It was definitely a bumpy flight coming to Deer Lake at Newfoundland. I even thought we landed in the middle of the flight, then realized half an hour later that we were still in the air. Locals said that it is normal since we were above the ocean. I was sleeping the whole time so it didn’t affect me too much.
Met a lady Darby on the plane. She lives in Toronto and comes back home to Newfoundland for a visit. She is excited to do a 12-hour hike with her sister next week. Her aunt, who is in her 70s, was newly diagnosed with parkinson’s. I shared with her the Spinning Wheels Relay website, and I hope she can reach out at some point.
Arrived at Deer Lake airport at 1.25 a.m., it was pouring rain outside. No hotels or airbnb is available, so I made myself at home and slept on a bench at the airport. I’m waiting eagerly for the rest of crew to arrive because I am very hungry right now (after devouring a family pack of oreo at midnight) and want to eat at the local fish and chips restaurant. It’s called Off The Hook Fish&Chips. I read every single review at night, and obviously, the food there is fresh and delicious.
Oh and I met a big team of athletes from Japan at Toronto airport, who are heading to Paris for the Olympics. Seeing them I felt excited and somewhat significant, like I am an active witness of this global event. But thinking about what we are going to do for the next two months also makes me feel extremely proud. It’s a privilege to be able to ride a bike and be part of the relay team. During the 5000 km ride, there will be challenging times. But I’m fully aware that the daily challenges many people living with Parkinson’s deal with are probably way harder than what we are about to face on the trip. I’ll keep my head down and keep moving forward.
