Day 6 – Sydney to Iona – 62.4km
12 May
My first 60km day. Things started out wet at the ferry terminal in North Sydney, the site of arrival of the ferry from my last stop in Argentia Newfoundland. It was pouring rain and my legs started out super stiff. My left shin was so stiff I couldn't bend my foot up at all. I've never experienced this before. The pain in my shin was causing me to run with a limp that caused my right knee and eventually my right bum to hurt. This lasted about 15km and then suddenly disappeared, all three of them. Bizarre.
I started out with the Atlantic on my left but soon crossed over to the other coast so it was on my right. Though marked as a back road on the map, there was a huge number of dump trucks barreling down the path soaking me with each passing.
The second 20km started on a gentle downhill that actually lasted longer than would seem possible given the geography. Still, the trucks whizzed by spraying water, but by this time the rain had stopped and it was mostly puddles. My legs were much less stiff on this leg and the end came soon enough, with a faster pace than the first 20km.
The final 20km began after a sandwich from subway and short nap in the car. My legs were loose from the morning but blisters were beginning to form and by the time I was halfway through my left foot felt like hot pokers on two of my toes with each step. The scenery was a welcome distraction though and the bridge across into Iona was beautiful. All of the signs around here are in both English and Gaelic which reminds me a little of Ireland. By they end of the day I was exhausted and my feet hurt, but I was delighted to have finished my first long day.
Then it was back to the hotel to do it all over again tomorrow.
I started out with the Atlantic on my left but soon crossed over to the other coast so it was on my right. Though marked as a back road on the map, there was a huge number of dump trucks barreling down the path soaking me with each passing.
The second 20km started on a gentle downhill that actually lasted longer than would seem possible given the geography. Still, the trucks whizzed by spraying water, but by this time the rain had stopped and it was mostly puddles. My legs were much less stiff on this leg and the end came soon enough, with a faster pace than the first 20km.
The final 20km began after a sandwich from subway and short nap in the car. My legs were loose from the morning but blisters were beginning to form and by the time I was halfway through my left foot felt like hot pokers on two of my toes with each step. The scenery was a welcome distraction though and the bridge across into Iona was beautiful. All of the signs around here are in both English and Gaelic which reminds me a little of Ireland. By they end of the day I was exhausted and my feet hurt, but I was delighted to have finished my first long day.
Then it was back to the hotel to do it all over again tomorrow.
