Wawa -> Montreal River 106km
We left the gorgeous campground of Wawa with one less in our crew. Keston's ankle was acting up again so he was planning on hitching to the Soo and meeting us there. We were making pretty good time along the way. It was a little wet and cold so we didn't feel like stopping anywhere for long. We ate lunch under a park map which provided a little shelter from the elements but not unfortunately the bugs. Ontario is pretty bad for black flies, they are much more persistent then mosquitoes and there bites last a lot longer :( After lunch we ran into some bike issues...luckily for me not with my bike, unfortunatley for Malkolm it was his. We spent about 2 hours total on the side of the highway trying to fix his chain. Two bent rings were causing the issue. Let's just say that now we are a lot more experienced with taking apart and putting back together a bike chain - they say practice makes perfect - we should be nearly there! We spent the night at the mouth of the Montreal River in a campground with showers! Yay showers! They have been far and few between on this leg of the trip and I was extremely happy to be clean again!
Montreal River -> Sault Ste. Marie 125km
As we packed it drizzled. As we rode it drizzled. As we ate lunch it drizzled. And so goes the story... luckily the clouds finally cleared as we were coming down into the Soo. Malkolm's chain had managed to pull through - although he was short a few gears and the only misfortune he experienced was a flat.
The highway was substantially flatter which was a nice change from all of the hills. It was clear we were nearing a city as traffic increased dramatically that day as did the cottages dotting the lakeshore. We arrived shortly before 5 and headed for the bike shop Velorution to meet Kesten and our host Andre, the shop owner. Back at his place we ate a huge dinner with homemade raspberry flan for dessert! A great end to a long day!
Today we have a rest day here in Sault Ste. Marie. I indulged and slept in till 9 this morning. Woke up just in time to enjoy crepes and french toast before heading out into the rain. We had a 10:30am coffee date with local MP Tony Martin, the first MP meeting for myself and only the 3rd or 4th for our group over all. The Soonews was there to cover the story and we had a good chat - we look forward to seeing Tony again in Ottawa, hopefully with a bike!
After our coffee date we headed back over to Velorution for a quick tune up on our bikes, or not so quick in the case of Malkolm who found out he had more problems then expected! My brakes are good and I gained a gear I didn't know I was missing so I am a happy camper! Thanks Andre and the guys at the shop for the helping hands!
For those of you trivia buffs our there I have put together a little photo trivia game on facebook so feel free to check it out and leave your guesses behind!
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/album.php?aid=2168111&id=120401629&ref=mf
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Days 39-43 Riding the North Shore
Thunder Bay -> Nipigon 109km
First day on the road without Nadia, and we were also missing Kesten as his ankle was still acting up. We met with a couple local environmentalists and MP Bruce Hyer's assistant Andy for breakfast at the famous finnish restaurant Hoito. Three plate sized pancakes and mounds of scrambled eggs filled our bellies and when Nod stepped onto the scale to do her official weigh-out she was the exact same as when we left Victoria. I'm sure it's more muscle and less fat right?
We said goodbyes outside the restaurant and then Malkolm and I were off. We managed to stay off highways for the first 25km which was nice. Back on the trans we came upon a couple other touring cyclists, they too had left Vancouver and were heading east. The highways wasn't too bad for the most part and we made pretty good time getting into Nipigon. So good in fact that when we arrived our host for the night was not yet expecting us and wasn't at home. She found us sitting outside the convenience store having a snack on her way back from blueberry picking.
Thankyou Bonnie for a deliscious dinner fresh from the garden and for sharing your tasty wild blueberries with us! We were well fueled for the next day!
Nipigon -> Rossport 80km???
Third odometer bit the dust that morning so our distance is a rough guess. It lasted 2,576 km which i
s about 2500 km more then the last one so I guess I shouldn't complain!
We set off under sunny skies with beautiful views of the lake to the south as we climbed and descended hill upon hill. We coasted into Rossport around 2pm, perfect timing for a second lunch! We had heard great things about the Serendipity Cafe so that's where we headed to wait for Kesten as he had a ride which would bring him to Rossport that afternoon. We sat on the patio and enjoyed veggie burgers and spanokopita.
Once we had met up with Kesten we got back on the road to find a place to camp for the night. It was to be my first experience "roughing it" We ditched off road and set up camp on some rocks on the lakeshore. Probably the most beautiful campsite of the trip! Sure it lacked facilities but made up with it view! I was slightly nervous about wild animals, specifically bears, as we had been warned not to wild camp but I woke up still in one piece the next day!
Rossport -> Marathon 105km??
Left camp early that morning as we were supposed to be in Schreiber (next town on the hwy) by 9am according to a press release which had been sent out from Thunder Bay. We had breakfast on the side of the highway in Schreiber on the lookout for reporters. None were to be seen but that could be as much our fault anyways since we were running about 20 minutes behind schedule! Kesten decided to hitch from there so it was just Malkolm and I again.
Very hilly highway with not great shoulders wasn't the best day for riding especially not coupled with a headwind! We made it into Marathon about 5pm and hit the grocery store to load up. We seem to always make the mistake of shopping when we are hungry! I also went to Canadian Tire in search of a new odometer! We headed out towards the campsite and were just setting up when Kesten rolled up. Apparently hitchhiking takes just as long as cycling if not more so! That night we also met in the campground another cross-country cyclist who we had been catching glimpses of for the past few days. He has since joined the crew so now it really is just me and the boys!
Marathon -> White River 100km
We left town and couldn't see more then 20ft ahead of us the fog was sooooooo thick! Luckily that didn't last too long and before we knew it we were being wisked along by a delightful tail wind! The road was a lot flatter so we made good time, except for one flat tire (kesten's) that is. When we got into town we found out that there was free camping behind one of the motels! Yay! Also free showers at the truck stop next door. Hooray for showers! I hadn't had a real one since Nipigon!
White River - Wawa 107km
Posed
with Winnie this morning before we left town. White River is where Winnie-the-Pooh first came into being (little known fact of the day). Again flatter road so we made really good time. Had lunch on the side of a small lake. Very picturesque but very stinky, must be something in the water! Got into Wawa about 3pm and am now at the library getting in some good internet time! We are heading a little south of here to stay with some friends of our host Darrell (thunder bay) they have an adventure kyaking company on lake superior and have offered to let us camp there! Internet time is running out so that's it for now...
First day on the road without Nadia, and we were also missing Kesten as his ankle was still acting up. We met with a couple local environmentalists and MP Bruce Hyer's assistant Andy for breakfast at the famous finnish restaurant Hoito. Three plate sized pancakes and mounds of scrambled eggs filled our bellies and when Nod stepped onto the scale to do her official weigh-out she was the exact same as when we left Victoria. I'm sure it's more muscle and less fat right?
We said goodbyes outside the restaurant and then Malkolm and I were off. We managed to stay off highways for the first 25km which was nice. Back on the trans we came upon a couple other touring cyclists, they too had left Vancouver and were heading east. The highways wasn't too bad for the most part and we made pretty good time getting into Nipigon. So good in fact that when we arrived our host for the night was not yet expecting us and wasn't at home. She found us sitting outside the convenience store having a snack on her way back from blueberry picking.
Thankyou Bonnie for a deliscious dinner fresh from the garden and for sharing your tasty wild blueberries with us! We were well fueled for the next day!
Nipigon -> Rossport 80km???
Third odometer bit the dust that morning so our distance is a rough guess. It lasted 2,576 km which i
s about 2500 km more then the last one so I guess I shouldn't complain!
We set off under sunny skies with beautiful views of the lake to the south as we climbed and descended hill upon hill. We coasted into Rossport around 2pm, perfect timing for a second lunch! We had heard great things about the Serendipity Cafe so that's where we headed to wait for Kesten as he had a ride which would bring him to Rossport that afternoon. We sat on the patio and enjoyed veggie burgers and spanokopita.
Once we had met up with Kesten we got back on the road to find a place to camp for the night. It was to be my first experience "roughing it" We ditched off road and set up camp on some rocks on the lakeshore. Probably the most beautiful campsite of the trip! Sure it lacked facilities but made up with it view! I was slightly nervous about wild animals, specifically bears, as we had been warned not to wild camp but I woke up still in one piece the next day!
Rossport -> Marathon 105km??
Left camp early that morning as we were supposed to be in Schreiber (next town on the hwy) by 9am according to a press release which had been sent out from Thunder Bay. We had breakfast on the side of the highway in Schreiber on the lookout for reporters. None were to be seen but that could be as much our fault anyways since we were running about 20 minutes behind schedule! Kesten decided to hitch from there so it was just Malkolm and I again.
Very hilly highway with not great shoulders wasn't the best day for riding especially not coupled with a headwind! We made it into Marathon about 5pm and hit the grocery store to load up. We seem to always make the mistake of shopping when we are hungry! I also went to Canadian Tire in search of a new odometer! We headed out towards the campsite and were just setting up when Kesten rolled up. Apparently hitchhiking takes just as long as cycling if not more so! That night we also met in the campground another cross-country cyclist who we had been catching glimpses of for the past few days. He has since joined the crew so now it really is just me and the boys!
Marathon -> White River 100km
We left town and couldn't see more then 20ft ahead of us the fog was sooooooo thick! Luckily that didn't last too long and before we knew it we were being wisked along by a delightful tail wind! The road was a lot flatter so we made good time, except for one flat tire (kesten's) that is. When we got into town we found out that there was free camping behind one of the motels! Yay! Also free showers at the truck stop next door. Hooray for showers! I hadn't had a real one since Nipigon!
White River - Wawa 107km
Posed
with Winnie this morning before we left town. White River is where Winnie-the-Pooh first came into being (little known fact of the day). Again flatter road so we made really good time. Had lunch on the side of a small lake. Very picturesque but very stinky, must be something in the water! Got into Wawa about 3pm and am now at the library getting in some good internet time! We are heading a little south of here to stay with some friends of our host Darrell (thunder bay) they have an adventure kyaking company on lake superior and have offered to let us camp there! Internet time is running out so that's it for now...
Days 35-38 Come Again Another Day
Apologies for the slackage, i was supposed to do this up on my last day in Thunder Bay but getting my bike in a box proved more difficult than expected ;)
I am now back in glorious Prince George after a lovely and relaxing four day train ride.
so to back track about a week, I will take you back to Dryden!
Day 35 Dryden-Ignace 107km
Left late today as we hadn't had internet in awhile and really needed to catch up on some things. Dryden is a mill town and with the mucky weather mixed in, the stench was pretty bad...reminded me of Prince George.
Got on the road without the rain, shortly into the ride Kesten got a flat, after making sure he was okay the rest of us powered onwards. Finding a lunch spot we decided to stop and leave one of our bright yellow pannier covers on the shoulder, held down with a rock, to let Kesten know that we had stopped just off the highway. Turns out someone took the pannier cover....still a mystery as to why this would be useful for anyone else. A great loss for us. Luckily Kesten spotted us off the road and we sat down for some hot soup in the rain and bugs :)
We met another cyclist who was heading East and shared a campsite with him in Ignace!
I am now back in glorious Prince George after a lovely and relaxing four day train ride.
so to back track about a week, I will take you back to Dryden!
Day 35 Dryden-Ignace 107km
Left late today as we hadn't had internet in awhile and really needed to catch up on some things. Dryden is a mill town and with the mucky weather mixed in, the stench was pretty bad...reminded me of Prince George.
Got on the road without the rain, shortly into the ride Kesten got a flat, after making sure he was okay the rest of us powered onwards. Finding a lunch spot we decided to stop and leave one of our bright yellow pannier covers on the shoulder, held down with a rock, to let Kesten know that we had stopped just off the highway. Turns out someone took the pannier cover....still a mystery as to why this would be useful for anyone else. A great loss for us. Luckily Kesten spotted us off the road and we sat down for some hot soup in the rain and bugs :)
We met another cyclist who was heading East and shared a campsite with him in Ignace!
Day 36 Ignace-Savanne 130km
Woah, this was a long day. For some reason i was feeling particularly tired and my butt was insistent on reminding me of this for the last 50km of today's ride. Headwinds and rain all day again. We were tempted (me especially) to call it quits in Upsala, 20 km from Savanne. After hot chocolate and pie at a cafe, we ventured back out onto the highway.
At this point in the day it probably would have been much safer for us to have stopped. Just outside of Upsala, we came upon a construction zone coupled with a single lane highway and semi's. We had to haul off the road when a semi came up from behind and Martina had one very close call. I had pulled off just ahead of her and stopped due to the deep gravel, she came up behind me but couldnt stop as she was stuck in the clips of her pedals. Just as the semi was passing she toppled over into the road and we screamed as the wheels missed her head by 2 feet. I was pretty shaken up and the rest of the ride went by fast as all i could think about was getting to Savanne alive
. Rain, Semi's, Construction zones, single lane highways, and narrow shoulders don't mix. Finally we arrived at 9pm local time and set up our tents in a downpour as we made curry in the dark with bug nets on our heads. The night ended in laughter as we ate our dinner in the bathroom to escape the elements and the mozzies.
Day 37 Savanne-Thunder Bay 123km
Agh, rain and a headwind again! The semi's have become demonic as they roar along, with smokestacks for horns and grills for teeth. I am still feeling unsafe on these roads and can't wait to safely arrive in Thunder Bay! We also have warm and dry beds tonight!
Today's ride was fairly uneventful. We did manage to check out Kakabeka Falls and get off the trans for about 20km---such a relief!
We rolled into Thunder Bay absolutely drenched and freezing cold. We took refuge in a coffee shop, chattering we looked up directions to our much needed homes for the night ;)
Woah, this was a long day. For some reason i was feeling particularly tired and my butt was insistent on reminding me of this for the last 50km of today's ride. Headwinds and rain all day again. We were tempted (me especially) to call it quits in Upsala, 20 km from Savanne. After hot chocolate and pie at a cafe, we ventured back out onto the highway.
At this point in the day it probably would have been much safer for us to have stopped. Just outside of Upsala, we came upon a construction zone coupled with a single lane highway and semi's. We had to haul off the road when a semi came up from behind and Martina had one very close call. I had pulled off just ahead of her and stopped due to the deep gravel, she came up behind me but couldnt stop as she was stuck in the clips of her pedals. Just as the semi was passing she toppled over into the road and we screamed as the wheels missed her head by 2 feet. I was pretty shaken up and the rest of the ride went by fast as all i could think about was getting to Savanne alive
. Rain, Semi's, Construction zones, single lane highways, and narrow shoulders don't mix. Finally we arrived at 9pm local time and set up our tents in a downpour as we made curry in the dark with bug nets on our heads. The night ended in laughter as we ate our dinner in the bathroom to escape the elements and the mozzies.Day 37 Savanne-Thunder Bay 123km
Agh, rain and a headwind again! The semi's have become demonic as they roar along, with smokestacks for horns and grills for teeth. I am still feeling unsafe on these roads and can't wait to safely arrive in Thunder Bay! We also have warm and dry beds tonight!
Today's ride was fairly uneventful. We did manage to check out Kakabeka Falls and get off the trans for about 20km---such a relief!
We rolled into Thunder Bay absolutely drenched and freezing cold. We took refuge in a coffee shop, chattering we looked up directions to our much needed homes for the night ;)
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