Gordon left Ottawa on September 9, 2001 with all his family there to see him off. With strains of "Roadhouse Blues" by the Doors blasting from his sound system, he slowly pulled away, calling out "So long suckers" - and promptly fell over!

Problems

         The first problem was the weight of the bike with the enclosure and all the equipment. It was very difficult to handle and even more difficult to pedal at any speed. The enclosure itself created a large surface for the wind to strike and made the bike even more unstable causing Gordon to have a few more spills along the way.

         After five days on the road and very few miles covered, it was decided to remove the enclosure and frame to lessen the weight. A few other heavy items like a battery and a campstool were also left behind.

Crossing the border

         Gordon crossed the border September 15, four days after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. He caught the ferry in Kingston as planned for the short ride to Wolfe Island. It was a 45-minute bike ride across the Island to the ferry for Cape Vincent. He was somewhat apprehensive about crossing into the United States at this time because he had heard of the long waits at the border crossings and the detailed checks of everyone's identification and belongings. His apprehension increased as he approached the ferry to find three RCMP officers waiting for him. They were very interested in his bike, however, and after a pleasant chat, Gordon boarded the ferry with four cars and two motorcycles. When they reached the American side, the Customs Officer asked him a few standard questions, did a quick inspection of his bike and sent him off. It was all so easy. Gordon kept looking in his rear view mirror as he rode away thinking they would call him back any minute, but they did not. The journey had begun.

North East United States