Week 10 Update

Week 10 started off quietly with lots of socialising and little cycling because after all The Big Journey is also about connecting with Canadians across Canada.

On Tuesday, my host invited to his union meeting as he also wanted to introduce me to someone higher up who has a vast network in Nova Scotia and could perhaps help me with finding accommodation as I cycled this breathtaking Maritime province.

To my surprise, I was actually able to understand what was going on in the meeting even if every member works in a different career as mine but I guess that as humans, we have the same challenges no matter our respective professions.

At one stage I stepped out to get introduced to the person in question and when I came back in the meeting room, everyone had voted on a motion to make a financial contribution to The Big Journey, money that would go towards maintaining my bicycle as well as buying new components that have been brutally beaten by winter and snow.

I had to immortalise this moment and some of the union members in the meeting posed for a photo. I really appreciated that generous gesture and this act of kindness is a real proof of what I’d heard about Nova Scotians and how a good people they truly are!

On Thursday, I took a road trip to Mahone Bay, a charming little town 100 km East of Halifax for a VERY, VERY special engagement.

The above is a panoramic photo taken from the other side of the ocean. Yes, that Atlantic Ocean.

According to Wikipedia: “The town is also known for a history of wooden boat building, it was the main industry of Mahone Bay in its earlier years.” Read more about Mahone Bay.

Here are more photos of the town which was a 30-minute visit in total. I was pleasantly surprised as for a small settlement, there was a lot going on.

The next morning, I played a short DJ set followed by a twenty-minute talk about my adventures across Canada and my journey in music and finally a workshop with some 140 pupils of Bayview Community School in Mahone Bay.

Thanks to Rosa Kendall for taking the photos at the event. I really appreciate it 🙂 

I can DJ in front of thousands people without an issue but was I nervous playing for these young people as I had no idea if they were even going to like my selection.

Furthermore, I am not much of a public speaker so I was nervous but my friends helped me calm down and I did my thing.

After the talk, it was time for a quick DJ workshop that was well-attended by pupils and some teachers!

To close off the DEEP & DOPE day at Bayview Community School in Mahone Bay, an obligatory group photos with some well timed dabs in the background! (If you have no idea what a dab is, you’re too old or not cool enough or both LOL)

It was impossible to get everyone in the first shot so a second photo was taken to include the other half of the room.

Thank you so much Marc Breaugh, guidance teacher at Mahone Bay’s Bayview Community School for inviting me to give a presentation and to Raymond Compas in Fredericton, New Brunswick for telling him about me and my trip across our vast nation.

A big thank you too to Long & MacQuade for supplying us with professional DJ gear on such short notice and for being good sports and giving us a great deal on the already discounted hire fee.

A special shoutout to Tyler (in the photo above with me), Dewin, Paul and everyone else at Long & MacQuade in Halifax! Read next week’s update on how I will show my appreciation to them for being so generous and accommodating!

It was time to head back to Halifax and get ready for more cycling the following day as the weather predictions were said to be favourable for a coastal road ride.

But before I forget. One of the hosts in Mahone Bay owns a super bike. It caught me off guard as he did not seem the type but this is what is so wonderful about this town: everything unexpected is to expected and vice versa!

I woke up early on Saturday to hit the road. While during the day, good weather was predicted, a snowstorm was expected in the evening so I wanted to ride and get indoors as fast as possible.

As you’ll see, the weather was perfect, the wind was in my favour, the sun was out, the hills were not steep, the roads were quiet and the oceanshore scenic route was breathtaking.

I passed by the memorial of the victims of Swissair Flight 111 which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean not far from here. It is a tragic story that I remember reading about when it happened in the late 90s.

I finally reached Peggys Cove, the little town that was the reason behind this detour.

The highlight of Peggys Cove is the lighthouse which is probably the most popular landmark in Nova Scotia.

Naturally, I posed for more than a few photos but I will only share three with you to spare you.

This ride was dedicated to Major Marguerite Downes, the highest ranking black female officer in the Ontario Canadian Army Reserves who was from Peggys Cove. Here is another article about this inspiring lady.

Major Downes is the grandmother of my good friend Harmony who lives in Vancouver and whom I wrote in my adventures two years ago when I went on a roadtrip in my MINI John Cooper Works that took me all the way to Vancouver.

Thank you Major for your service and it was an honour to ride in your memory and thanks Harmony for telling me about this Canadian icon.

After the Peggys Cove Lighthouse visit, it was time for fish and chips, the signature dish at the restaurant next to the landmark, the ultimate tourist trap but in a very good way!

I hit the road again towards Halifax city centre.

Did you notice how just as you cross the municipal lane, suddenly the road seem to have a shoulder?

I won’t get into this issue again as it almost got me in trouble with Nova Scotians.

I even made a friend along the way!

From there, the objective was to ride into downtown something that I had not done yet since I was in Halifax Metropolitan area.

I visited the city’s most popular tourist attraction: The Halifax Citadel

And before I knew it I was at the Halifax Ferry Terminal where I would have to catch the boat to get me to other side to finish my ride across Nova Scotia.

But first, I had some engagement in the coming week in Halifax so I had to stick around town a few more days as you will read in the next update.