know the West Mont Motel - nice room, no service, decent wifi - Chuch Wagon retaurant - They don't believe in small meals! - Canadian McDs don't have hotcakes with their big breakfast;-{ - and Tim Hortons tea comes boiling hot.

On my first rest day, I walked too much - several hours - and changed the nature of my back injury symptoms. Now my legs are a more painful walking and standing, but I am able to get up slowly from bed or sitting with no pain. I have always been able to ride without a problem, but getting on and off the bike is more painful. Yesterday and today I did more riding than walking since walking hurts.Yesterday had an hour and a half or so of riding exploring on the streets and doing a little shopping. Today's ride added more riding on unpaved trails to get a better feel of how well my touring bike would handle that. I'll see how things look tomorrow, but, now, after being able to walk to supper and back (> .5 mi) without much pain, I feeling more hopeful.

I've planned my route for tomorrow which goes to Burlington which is between Hamilton and Toronto. There are three inexpensive motels on a relatively peaceful looking road where I think I'd like to stay tomorrow night.

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