We've arrived in St. John's Newfoundland! We had a very nice ride out to Sydney, BC last night and packed up our bikes for traveling with us as baggage (lower seat, lower and turn handle bars, reverse peddles to the inside, deflate tires, and slip into the oversize, heavy gauge plastic bags we had picked up at the airport the previous weekend on a ride-by).  We woke Friday morning, August 1st, feeling good-anxious (preparing ourselves for the trip) and were ready for the 4:30 shuttle to the airport (the shuttle driver needed some help from B to figure out how to slip in the bikes, and all went well).  The airport check-in staff were really helpful and remembered us from our two rides out to ask them about how to manage things effectively and to pick up the bags - they were excited for us now that we were actually starting the trip!  On the flight leg to TO, the third person seated in our row, Mr Nelson, was also headed out on a pair of distance rides and so had some good pointers to share and was very interested in our ride.  We watched from our airplane window as the cargo was loaded onto the plane to St. John's and HAPPILY saw our bags and bikes make it through the airplane cargo door.  B was particularly happy to see the bagged bikes on top of the pile of bags and boxes on the trolly - they seemed to be in good hands!  The St. John's Hampton Inn sent a van-cab to pick us up with a very nice driver who appreciated B's help figuring out how to put the bagged bikes in the van.  The hotel staff were really welcoming and didn't bat an eye when we took our bikes in the bags onto the elevator. After a quick dinner at the nearby Boston Pizza - we were to sleep, knowing we had things to do in the AM before meeting with Peter and Susan.