Day 9: Murray River to Charlottetown

64 km (40 miles) – Total so far: 840 km (522 miles)

The last time i was in a place called Murray River was January 2003 just after Joe Srummer had died, travelling frommMelbourne to Sydney with us 4 – 0 down. We were actually about to win one, a rare one, butbtimes have changed.

Lots of black flies so being stationary outdoors for long is unpleasant, but a very quiet place with a decent restaurant / bar and a book to finish.

Heavy rain in the evening and very humid so the conditions for back flies and mosquitos is perfect. Less so for me. There was a large degree of achievement in breaking camp without getting bitten when at 5:30 this morning it would have required an abacus to count the black flies accumulated between the fly and the inner, waiting for me to stir. The tent is cooler, the whole inner is net and can be seen through.

Route 24, or the Murray Harbour Road is great cycling for about 40 kilometres, pleasantly hilly and passing typical island farms of mainly potato, but a few other things also. It then joins Route 1, the Trans-Canadian highway and is busier all the way into Charlottetown. I’m checked into a bed and breakfast here, and a chance to clean everything after an early finish before moving on in the morning.

Distance 64 kilometres, Max Speed 65.2 km / hr, Ride time 3 hrs 10 mins, Moving average 19.6 km / hr Departed at 9:20 am Arrived at 12:40 pm