Day 28. Canada.

I arrived to my home and native land Canada. What a day!

I arrived late after many hours on the bike. Leamington, Ontario a town I've always wanted to visit. I'll spend the next day or two exploring the coast of Lake Erie.

I started the day late at 8:00 a.m. it was so damn cold. I peddled through beautiful Michigan cottage country, trees and lakes, lakes and trees, much like where I'm from

I even rode through a state national park.

I had underestimated how close I was to Detroit. The motor City was still a good 70 mi away. Fortunately navigation wasn't a problem. I just had to follow highway 12 which then turned into Michigan avenue. That took me directly to downtown Detroit.

Gradually it became sunny and a little warmer, even springish. My legs felt like pistons and the hills were nothing. Lovely riding through the Irish hills of Central Michigan.

Gradually I turned east towards Detroit and felt elated knowing that Canada was just ahead. I even got a signpost beckoning Canada. A Timmies on the American side.

I rode straight down Michigan avenue through many different small cities. Dearborn was the last one. I skipped up onto the sidewalk when the traffic became slow. I passed many beautiful buildings and even the great Ford library.

The skyline of Detroit began to appear in the distance.

I saw a moped shop and was curious so I stopped. It was here that I met the first beautiful person of the day Herman. He had just bought a moped and had a skip in step. I never would have guessed that he's 77 years old. OMG!

He told me all about Detroit. He'd been living there since he was a teenager and times were now just as good as in the '60s. Detroit was making a comeback and was one of the top 50 cities to visit in the world. He recounted the early '80s when Detroit hit rock bottom. Herman worked for Chrysler in quality control for 40 years and is now enjoying his retirement. He says that's how it should be but often isn't, in life

Herman is a runner too like me and we talked about that and just life in general. His easygoing manner and smile filled me with energy. Thank you Herman!

I reach downtown Detroit and stood among the shiny skyscrapers. Me and Rocky couldn't go over by way of the bridge we had to take the tunnel and a bus. No pedestrians or cyclists allowed on the bridge. Talk about motorbrain in our society. I took off all the bags and prepared Rocky for the bus trip

.The bus trip was actually uneventful and went off without a hitch. At customs the guys were asking me all trying to questions about my trip. It held up the bus a little. Finally I was dropped off at the Windsor bus station. In Canada, at last in Canada. I then made my way south through Windsor Friday traffic. I had no navigation I hadn't changed my SIM card yet. But no worries just head south and I'll hit Lake Erie. I've always wanted to see the farm country down there and this was my chance.

I race south and east and was making good time. The air had a hint of spring. Finally some warmth. I finally hit civilization and saw a Canadian icon The Beer Store. I was dying for a good wheat beer to celebrate my long ride today and that I finally reached Canada, home in native land. As Joni Mitchell sang … oh Canada I could drink a case of you and I'd still be standing ….

Working in the beer store was Tyler, the second beautiful person today.

The store wasn't busy and Tyler helped me out choosing a couple of nice wheat beers. I am enjoying them right now. Recovery time!

. We chatted about a lot of things. How beer was so expensive, how life was hard for so many people these days, so stressful and hard to make ends meet. We talked about our failure to make community and keep things real between people and not ideology or conflicts and opinions. He's an amazing young man I could have talked to him forever. He said he really love the idea of road trips.

I went to pay but Tyler insisted the beers were on him. OMG! What a beautiful person. He's a gem and a sterling example of our youth today. I still have a lot of hope for the future and that we can turn this big ship around and build a better world. Thank you Tyler. Carry on young man doing what you do.

Tomorrow I'll pedal much slower and start later. I will hug the coast of Lake Erie and follow highway 3 through many small, slow moving towns. Real farm towns with real people.