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Brown Brothers' Bike Trip
Across Canada
by
Andrew Brown
To have an understanding of how three
brothers can bicycle across Canada, a little background information is
necessary. It began in March of 2001. I was attending U of C in Calgary, Alberta
and had just read an article in the University paper of two brothers from Cape
Breton who had spent the summer cycling across Canada. I became excited and
thought there was no reason my brothers and I could not do it as well.
I had been doing a lot of biking due to a
city transit strike and for the next few days I would think about it as I rode
to school. I knew I had to try so I phoned my brothers Peter and Nicholas and
there was no hesitation on their part. Peter was doing a Masters degree at Trent
in Peterborough, Ontario, and Nick was doing an undergrad degree at Western in
London, Ontario. It looked like we would be more or less finished school the
following spring, so we decided to make the trip the summer of 2002.
Over the next year there was a great deal of
talk of the trip and at Christmas a few related presents were handed out. There
really was not much more preparation that needed to be done. The spring of 2002
we were not quite finished our respective degrees but the trip would go on
anyway. Peter went to Yellowknife, toting his beloved bike with him, to make
some money for the trip. Nick moved home to Nova Scotia to save some money, I
stayed in Calgary to work. On his way to Yellowknife, Pete stopped in Calgary
and helped me get a bike and all my gear. Nick had the Bike Shop in Kentville to
look after him while Pete did his preparations in southern Ontario.
With Pete’s help we chose a good bike, and
outfitted it with what I could afford. Riding for the first time felt great, a
smooth, comfortable ride. I had to get used to the pedals that had become
snapped onto my feet, a new feeling for me, but essential to long distance
riding. For the inaugural ride we went to downtown Calgary where we stopped for
lunch. I locked the bikes to a tree (Pete was riding my old bike), and we went
inside to eat. We reemerged from the market, and to our shock and horror, my
brand new bike was gone. Pete suggested we start running, but where? The bike
was really gone, all that remained was the old bike leaning against the tree; I
knew it was worthless. After a phone call to the police who said they would file
the report, along with the thousands of others, we started the long walk back
home.
This was not the start to the summer I was
hoping for, as I went back to the old bike that barely worked and was not even
worth stealing. Eventually I heard from a few friends that stolen property was
insured by VISA. I was skeptical but decided to give them a call, as I was not
insured in any other way. Sure enough, since I had purchased the bike and
supplies with the credit card, and they were stolen, VISA would refund the
amount. With restored faith in humanity I went to buy a second bike, this time
with a huge lock (my faith in humanity apparently not completely restored) .
It was finally decided when we would start.
I had left Calgary on July 12 to head to B.C. for a trip with friends before we
started. As I waited on the west coast, I got a few short trips in to test out
the rig. No problems. Nick had a couple exams to write and would be flying to
Vancouver August 5. Pete booked his ticket for the same day.
We finally got together on August 6 and the
final preparations were made. Groceries, tires and any last items we needed were
gathered up at Chris McBeath’s, a friend of Nick’s in Vancouver. We spent the
night at McBeath’s, ready to go the next morning. As part of our preparations we
had hoped to bike about 100 kms. a day. The approximate distance was 6,500 kms,
which would give us a total time of 65 days.
August 7- Day One
This morning we got up at a fairly leisurely
time. We went to breakfast to have a hearty meal before getting on the road. A
phrase was coined this morning; “the boss” refers to the person who is in charge
of the finances for the week. We have set a budget of $600 a week, $200 each is
put into a pot to be handled by one person each week. We ordered 2 breakfast
specials each, including Chris who wasn’t even biking. The counter lady said “
oh the boss pays,” which this first week is Nick.
Back at McBeath’s full and packed, the new
tires on and we are ready to go. We stood around in the backyard as the reality
set in of what we were about to do. After thinking about it for so long the time
was finally here. We seemed to stand there a long time almost unsure of what to
do. Finally we slowly started rolling down the alley to the street and set off
on our journey. For Pete and Nick this was the first time they had ridden fully
loaded as we headed out to tackle Vancouver traffic and make our way to
Abbotsford. As we made our way south to the Fraser River the reality was sinking
in, this is it, our bikes and each other is all we’ll have for the next couple
of months until we reach Nova Scotia.
Not long after we left Nick was having
trouble with his brakes. He had the “stickies” Pete proclaimed after consulting
his bike book. We had stopped off the road to fix the problem and had ended up
on train tracks. Suddenly, we were caught off guard when a train came bearing
down on us from around a corner. I was on the other side of a nearby fence with
my bike lying on the tracks. Desperately, I yelled to Nick to grab my bike and
seconds before the train came he dragged it around the fence. That was a bit too
early in our trip to have a close call.
The rest of the afternoon went well and once
outside Vancouver, the biking was beautiful. It was one of those warm summer
afternoons with a light breeze at our backs. According to my computer we were
easily maintaining 25 kms /hour. Late in the evening we stopped at Fort Langley,
a beautiful historic town. We ate at the pub leisurely without knowing we should
be on the road. We still had a good ride to Abbotsford and dusk was coming
quickly. We had not adapted our bikes to night riding and it was getting dark
quickly. Luckily, Pete did have a flashing reflector and he rode in the back.
Apparently, I am virtually invisible in the dark with not so much as a
reflector.
We finally made it to Abbotsford where our
uncle John had another late meal prepared. We realized our weariness as we
fought to stay up to enjoy his company. We had done it however, day one was
over, we had biked 95 kms which is more than any of us had ever biked in one day
before.
August 8
We woke up refreshed this morning,
fortunately not too sore and had a great breakfast. (A good breakfast will be
the key to our success on the trip.) Before leaving town, we stopped to get
Nick’s bike shipshape. Luckily, a new brake cable was all it required. Later on,
we stopped at a beautiful mountain lake for a swim and a leisurely lunch. The
local boys have told us to watch out for giant sturgeon. We stayed and picnicked
for a long time before continuing on our way. Our uncle had suggested we stop at
Harrison Mills Provincial Park . We found the park, however it was full. We
continued on our way past all the sites and found the beach stretched around the
corner. This was the perfect place to set up camp. Secluded from the other
campers, we had our own private beach. Looking around, the mountains in front of
us are reflected on the glass-like surface of the lake. Stripping down, it felt
great to cool off in the lake. While collecting firewood, Nick hit his head on
a branch. As the blood streamed down his face I grabbed the
camera to take a picture instead of ensuring he was all right ( anything for a
dramatic picture!). He was fine and we got the fire going. We cracked open a
case of beer carefully strapped to my bike, and enjoyed a meal of sausages and
beans over the fire. We had biked only 60 kms today but sleeping on the sand on
this warm bug free night is completely worth it.
August 9
Today was the start of our uphill climb. In
the morning, the terrain was relatively flat. However, after our afternoon break
of ice cream and pie, we started to climb. The climb was tough and we had only
gone 70 kms when we stopped for the night at Niculum River. It turns out
that this Provincial Park is full also, so we decided to camp at the day use
area. As we are on bikes there is no choice, we are definitely not going back to
Hope to climb that hill once again. After exploring the river and making a
daring crossing with the camera we cooked supper over a fire. Our
surroundings are lush and green, ferns and mosses blanket the ground. The trees
tower over us almost blocking the sky. It is a steep rocky cliff to the river
which we can hear rushing below us. On one of the rock cliffs there is a
blueberry bush, which we sit and enjoy for a while. Late in the evening a
ranger came by and agreed to let us stay as long as we were gone early in the
morning. We set up tents on the mossy, uneven ground, prepared for an early
morning.
August 10
We only managed 60 kms today, not much
compared to how much we should be doing. It was a grueling uphill climb all day.
We entered into Manning Park and for the first time, paid for a campsite. After
setting up, we walked a kilometer to the lodge for food. The lodge is beautiful
and we relaxed on leather sofas sipping on the local favourite ale, Brown Bear.
We decided not to eat there and instead grabbed supplies to head back to cook
our own dinner. We purchased a small travel saw and put it to good use, cutting
our own wood for a fire.
August 11- Day 5
The terrain has leveled off a little, and
we’re getting used to the hills. We managed 75 kms today which landed us in the
little mountain town of Princeton. We were greeted by a giant Chinese buffet and
another campground. We showered and cleaned up and headed back to town for
provisions since the campground owner has told us there is nothing for a while
up the road. We biked back unloaded, a weird feeling after so many kilometers
with all our gear . After a very long game of Frisbee golf ending with an
errant toss onto the highway we turned in for the night.
August 12
As we biked east we came across numerous
campgrounds and stores so it turned out that the man at the campground lied,
probably to ensure that we stayed. Oh well, lesson learned. You can’t always
trust the locals, however, we will have to most of the time as it is their
knowledge we are going to be depending on.
Tonight we are camped on a beach in a desert
oasis, in the small town of Osoyoos. It’s the heart of B.C’s wine region at the
southern end of the Okanagan Valley. The area is the northernmost point of a
desert region extending up from Mexico, known as Canada’s only desert. It feels
and looks like a desert, very hot and dry, the vegetation is small and suitable
for these arid conditions. Coming down into the valley, I felt a blast of
adrenalin as my computer showed we maxed out at 73 km/hr. That’s a good speed
for a loaded rig. Also for the first time we exceeded the 100 km mark in one
day. We’ll need many more days like this to make it home.
We immediately found the beach and went for
a swim. This is a perfect place to camp for the night. We have a large grassy
area, on the shore of the lake. It is hidden from view of the town by a wall
directly behind us. Nick made an observation about how lush and green the grass
is , and wondering if the irrigation system will come on in the night, we fall
into a comfortable sleep on the desert grass.
August 13- Day 7
And on the seventh day we rested. Today, we
enjoyed a day off from cycling to lay in the shade from this almost unbearable
heat. Sure enough, last night we we’re awakened at 3 a.m. to the whirr of
sprinklers.(Nick’s prediction was right). I was prepared and grabbing my
sleeping bag and bike was out of the range of the soakers. Nick and Pete,
perhaps a little more relaxed, were not as prepared and got a few revolutions
before making it to the dry sandy area. We spent the rest of the night on the
warm sand, drying quickly.
The idea for the day off started at
breakfast. We were all thinking the same thing- wouldn’t it be nice to stay at
the beach and relax. It is very hot and we can see the hill leading out of the
town which the locals have told us is called Anarchist. Not very inviting, so
after determining that we all felt the same way we headed back down to the
beach. We took the opportunity to do laundry. It turns out the town does not
have a Laundromat (business opportunity?). Nick and I headed off to the Best
Western Hotel where we heard we could use their facilities. Indeed it worked,
not only did we get our laundry finished, but we snuck into the pool area and
soaked in the hot tub. A day at the beach is relaxing except for the one
nagging sight,- the hill we must climb torments us from across the lake. We have
been hearing stories of how hard it is; that it will take us days to climb, how
people have given up and biked back down. We are determined however to attempt
it tomorrow.
August 14
After 25 kms of climbing, and half a day, we
made it up the hill to have lunch at the summit. We were visited by some guys
from Quebec in an interesting van who gave us fruit and took our picture.
Slightly confused from this visit we continue on our way. We are proud of our
day as we did 85 kms to end up in Greenwood. This is Canada’s smallest city. It
can not be more than a couple hundred people. It was incorporated as a city in
the early part of the 20th century when the area had great mining potential. We
ate a great meal at the pub and took pride in our accomplishment. We’re prepared
now to take on any hills that come our way. Tonight, we’re camped at a $5
campsite, appropriately priced as we try to sleep under a street light.
August 15
Today was a short day of riding. I am
getting a little anxious of our progress since there are just too many nice
places to camp and swim and it is hard to make a lot of distance. It will end
though after B.C. so we should take advantage of the weather and mountain
scenery.
We made our destination of Christina Lake
Provincial Park early this afternoon. Pete had to get to a bike shop for tubes
so Nick and I took advantage of the beautiful afternoon to swim in the lake
where we met an interesting character who was collecting wasps. He told us about
a great place to camp at the town party pit.
It sounds impressive to say we’re biking
to Nova Scotia, but sometimes we still look like we don’t know what we’re doing.
Pete demonstrated when he got on Nick’s unloaded bike to go to town, he got his
feet clipped in just before sliding in the sand and having one of our slow
motion tip overs. The bee guy laughed, as did Nick and I.
We found the party pit and set up camp. So
far there is not another person around, just a forest full of animals. We have
nicknamed this place “the zoo”, as we have seen or heard numerous animals;-
deer, frogs, snakes, birds, dogs, muskrats and more. It gives the place an eerie
feeling as it is getting dark. We also do not know what local partiers, such as
the bee guy, might come along in the middle of the night.
August 16- Day 10
During the night we were pounded by a
ferocious wind storm. The place had a weird feeling already but with the
strength of the winds it got worse. We could hear trees crashing and sirens in
the distance. We got out of our tents as they were collapsed anyway and were
surprised to find it a clear night with lots of stars. The crashing of trees did
nothing to sooth us to sleep and when we woke up Nick had his tent collapsed
around him. (Nick always gets to sleep alone in Pete’s tent but this time it
might not have been an advantage.) You see, every night we play a game to decide
who gets to sleep alone. Nick almost always wins, whether its rock, paper,
scissors, or frisbee golf he seems to have the upper hand.
We did manage 90 kms today to end up in
Castlegar. Immediately we were on the lookout for food and when I stopped
suddenly to check out a buffet Nick ran into Pete and took a spill. It was a
minor incident as he walked off with a few bumps. We set up in the local
campground next to some country music fans. My worst nightmare came true as they
continued blasting the same five country songs over and over. We escaped to a
communal bonfire where after a few minutes of sipping on scotch we were ready
for sleep.
August 17
Everything went really well today. This
morning Pete got his rim trued in Castlegar before we headed north along the
shores of Kootenay Lake. We headed for a ferry to cross the lake. (We chose this
route on advice of others to avoid the Kootenay pass, an extremely difficult
hill.) This route is relatively flat, but further in distance. We are happy we
made the decision since this camping spot is beautiful. Set on the shores of a
mountain lake, there is nothing but trees and water all around.
During the day we stopped for lunch in the
town of Nelson. We were all impressed and even enjoyed a beer with lunch. We
were warned of the transients who hang around in Nelson, but we fit right in and
enjoyed the atmosphere. With the bike repair, ferry ride, and prolonged lunch we
still managed almost 90 kms today.
Tonight we are in great spirits and relaxing
after a terrific stir-fry over an open fire. We are camped on a beach just off
the road. It seems to be another party pit but nobody is around. The sun just
set across the lake as we sit around the fire looking at the stars and listening
to the silence.
August 18- Day 12
After such a perfect day yesterday today
took a turn for the worse. Early this afternoon, while coming down a hill, I cut
in too close to Nick who was gaining more speed than I was and we collided. He
ran into my back tire and while I continued without a scratch, Nick went down
hard on the pavement. With the weather being so nice we were not wearing shirts
and Nick left most of the skin from his chest and almost a nipple on the road.
We briefly wondered if the nipple would come off and if so, would it grow back.
While Nick was running around cursing in
pain Pete and I assessed the damage to his bike. Most of it was fixable except
his front rim which resembled a taco. This was going to need professional repair
or a new one. Fortunately from her garden a very generous lady heard the crash,
or Nick’s yelling, and came out to offer assistance. She was very helpful and
offered to drive Nick and his bike into Creston which was going to be our
destination for the night, still 35 kms away.
While Nick was on a boat being entertained,
fed steaks, and wounds tended to, Pete and I continued on to Creston to a
campground hopeful to meet up with Nick later that night. It is a Sunday
evening and the only bike shop in town does not open on Mondays, so we’re here
until Tuesday at least.
August 20
Yesterday was our second day off. Nick was
in no shape to bike even if his bike was fixed. His wounds look nasty and will
take a while to heal. We spent the day relaxing, eating, washing, it’s a nice
campground and is next to the Columbia brewery, whose smell fills the air.
The repairs to Nick’s bike went really well
. The man was a magician, and actually fixed the rim for a very small fee. We
managed to get out of the town at 2 o’clock with a storm chasing us. The wind
helped as it blew us along in front of the storm. Looking back, we would
occasionally catch a glimpse of the black clouds threatening us with the first
rain of the trip.
Not knowing the extent of our tail wind we
met a lady coming the other direction who looked like she was climbing a big
hill. We had pulled over at a rest area, she came in once she saw our bikes. She
had come all the way from St. John’s in just over two months. It was great to
talk to somebody who was almost done to get any information we might need. We
asked questions about her trip and were disappointed when the topic of Northern
Ontario came up. She had put her bike on a bus and skipped that region. She had
still come a long way, and by herself, her courage needs applauding but we were
a little disappointed. We continued on our way as the storm veered off and
missed us.
With our friend the wind behind us, we did
over 75 kms in less than 3 hours to end up in a tiny town of Moyie. After supper
at the pub and a chat with a colorful chap about where to spend the night, we
declined his offer to stay where his tent was pitched and we opted for the
church lawn. This quiet little town of just a few buildings is along the highway
and we are in the middle of town and there is not a sound. We apparently have
not been noticed by anybody and are quite relaxed with being back on the road
with all members accounted for. Nick is having some problems with his wounds
always sticking to his shirt.
August 21
When we got up this morning nobody had seen
the two tents beside the big white Catholic church, so we packed up and headed
to the only store in town for breakfast. The guy inside was a real prick; we
couldn’t bring our bikes near the store, and there were signs all over of things
people could not do. He told us we couldn’t even use the bathroom. We couldn’t
wait to get out of the town. It was also the coolest morning yet and until the
sun appeared over the mountain, we were quite cold. We started pedaling hard to
warm up and found the kilometers were flying by. From what we hear the hard
hills are over and its fairly flat all the way to northern Ontario.
For our afternoon snack we stopped at Steve
and Maggie’s ice cream shop. Two Scoop Steve, as he calls himself, has the best
ice cream with a marshmallow at the bottom of the cone. The place was quaint,
set in the mountains. They have a craft store, and in the backyard there are
tables under the trees, accessible by a stone walkway.
We have stopped for the night in the town of
Elko. It can’t really be called a town, since it consists of one store and a
campground. It is at the entrance to the Crowsnest Pass and over 100 kms from
Moyie. The camp proprietor has put us in a site he referred to as “The Hole”. We
like it,- very secluded, at the back completely surrounded by trees. There is a
view of a high peak every where you look. We enjoyed a long intense game of
frisbee golf before cooking a lot of canned food over the fire. During our meal
we were visited by a Husky who seems to have moved into “the hole” with us for
the night.
August 22-Day 16
Into our second province today, Alberta. I
never thought I would be glad to see it but I am. We are definitely making
ground now with our second day of 100 kms.
The husky did spend the night with us, he
slept so close he was keeping me warm all night. After our farewells to the dog
we had a breakfast at the town store. While we were in there a lady approached
me and asked if I was with the biking group passing through. I thought she meant
another real group as I still think of ourselves as three people who spend their
days riding on bikes. I said I was not with the group and was just with my
brothers. She then told me about these three guys who came in last night and
were put up in “the hole”. Apparently they had a huge bonfire and she was
concerned as to whether they had put it out. So it turns out I was with this
group of pyromaniacs and only replied that I was sure they had put the fire out.
Biking through the Crowsnest Pass was
beautiful and surprisingly easy. We had been preparing for real hardship through
the Rocky Mountains but we just breezed through them. We felt we were going
down hill most of the day and stopped for lunch in the little resort town of
Fernie. As we approached the Pass I couldn’t wait to see the rivers flowing with
us as we cross over the divide. There is a beautiful green lake at the Pass and
then the “Welcome to Alberta” sign. We stopped for pictures and headed for the
next town.
We had some celebration beer at the pub in
Coleman. And started looking for a place to spend the night. We went into the
town and were appalled at the sight. The town is run down and practically
deserted. This seemed so different from the Alberta I know of wealth and clean
busy cities. This town is a reminder of what happens when the area’s only
industry is gone. The coal mining in the area was once booming and the buildings
are still here only the people are not. The new town exists along the highway
with a large collection of restaurants, and motels. We found a nice park that
offered a good place to play frisbee golf, and after Pete threw an errant
throw, pop 500. We welcomed the exercise of different muscles, and some rough
play. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the worlds largest truck we
saw today at Sparwood.
August 23
Our third day in a row of over 100 kms has
brought us to the historical Fort MacLeod. As we biked today, we left the
mountains behind and were welcomed onto the prairies by the blistering hot sun
and no shade. The morning ride was nice, and we did a couple extra kms to get a
view of the Frank slide. The old town of Frank was covered by devastating rock
slide in 1903. The landscape today is still amazing. The pile of rubble is many
meters deep so you can see where the new highway and train line has been cut
through the rubble.
We also got a glimpse of the wind power that
is being created in this part of the country. Powerful winds come through the
Crowsnest Pass and on the Alberta side there are hundreds of giant windmills. We
began to notice the heat as we stopped in Pincher for lunch. We also notice the
absence of any trees to offer us shelter as we stopped to rest. The most unreal
and unusual experience yet has to be the grasshoppers that are on the highway.
They are literally in the millions. There is a layer of dead ones where cars
have squished them and as we hit them there is a constant crunch under our
tires. The ones we do not run over try to jump over us. They land on our legs,
arms and even our heads.
During the hottest part of the day we had to
stop in the shade of a billboard in a field to get some relief from the sun. It
was easily over 30 degrees and arriving in Fort Macleod was a relief as we
immediately headed for an ice cream stand and some shade. We got information on
a campground that sounds nice and has a pool. Our first impression of the
campground was nice but after Pete’s negotiating with the far from nice lady
behind the counter we had a change of heart. Our first site was not equipped
with a fire pit so poor Pete had to put up with the lady inside for a second
time. She sent us off to a site called the “hole in the wall”. After the good
experience in “the hole” back in Elko, we were optimistic about the “hole in the
wall.” We were dead wrong. This site is in a mosquito infested swamp. We decide
to forget about the bugs and just use the pool for the afternoon. While hanging
around the campground it does not take long to notice the signs everywhere of
what you can’t do. A person is immediately evicted if not
following the rules. I got in trouble for leaning my bike against the pool
fence. The man treated me like a twelve year old. I held my temper but we all
hated this campsite.
We went to town for supper and just after
arriving back was greeted by a familiar face. I had phoned Laila to say we were
in Fort Macleod and she drove down from Calgary to meet us. I welcomed her to
our swampy hole and we headed to the pub for drinks. It was my first time in a
car in 18 days and I noticed the ease that you could travel, also the speed and
smoothness. In the middle of the night Laila and I decided to break some rules
so we snuck into the pool where we proceeded to run, and even dive,- immediate
eviction for sure. I warn anyone of ever camping at the Daisy May.
August 24
It’s a Saturday night and we are playing
cards in a little Mormon town of Stirling. It’s cheap and we have a shelter in
case it rains. There have been more clouds threatening us today, but still no
rain. Sterling is another town of one store and one campground. Its so quiet we
were able to play frisbee golf up the main street on our way to supper. The girl
at the store was having a busy evening, as she was cooking our food she was also
serving ice cream, renting videos, running the convenience store and pumping
gas. She served our supper to our amazement still in good spirits, most people
would have quit a long time ago.
August 25
As today is Sunday we found ourselves in a
bad situation. The entire town was at church, with the exception of one man who
was working in his yard. Nothing was open and we had no breakfast. He told us
there was a town 30 kms down the road called Wrentham. It sounded promising so
we headed off. The biking was good so we arrived quickly. Just as quickly we
found out there was not a thing in the town, not even a coke machine. We had to
resort to eating an emergency can of chili which we were carrying with us.
We are on a highway that runs through the
deep south of the prairies. It is known as the Red Coat Trail and is the route
the Mounties took when they were establishing the border with the United States.
It seemed like a good route, but the only problem is, there is nothing on it. We
hope to continue on as it goes through the Cypress Hills as it would be an
exciting route to take, traveling through the harshly dry area of the prairies.
It was while we were eating a strange thing
happened. A man appeared from nowhere and we started chatting. We told him our
story and where we were planning to go. He told us the highway to the east was
gravel and our tires would not make it. We were aware of our inability to ride
on gravel and thanked him for the information. He then disappeared without us
noticing and we were left alone again. That was a stroke of luck, had we
continued on our way we would have been forced to backtrack a days riding.
We made a decision to go back a little and
take a road to the north and go to the Trans-Canada highway. We were 45 kms from
Taber and made it there in the early afternoon. We were very hungry having only
eaten our can of chili, and we happened to come across a buffet at a hotel. We
ate like pigs and lay out on the grass after and let the food digest.
Tonight we have made it to the town of Bow
Island 130 kms from where we started the day. There is no water and the name
Island is a mystery. The town is very run down and reminds us a great deal of
Coleman. We are camped at the ball fields hopefully out of sight of any curious
locals.
August 26
This morning’s breakfast was a little
unusual. We ate at Bobby’s; a bar by night , greasy spoon by day. Bobby himself
took our order, then cooked it, and served it. The coffee was presented in a
giant thermos on the table which pleased the boys. I ordered the “Alberta toast”
and apparently Bobby’s favourite joke is to ask if you’ve heard of it. When I
replied no he laughed and said its really only French toast. (At least he keeps
himself amused.)
We got a good morning of biking in, pedaling
75kms to Medicine Hat. The Pizza Hut seemed like a good place to stop for lunch.
Afterwards, as we lay around on the grass letting the food digest, a giant storm
approached from the north. As it started to rain, we took shelter at a fancy
hotel where we sat in the lobby until the storm passed. This was the first rain
we had encountered on our trip and we were not too sure if we wanted to continue
while it was pouring. We sat in the lobby most of the afternoon as the rain
continued. At five o’clock we decided we would not get any further, so we headed
for a campground back a couple of kilometers into town. We got soaked on the way
and when we got to our campground decided to check out the prices of some motels
across the street. They were a little much and the rain was letting up so we
headed for the campground. After setting up the tents and putting everything
inside, we called for a taxi to take us to go see a movie. It was an awful, Mel Gibson flick and we realized with the
price of the campground, taxis, and 3 movie tickets we could have stayed in the
motel and watched a better movie on T.V. Live and learn, I guess.
In hindsight, we should have seen it
coming,- the omen was there, but we ignored it and paid a bit of a price. I’m
talking about a flood, not the one when Noah built a boat, but close. Before we
had left for the movie we were greeted by a familiar couple, they had camped
beside us in Creston after Nick’s crash and now were visiting someone in this
campground. It was the sign, (also the name of the stupid movie) but we missed
it. We had not noticed it had rained during the film, but when we got back to
the campground things were different. Pete and I noticed it first while Nick was
in the bathroom. We came up to our site and all we could see in the darkness was
shimmering from the streetlights. As we got closer we noticed a pond had formed
where our tents were. Our first reaction was to laugh since there wasn’t much
else we could do. We got the frisbee off the picnic table and threw it back and
forth in the darkness waiting for Nick to return. When he came near we told him
to catch and threw it toward our sunken site. What a
surprise for him to see the lake! It was too dark to assess any damage so we
decided to forget it and head back across the street to the motel, luckily we
already knew the price and ended up paying double for everything we had already
paid for, including the waterfront lot. Before we left, I waded through the tent
to get my camera which was floating in its waterproof case. As we walked the
water was past our ankles and inside Nick’s tent, the water had poured in just
as deep. Pete and I had set up in there and as I went for the camera , our thermarests and sleeping bags were rubbing on my shins. The light from the flash
gave us a good idea of the surroundings, but we knew we wouldn’t really know
what it looks like until we see the pictures .
August 27
This morning the water had receded leaving a
mucky film on everything. We were dry and clean after our night in the motel so
we felt relatively good. Everything Pete and I owned was soaked however Nick
had fared much better. He had left his stuff in a tree, not on the ground, ( I
wish he had let us in on his secret) and his stuff in Pete’s tent amazingly had
stayed dry. There was a line on the outside of the tent about 10 cm up where the
water was but not a drop inside, bravo for that tent design. We dragged
everything into the sun and headed off for a breakfast. It wasn’t until the
middle of the afternoon that we left the city but we still managed 55 kms to get
to the border of Saskatchewan and the town of Walsh. The tourist information
center had a beautiful park and lawn so we hung out playing cards behind a wall
after of course a great game of frisbee golf.
August 28- Day 22
First thing this morning we entered
Saskatchewan. As we took a picture at the provincial sign, we celebrated
entering our third province and then we were on our way. We want to get back
down to the Red Coat Trail and are planning to do so tomorrow. This section of
the Trans-Canada has nice wide shoulders and the road is flat and straight. Our
bodies are holding up well. Our rear ends are used to the saddle and our muscles
are good. We have minor afflictions from time to time such as sore wrists, and
chaffing but basically we are in good shape. Tonight we are in Gull Lake cooking
chicken over the fire. It will be ready in an hour later and I know it will be
worth the wait.
August 23
I was awakened last night by screeching
tires and a roaring engine. Some local was tearing around in an old pickup. It
sounded as though he was coming through our site, squealing around a few
corners then speeding out of earshot in a matter of seconds.
Heading south to get back with our old
friend the Red Coat proved to be quite a challenge this morning. The wind was
coming at us head on and was very strong. Many times it felt we were not getting
anywhere and it was hard to get over 15 km/hr. After a couple of grueling hours
we had covered the 30 kms and headed east again. It wasn’t much better as the
wind pounded us from the side. We ate lunch on the side of the road since we
have not seen a store for four or five hours. This has to be one of the more
desolate parts of southern Canada, only a few kilometers from the U. S. border
and we have not seen anything all day. Only occasionally does a car pass by,
where they are going I can’t imagine. There doesn’t seem to be anything anywhere
along this road.
We eventually made it to the town of
Cadillac. It is one of the biggest towns in the area, population 200. On the
east side of town, we happened upon an abandoned campground. We were greeted by
millions of mosquitos that swarmed over us and covered everything. We were
invited to sleep in the arena which at this time of year is used for rodeos. It
was dark, smelly and muddy so we decided to put up with the mosquitos. I have
never seen a swarm this bad, even the locals are admitting they are worse than
usual. At night there is a constant hum of them trying to get in through the
mesh. The locals take to driving their car even a block to avoid them and when
we’re biking we can’t stop or we are immediately covered. They seem to be
waiting and wherever you are, so are they.
As we lay in our tents tonight the sky is
dancing with the green luminescence of the northern lights, while to the south a
lightning storm gives off a series of flashes. It is spectacular. I tried to
capture the images on film, but as I was doing so it started raining. We covered
up the tents and hope for a dry night.
August 30
This was our best day so far, for after
almost six hours of biking and 145kms we have arrived in Assiniboia. Upon
arrival we were greeted by elephants, - unusual in this part of the world. It
turns out there is a circus in town, next to the only campground in town. This
is the largest center we have been in since Medicine Hat, and gives us a bit of
shock to see this many stores and people. It is still a small place, not much
bigger than Kentville, pop. 5,000, but after the one horse towns we have been in
it feels much bigger.
We have learned a lot about small town life
and how many of these small towns are disappearing. We have passed by many towns
that have run down ballfields, and other services that are so big its hard to
imagine the town ever being big enough to support such facilities. The
population of these Prairie towns are older than in the cities. It makes us
wonder how much longer many of these towns can hold on. They could be such nice
places, quiet and laid back, but they seem too run down for someone to enjoy
living in them.
Tonight we decided to wander into town to
check it out, and found a party with a few drunks spilled out on the street, but
basically it was very quiet. When we were walking back, a car passed us and they
yelled out the window and called us “circus folk.” We do look a little weird
dressed in a mixture of pajamas, sweats, and biking clothes.
August 31- Day 25
Another record breaker. nice wind and
favourable roads made it possible to do 172 kms to Weyburn. We had some rain
today, and pedaled 80 kms before lunch. After lunch we could not stop due to the
mosquitos, and we would rather ride for hours without a break than stop and face
the hoards of bugs. We go from one town pub to the next just to stay indoors
when we are not riding. After arriving at a pub it’s a mad dash to get inside
without being eaten alive. The people are so wonderful and interested in us that
sometimes they call ahead to tell the next town we are on our way. The people of
Saskatchewan have been very friendly and every local wants to know what we are
doing in this part of the world. I guess they don’t get many cyclists down
here. When we tell them we are following the historic Red Coat Trail and they
get confused and say they have never heard of it.
We found out there has been a boil water
order on for the whole region and we have been drinking litres of it every day.
Tonight I have a bit of a stomach bug, but its nothing serious. The grasshoppers
are still bad, I can’t believe mile after mile it is the same thing. We could
have been biking the same little area for the past few days and not known it.
The only way we know we are making any ground is that the line on our map is
getting longer.
On our way into Weyburn we were greeted
Prairie boy style. A truck drove by yelling at us and calling us names. One of
them gave us the finger, so one of us returned the favour (I won’t say who) and
the truck slowed down. For a moment I thought there was going to be a wild west
show down but the truck sped up again. A while later it passed again, this time
we ignored them and continued on our way.
The people at this campground have been very
interested in our trip and offered donuts and coffee. There is a lady here who
is the mother of a boy that once played on Pete’s hockey team (small world). We
have chosen a site at the back with a nice pop 500 field behind it.
September 1
This morning we woke up to a very strong
wind. It was blowing out of the south and would not be very favourable to us. We
took advantage of the wind and sun to dry out our stuff that was still damp and
smelly from Medicine Hat and various rains experienced since. We played frisbee
for a few hours and left late in the afternoon. We have made it to Stoughton,
and another campground where we are the only tents. Everyone has big R.V.’s and
seem to be in considerable comfort as we pedal up on our loaded down rigs. The
wind has died down which made it perfect for a game of Frisbee golf. I have
gotten better as I am undefeated since acquiring a new frisbee in Taber, so
tonight I get to sleep alone in Pete’s tent.
September 2
During the night a storm blew in with high
winds and rain. That new frisbee is paying off as I was comfortable in Pete’s
tent. The others complained of a few loose flaps that made a lot of noise in
Nick’s tent. Pete says he only slept 3 hours all night which is amazing since
for the first time we spent over six hours on or bikes today. By the morning the
rain had gone and left a wonderfully strong wind from the west. It literally
carried us over 200 kms at speeds around 40 km/hr. Even without pedaling and
holding our jackets open we could maintain 25 km/hr for a while.
When we finally stopped we had crossed into
Manitoba and were in Souris, where we were shocked to discover the last S is
pronounced. The town’s claim to fame is the worlds largest swinging bridge.
During supper we were asked a bunch of questions but none as strange as the one
man who asked, “How many pairs of shoes have you guys gone through?” We replied
we still had the same shoes as when we started and wondered why we wouldn’t. He
didn’t ask about our tires which we still have the same ones as when we started.
Camping tonight is ideal. The town has a
beautiful valley park full of trees, (boy have we missed those.) Everything
seems so green and fertile after Saskatchewan. We are next to a campground and
have decided to sleep under the stars in a day use picnic park. It is a
beautiful night, warm and starry, and there is no breath left from the powerful
wind that has brought us all the way here.
I remember back to British Columbia and the
feeling that it would take forever to get across Canada. Now, only a week later
and we are in Manitoba, it feels like we just night be able to make it before
winter.
September 3
The wind was not as strong today and we
still managed over 100 kms to get to Holland. We ate at the local pub and had a
few celebration beers on making it to Manitoba. We needed to get groceries and
the only store in town was just broken into. They were nice enough to let us in
and we got our supplies. Tonight we are camped beside a race track but can’t
find anyone to pay. The same situation as in Weyburn, however at least there
they had a drop box to put the money. Here, we can’t even find an office. More
great frisbee golf and again no tents were set up tonight.
We are loving Manitoba because it seems so
green and lush. Everywhere people are mowing their lawn and are very friendly.
What a difference from the drought ridden part of southern Saskatchewan we came
through. Here the towns are clean and closer together. Most importantly, the
mosquitos and grasshoppers have died down. We are able to roll out under the
stars and enjoy a peaceful night.
September 4
I don’t know how, but we still managed over
100 kms today after being forced off the road due to a fiercely strong wind at
our faces cutting our day short.. The morning was nice and after stopping for
lunch at St. Claude, home of the worlds largest pipe, the wind suddenly whipped
up. We attempted to get on the road but realized the futility of the situation
and pulled into a café for a game of crib and coffee. The wind eventually died
down and we made it to Starbuck- the absolute worst town yet. We assumed that
they don’t like transients since there are “no trespassing” signs everywhere.
You will be prosecuted for camping anywhere in the town. So we made camp along
the highway, right under their welcome to Starbuck sign. At least there is nice
grass and a picnic table.
September 5- Day 30
Last night was one of the worst sleeps I
have ever had. It was very hot and muggy, and the mosquitos were back in full
force. They were relentless all night. Inside the sleeping bag the heat would
cover me with sweat from head to toe, outside the mosquitos would cover me from
head to toe. Due to our situation and the towns obvious dislike of campers, we
decided not to set up our tents to remain better hidden. I really wish we had
been in a better position to set up our tents. Oh well, we can rest in Winnipeg.
Luckily we were only 40 kms to Winnipeg
where we were to meet with some relatives. This distance was covered before noon
and we found our Great Aunt Audrey’s apartment before lunch. The very first
thing we did was shower and rummage through her medicine cabinet for Q-tips. We
all have an obsession with clean ears and forgot to bring Q-tips.
Nick’s bike is in need of serious repair.
His back wheel is wobbling and he has broken a couple of spokes. He barely made
it into Winnipeg so this afternoon he and Pete went off to fix it while I stayed
and did the laundry. I washed everything and the smell from Medicine Hat is
almost gone. This evening we are comfortable, well fed, clean, and bug free. We
spent the evening at our cousin Kathleen’s house and were treated to a big t.v.
and a comfortable couch. It feels a long way from nights on the deserted Red
Coat Trail under the stars. We had said good -bye to our old highway and will be
on the Trans-Canada now for a long time.
September 6
We have found a Manitoban paradise, its
called Lilac Resort. Just off the highway and only 50 km East of Winnipeg, it
sucked us in with its sign of a giant water slide and we were glad for it. We
spent the evening with pizza, root beer, and sliding. We don’t need a break but
it was late when we got out of Winnipeg. We had spent the morning wandering the
campus of the University of Manitoba feeling a bit like grubby old men with our
beards and dark tans.
September 7
We woke up this morning to do some more
sliding. We had the pool to ourselves and must have been having too much fun
because the young staff told us to stop jumping on the slide. I wonder if she
had any idea how old we really are?
It was a good day of biking and we managed
to get back over the 100 km mark for the first time in a couple of days. We
ended up in a resort town of Falcon Lake, not far to the border of Ontario. It
is now past Labour Day weekend and these tourist areas are almost deserted. The
only ones who haven’t left are the bugs. We tried to hang out on the beach and
play cards but the mosquitos got the better of us. They were not as bad in the
middle of town so we played cards there. I can’t believe how warm it is. We have
to cover up due to the bugs but get sweaty and hot with all our clothes on, even
at night. We have found a park in the middle of town to set up our tents.
September 8
A light rain woke us up at 6 o’clock with
girlish cries from the boys. It rained for two minutes but was enough to make us
get up and put the covers over our tents. Apparently, I made the boys laugh when
I wasn’t going back to bed because I was bored and headed off to the café for an
early breakfast.
Today is the Sunday of the U .S. Open mens
final. Two veterans Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, both over 30 are battling it
out. We stopped early to watch the match in Kenora after passing into Ontario.
We found great free camping on a beach just out of town. The beach was narrow
and made a perfect place for pop 500 which we played for what seemed like hours.
No need to set up tents tonight , since a gazebo is right here to offer any
shelter from the occasional rains that keep coming.
September 9- Day 34
For the first time since Medicine Hat our
biking was stopped due to rain. We had stopped for an ice cream break at
Vermillion Bay, and had covered 100 kms when the rain started. We briefly talked
it over with a stuffed moose and decided to call it a day. We had thought about
a motel after our experience in Medicine Hat, but after a couple of phone calls
decided against it. There more pricy then in the Hat and didn’t fit into the
budget. Getting a campsite was more difficult than it should have been. The lady
was very unhelpful and tried to point us way off the highway to camp. We rode
into town hoping for the best and came across another campsite. We took it since
it was reasonably priced and set up our tents.
A game of frisbee golf was in order to
determine who would sleep alone and this time, Pete emerged victorious after a
thrilling “come from behind” victory.(There is a first time for everything). The
rains had let up by evening as we sat in a bar having supper and some beer. We
were the only ones there besides the old woman running the place who was
watching some weird television shows. Eventually some girls came in and started
playing country music on the jukebox, much to our chagrin. Pete went up to
counter their offer and put on some reggae music. Then came the heavy metal when
Nick made his selections. It is rare we get to have music of our own selection
in the background and it’s a great feeling. The bar was rocking and again, there
was nobody there but us. It has been hard without music, we are forced to listen
to a bad selection of Emenem and country. The soundtrack of the trip would be
songs that we would not normally have listened to. It seems to be the same songs everywhere we go, from small towns to the larger
cities. Is it really gettin’ that hot in here?
September 10
It didn’t rain much last night and our
possessions stayed dry. We were able to shower this morning and felt good
heading out. We traveled the highway for 157 kms and arrived at Ignace after
only stopping once all day for a Pizza Hut buffet in Dryden. Pete and Nick got
new noise makers so a wonderfully annoying medley can be heard whenever we pass
one another.
Once again we are camped at a Tourist Info
Centre. This one is brand new and we are lying in the shadows of some trees in a
playground at the back. This is tree planting territory and Pete is feeling at
home in these small northern towns. He recommended the restaurant we ate in and
we were not disappointed. There is an old watch tower used for detecting forest
fires and as we sleep, it towers over us.
September 11
Steve has been having a blast recently. I
refer to Pete’s toy monkey Steve who has accompanied him on many trips and
joined us on this one. He mostly makes himself useful as Peter’s pillow but is
always on the lookout for giant things. Its not unusual to see Steve posing
under a Giant Camel, Moose, Ape, Truck, or Goose.
We are continuing to make up for lost time.
The biking is going very well and we are excited to cover so many kilometres.
Today we stopped at 3 o’clock at a town called Upsula. We found a nice
campground on a lake and could not pass it up. It’s an absolutely beautiful day
and the swimming is fantastic. We hung out and played pop 500 on the beach until
it was getting dark. Later we bought some groceries and got a fire going to cook
our food. The evening ended perfectly, after a nice sunset, we laid out under
the stars.
September 12
The towns dictate where we will stop for the
night. They are few and far between, sometimes we go 100 kms with nothing in the
middle. We are forced to take our lunch in the morning and go from town to town
. Today we have made it to Kakabeka Falls, near Thunder Bay. The falls are known
for their beauty and an old Indian legend of a Sioux woman named Greenmantle who
paddled off the falls while being chased by a bunch of Cree warriors who also
plunged to their deaths. We are camping near the falls and can hear the water
rushing over. The legend has it that the screams of the Cree can be heard in
the rushing water.
September 13
It was Friday the 13th today but no bad
luck came our way. We rode through Thunder Bay in the morning but missed the
Pizza Hut buffet. This turned out for the better as we got a cultural
experience eating at the Finnish house, called Hoito.
We stopped to admire the Terry Fox monument
and marvel at how he accomplished running a marathon each and every day, on one
leg. We did not take our picture at the monument as we can in no way compare
what we are doing to what that great Canadian hero did.
We still made it 155 kms to Nipigon before a
spectacular bright red sun set. We managed to get our pizza and are camping at
yet another Info Centre. One problem we are having by not setting up tents is
getting wet with heavy dews which seem to accumulate. We can’t really complain
about dew as people would laugh, but it really is our only problem right now.
September 14
Over the past four days we’ve accomplished
over 500 kms. Yet we still feel we are not getting anywhere. Just outside
Thunder Bay there is a sign that says Sault Sainte Marie is still almost 700 kms
away. We have felt we have been riding a long way in Northern Ontario already,
and now to find out we are still a long way from a city that is still considered
a part of Northern Ontario. The immensity of this huge province can be
overwhelming at times. It is no surprise to us now that the woman we met in B.C.
skipped this section of the country.
Tonight we are camped at Terrace Bay at
still another Information Centre. When we arrived in the town, we decided to
ride down to the water. It turned out to be at least three kilometers downhill!
The tough part was biking back up. However it turned out to be worth the trip.
The beach was fabulous but as we didn’t have any food with us, we knew we were
going to have to get back to town for supper.
Our trip was put into perspective by the
chance meeting of a paddler. His name is Matt Smith and he came over to us as we
arrived on the beach. He told us he was canoeing from the continental divide in
Alberta to St. John, New Brunswick. This is a very impressive feat and he was
doing it by himself, hoping to be done in a total of 7 months. We were humbled
and impressed. He joined in our game of frisbee for a while before we headed
back up the hill to town. There seems to be a party at the curling hall next
door but they don’t seem too aware of our presence, except a few who have
noticed us lying on the grass.
September 15
The town of Marathon can boast one of the
finest campgrounds we have seen. Situated on the shores of a little lake, it is
thick with foliage and most sites are hidden from one another. There is a giant
communal fire pit, but for this time of year there is nobody around. After a
quick dip to wash up, (all the facilities are closed), we headed into town for
provisions. Baked potatoes, steaks, sausages, onions, peppers, were all brought
back to be wrapped in foil and left on the fire. It was a truly great feast,
dripping with butter as it roasted, we couldn’t wait to devour the lot.
September 16- Day 42
Another 100 kms, another small town called
White River. The town has the world’s largest thermometer, however it is not
working any more. Most importantly, this is the home town of the original bear
who was later named Winnie the Pooh. Steve got his thrills at meeting a hero of
his and photos were taken at the statue. There are some colorful people in this
town in the middle of nowhere. Hitchhikers who are afraid of taking rides to
Wawa are standing by the highway. It seems people are so aware of the horror
stories of hitchhikers being stranded in Wawa that they will strand themselves
in White River to avoid Wawa.
After supper we came across a skinny guy
from Vancouver who was camping next to us at the Information Centre. We invited
him to join us in a game of cards. Josh has been biking from Vancouver hoping to
make it to Montreal. He left a month before us and did most of the trip by
himself. We got the impression he was losing some sanity by being alone in such
a barren stretch of the country. We agreed he could join us for as long as he
wanted.
Later, when it came time to hit the hay we
did what we always do, unroll sleeping bags and lie down. We don’t unpack unless
necessary. Josh made the comment that he had heard about us Maritimers and that
we were easy going. We couldn’t get him to admit he meant lazy but that’s fine.
We also got some yells from locals who called us “hard core,” I guess we must be
getting used to roughing it because I find it quite comfortable.
September 17
Now I know why Josh has taken a month longer
to get to the same place. He travels much slower than we do. Each time we stop,
we arrange the next place we are likely to be. It seems important to his sanity
that he stay with us for a while, not to mention our luck with campsites is
remarkable.
The same goes for tonight, we are lucky to
have made it here. We stopped for a long time in Wawa and wanted to get to a
place called Old Woman Bay on the shores of Lake Superior. It was getting late
and almost dark before we arrived but what a greeting we got. There are no words
that can describe its full beauty. It is a moment that I had visions of before
the trip started.
Just as we arrived we caught a spectacular
sunset. The bright orange ball seemed to dip right into the calm surface of the
lake. The water is so clean and clear it would not be a problem to drink
straight from the lake. We are camped on a white sand beach. The place is
supposed to be used only as a day park but as it gets darker we grow more
confident that our little paradise will not be disturbed.
The biking in this stretch has been good,
although there are no shoulders and the trucks blow us around . You can’t beat
the scenery however, (with the small exception of the west coast mountains.) We
have noticed that many people are interested in where we are going and where we
have come from. One bold couple videotaped us go by then pulled up beside Nick
to do an interview as he rode along.
September 18
For the second straight night we have found
a perfect beach for camping. With our care- free and easy going ways, Josh is
amazed at our progress and ability to scope great camping spots. He still
manages to catch up while we’re eating or resting. This beach is rocky and
perfect for a big fire. Between the road and the beach, there is a thick canopy
of trees that is perfect for sleeping under. Our terrain today was the hilliest
we have seen in a long time. People have been warning us for a long time about
the hills around Montreal River, but as we went up and down we didn’t find them
as tough as expected. We are still doing over 100 kms a day.
September 19
Last night our canopy of trees did not prove
to be enough to keep the annoying rain off our faces. I reluctantly gave up and
set up the tent in a tiny clearing, Nick soon became frustrated with the drops
and joined me. His side was on a big root I had failed to notice when setting up
and he had an uncomfortable sleep. After also giving into the rain, Pete set up
his own tent. Josh still has not adopted our lazy ways, so he still sets up his
tent upon arrival.
We arrived in Sault Sainte Marie this
afternoon and made our way to a predetermined park to meet Josh. We are relieved
to have made it to the Sault! What a trip it has been through the bareness of
northern Ontario. This is still considered northern Ontario but to us right now
it feels like the south. Josh arrived a while later and we locked our bikes
under a picnic shelter and went up the street for some food. Only taking my
camera and wallet, we left everything else. It was a bold move but we figured no
one would take a bike they likely couldn’t figure out how to ride. We were in
need of a buffet and were not disappointed. We literally cleared the buffet. As
we were the only ones in the restaurant we still managed to make them replace a
couple of trays of food. We were being a little glutenous and topped it all off
with cake. The cake pushed us over the edge and as we left, not one of us was
feeling great. As the food expanded in our stomachs, we laid down on the grass
across the street. A few moments later, the owner of the
restaurant came by to give me my camera that I had apparently left on the floor.
As he found us sprawled on the grass I can only hope he was amused.
As it started to rain we decided to make our
way back to our bikes. By the time we got back it was pouring, so we were lucky
to have a roof. Later the winds picked up and the roof was of little good since
the rains blew in sideways. We lay there getting soaked but having a good time
anyway. Since being with us, Josh has loosened up and didn’t even set up his
tent. He has decided to stay in the Sault to clean up tomorrow.
September 20
After breakfast this morning we said
good-bye to Josh, he had decided to go to the YMCA for laundry and a shower. We
are determined to get to Orillia where showers, laundry and a day off from
biking will be waiting for us. Today it rained off and on most of the day. We
had pedaled 150 kms to end up in Blind River This evening we decided to stay in
a hotel for the second time of the trip. It was an easy decision since
everything we had was wet and the manager put us up in a huge room so we could
put all our things out to dry. For supper there was a treat of fish and chips.
Ron, a transplanted Newfie, cooked it up and made a terrific feast. He continues
all the traditions of Newfoundland right down to making his own homemade malt
vinegar. The restaurant is a shrine to Newfoundland and sparks determination in
us to make it home to the east coast.
September 21
There was no rain today and another 150 kms
has brought us to the northern end of Manitoulin Island. We turned off the Trans
Canada at Espanole and headed for a town called Little Current. There is another
cyclist camped on the other side of the Info Centre that we have chosen to call
home for the night. We remember breezing past him on the road. It seems no
matter how slow these guys are they make the same destination we do. I try to
remember this as I fall behind Nick and Pete. I curse their speed and get
frustrated at not being able to keep up with them. There is a reason I have a
turtle on my handle bars, for slow and steady will get me there. I remember this
as Nick is flying way up ahead.
September 22- Day 47
It started raining this morning at 7
o’clock. We were forced to get up and get breakfast. This was not a problem
since excitement was overriding any tiredness. We could feel how close we were
to southern Ontario. We were excited about this particular leg of the journey
because today we travel across Manitoulin Island and enjoy a ferry ride to the
Bruce Peninsula. The Island is supposed to be a beautiful place, however today
there was a heavy rain, a blanket of fog and mist is covering the scenery. It
was cold and all we wanted to do was keep our heads down and get to the ferry
terminal. We don’t even have any pictures of this area that we had heard about.
We arrived at the ferry terminal early and
had a couple of hours to spare. At least it was warm and dry in the terminal.
Our friend “Charlie”, as we call him, who camped in Blind River eventually
arrived. It seems we are taking the same route. The boat ride across the water
that separates Georgian Bay from Lake Huron was more of the same cold and dreary
weather.
We arrived in Tobermory in the afternoon and
knew we had to have a campground in case of more rain. The town is a tourist
stop and not much else,- nice restaurants and gift shops are about all it has to
offer. We found a campground a couple kilometres outside of town and set up our
tents. We couldn’t find anybody around to register but figured it couldn’t be
too expensive. We went back to town where we got a good take-out meal from the
basement of a fancy restaurant. (We had to pull Pete out after Nick and I saw
the menu.)
The evening turned out to be nice. The rain
stopped and the sky cleared just as the sun was setting giving a brilliant pink
glow to the sky. The temperature is noticeably cooler tonight than it has been
so far. We finally found someone at the campground and found out the price was
steep. Twenty-five dollars is extremely high but we had no choice as we were not
about to take down our tents and find somewhere else in the dark. We’ll just
live with it and know for next time.
September 23
We made fantastic ground today to end up in
a nice little town of Meaford, 155 kms from Tobermory. We ran into our friend
“Charlie” off and on but I think eventually we left him behind, In the few times
we spoke, he had some good stories and was an interesting character. We have
come all the way down the Bruce Peninsula, through Owen Sound and are on the
shores of Georgian Bay. Arriving in Meaford, Pete and I lost Nick for a while.
We had all been searching for the right criteria for a campsite when we got
split up. We need a picnic table, grass, and a light. Many places had all three
but we eventually found Nick and settled on a nice spot by a playground.
Tonight is the coldest evening yet, so cold
I played cards inside my sleeping bag. A local man came by to offer us a warm
place to sleep. We politely refused knowing we would be fine. We seem to have a
real sense of adventure and want to sleep outside in all conditions. We also
know its not going to be getting any warmer as we head into October.
September 24
Some ladies out for a morning walk woke us
up this morning. They did not seem to find it strange for three guys to be
sleeping outside on a cold night. They just greeted us with good mornings and
comments on the brisk morning. We pedaled hard and were determined to get to
Orillia today. There were lots of steep hills on the way, some of the hardest
terrain we have seen. The hills are short but steep making the climbing tough.
It was a beautiful ride however, along the shores of the bay and through the
Blue Mountains.
This morning we stopped for our second
breakfast just outside Collingwood and were treated to one of the most colorful
characters of our trip. We stopped at roadside diner called Carl’s diner. We
assumed it was Carl himself working the grill and his daughter waiting the
table. The set up was weird as you walked through their office to the bathroom
which had a window looking into their place of residence.
Nick and I ordered pancakes with syrup and
butter and Pete the traditional breakfast that we have grown accustomed to every
morning. Carl came over to check on us and talk about fresh potatoes that he
serves versus Macdonald’s that doesn’t. He seemed to be overcome with surprise
at our pancakes. “Whoa!!!” he shouted, hands on his face then pointed at our
plates. We had just seen him make them and were surprised at his surprise. He
was probably referring to the half inch thick slabs of butter that would take 5
minutes to melt on a hot griddle that were still sitting on top of our pancakes!
I’ll always remember that breakfast at that diner.
Just short of arriving in Orillia we ran
into our cousin Sarah’s husband, Eric. It was great to recognize a face other
than each others. He was impressed with our speed as he passed us on the
highway. We chatted for a few minutes but were still anxious to get to Aunt
Deb’s house.
We’ve made it to Orillia and are now
enjoying the comforts of relatives at last. We seem to have surprised everybody
at the speed we came from Tobermory, even surprising ourselves I think. We are
looking forward to taking our first day off in over a month. We arrived dirty
and smelly and Alice had to put on a brave face as she hugged her three cousins.
It’s been 2 weeks since laundry and 6 days since a shower. We can relax in the
welcome comforts of home while we visit family. The evening was spent hanging
out at Debs, indoors as it is expected to go down to 3 degrees tonight. We made
arrangements to meet with grandparents the next day and got our much needed
laundry done.
September 25–Day 50
Our wonderful day off was spent visiting.
Lunch with Gran and Jay included an interview with the town paper. Later we had
dinner with Luke and Lorna and had a visit from Claire. I did some minor repairs
to the bike, including putting the warn out back tire on the front. I can’t
believe our luck. We have had 20 flat tires but nothing major. Nick’s new rim is
the biggest expense and the work on his front rim is holding up as is the work
on Pete’s back rim.
September 26
We biked away from Orillia this morning with
much fanfare. Deb, Luke, and Claire all cheered us on as we left. It feels like
there is only one stage of the journey left. Deb has hooked us up with a variety
of Veggie and energy bars. We typically eat a couple a day and they are a great
snack to pull over and enjoy. We are refreshed and even though we know its 1800
kms to go and is a ridiculous distance to bike, we feel it is so short since
have covered most of the trip already.
We traveled east today through nice rural
countryside. We know now that all stretches left will be more populated than
most of the distance covered so far. A man from Lindsay joined us for a while.
He made me wish I had a speed bike as he effortlessly cruised along. The weight
is a factor but we have learned a good deal about sprocket size and gear ratio
that will be helpful on any future trips. The man led us on some back roads away
from the busy highway.
We have ended up at Fowlers Corners and are
staying on a farm with one of Pete’s friends from Trent. We spent the evening
in front of the T.V. Its Thursday night and all the season premiers got us
caught up and made us realize we are not missing anything. We have enjoyed our
night playing cards and amusing ourselves with various games. It is another
cold night and we are lucky to be sleeping indoors. Our sense of adventure goes
down when we know the people offering a warm place to stay.
September 27
The day started out rainy and as we went
through Peterborough it intensified. A couple of kilometers outside Peterborough
we decided to pull off the highway. It was for our own safety, since there was
no shoulder on the highway and it would have been dangerous in the pouring rain.
We were trying to make it half way to Carleton Place where we have Uncle Pete
and his family to visit. After a couple of hours in the coffee shop, the rain
continuing, we realized is was futile to get much further. We started back out
in the rain and looked for a campground. We rode to Havelock before deciding on
our third motel of the trip. The rains let up in the evening and we had the
night indoors to try and dry off.
September 28
The weather has improved, for today at
least. We gave our Uncle Pete a call in Carleton Place to say we wouldn’t make
it that night. We still did well and covered a lot of ground so that tomorrow
should be a short day. We stopped for the night at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
campground that is closed for the season. Luckily with our bikes we can go
around the gate and find we have the whole park to ourselves. This place is
nice, one we wouldn’t mind paying for, and we get it for free. Our site is the
best there is in the campground, right on the lake with a big fire pit which
gives us a nice fire to cook our meal.
With a whole campground at our disposal we
played a game of frisbee golf. This lasted until I threw an errant toss into the
lake. I had to swim to get it and after I needed to warm up by the fire. We are
feeling more like ourselves and getting back to the old ways. After 4 nights
indoors, its nice to be back to nature again.
September 30
The stop in Carleton Place yesterday was
great, I got more acquainted with cousins I have rarely seen and we enjoyed a
relaxing meal of pasta and beer with Pete and Jenny. We woke up this morning
ready to get back on the road. I don’t know how, after all that happened today,
we still managed to make it 110 kms.
We went to breakfast in Carleton Place and
had our route planned how to get to Quebec. Not long after we were on the road
it started to rain. We happened to be going through Kanata and stopped in at a
Pizza Hut. During our lunch it started pouring, with no sign of letting up. We
decided to get on with it and headed out in the rain. It continued to pour all
the way through Ottawa. We biked along the paths that take us along the
Parliament buildings and into the downtown.
After a couple of quick photographs we
crossed the river and into Quebec. It felt great to leave Ontario after spending
three weeks in one province. Nick and I had a scary experience as we crossed the
Ottawa river. The bridge has metal grates and in the rain it was very slippery.
Pete had found a side walk that was not metal and had no problems. To make
matters worse, I had completely lost all breaks. To stop I had to drag my feet
on the ground. I almost took a spill coming off the bridge and I don’t know how
I kept my balance.
The bike paths in Gatineau are excellent and
after a brief stop to purchase some brake pads, we were on our way. The problem
now was what direction. We were in a strange city with no map. My frustration
boiled as we headed in circles. With everything soaking wet, I was in no mood to
be lost. Eventually we found the right road and headed on our way. To add to
Nick’s already tiresome day he fell hard coming over a set of railroad tracks.
We have always been careful of the tracks but this set was especially dangerous,
they ran at an angle to the road and if you do not change your course you get
caught in them. Nick was basically unharmed and we ventured on.
We have made it to the town of Thurso where
we found a nice church lawn to sleep. The rain has stopped for now and we hope
it doesn’t come back. It turns out this is the home town of Guy Lafleur. We saw
the arena (named after him) as we looked for a place to eat. No one speaks
English so we will be tested on our ability to communicate in French. We had fun
ordering our food and beer and to our surprise the waitress came over with
another round and pointed to a man at the bar. He didn’t even know why we were
there, but we gave our thanks and headed back to our church for the night.
October 1
It is Mom’s birthday today, so we called
from St. Jerome, directly north of Montreal. She was glad to hear of our
progress and looks forward to us arriving in Nova Scotia. It was very warm and
muggy today, unusual for the first day of October. The nights are also warmer
and it didn’t rain last night. We ended up biking 135 kms today to get to Ste
Sophie. The terrain is flat and the bike paths continue to be on the road making
cycling a dream in this province.
There was nobody working at the campground
and we have learned now not to set up until we know the price. The restaurant
was also closed and as it was a couple of kilometres out of town, we decided to
head back for supper and find a park in town to spend the night.
It’s a nice warm night, with no bugs. We
are at a community centre and Pete has a workshop to work on his bike. His back
rim is starting to wobble so he spends a little time truing the rim each day. He
wants to make it home on the same rims. For some excitement we were visited
earlier by the local police. At first I thought they would make us leave but
instead they wanted to make sure we were alright with sleeping outdoors. The
surroundings are great, in fact its one of the best accommodations we’ve had.
October 2
We had another great day on these bike
paths. The town of Joliette was a nice surprise as we stopped for lunch. Very
European in character, with shops and restaurants it seems a very cultured
place. There was only one thing we didn’t understand, the drinking water. We had
stopped in a park so Pete could fix his rim when I saw a fountain. I went over
to have a drink and was disgusted by the taste. smelling and tasting of sulfur I
spit it out and thought I might be sick. This obviously wasn’t a place to get a
drink. Then I noticed people getting out of their cars with jugs, filling them
and taking a drink before they left. Confused, I got Pete and Nick to try the
water, and they too found the water disgusting. It’s still a mystery to me how
the people of Joliette drink the foul water. I’m really glad we didn’t get stuck
there for longer.
Tonight we have stopped at Yamachiche and
camped behind an impressive Catholic church. Pete spent considerable time
tonight trying to true his rim. He has put glue on it to keep it straight. He is
still determined to make it home on that rim.
October 3
Today the inevitable happened. We had only
gone 60 kms and were about to stop for lunch in a town called Batiscan when two
spokes snapped on Pete’s bike and his rim became useless. Earlier in the morning
we had gone through Trois Riviere, likely the best place to get a new rim.
However Pete was sure the glue he put on the night before would hold so we
continued on traveling on the north side of the river.
After the wheel broke he decided to hitch a
ride back to Trois Riviere. When he was walking down the road a man approached
and told him there was a bike shop in the town we were in. Pete turned and went
the other way only to find nobody at the bike shop. Then, he was given a ride
back to where Nick and I were by a nice lady who was a biking enthusiast
herself. Pete brought with him a rim he had found lying outside the shop that he
hoped he could use. It didn’t fit, so he decided to call the bike shop.
Eventually he got a hold of the owner who said he could meet Pete at 5 o’clock.
We had the afternoon to waste so we played cards. Pete then went back to the
shop taking the rim he had found. Nick and I continued to hang out at our picnic
table. Pete came back a short while later saying since his bike is a 27 speed
the shop didn’t have a rim to fit his bike. His only option was to go to Trois
Riviere. Frustrated he started off in the other direction again. Nick and I
played frisbee, there wasn’t much we could do. An hour later it
was dark and Pete came back with no luck getting a ride. He decided to wait
until the morning. We were hungry and since Pete was getting to know the town we
made him go to the Casse Croute to get supper. Off he went again in the
direction of town.
The evening was cooling off as we sat at the
same picnic table where we had lunch. We got out our sleeping bags to sit and
play cards when our luck changed. The man living in the house next to the park
had noticed us sitting there all day and came over to offer us a warm place to
sleep. He introduced himself as Claude and spoke fairly good English. We agreed
to let him help us and explained our situation. He went further to say Pete
could get a ride in the morning into Trois Riviere with his daughter who
attended school. We settled down in the house, happy that part of the problem
was solved.
October 4
This morning Pete got up early and met
Claude’s daughter. The family invited him in for coffee, then off to Trois
Riviere. The conversation was not easy for Pete as he was forced to speak in
French. We have all become more comfortable speaking French and get better every
day.
Nick and I slept in as we had nothing to do
until Pete got back. We rode up the road to a restaurant where we said we would
meet Pete. We ate a leisurely breakfast and played some cards. After a long
while, we decided to go back to town and wait. We were out of money and Pete was
“the boss” this week and had all our cash with him. When we got back Pete had
just arrived and was packing up. Immediately things picked up, we could afford
lunch and were close to getting back on the road.
We biked all afternoon and by evening had
made it to Quebec City. As night fell, we were getting lost in the city.
Luckily, it is well lit and we made our way through to the bridge that would
take us across the St Lawrence River. That was an amazing experience. Looking
way down from on top of the immense structure I was in awe of the surroundings.
You get a much different feeling on a bike than in a car since you are closer to
the edge and feel more vulnerable about falling off. The paths on the south side
were lit for a while and at the end of the lights was a campground. We set up
camp and went for a pizza, extremely happy with our accomplishments for the day.
October 5- Day 60
After waking up this morning we tried to pay
for our campsite. Pete couldn’t find anybody around and even when he knocked on
the door of the house, nobody answered. We haven’t paid for a campsite since
Tobermory and even when we try, we can’t. We didn’t have all day to wait around
so we left.
I had done some tweaking on my bike this
morning and made things worse. We had a very strong wind at our backs which
promised to take us a great distance. After breakfast my gears fell apart,
nothing worked. We stopped on the road east of Quebec City and spent an hour
trying to fix the problem. The wind was doing nothing for my patience and I was
getting mad. Nick had found a bike shop nearby so we took the bike in there.
The guy inside must have been a genius for in a matter of minutes he had fixed
the gears. However, he said there was a problem he couldn’t fix, my bottom
bracket “is toast,” as he put it. It was an experience trying to explain the
problems of my bike in French. Back on the road, the wind was still strong, we
had lost about 30 kms, but at least we were finally on our way. We still managed
140 kms even after the wind died down in the early afternoon.
This was some of the most beautiful riding
of the trip. Along the St. Lawrence, we traveled over gently rolling hills with
the mighty river beside us the whole way. I was exhausted by the time we reached
Riviere Ouelle and could not have gone any further. There was no restaurant in
town and the campground was a few kilometers off the road. I was hungry and the
boys knew not to mess with me when I was that hungry. We went to the Co-op and
bought some food to cook with our stoves. We decided to camp along the river for
the night. It was getting cold so we crouched behind a sign for shelter and got
in our sleeping bags to keep warm. For the first time since leaving Vancouver we
noticed the river was tidal. We are getting close and can feel it.
October 6
A cool, clear morning brought us along the
shores of the St Lawrence where we stopped for breakfast at Kamouraska. The man
who served us breakfast said it is the third most beautiful town in Canada. We
could not argue with that but we failed to find out the first two . Shortly
after breakfast, we turned south and away from the mighty river. We were on the
last road before reaching New Brunswick. We stopped for a second breakfast as it
was still before 11 a.m. It was a magnificent day, with the sky clear and bright
blue. We cycled through an area where the leaves are starting to turn red and
orange. It was one of those perfect days we were hoping for. We made 155
kilometers and are now in Lac Baker, New Brunswick.
October 7
Last night was the coldest one yet. It went
below freezing as we lay in a park without setting up our tents. There was not
much in this tiny town except a good park for camping and a nice little
restaurant (all we really need). I was awakened frequently through the night due
to the cold. There is also a wind from the north which helps us but does not
make it any warmer.
Finally, it was morning and we bundled up to
get to the restaurant. We all realized we had no cash left, so Pete started
heading to the bank when a man from inside the restaurant came out and insisted
Pete take his car. Pete had some trouble getting cash in the little town but
finally managed to find a place. We ate our breakfast but when Pete went to pay
the bill, the waitress said the same guy that loaned us his car, also paid for
our meal. What luck!
The rest of the day we biked 100 kms to
Grand Falls through beautiful rolling countryside. Up and down little hills and
through the red leaves, we didn’t mind the cold so much. While having lunch, we
ordered in French and English and the waitress asked which language we normally
spoke. That was the best compliment yet.
Arriving at Grand Falls, our spirits were
very high so we had a nice meal at an Italian restaurant, along with some
celebration beers at reaching New Brunswick. The camping here is perfect, hidden
under the bridge that crosses just above the falls. We played cards at the Info
Centre as it seems to have warmed up a bit from the last couple of nights.
While we were playing a guy pulled up in a
car. He invited us to his trailer for the evening. He told us he was from Maine
and finishing the camping season. He was pitiful and we felt sorry for the poor
lonely sap with his high voice and pudgy face. He thought we could not sleep in
the park and would be better off in his warm trailer. We said we would think
about it but had no intentions of taking his offer. While he was pulling away
he turned and in his soft high voice said, “ I like to play cards too.” That was
almost too much. I felt so sorry for the guy but he was just too creepy and
besides, we were happy where we were, sleeping out under the stars with no tent.
It feels great to look way up night after night and have nothing but the night
sky above us.
October 8- Day 63
We spent the day admiring the St. John River
as we took the old highway out of Grand Falls. The hills are short and very
steep as the road winds along the bank of the river. Halfway through the day we
stopped at the worlds longest covered bridge and rode through it.
Another perfect autumn day of biking and
another 130 kilometers closer to home. We are in the not very appealing town of
Woodstock, however our campground is nice. Here we finally were able to pay for
a site and know we are going to need it. It is supposed to go down below
freezing again tonight.
October 9
We spent most of today on the new double
highway that cuts straight across the province. Not the most scenic ride, but
every once in a while we could see the river. The highway circles around
Fredericton so we did not go into that city. We stopped this afternoon at an
Irving Big Stop to get directions to a campground. We found out that it was out
of our way and the best place to camp would be right at that Big Stop. We hung
around and played cards until night when we discovered that it was not the best
place to camp, since you couldn’t hide anywhere, from the lights. We crossed the
street and found a nice dark lawn at a community centre that provided a great
place to sleep.
October 10
When I got up this morning, Nick was already
off at the restaurant having breakfast. Maybe it’s the excitement of knowing we
will be in Saint John today but we were ready to get off to an early start. It
was an easy ride to the port city where we will catch our ferry. We arrived
early this afternoon and found the ferry leaves at 11 p.m. We spent the time
lounging around the ferry terminal and watching a t. v. on so we could catch up
on our shows. As it was just before Thanksgiving weekend, the terminal was
filling up with students all returning home to Nova Scotia.
We don’t know what to do tonight. We have
not slept on the ferry and are so anxious to get home and are even discussing
biking at night so we can arrive in the morning. The ferry gets to Digby at
three a.m so we’ll see.
October 11- Day 66
We had decided to sleep at Digby as there
was no place to eat at 3 a.m. so we slept behind another Big Stop and waited for
morning. After a good breakfast we got on the road. It was probably the nicest
scenery of the trip. Following the old highway down the Annapolis Valley, we
went through town after town knowing each one was closer to Kentville. It was
another perfect day, we wore shorts and there was no wind and the sky was
clear.
At Berwick we could feel we would make it
and by Coldbrook we were practically home. Nick wasn’t finished hurting himself
however and decided to take one last spill. He ran into the back of Pete’s bike
after a bad shoulder and equally bad drivers forced Pete and me to stop
suddenly. We stopped for a quick picture at the Kentville sign then it was off
to home.
Home at last!!
We arrived early this afternoon and climbed
our last hill to the house and Mom who was anxiously waiting for us. We had not
thought we would get home so early but we had pedaled hard all day.
Suddenly the trip was over. After waiting so
long for it to arrive it was sort of shocking to realize we had accomplished
such a tremendous undertaking. I am proud of what we did and will fondly
remember it forever.
Here the story ends. After a couple of weeks
at home, we went separate ways. I went back out west to finish my degree, while
Pete and Nick moved to Halifax to pursue different goals.
Through it all we stayed together and lived
to tell the tale. The unimaginable in some families, but three brothers spending
66 days together came easy to us. Even when we got home we were not finished
spending time together. The three of us went to pick apples to earn some money.
It proved to be non profitable so after a couple of hours we gave up. It
happened to be Tuesday and the pub in Kentville has pints on for two dollars. We
went home to collect empty beer bottles and took them to be recycled. With the
money earned from this, which was considerably more than apple picking, we went
to the pub for one last game of crib and some beer. I must thank you, Pete and
Nick, for making the trip so enjoyable and even though I hated you when I was
falling behind, I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else.
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