Finally free!!

Monday, August 20 - update:

I've been released from the hospital!!  No surgery required.  Woohoo!!  At the hotel now.

Well, getting out of this little town - even though it's the biggest town for a zillion miles around - is nearly impossible!!  There are no rental cars.  There used to be a "bus" that would run back and forth between here and a town 7 hours away but it's no longer in service.  There's only one flight per day that leaves from this airport and the airport is an hour away from town.  There's one guy who shuttles people to the airport and I think he only does that once a day.  

Anyway, the best scenario would have been if that bus was still in service and you ride down to Deer Lake, catch an Air Canada flight directly to Halifax, Nova Scotia ($385).  Since the bus doesn't run anymore, I have to fly from here to St. John's Newfoundland on a small regional airline, catch an Air Canada flight that goes to Halifax with a stop in...  Deer Lake!  Doh!!  That crazy scenario costs $1000 for the airfare part alone.  Nevermind the shuttles, hotel, extra bag fee*, trip insurance**, etc.  Ugh!!  

I would have never been able to pull together the whole thing.  I was searching google for solutions when I came upon the town website and on there was info for a travel agent!!  Woohoo!  Called her up and she arranged everything.  Turns out the guy who drives the van to the airport here is her father-in-law or something of the sort.  

*In trying to think of how to get all the gear that was on my motorcycle back home, one of the clever nurses at the hospital said just get a couple of suitcases and put everything in those, pay the extra baggage fee, and check it onto the planes.  Well, wouldn't you know that after she got off work, she went home, got an old duffel type bag, and brought it back for me to take.  How awesome is that?!?!  Then, the front desk gal at the hotel I'm staying at brought in another big duffel for me to use!!  All I have to do is split everything up so that each bag isn't more than 50 lbs.  Problem solved!!

**The travel agent asked me if I had travel insurance for my motorcycle trip.  I didn't even know there was such a thing!!  So if you're planning on a trip like this, check into it!!  It would be well worth it.

My awesome friends that I had planned on meeting at the end of August in Nova Scotia, are driving my truck up from NY.  All I have to do now is get the bike shipped to NS and then I'll have everything together and I can drive home!!  While I'm waiting for them to show up, I can rest up and I should be ok to drive home.

BTW, I'm doing much better today than yesterday.  I'm moving much better.  Still need the pain meds and the doc said I'll need to take the loopy-head stuff especially when I'm travelling.  I'm glad I have them if I need them.

I'm really sad I can't do my tour of Newfoundland.  I was really looking forward to seeing the island.  But I'll just have to come back and do it another time. That's now on the bucket list.

Stay tuned...  the adventure isn't over yet!!

PS...  for those following my SPOT - Jeremy will be taking SPOT with him since he's still on the bike.  That way his family and friends can follow him on his adventure.  I'll have to take it after Nova Scotia when I head home so you'll be able to follow me again then.  It won't be as exciting though as being on the Trans Lab.