T2 Day 47 (Maura)

 Cayuga to Niagara Falls, ON


Today we woke up at sun retreats campground in Cayuga. It was a short day for us - just 41 miles - but we got an early start in order to get to Niagara Falls by midday. We basically went right for it and didn’t plan to take many stops. Instead of taking route 3 which we found to be pretty unpleasant because of busy cars and little shoulder, we navigated a different route and took side roads all the way there. It was much more peaceful and enjoyable. We got to see lots of gorgeous Victorian homes and bought fresh sourdough bread on the side of the road (the loaf was eaten in a few hours). We were also still in the hunt for a new tire and tube for Audrey since she had gotten another flat two days before, but with the closest bike shop being in Niagara, we were just hoping that we’d get there asap without any hiccups. Although we’re not generally a superstitious crowd, the word “flat” was not said once until we arrived. Approaching Niagara it got busier and busier. We finally reached the bike shop on the outskirts of the city and, after the bike mechanic replaced Audrey’s tube, used half of Claire’s sealant inside it, popped the new tube, and then replaced it again, we were on our way to the falls! We were stoked to have a hotel right on the main strip (shoutout to my parents - thank you!!) because we never would have gotten that for ourselves. It was only 2pm by the time we checked in so after a power nap and some freshening up, we were off to explore. It felt like a rest day! The main strip of Niagara Falls on the Canada side is basically Vegas. We passed a waterpark, two haunted houses, a wax museum, and a Frankenstein-themed Burger King before we were even a few blocks in. It was both exciting and overwhelming to be surrounded by such a large crowd since we’ve spent the entire summer in deserted landscapes and in a maximum group of five. We walked a half mile to the Falls to get our first view and it was stunning. The earth just really looks like it falls off! I can’t believe that these falls have been working nonstop every minute for thousands of years. We grabbed our red plastic ponchos and took the elevator down to our ferry, which gave us the best views for sure. We got pelted with water and wind and laughed that we had paid for it this time, after our recent experiences biking in some brutal rain storms. After the ferry we grabbed a beer, shopped, called group 1, and went for dinner. Claire and I were very excited to buy some soft ‘Canada’ T-shirts for sleeping because we were tired of wearing dry-fit clothes all day and night. And yes, we do appreciate the irony of biking across the US and coming home with 'Canada’ T-shirts as our only souvenirs. For dinner we had Italian food gelato which was such a treat. We walked back to our hotel full and wine-happy, planned our route for the next few days, and hit the hay.

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