Trip cancelled.

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I am writing my last post for my cycling trip of the eastern provinces. They say bad things come in threes and it seems that I am not immuned.

To start off, I would like my friends and family to recognize that I am well enough to write on my blog and that things could be worse, so please do not worry but I am currently in St. John's and will be flying home tomorrow to stay for the next two months. Unfortunately there is no exciting nor heroic story to go along with my reason for leaving it is as simple as this:

Yesterday I was enjoying a gorgeous ride along the coast from Boyd's Cove on my way to just past Musgrave Harbour, there was a wonderful wind behind me and the beautiful sun shining down on me I felt like I was enjoying the best life there could be. The road however had many twists and turns and I was enraptured too much in the moment that I was irresponsible and did not keep a mental note of which way the strong wind will be coming from. As I was gaining momentum down a hill a strong gust of wind blew at me from my left side causing my front wheel to wobble. Unfortunately I was unable to regain control and crashed face first into the pavement. Two cars pulled over and the people helped me up and unloaded my bike with me. Since neither had room for my bicycle one of the gentlemen hid it behind some bushes while the other marked the location with one of my bungee chords so that I could find it again. I was taken to a nearby clinic in Victoria Cove and the doctor there told me I would need to go to the hospital in Gander.

(Side note: I had been staying in Boyd's Cove with one the most lovely couple I have ever met. Bill and Michelle took me in for two nights and even took me up to Twillingate so that I could see the beautiful island. It was a wonderful time and I am so glad I met them. Michelle met me at the clinic in Victoria Cove and stayed with me right up until I got on the bus for St. John's. I am so grateful for her support. I left all my bags with her and she and Bill were going to get my bike later in the day. Unfortunately, when Bill and Tony -another new friend - went to find my bike it was gone. There were fresh ATV tracks right by where it should have been, so we suspect someone was riding around, found it and decided to take it back with them. Michelle is going to put a lost ad out for my bike but at this point in time I am assuming I have lost my Sonic forever.)

In Gander I received 6 stitches on my chin, the gash on my right temple was glued together and I was told that I had broken my jaw and the only oral surgeon who can fix it is in St. John's. Thank goodness I was out of the hospital in time to catch the bus from Gander to St. John's and arrived last night around 9:30 pm. I was picked up in St. John's by Brian, a friend of my god-sister's, and was taken to his friend Ian's house so that I would have a place to stay last night and tonight. Both Brian and Ian have also been more than helpful and so supportive I am so deeply grateful towards them as well.

Ian dropped me off at St. Clare's Hospital this morning where I waited to speak with the oral surgeon. He took some x-rays as well and I was informed that my jaw was in fact broken in two separate locations and that if I were to have surgery done today I would then have 6 weeks of followup in which I would have to see him again. The doctor suggested that I choose to have my operation where I will be willing to stick around for the follow-ups or be willing to travel back and forth to. Needless to say, I decided Toronto would be the best location for that. The doctor said that I should wait no longer than Saturday to have the surgery done, hence me flying out tomorrow morning. I will then go immediately to Mt. Sinai's ER and hopefully be done surgery by tomorrow evening.

For those who are curious the sum of my injuries are as follows:

bruise and scuffed left knee
bruised right thigh
bruised and scuffed arms
gash on right temple
gashed chin
chipped front tooth (that's right, I currently look like a hillbilly)
Broken jaw in two locations

Although I have only been able to enjoy Newfoundland for approximately 21 days it has been a fabulous trip and I am still looking forward to returning. I have made wonderful new friends and wonderful memories and, despite the accident, would not change this experience for the world. I know I've said this before but I must say it again, I am so deeply grateful to Bill and Michelle, Ian, and Brian for helping me out so much. I am forever indebted to them and only hope that I may become as selfless and generous as they are.

Thank you all for following me on my journey. I apologize that it has been cut short but perhaps I will change the title of this blog to Dina's Travel Adventures and write every solo journey I decide to have...you never know :)