Goodbye to Brasil, Pit Stop in Canada, and Stateside Again

Rocinha Favela - Largest in Rio.  There was a drug bust for 30 MM Reais the day after I went to their Funk Party.

I am awful at Slackline.

Beautiful Moon Rise

Goodbye Cristo Redentor - In three weeks in RJ, I never made it to the top.

Last day on the beach.  Thursday and Friday before Easter are holidays, which is why it is abnormally busy.

Goodbye Ipanema

The Barraca Uruguay crew in front of Post 9.  I hung out with these guys every day on the beach.  Thanks for everything.

 I caught an 8pm flight out of Rio and was in NYC around 5am.  After going through customs, I was required to take my bike and recheck it.  It was a hassle, but at least I knew my bike was in North America.  I tried to find some warm clothing in JFK since my next flight wasn't for another 3 hours.  The only thing I could find was a $600 jacket so I decided to bear the cold on my ride from the Montreal airport to Hotel Gault in the old town.

Montreal Skyline

I put my bike together in the airport.  I really struggled to make it all work since the TSA managed to lose a part that holds the bottom part of the fork above the wheel in place.  I rigged it up, and I made it work with a slight rattle.  The French girl sitting on the bench next to my workspace told me I have good patience and gave me a round of applause.  In addition, the ride to the hotel was not unbearably cold.

Bachelor Party Dinner with the Bachelor in the Throne.

We played poker until about an hour before I needed to head to the airport.  I managed to fall asleep in this time period but luckily a friend who was scrounging around the suite woke me up.  I sleep-walked through the airport and made it in front of the terminal.  I must have rested my eyes a bit too hard and passed out.  I was even more lucky when a nice Canadian man woke me up to catch final boarding.

I am back in Houston, Texas, USA where I will post up for a few months.