CCCT 2012 - July 17/12 - Day 59

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - Day 59
Thunder Bay to Nipigon, ON - Trip 104.77 kms Time 6 hrs 44 mins Avg 15.55 kph Max 46.6 kph
I had to get up at 2:30 AM to go to the w/c. It was very dark. There was no street lighting in the campground. A car and a large truck came in very fast with headlights glaring and almost blinding me. On the way back to our tent I saw flashing red lights at the other end of campground. Not sure what that was all about. My alarm went off at 5:00 AM. It was still very dark. I went back to sleep and eventually we got up at 5:50 AM. I packed up our gear and tent while Bev prepared pancakes, hot dogs and hot chocolate for breakfast at the nearby gazebo. Finally, after getting everything washed and packed, we set off for NIPIGON at 7:30 AM. We made a pit stop at a convenience store and got a bottle of water for Bev. I had put her empty bottle in her bottle cage on her bike without filling it prior to leaving the KOA campsite. There were no other facilities "OPEN" along the highway. We made another pit stop at a "Rest Area" but had to use a "GO HUT" which was quite a mess! We arrived at the STILLWATER campsite at 3:30 PM. I paid $24.86 (including tax) for a site with electricity plug in and water. After setting up our tent we cycled to the nearby Tourist Information Centre and the Husky service centre. We had ice cream and cycled back to the campsite. I checked out the wi-fi but eventually had to go inside the "OFFICE/GIFT SHOP" to get a connection. We were able to check our e-mail and I sent a reply to Lise re our ETA back in Ottawa. I also e-mailed Jim Rogers, who was travelling back from Saskatchewan with his trailer, re our location. Bev was also able to check her e-mail. We again cycled back to the Husky for dinner. I had spaghetti, salad, trifle and a diet coke. Bev had spaghetti and tea. We cycled back to our campsite. I tried to charge my GPS by plugging it in at the junction box on the pole at our campsite but there was no power. I brought it with me when we went for our showers and plugged it in in the laundry room. Afterwards I checked with the OFFICE re laundry room hours and complained about lack of power at our campsite. The receptionist came around and after finding the breaker box on the pole unlocked it and turned it on. I was already in my PJs inside the tent so Bev plugged in  my GPS for me. After sorting out my gear we were off to bed at 10:00 PM
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 16/12 - Day 58

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, July 16, 2012 - Day 58
Thunder Bay - Rest Day due to rain storm
Heard rain start at 2:00 AM along with trains blowing their horns at crossings several during the night. We got up at 6:00 AM. It was raining pretty hard. We decided to stay another day rather than risk cycling in the torrential downpour. We slept in until 9:00 AM. Got up to go to the w/c in the rain. We had our breakfast in the nearby big kitchen gazebo equipped with 2 counter top stoves, 2 sinks for washing up dishes and 4 large picnic tables. A couple on a motorcycle equipped with a small trailer decided to pack-up their tent, etc and leave in the pouring rain. But first he had to move the motorcycle/trailer out of a gully which was filled with water. Eventually they got everything packed away in the trailer, put their rain gear on over their leathers and headed off West in the pouring rain. We had Greek yogurt and shared a large cinnamon raisin sticky bun for breakfast. The rain stopped at 11:00 AM. We gathered our sleeping bags, which had gotten wet at the foot ends, Notebook, etc and went over to the laundromat. It started pouring again so we had to make a mad dash for it. We dried our sleeping bags and jackets. I was able to get on the Internet wi-fi in the laundry room and checked e-mail, FB, etc. I sent an e-mail to Stephanie re photos of grandchildren and opened the invoice from Sam, my gardener, for June gardening fees. I paid $5.00 for two bottles of Brisk Iced Tea. The rain stopped again so we quickly walked back to our tent. We shared a large sub sandwich, which we had purchased the day before, for lunch. We put our air mattresses out on the picnic tables to dry and Bev mopped up the floor of the tent. We both lay down and did some reading before having a nap. We were up at 5:20 PM. I tried to connect to the Internet at the campsite but was unable to open the KOA website page!!! Yet it had worked on a previous attempt??? Very strange. Bev went to the store and bought some hot dogs which she prepared with some KD for our dinner. I finally FINISHED reading The Sleeping Doll. We ate dinner in the gazebo which was a convenient place to cook and clean up afterwards. We went for a walk back to the "OFFICE" and had ice cream for dessert. I was able to use the camp PC and checked Google Maps for the distance we would have to cycle to get to Nipigon. It was very slow. There were several people lined up anxiously waiting to use the PC as they couldn't get anything on their i-Phones. We returned to our tent and were soon off to bed at 9:30 PM. Several kids were still out playing with a Frisbee and a few times they came very close to our tent. I was worried that one of them would come crashing through!!! Oh, the joys of camping. I was never so happy to hear Mom shout "Time for bed".
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 15/12 - Day 57

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, July 15, 2012 - Day 57
Shabaqua to Thunder Bay, ON - Trip 90.50 kms Time 5 hrs 33 mins Avg 16.28 kph Max 49.1 kph
We got up at 6:00 AM. I tried to check my GMail but had no luck with wi-fi. We had blueberry muffins and yogurt for breakfast. Finished packing and loaded our gear on our bikes before setting off for THUNDER BAY at 7:30 AM.
It was a nice paved shoulder most of the way up to Hwy # 102 but quite foggy. There was no wind - it was very calm. We stopped to take photos at SUNSHINE. The lake was covered with fog and the sun was desperately trying to get through the clouds to burn it off. After cycling 30 kms we stopped at a convenience store for a "pit stop" and bought a chocolate milk to share. We arrived in Thunder Bay at 11:00 AM. Bev went into a gas station to ask about bike shops. The attendant told her to go to WAL-MART. "It's much cheaper." A guy, who was also in the shop, overheard Bev asking about bike shops and offered to help. He said he had a phone directory in his car and we could look up the bike shops in the yellow pages. We found listings for several bike shops including one for Fresh Air Experience which said it was open on Sundays from 12:00 to 5:00 PM. After getting directions we cycled there and found that it was CLOSED. While waiting at a nearby intersection for a fire truck to pass we met a cyclist (Ceasar) and after asking him about bike shops he took us down a back alley to PETRIE'S bike shop which was OPEN. Fortunately they were not very busy and I was able to take my bike in and have the rear derailleur and chain checked over. The owner of the shop was very talkative and gave us excellent service. My chain was OK and the derailleur just needed a small tweak. He also adjusted my rear brakes and when I asked how much he said there was "no charge".
While my bike was being worked on we walked to a nearby restaurant called "Norma Jeans" on May Ave for lunch. It was a 50s theme café with all the appropriate decor. After lunch we walked back to the bike shop and after getting directions to a grocery store and the KOA campground we continued on our way. We were unable to find the grocery store that had been recommended to us but were given directions by a passerby to another nearby grocery store where we were able to get supplies for dinner, breakfast and lunch.
It was quite hot and there were still several more hills to negotiate before finally arriving at the KOA at 5:00 PM. We paid $35 plus $3 for an electrical plug-in so I could charge my GPS. Before going off to set up our tent we had an ice cream to help us cool down a bit. Later while doing a load of laundry I checked out the wi-fi. It was extremely slow. Bev had bought a tin of Irish Stew which she warmed up for dinner on a stove in the nearby gazebo and we had it with some fresh rolls.
It was quite warm and humid in our little tent when we finally went off to bed at 10:00 PM. Bev went out and tried to open a vent to try and catch a breeze but that didn't seem to help at all.
Bev and Roly 

CCCT 2012 - July 14/12 - Day 56

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, July 14, 2012 - Day 56

Upsala to Shabaqua, ON - Trip 70.89 kms Time 3 hrs 54 mins Avg 18.13 kph Max 52.7 kph

We were up at 6:00 AM and after a breakfast of yogurt and a muffin we packed our gear, loaded our bikes and were off to SHABAQUA at 7:30 AM. Before leaving we had a chat with a motel guest who was quite impressed with our CCCT. It was an overcast day and therefor quite cool compared to the previous 2 days. We had to cycle along a very narrow paved shoulder most of the way. Thank goodness there was not much traffic. The truck drivers and motorists were very considerate. There were some hills, especially the last 20 kms. We stopped at a Rest Area for a banana and granola bar. A truck driver came over and wanted to know where we were. He had been asleep when his co-driver had parked and he was now asleep! We again stopped for a break and I took some photos of the scenery.

We arrived in Shabaqua at 12:20 PM. We met 2 young cyclists who were also cycling coast-to-coast. They started out on May 1st and cycled from Toronto to StJohns, NL, then flew out to Vancouver to begin 2nd half of their journey. It started raining but it only lasted 5 minutes. We went into store/restaurant and had a cold drink and a bowl of soup. We asked about the motel (it was attached) room rate which was $65. There was some mold in the bathroom tub but otherwise it was OK. We were told to ignore the "Do Not Drink" notice in the bathroom as the well water, which was recently "treated" and OK. We both washed a cycling outfit and put it out to dry. I checked out the free wi-fi but it was very slow. I went back to the shop and got a diet coke for myself and a chocolate milk for Bev. It was much to hot to do anything else so I lay down for a nap. Got up at 4:30 PM. It was a bit cooler. Bev was able to check her GMail while I showered. I went out and checked on the laundry which was drying out in the sun. It was already dry!!! After Bev checked her FB I checked my e-mail and FB. I wanted to try and book a "warm shower" for Thunder Bay but was unable to get on the website. We watched a movie until 7:00 PM and then went over to the store for dinner. I had chili (very good) a diet coke and a cheese bun. Bev had a chicken burger and grapefruit juice. We both had ice cream bars for dessert. We bought some groceries for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch including drinks. The Internet was a total loss so watched a movie "The Losers" with Bev. Off to bed at 11:00 PM. Our tiny room was quite hot, in spite of a noisy ceiling fan, and a couple of moths buzzing  around all added up to a restless night's sleep for me.

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 13/12 - Day 55

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, July 13, 2012 - Day 55 

Ignace to Upsala, ON - Trip 121.02 kms Time 7 hrs 39 mins Avg 15.82 kph Max 41.2 kph

I managed to get a fairly good night's sleep in spite of many leg cramps before going to bed. I woke up at 4:30 AM with a cramp in my left outer calf. I managed to massage it out without waking Bev. We got up at 5:00 AM, packed our gear/tent and cycled to Subway for breakfast and to fill our bottles with cold water. We got 3 small bottles of Gatorade from the attached gas station convenience store before leaving Ignace at 7:00 AM for UPSALA. But first we had to get through 20 kms of road works. At the first single lane control the flag person let us go through but before we were all the way through he radioed the flag guy at the other end to let the traffic come through. The trouble is it was "BIG TRUCKS" one with a "WIDE LOAD". This was not a very smart move on their part. We were forced to go onto the shoulder. When we got to the 2nd flag person Bev asked why they had let the traffic through before we were safely clear? His reply was that they thought we would have plenty of room!!!

By this time it was getting pretty hot and because of the heat we stopped several times for breaks. We first stopped at a shop after cycling 25 kms. It was 8:30 AM. The shop didn't OPEN until 9:00 AM. Our next stop was at 11:00 AM at a "Trading Post". It was CLOSED!!! There was a table and chairs in the shade at the front of the building so we sat and enjoyed a snack just the same. As we were leaving, a guy who lived across the highway, came over and offered to fill our water bottles with fresh water. We were only to happy to accept his kind offer. 

After cycling another 10 kms or so a car pulled off the highway in front of us. It turned out to be Bev's nephew Russel and his family arriving from Toronto via Thunder Bay to attend Tom's memorial service. They had rented a vehicle and driven out to say hello to "Auntie Bev". 

We arrived in Upsala at 4:30 PM and went into the first shop we came to for ice cream. We were also able to get some information about 2 motels and bought some date squares and muffins. We cycled to the Black Spruce Motel arriving at 5:00 PM only to be told that it was now 6:00 PM. The clocks had already gone ahead one hour despite the fact we had not yet crossed the time meridien. We checked in and Bev paid $77.97 for a room for the night. After unloading our bikes, putting them in the room, having a shower and checking our e-mail we went over to the restaurant for dinner. I had Walleye Fish and Chips with coleslaw and a rice pudding for dessert plus 2 diet cokes. Very nice fresh fish. No license to sell beer and boy was I ever thirsty. Before returning to our room we bought some yogurt in the convenience store for our breakfast. Bev also paid for our dinner. She wanted to treat me. Bev received a reply from Brandy's friend in Thunder Bay. Unfortunately she was not able to put us up due to prior commitments. Bev filled our water bottles, made sandwiches and watched TV before going off to bed at 9:30 PM. I sent an e-mail to Frank Pollari on Warm Showers asking if he could put us up when we arrive in Thunder Bay before going off to bed myself at 10 PM.

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 12/12 - Day 54

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, July 12, 2012 - Day 54 
Dryden to Ignace, ON Trip 114.11 kms Time 7 hrs 2 mins Avg 16.19 kph Max 45.9 kph
We got up at 6:00 AM. Merve already up since 5:30 AM. I had cereal with banana, toast with peanut butter and jam (home made red pepper jelly - very tasty) and OJ. We finished packing our gear and loaded our panniers, etc on our bikes. Larry and Ken were also up to take photos and say goodbyes. Merve did a video. We left Dryden at 7:15 AM and cycled to IGNACE, ON. It was very hot and humid. We had to stop many times, especially if there was some shade. We stopped at a "Rest Area" at 12:30 for lunch. We were desperate for a cold drink. By this time all our drinks were warm. Bev went over to a lady who was sitting in her airconditioned SUV eating her lunch and asked if she had a cold drink for us. She gave Bev a very cold diet Pepsi. Although I'm a die hard diet Coke person I was willing to make an exception for diet Pepsi this time. There was another family, who arrived towing a large trailer, and I went over and asked if they had any cold water to fill two of our empty water bottles. I was given some "potable water" from their "holding tank". Water is water - as long as it's potable! An hour or so further down the road we were once again desperate for a cold drink. We had stopped so Bev could consolidate all the water she had left in her 3 bottles. Bev said she wished she had a cold drink. I started saying "Don't hold your breath ..." and had to bite my tongue. A car pulled over and Bill from Calgary got out with 2 bottles of cold water for us. Apparently he had previously cycled along the same route as we were cycling and knew how desperate we were for a cold drink. He had passed us earlier and gone into Ignace to get some cold water for us and 2 other girl cyclists who were ahead of us and returned to give it to us. Talk about "angels"! We thanked him profusely. We arrived in Ignace at 4:00 PM and went directly into a gas station convenience store to get a cold drink. Afterwards we sat in the Subway to cool off and were also able to fill our water bottles, from the soda fountain dispenser, with icy cold water. We cycled over to the Visitor's Centre at 5:30 PM but it was already closed! Went over to the grocery store and bought some fresh fruit before cycling to the campground. We paid $26 for a camp site and free wi-fi. No other facilities i.e. food. We set up our tent after drinking a beer that we had purchased earlier at the LCBO. Bev got her camp stoves and dishes out and prepared KD with mini sausages for dinner. It started thundering, lightning and raining with pea size hail! We quickly had to put all our gear inside the tent and put the tarp over the tent. We stood under the tarp and watched the hail come down. The storm only lasted 15-20 minutes but it sure made a mess of everything. Bev cleaned up the dishes while I went over to the gazebo (hot spot) and checked out the wi-fi. I was able to get on the Internet and sent an e-mail to Lise to let her know about the parcel we had sent home from Dryden. Bev joined me and sent an e-mail to Brandy's friend in Thunder Bay re visiting for a couple of days. Returned to the tent and went for a shower. Off to bed at 9:00 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 11/12 - Day 53

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - Day 53
Dryden, ON (Rest Day 3)
I was up twice during the night to go to the w/c. Finally got up at 7:50 AM. Bev, Merve, Larry and Ken already up. Had some cereal, fruit and OJ for breakfast. Went down to the basement and checked my e-mail on Merve's PC. Sebastian had told me about "Warm Showers" a site dedicated to providing accommodation to cyclists. I decided to check it out. I started filling out the registration but was interupted by Bev who said Merve was ready to take us to the shops. We drove to Shopper's and shipped surplus clothing, tools, etc back home. Only cost $23.00. We then drove to Wal-Mart. Bev bought herself a new outfit (shorts and top) then we did a little shopping for camping supplies. Merve drove us back home at 11:30 AM. I had a chicken salad sandwich, potato/egg salad and bread and butter pickles for lunch. Afterwards I helped Bev do the dishes. They sure do seem to pile up with 5 adults in the house! Bev went on the Internet to check her e-mail then went out with Susan to pick flowers for Tom's funeral. I finally got to finish registering with Warm Showers then worked on my blog. I went upstairs and lay down for a nap at 3:30 PM. When I got up at 4:30 PM the Minister was over to discuss arragements for Tom's memorial service. He was a very active member of the community and local Legion. I did some more work on my blog and had a beer while waiting for dinner to be prepared. Got Ken's SD card out of his camera and started showing photos of his son Chad's wedding, etc. Susan went to pick up her friend and they came back for dinner of BBQ chicken (again), which Ken  had cooked on the BBQ earlier, and Greek salad. Later we had some watermelon for dessert. I went downstairs to do some reading. Bev started a load of laundry at 7:00 PM. Must observe "peak hours" to conserve electrical energy/costs. Bev ended up helping with dishes again. Ken continued to show his photos. I went off to bed at 10:00 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 10/12 - Day 52

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, July 10, 2012 - Day 52
Dryden, ON (Rest Day 2)
I woke up when I heard Merve, Ken and Larry arrive from Winnipeg at 2:10 AM. Also heard Merve get up at 4:00 AM to go to w/c and several trains came through town. I finally got up at 7:00 AM and had a nice breakfast of OJ, cereal, toast with peanut butter and jam. Merve got up also as he had to go to a diabetic's meeting at 8:00 AM. I got tires (Bev had asked for one tire) out of Merve's van which he had managed to get while in Winnipeg. I went out to the garage and changed Bev's rear tire. I took my bike out for a short test ride. It shifted a bit better. Sorted through my clothes, tools, etc. Bev did the same. We packed all our cold weather gear, etc in a box and wrapped it for shipping to Ottawa.
About 10 minutes after Bev left to go get her hair washed and cut, by hairdresser who lived on street just behind Toms's house, Merve received news that Tom had passed away at 11:00 ish. Merve went over to tell Bev the sad news. They eventually went off to the hospital at 12:30.
I worked on my blog. Made myself a chicken salad sandwich for lunch and also had some potato salad and bread and butter pickles. Went back downstairs and continued to work on my blog. I received an e-mail from Jim Rogers re his trip to Saskatchewan.
Bev, et al, back from hospital. Lay down for nap at 2:30 PM while they had a late lunch. I got up at 3:45 PM and had a cup of tea. Checked my e-mail and sent a reply to Erika to let her know that we were OK and had not been affected by the storms in SK.
Neighbours brought over 2 BBQ chickens, a large potato salad and fruit platter. Bruno, Tom's friend, brought over a fruit basket, etc. and stayed for a beer. Bev and I also had a beer. Susan returned from the funeral parlour. She and Bev prepared dinner i.e. BBQ chicken, etc. Merve's girlfriend, Dot, came over and joined us for dinner. We watched the US All Star game. It was a washout!!!
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 9/12 - Day 51

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, July 9, 2012 - Day 51
Dryden, ON (rest day 1)
Sorry about the double posting of Day 50. Sometimes the wi-fi is quite flaky and I'm never quite sure if my blog gets posted OK.
Merve was up at 4:30 AM. He's not a very quiet person! Bev thought Sebastian was also up. She got up at 5:00 AM. Merve left for Winnipeg at 6:30 AM to go and pick up Ken and Larry, Bev's two other brothers. I got up at 6:45 AM when I heard Seb getting ready to leave. I had some OJ, cereal and toast with peanut butter and jam and tea for breakfast. Seb left at 7:15 AM for Ignace (about 109 kms).
I went out to the garage and worked on the bikes. Cleaned my chain, derailleur, etc. I was unable to break the chain quick release on my bike which made cleaning the chain rather ackward. I had a break and had some cheese and crackers while Bev did dishes and tidied house. I cleaned and oiled her chain and mounted the rear tail light on her bike. I had to drill out a hole, to fit a larger bolt, using a file a job that would have taken me 5 minutes to do at home. It took me an hour to find the file. I found some drill bits but no suitable drill!
Bev prepared bacon and eggs for lunch. Made myself a delicious bacon sandwich. I lay down at 1:00 PM for a nap while waiting for Emily, Bev's niece, to arrive. Got up at 2:30 PM to say hello. I went down to the basement and checked the Internet. I was finally able to send an e-mail to my cousin Lori after the 3rd attempt. I decided to do some work on my blog and was able to post 3 days. Meanwhile, Bev went out for groceries for dinner. Susan arrived from work and we had BBQ chicken, salad, potato salad, beets, pickles and water melon for dinner.
Susan and Bev went to the hospital  to visit Tom. I got stuck with the dishes! Afterwards I was able to post another day on my blog. I had some of the ice cream that Seb bought with chocolate sauce. Checked out his website http://www.whereisseb.com/  Transferred photos from camera SD card to Notebook. Watched Tour de France and filled in my journal. Susan and Bev returned from hospital. Tom was much more alert and Bev was able to chat with him. Bev made a cup of tea before going on PC to check her e-mail. Showed her pictures from Crystal Lake. Susan left her car for us to use tomorrow but had to come back at 11:00 to get it to go pick up Emily who was getting off work at DQ.
We were off to bed at 11:00. It was quite hot. No A/C and not much of a breeze. I had trouble falling asleep as I knew Merve, Ken and Larry would be getting back from Winnipeg shortly.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 8/12 - Day 50

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, July 8, 2012 - Day 50
The rain finally stopped so we were able to get some sleep in our slightly damp tent. I heard a train come through at 5:30 AM. We got up at 7:00 AM and did some packing before going down by the beach to have breakfast with Sebastian. We had hot dog buns with peanut butter and jam, cut up fruit (banana & grapefruit) and chocolate milk. We returned to our campsite and finished packing our still wet tent, etc. We were going to DRYDEN and would be able to set out our wet gear to dry once we got there. We set off at 9:30 with Sebastian joining us.
There were some tough hills and it was quite hot. We stopped at a convenience store for Gatorade and water. Sebastian treated us to lemon tarts. We arrived in Dryden at 1:00 PM. Sebastian wanted to go for pizza. He had seen several ads for pizza on the way into town and hadn't had any for quite some time. We went on to Tom's (Bev's older brother) house. Sebastian went shopping for groceries at the IGA across the street while we were invited by Merve (Bev's other older brother) to have salmon sandwiches. Sebastian came back with 2 bags full of groceries including ice cream! On arriving in Dryden we passed by a DQ and I mentioned how disappointed I was about not stopping for ice cream.
We put our wet gear out to dry in the back yard and cycled over to Canadian Tire to get some Mineral Spirits, oil and batteries for Bev's new rear taillight. Did I mention it was very HOT!
Back at Tom's house, I checked out the Internet by plugging my Notebook into a CAT5 cable. I was able to read my Sympatico e-mail but not able to reply. There was a problem with the service provider and the router was cutting out constantly. I gave up and went out and helped Bev fold the tent and tarp before going off to Pizza Hut for dinner with Merve, Susan (Bev's niece), Sebastian and Bev. Bev had managed to convince Sebastian, who had planned to continue cycling, to spend the night in Dryden at Tom's house as it was much to HOT to continue cycling. He pulled a fast one by pretending to go to the w/c and paid for our dinner. Bev and Susan went to the hospital to visit Tom. Sebastian and I went back to the house and put the load of washing, that Bev had started earlier, in the dryer. I filled in my journal while waiting for Bev and Susan to return from the hospital. I was able to get on the Internet using Merve's PC and checked the MEC website for a replacement tire for Bev. It was pretty flaky. Merve spent 3/4 of an hour on the phone with SHAW. They figured it might be a loose cable on the modem. We were all quite tired so it was off to bed at 10:30
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 8/12 - Day 50

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, July 8, 2012 - Day 50
Vermillion Bay to Dryden, ON - Trip 55.56 kms Time 3 hrs 8 mins Avg 17.69 kph Max 46.3 kph
The rain finally stopped some time during the night. We were reasonable dry in our little tent. I heard a train come by at 5:30 AM. Since we only had a short ride to Dryden today we slept in until 7:00 AM. We did some packing before going down to the beach to have breakfast with Sebastian who was going to join us for the ride to Dryden then go on to Wabagoon. We had left over hot dog buns with peanut butter and jam, bananas, grapefruit, pears and chocolate milk to share amongst the three of us. After breakfast we returned to the campsite to finish packing and loading our gear on our bikes. After saying goodbye to the campsite manager we set off for DRYDEN at 9:30 AM.
We arrived at 1:00 PM after some pretty tough hills and a very hot day. On the way we stopped at a convenience store for Gatorade and water. Sebastian treated us to lemon tarts. On arrival Sebastian wanted to go for pizza. It had been quite some time since he had last had any. But first we went on to Beverly's brother's house. A very nice, very large house. Merve, Beverly's other brother, who lives with Tom, was there to greet us. He invited us in for a salmon sandwich. Sebastian elected to go across the street to the IGA to do some shopping for groceries. He came back with two bags full of groceries including some Black Cherry ice cream for me! On the way into town we had passed by a DQ and I mentioned how disappointed I was about not stopping.
Bev and I unpacked our wet tent and other gear that was damp from last night's rain and spread it out in the back yard to dry in the sun. There was a nice breeze blowing also. We cycled over to nearby Cdn Tire and got some Mineral Spirits and SAE 20 oil and batteries for Bev's head light. It was very hot!!!
Back at the house I checked out the Internet using my Notebook hooked up to a cable. I was able to read my Sympatico messages but not able to reply. Merve said he had been having problems with the SHAW cable for several days.
I helped Bev fold the tent and tarp before going off to Pizza Hut for dinner with Merve, Susan, Sebastian and Bev. Sebastian pulled a fast one by pretending to go to the w/c and paying for our dinner. Bev went to the hospital with her niece, Susan, to visit her brother Tom who was very ill. Sebastian and I went back to the house and put our load of washing in the dryer. Bev had convinced him it was to hot to continue cycling and that he was welcome to stay the night with us in Dryden. He went over to Merve and said "Beverly just invited me to stay the night in your home, is it OK?" While waiting for Bev and Susan to return from the hospital I filled in my journal. I managed to get on the Internet long enough to check the MEC site to see if they had a suitable tire for Bev's bike to replace the one that had a blow out. I was able to confirm that they had a suitable replacement IN STOCK. Merve was driving to Winnipeg the following day to pick up two other brothers, Larry and Ken, who were flying in from Toronto and had offered to pick up a new tire for Bev. The Internet died. Merve spent 3/4 of an hour on the phone with SHAW. They promised to send over a technician between 12:00 and 2:00 PM on Monday to look into the problem. We were all quite tired so it was off to bed and 10:30 PM
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 7/12 - Day 49

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, July 7, 2012 - Day 49
Kenora to Vermilion Bay, ON Trip 89.87 kms Time 5 hrs 34 mins Avg 16 kph max 55.4 kph
We got up at 6:00 AM. I had heard other motel guest leaving in their trucks starting at 5:00 AM. We had warmed up quiche, that we had bought the previous evening, and fruit cocktail for breakfast. We finished packing our gear and left for VERMILLION BAY at 7:30 AM. It was a nice paved shoulder most of the way except for one hill where there were 3 lanes (2 going east). Bev and I were cycling single file next to the rumble strip when a semi truck driver almost deliberately blew us off the highway. He could/should have easily moved over to the passing lane but chose to almost hit us!!! We stopped several times for breaks and lunch and cold drinks and after 76 kms to fix Bev's rear tire blowout. She noticed that her new rear tire that she had installed in Winnipeg had a weird thump to it very similar to what I experienced before I had my rear tire blow out. Only in her case her rear tire was completely ripped open so much so that one of her rear brake pads was caught up in it. We arrived at the Crystal Lake Campground in Vermilion Bay at 3:00 PM. It was very hot. We met Sebastian a Venezuelan from Toronto who was also cycling across Canada and staying at the campsite. There were not many suitable sites available for pitching a tent so we decided to join him at his invitation. He had a lovely site with plenty of grass and some shade. We set up our tent and went for a quick dip. The lake was a bit muddy but cool and refreshing. I walked over to the shower cabin on the other side of the campsite while Bev went for another swim with Sebastian. I returned to the beach with my Notebook and was able to log on to the Internet by the Office and check my e-mail. At 6:30 PM just as we were heading back to our tent it started raining. We rushed back and put our rain cover on and took down the dry laundry and put it in the tent along with all our gear. Bev went off for a shower in the rain while I stayed in the tent and tried to keep dry while filling in my journal. The tent started dripping!!! Eventually the rain let up and Bev and Sebastian started preparing dinner. It started raining again. Bev got her blue tarp out and we set it up over the picnic table. We were able to string it up using some tent ropes and our clothes line. So we were able to finish preparing our dinner. We had semi-hot dogs and MEC freeze dried Lasagna (2 packs) and cookies. I helped clean up and got back into the tent and settled down for the night. It started raining heavily again. Bev went out and took the tarp down and put it over our tent to keep it from dripping. There was also a large group of Spanish speaking people staying at the campsite with many small children who were still playing and crying, etc. Finally the noise stopped and we were able to get some sleep.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 6/12 - Day 48

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, July 6, 2012 - Day 48
Prawda, MB to Kenora, ON Trip 113.39 kms Time 5 hrs 58 mins Avg 19 kph Max 54.4 kph
Just as I was falling asleep I managed to get a nasty cramp in my right inner thigh at 11:00 PM. It's very difficult to shake out a cramp in a two person tent but somehow I managed. Perhaps it was because I was to hot in my PJ bottoms and T-shirt with my sleeping bag pulled over me as a blanket. I tossed and turned most of the night trying to get comfortable. Finally gave up and got up at 5:30 AM. We somehow managed to pack up our gear and tent in spite of the mosquitoes which were terrible in spite of several applications of Watkins cream/lotion. We cycled to the gas station/convenience store via the highway this time. Bought some Gatorade, water, muffins and fresh sandwiches. It started raining. We put our rain covers on and left for KENORA at 7:30 AM. We arrived at the MB/ON border at 10:30 AM. The Ontario Visitor's Centre was CLOSED. We made a pit stop at a gas station in FALCON LAKE and also had a hot chocolate. While there I was able to use the service bay to get out of the rain so I could dig out my sleeves and vest. I was feeling a bit cool because of the rain.
There were no other "services" along the highway for quite a stretch. We had to stop on the highway for lunch, etc. We arrived at the Kenora Information Centre at 1:30 PM where we were able to get information on camping, motels, shopping, etc. We cycled through Kenora to the East side of town and checked out 3 motels at $89, $75 and settled for the $65 Thee Laurenside Inn. By this time the sun had come out and it was getting quite hot. We were able to put our wet gear out in the sun to dry. After showering we cycled to the Laundromat. The directions the motel manager gave us were terrible. It was supposed to be a shortcut but turned out to be an assault course with plenty of hills. I guess if you were going by car it would have been OK but by bicycle it was a nightmare. We had to ask for directions several times. We did a load of laundry. There was no soap dispenser available so we had to borrow some detergent from another customer who had left his on top of the washing machine along with his cellphone. I went across the street to the Safeway to check it out for possible dinner stuff and got a diet coke and some mosquito spray. We met a local fellow who stopped to chat with us about our CCCT. Beverly finished the laundry and we went over to the Safeway for groceries. We took our laundry in with us for safekeeping. Bev had trouble deciding what to get for dinner - I had trouble deciding what to get to drink - there was no beer! Eventually we made up our minds and cycled over to Cdn Tire for fuel, a rear light for Bev's bike (she lost her other light), electrical tape and batteries for the tail light. I waited outside in the shade. We cycled back to our motel via a much shorter and less difficult route. Bev prepared our dinners in the microwave while I checked out the wi-fi. The sitgnal was very weak. I was able to get on the Internet but unable to download anything. I packed my freshly laundered clothes and hit the sack. The long ride, rain, hot sun had all combined to wipe me out.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 5/12 - Day 47

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, July 5, 2012 - Day 47
Winnipeg to Prawda, MB Trip 109.94 kms Time 4 hrs 39 mins Avg 23.62 kph Max 40.0 kph
We were up at 5:30 AM in order to get an early start. The forecast was for a fine sunny day with a North Westerly wind. We walked over to Timmy's for breakfast after leaving one of Bev's panniers in the garage. The power was back on. After a quick breakfast we returned to the garage and loaded the gear we had left there on our bikes and took them over to the main entrance. We returned to the apartment to finish packing. We carried our gear downstairs and finished loading our bikes before setting off for PRAWDA at 7:15 AM. We had a very nice tail wind with a wide paved shoulder which then became a single bike wide paved shoulder, then it was a gravel shoulder so we had to cycle on the highway. We stopped at a Husky gas station, a rest area, etc for breaks before eventually arriving at the Pine Tree Campground in PRAWDA at 1:00 PM. It cost $15 for a tent which included hot showers and free wi-fi. Bev treated us to ice cream cones. We then set up our tent and placed our gear inside it before going off for a walk around the campsite. There was no access to the river as it was blocked off by RVs all along the campsite. The campsite manager had told me that if I needed to plug in my Notebook or GPS I could use the power point at the screened shelter located at the center of the campsite. I got my Notebook and GPS and we walked over to the shelter.When I tried to connect to the Internet I couldn't find a wi-fi signal! I went over to the office/restaurant where there were picnic tables but had the same result. I went inside the office and as I was trying again to find a router to connect to I realized I had disabled the wi-fi function while I was at Angel's as I had been using a hard wire connection there. Once I re-activated the wi-fi function I was able to connect to the Internet and checked my e-mail. I went back to the screened enclosure and Bev was able to check her GMail and FB. It was a very slow and tedious connection so I didn't feel working on my blog would be very productive.
I went back to the tent for a nap while Bev stayed and watched my GPS, which I had plugged in to charge, and read her book. We had agreed to cycle to a nearby gas station convenience store to see what was available in the way of Gatorade/water, etc for tomorrow's ride. I waited until 5:15 and still Bev didn't return to the tent! I decided to go look for her. I had a feeling I would find her chatting with someone. Sure enough, she had met a couple of campers and they were chatting away.
We returned to our tent and Bev got on her bike and we cycled along the gravel road for about 1 km to the convenience store. It was well stocked and we were able to confirm that there would be sufficient supplies for tomorrow's journey. We cycled back to the campsite and had dinner at the campsite restaurant. I had a snitzel cheese burger with fries while Bev had perogies with bacon? We also enjoyed a cold beer with our dinner.
Later we returned to the screened enclosure to once again use the wi-fi to try and get some information about our next stop. Once again the signal was quite weak and downloading any information was very slow. We met the campers that Bev had been talking to earlier. They were having their dinner in the shelter. They offered us chocolate coated rice crispy square and cookies. Since we were not having much success with the wi-fi we decided to return to our tent and have an early night in order to be up early the next day.
Bev and Roly 

CCCT 2012 - July 4/12 - Day 46

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - Day 46
Winnipeg at Angel's Apartment
We were up at 6:00 AM hoping to get an early start but before setting off we checked the Weather Channel to see what sort of weather we could expect for the day. It was severe thunderstorm warnings with large hail, possible tornadoes, etc for the Winnipeg/Kenora area. We didn't fancy cycling in the rain all day let alone getting caught in a tornado so we decided to stay indoors and enjoy another day in the safety and comfort of Angel's apartment.
I had a muffin, yogurt, fried eggs and dry toast for breakfast. Bev had a muffin and yogurt. I did some work on my blog while Bev watched TV. I let Angel know we were staying on an extra day due to the extreme weather conditions and asked her where we could dump our garbage once we were ready to leave. It wasn't long before Angel replied explaining where to dump our garbage, etc. I also got an e-mail from my sister, Doris, letting me know that my Aunt Cecile Oriet (my step-mother's sister) had died at the age of 81. The Internet is sometimes useful - other times it's to much information. On the other hand it's good to be able to keep abreast of what's happening back home.
I lay down for a nap at 11:00 and got up at 12:50.  There wasn't much in the way of food in the apartment and since the rain had let up we walked across the street to Timmy's to get some lunch. While we were finishing our tea the power went out. Timmy's decided to close. We needed to get something for our dinner so we checked out the "convenience store" at the gas station on the opposite corner. They still had power.  They just had junk food, i.e. chips, candy bars and pop. We returned to the apartment where I continued to work on my blog for awhile. The sun came out so we decided to cycle to the grocery store about 1.5 kms up the road. We were able to get something for dinner and for tomorrow's lunch. We cycled back to the apartment.
Later on Bev prepared a pork and vegetable stir fry and fried chicken rice for dinner. It was very tasty. After dinner I continued to work on my blog while Bev prepared ham and cheese sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch. Afterwards I did the dishes and tidyed up. We watched a Jays vs KC ballgame before going off to bed at 10:30 hoping tomorrow would be more favourable weather wise for cycling.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - July 3/12 - Day 45

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - Day 45

Winnipeg - Motel to Olympia Bike Shop to Angel's Apt Trip 25.87 kms Time 1 hr 41 mins

We were up at 7:00 AM. I was able to check my e-mail for messages from Angel. She had managed  to leave a message on the apartment manager's voice mail re our staying in her apartment. We checked out of the motel at 9:15 AM after a quick breakfast of yogurt and a muffin. Our room rate was reduced to $65 because of the flaky wi-fi, flaky TV and flaky smoke detector. We cycled to the Olympia bike shop at 1813 Portage and waited 10-15 minutes for the shop to open at 10:00 AM.

Bev brought her bike into the shop and after speaking to one of the mechanics took all her gear off her bike. Scott took it in the back and adjusted the derailleurs, changed her rear tire and adjusted the breaks. We also tried to fit a rear light on her rack but had no luck. I bought a rear rack and also paid $10 for Bev's repairs. 

There was a Skin & Nail shop across the street so Bev went over to see if she could get an appointment for a pedicure. She was still having some problems with an ingrown big toe nail. They were able to take her in right away. While waiting I removed all the gear from my rear rack, removed it and installed my new one. I had to get Scott to drill out the bolt hole on the right side of the rack. Fortunately I was able to work in the shade at the side of the bike shop.  When I went into the bike shop to get my bolt hole drilled out I met 2 cyclist from Ottawa who seemed to know all about Bev and I. They recognized my Kunstadt Ottawa bike shop jersey. Unfortunately, because I had left my bike outside unattended, I wasn't able to chat with them for very long. 

Once Bev was finished her pedicure at 12:30 PM we cycled to a nearby A&W for lunch then on to Angel's apartment stopping at CAA for an Ontario map and to refill our water bottles. We almost missed the turn for Warde. I was focused on the light ahead which was about to change. Fortunately we had to stop and luckily I just happened to glance up and notice the street name.

We arrived at Angel's apartment at 3:00 PM. I went inside the main entrance and rang the OFFICE on the intercom. I left a voice mail to let the manager know we had arrived and would like to pick up the keys for Angel's apartment. I then called Noreen, the manager, on my cellphone. She had just been talking to Angel and came out right away. She took me up to Angel's apartment and let me in so I could get the apartment keys and the garage door opener. Once again we were so lucky to arrive when we did as the manager was about to leave at 4:00 PM. 

We put our bikes and non-essential gear in the garage and went up to Angel's apartment. We found a cold beer waiting for us in the fridge. Bev went out on her bike for groceries. She was soon back and I helped put away the groceries. I was able to connect to the Internet using the cable from Angel's laptop. Bev prepared a delicious meat sauce which we had with some pasta stuffed with cheese. I started a small load of laundry.  It was wonderful to be able to relax in a comfortable well equipped apartment thanks to Angel and her persistence in making arrangements with the office manager.

Bev and Roly 

CCCT 2012 - July 2/12 - Day 44

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, July 2, 2012 - Day 44
Portage la Prairie to Winnipeg, MB Trip 80.08 kms Time 4 hrs 38 mins Max 27.7 kph Avg 17.28 kph
Once again we were up at the crack of dawn in order to get an early start to avoid the afternoon heat. Yesterday while shopping at Sobey's Bev met the "Kids" as she calls them from Vancouver who are cycling to Halifax. We first met them on Sunday the day we had a nasty head wind on our way to Regina. They had taken a different route hence the reason we met up with them again.
We managed to get away by 7:30 AM. In spite of our early departure it was still very hot and muggy. Fortunately we were able to stop at 2 gas stations along the way for cold drinks, etc. The 2nd even had a picnic table in the shade! 
Just before arriving in Winnipeg a local cyclist, Daniel from Winnipeg, caught up to us and cycled with us for several Kms. He recommended the Olympia bike shop for repairs to Bev's bike. Her derailleurs were acting up. I had also noticed that Bev's rear tire was showing signs of "wear and tear" while I was drafting behind her. We also saw a large field of blue flax which Bev at first thought was a lake.
By noon the wind had picked up and the skies had darkened. A thunder storm was imminent. We quickly found a motel in order to avoid getting drenched and also to get out of the heat. The motel we chose had seen better days. After getting our bikes in our room I checked out the "free" wi-fi. It  was flaky and I was unable to get on the Internet. Bev could only get 4 channels on the TV and 2 were the same. The smoke detector was beeping indicating the batter was almost dead. The hotel receptionists were unable to fix it so they called in the "handyman" who didn't have any success either. We agreed to take a chance without it and they offered us a lower rate on our room. Eventually I was able to get on the Internet by piggy backing on an unsecured nearby router.
We decided to go out for dinner and walked to a nearby Greek restaurant. We both chose to have the  Manitoba Pickerel and a Greek salad. We weren't disappointed. It was delicious. The restaurant was very busy but the waitresses did a wonderful job keeping everyone happy in spite of the heat. Their A/C was not working. For Bev and I the restaurant seemed rather comfortable compared to the heat that we had been cycling in for the past couple of days.
When we returned to our motel room I once again managed to get a wi-fi connection after much frustration. I sent another e-mail to Angel re her apartment. There was some excitement at 30 Downsview Crescent in Neapean. Apparently she had to rescue a bird from the living room fireplace. Thankfully she was there or the poor bird would have most likely died trying to get back up the chimney!!!
Roly and Bev

CCCT 2012 - July 1/12 - Day 43

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, July 1, 2012 - Day 43
Carberry to Portage la Prairie, MB - Trip 93.83 kms Time 5 hrs 5 mins Max 38.1 kph Avg 18.44 kph
We were up early to try and get off to an early start to beat the heat. We had a quick breakfast of yogurt and a carrot/pinneapple muffin which we had purchased from the motel restaurant the night before as they would be closed for the July 1st holiday. After loading our gear on our bikes we set off for PORTAGE la PRAIRIE at 7:40 AM. We first had to cycle 1.5 kms on gravel before getting back on the highway. The first 18 kms was freshly paved black tarmac. Thank goodness we were past it before the temp got up to 30 C. We stopped at a "rest area" which again was on the opposite side of the highway and 1/2 km down a dirt road. It was well worth it just for the shade, modern washrooms and picnic tables. Otherwise there was not much to see along the highway.
We arrived in Portage la Prairie at 1:30 PM. We were told that we would find a laundromat in Portage that would be open on Sunday, July 1st. We cycled right across town before finding it. We then checked out several motels before settling on the Yellow Quill at $65 + taxes. Naturally it was at the opposite end of town.
After checking in to our room and unloading our gear we put all of our laundry in one of my large rear panniers and cycled back to the laundromat. It was $2.50 to do a load of laundry plus .50 cents for soap. While our laundry was being washed we went over to the nearby DQ for an ice cream. I had forgotten to bring a book or my journal so cycled back to the motel while Bev finished our laundry.
Once back at the motel I checked out the wi-fi and worked on my blog. I cleaned our water bottles and filled them with fresh water and put them in the fridge. I lay down for a nap. Finally Bev returned with the laundry and immediately went across the street  to Sobey's for groceries. She came back with fried chicken and wedge fries for me and a Swanson TV dinner for herself. While shopping at Sobey's Bev ran into several kids whom we had met previously on the very strong head wind day. They were cycling to Halifax and had met a 4th cyclist who was cycling across Canada from Vancouver to StJohns, NL. More about this later.
After packing my clothing, etc I worked on my blog again. I sent an e-mail to Angel re staying at her apartment once we arrived in Winnipeg. I chatted with my sister Doris on FB. She suggested I contact my nephew Chris who also lives in Winnipeg. I haven't seen Chris since the 70s when he used to live in Mississauga and I would stop over to visit my brother Dennis on my way to Windsor. I tried calling him using my Telus cellphone but couldn't get through. Finally Chris called me but was unable to put us up. He did invite us over for a beer though. I continued to work on my blog. Soon it was time to go off to bed at 11:00 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 30/12 - Day 42

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, June 30, 2012 - Day 42
Oaklake to Carberry, MB Trip 104.34 kms Time 5 hrs 43 mins Max 51.4 Avg 18.25
We got up at 6:00 AM. I slept poorly because of trains, sore shoulder, rain, etc. Luckily the rain stopped and we were able to pack up our gear, wet tent and towels which we had left out on the picnic table to dry. We had a cinnamon roll, yogurt and chocolate milk for breakfast. We left for BRANDON at 7:40 AM. Rain was still threatening from the West so we hurried to get out on the highway.
We made a pitstop at a Subway in Brandon at 11:00 AM. Bev was desperate and so was I. We decided to have an early lunch. The sun had come out and it was now hot and muggy and we needed to cool off. After lunch we continued on to CARBERRY another 50 or so Ks down the road. It was very hot (29 C) but it felt more like 35 C with a gentle 7 kph tail wind. We stopped at a "rest area" which was on the opposite side of the divided 4 lane highway and down a short gravel road. Thankfully there was some shade, picnic tables and modern washrooms. Bev poured some water on my head which was very cooling. We shared a grapefruit. It was then back on the highway in the afternoon heat.
We arrived at the Carberry turnoff at 3:00 PM where there was a motel down a gravel road not far off the highway. There was a NO VACANCY sign in the Office window but I decided to ignore it. I went in and was able to get a room for $67 for the night. When I came out Bev was waiting for me with my black sleeves. They had fallen off the back of my bike on the gravel road and she had stopped to pick them up.  We unloaded our gear and went back to the restaurant for ice cream. Afterwards we returned to our room for showers and I checked out the free wi-fi. It was very flaky. We went back to the restaurant for dinner. I took my Notebook with me. Bev made me wait until after dinner before I could go on the Internet. She was able to check her GMail and send an email to her brothers Tom and Merve in Dryden to let them know we were on our way. We returned to our room. This time I had a decent wi-fi connection and was able to send e-mails to Lise and Doris but I was not prepared to take a chance on working on my blog. Not much to watch on TV so it was off to bed at 9:30.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 29/12 - Day 29

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, June 29, 2012 - Day 41
Moosomin, SK to Oaklake, MB Trip 96.09 kms Time 4 hrs 39 mins Max 30.5 kph
I heard a few trains go by starting at 4:30 AM. Bev got up at 6:45 AM. I put some ointment on her bites after she showered. She checked her e-mail. Pat, her sister, sent an e-mail re Tom, their brother who lives in Dryden, ON. Apparently he has several tumours and is in hospital (she didn't say where) for further test. We had muffins and bananas for breakfast. We finished packing and left for the SK/MB border at 8:20 AM. We stopped at the KIRKELLA, MB, Visitor's Centre to get information on camping in MB, etc. We were given free MB pins and a list of campgrounds along the TCH. We stopped in VIRDEN, MB, at an A&W for lunch. It was very hot but we were able to sit at a table outside in the shade. I went in and got root beers and onion rings to go with our melted ham and cheese sandwiches and cinnamon rolls.

We arrived at the Ox 'n Cart campsite on the West side of Oaklake at 2:00 PM. It was $15 for a tent and $3 for firewood. We found a nice spot to pitch our tent and once we had it set up we unloaded our gear and cycled into town for groceries at the local CO-OP store. Also Bev treated us to ice cream cones before returning to our tent. Because of the heat we had to eat them in a hurry. Once back at our campsite we sat at our picnic table and enjoyed a cold beer. Cal, the campsite manager, came by with his dog Boston. He gave us a key which allowed us access to the center door which allowed us to turn on the shower. Earlier, we had seen a strange bird which would suddenly stop in mid-air and hover. I asked Cal if he knew what species of bird it was. He went over to his trailer and came back with a bird book which he loaned us. We were able to determine that it was some sort of Swallow.

Arriving in Manitoba

Bev got the cooking stoves out, etc and started preparing KD for our dinner. I fried up some hot dogs on the other stove. Her stove ran out of fuel before the KD pasta was ready so she switched over to my stove. Our small tub of margarine had turned to liquid in the heat. We chopped up the hot dogs and added them to the KD. It turned out to be quite good for a simple camp stove meal. We had grapes and yogurt for dessert. Bev prepared PBJs for tomorrow's lunch and washed up while I did my journal and cooked the remaining hot dogs. We set our watches ahead one hour before settling down for the night. I seem to have the sniffles. Hope I'm not coming down with a cold.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 28/12 - Day 40

A scenic stop for lunch on the TCH

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, June 28, 2012 - Day 40
Grenfell to Moosomin, SK. Trip 106.44 kms Time 4 hrs 47 mins Max 34.4 kph

On our way to the Manitoba border

I woke up several times during the night. The wind was really howling but our little tent held fast. I had trouble sleeping. My left shoulder was bothering me again and my improvised pillow of jackets stuffed in my rear trunk bag rain cover was to hard. It was giving me a headache. I switched to one of my front panniers that was stuffed with all my other rain covers. This was much better. I got up at 5:50 AM. The trains, that had been quiet during the night, started up at 4:30 AM. We managed to get all our gear and tent packed up by 7:10 AM and cycled to the restaurant at the highway gas station for a breakfast of French Toast. I had mine with sausages and Bev had hers with ham. She was upset that the syrup was cold! Why have hot pancakes or French Toast then cover them with cold syrup? We bought some food from the convenience store and set off for MOOSOMIN at 8:20 AM. We made "pit stops" in Broadview, White Wood and stopped on the highway at a scenic pond to eat our lunch.

We arrived in Moosomin at 1:30 PM mostly due to a very helpful tailwind. We stopped at the DQ for ice cream then looked for a grocery store. We had to stop a local to ask where to find one. He pointed out it was just a few doors up the street. We had just cycled right past it! We then checked into the Twi-Lite Motel at $70 (tax in) a bit pricy but we both needed to check our e-mail, etc. Bev went out to try and get her toe nail looked after but was unable to get a pedicure because of Grad Week. We walked back to the Legion and after signing in  had a cold beer. We were given "guest ribbons" and a Legion pin. We then went across the street for groceries and walked back to our motel. We also got a Manitoba map at the corner gas station.

I had a Hungry Man dinner warmed up in the microwave. Bev got a note from Pat on FB asking if she had heard about Tom? I had an e-mail from Angel saying there was a message on my answering machine from someone called Merve. It turned out to be from Bev's brother who wanted her to call him in Dryden. How he managed to get my number is still a mystery! I replied to Angel and worked on Day 33 of my blog. I also sent an e-mail to Rick Temple in White City to let him know that the repair to my rear rack was still holding and doing a good job. We were both very tired and off to bed at 9:00 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 27/12 - Day 39

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - Day 39
White City to Grenfell, SK. Trip 120.90 kms Time 5 hrs 27 mins Max 41.8 kph

One of the Temple cats

Bev, Lucas & Roly ready to ride

I woke up with a start at 5:45 AM when one of the house cats decided to join us in bed by jumping on my head! We got up at 6:30 AM and went up to the kitchen. Bev made a cup of tea. The Home Care nurse arrived at 7:00 AM and proceeded to get Irene out of bed, etc. Rick got up and made breakfast for us. Bev had cereal with milk (something we haven't had since leaving home) I had juice and fried eggs and toast. I checked my e-mail and the weather forecast on Rick's PC. Lucas and his Mom arrived at 8:00 AM. Bev made PBJs while I finished packing and got our water bottles.

Before leaving for INDIAN HEAD I checked over Lucas's bike. His tires needed to be pumped up. Rick had a compressor so that made pumping up the tires quite easy. We then took some photos before setting off at 8:45 AM. Lucas's Mom informed us she had $200 for MS which Lucas had raised. We asked her to use the link on my blog to make a donation in Lucas's name.

Once we were on the highway we set off for MCLEAN, Lucas's home town. We had a terrific tail wind with winds gusting to 80 kph at times. We were able to coast at 30 + kph without pedaling. Lucas was thrilled to be riding out on the highway for the first time with us. We made a pit stop at the Post Office/Convenience store in McLean. All of Lucas's friends were out on the side of the highway picking up trash. They were quite envious of Lucas cycling with us. We continued on to INDIAN HEAD stopping for a snack on the way. The wind was so strong Lucas had trouble staying on his feet!!! We arrived in Indian Head at 11:30 AM. Lucas, who is 13 years old, had cycled 52 kms with us and was quite proud of himself. He called his Mom and asked her to come and pick him up then treated himself to an ice cream cone. We had our lunch while waiting for his Mom to pick him up in her truck. I had 2 PBJs. Bev doesn't like peanut butter and jam together - seperate OK - but not together! She ordered a hot dog from the chip stand. Lucas's Mom arrived at 12:15 PM. He was beaming when he told his Mom about his adventure on the highway with a terrific tail wind. He had cycled 52 kms in 2.5 hours at an average speed of 22 kph.

The skies began to darken so I convinced Bev we should get going if we were to continue on to WOLSELEY another 24 kms down the road. With such a terrific tail wind we were in Wolseley at 1:30 PM. We decided, after a short stop and a chat with a local cyclist, to continue on to GRENFELL. A young solo Asian cyclist passed us with MS signs on his back panniers. He didn't stop to chat! We arrived in Grenfell at 3:00 PM and by now had cycled 110 kms. We decided to find a place to stay for the night. Another cyclist, from Calgary going to Winnipeg, approached us and wanted to chat. He had already cycled 200 kms from Moose Jaw and was prepared to keep on going. We wished him a safe journey. There was only one motel in Grenfell and they wanted $80 plus taxes so we chose to go camping instead. There was a power failure in town so 1/2  the town (East side of Main St.) was without power. The CO-OP was closed due to the power failure. We cycled to the West side of town and checked in to the campsite at $17/night/tent.

We found a reasonably sheltered spot and after setting up our tent we put our gear in it to weigh it down to keep it from blowing away. We cycled back to the Esso station at the highway for dinner in the restaurant which still had power. Afterwards we cycled back to our campsite and settled in for the night. Bev was off to sleep at 8:00 PM. I stayed up 'til 8:30 PM filling in my journal. No wi-fi. No TV.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 26/12 - Day 38

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - Day 38
Regina to White City, SK, by pickup truck
I heard Ian come in at 2:30 AM and Elizah and Aaron get up at 5:30 AM. We slept in until 7:30 AM. I had some Greek yogurt, tea and toast with peannut butter and Nutella for breakfast. I trimmed my beard using Ian's trimmer. Bev, Aaron and Elizah went for a bike ride. Bev left her bike at a bike shop to get new handle bar wraps put on. She had to walk back home. I worked on Day 32 of my blog. Aaron made French Toast for Bev and Elizah. Somehow I missed out. They were back at 10:30 AM. Brandy, Bev's daughter, called at 11:10 AM to wish Bev a Happy Birthday. Aaron had buns, cold meats, water melon, strawberries, etc for lunch plus the left over salads from yesterday's dinner.

Ian's father, Rick, came over with the pickup truck. Aaron had trouble starting the camper van when he took it to go get some groceries. Thankfully he was able to get it started again and made it back home with lunch. Ian finally got up and joined us. Aaron drove the camper van out to White City and came back with the pickup truck. Ian had quite a struggle getting Elizah to have a nap. She put up quite a fuss for over an hour. Meanwhile we loaded our bikes and gear in the back of the truck. It was very hot and humid. I took some photos of the house, Ian, Aaron and Elizah finally asleep in her crib. While loading my bike in the truck Aaron noticed that one of the supporting rods on my rear rack was broken.  He drove us out to White City to Rick and Irene's place. We stopped at a grocery store for a birthday cake for Bev.

We arrived in White City at 4:00 PM. Once we had unloaded our bikes and gear I asked Rick if he could help me somehow fix my broken rear rack. We went in to meet Irene who is confined to a wheel chair because of MS. We had a cold beer while chatting. Richard, a neighbour, came over and offered his expertise on how to fix my rack using JD Weld, etc. Rick prepared a fantastic BBQ chicken and baked potato dinner on his new Father's Day BBQ. Bev helped prepare the salad.

There was a nasty storm brewing and Richard had to go back home to move a jacuzzi because of high winds. Aaron went over to help him. We had a wonderful dinner while the storm lashed away outside. Once the storm passed there was a very unusual cloud formation. It looked like someone had spilt a bag of large cotton balls. I neglected to take a photo!!! Richard went home again and returned with the JD Weld and a few other bit and bobs that we were to use to fix my broken rack. I'm not sure why he couldn't hang around but that's OK. Rick and I decided it would be better to use a 1/2" copper pipe to fix the break. We cut off a 1" length of it and after some filing and bending were able to get it to fit like a glove.

I filled our water bottles with fresh water and placed them in the fridge in the basement along with my CamelBack. We sat around and chatted while waiting for the Home Care nurse to arrive and put Irene to bed at 10:30 PM.  We were then off to bed at 11:30 PM

Bike repair 101

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 25/12 - Day 37

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, June 25, 2012 - Day 37
Regina Rest Day

I slept in until 8:00 AM. Ian, Elizah, Aaron and Bev were already up. Ian offered me some "smoothie" that he had made up in the blender. It was very tasty and very healthy. I needed to renew my prescription for high blood pressure. Aaron took us for a walk to a nearby Shopper's Drug Market where I was able to get my "water pill" Rx re-filled. Only had to wait 20 minutes. I also got a "60" birthday card for Bev and a Lotto ticket. While waiting for my Rx I used the pharmacy blood pressure maching to check my blood pressure. It was OK. We then walked back to the house. It was quite hot. Bev warmed up some butternot squash soup for lunch which we had with some crackers. I was able to do some work on my blog. I lay down for a nap at 1:30 PM while Bev, Aaron and Elizah went for a swim at a local outdoor pool. I got up at 3:30 PM and posted a couple more days on my blog. Bev et al got back from swimming at 5:00 PM. On their way back they picked up some groceries. Aaron did burgers on the BBQ which we had with egg/potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw and beer. Aaron soon had to go out for more beer!!! Bev did dishes. Ian went off to work. I worked on my blog. My back was very itchy. I had to get Bev to put some ointment on my bites. I also took a couple Benadryl. Soon it was time to go off to bed at 9:30 PM
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 24/12 - Day 36

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, June 24, 2012 - Day 36
I heard someone up in the kitchen using the coffee grinder at 5:30 AM. Bev was up at 5:50 AM and checked her e-mail again for news re our visit to REGINA/WHITE CITY. No replies! We went up to breakfast at 6:40 AM. Sam was busy preparing Western omelettes with chopped red and green peppers, onions and grated cheese. Erika prepared toast, etc. After a wonderful breakfast we finished packing and loaded our gear on our bikes out in the garage while Sam and Erika watched in amazement. Erika took some photos before we set off for Regina at 8:00 AM.

It was a very slow and difficult ride because of a strong head wind. We were only able to pedal at 10-14 kph. Three young cyclist from Vancouver on their way to Halifax caught up to us. We chatted for awhile then they took off ahead of us as they were able to pedal at 15-16 kph. Eventually we caught up to them. They had stopped for an extended lunch break. They took off in a hurry when they saw us approaching. I guess they didn't want the "old farts" passing them!!!

Eventually we were down to cycling 5 kms at a time then stopping for a break and alternating the lead. We finally arrived in Regina at the Timmy's on Victoria Ave at 7:00 PM. It took us 8.5 hours to cycle 90 kms at an average speed of 12 kph. We went in for a chocolate milk and a donut. Bev called her son Aaron who came out on his bicycle to meet us. We had dinner from Wendy's while waiting for Aaron to arrive. He wasn't long in arriving and joined us for dinner. He showed us the way to his place stopping off for some cold beers on the way. We unloaded our gear and put our bikes on the front enclosed porch. We had a cold beer (2 for me) and chatted. I checked my e-mail after connecting on Ian's wi-fi. After a nice hot shower we were off to bed at 11:30 PM

Aaron and Ian

Elizah ... asleep at last!!!

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 23/12 - Day 35

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, June 23, 2012 - Day 35
Chaplin to Caronport, SK. Trip 65.15 kms Time 3 hrs 53 mins Max 40.5 kph
I woke up several times during the night because of the train horn blast at 2 crossings, animals fighting, highway traffic noise, etc. Neither of us heard my wrist watch alarm go off at 6:00 AM! but we were up at 6:05 just the same. We had yogurt, banana and a small carrot muffin for breakfast.  We finished packing our gear and tent after using the restaurant facilities. We stopped at the gas station convenience store for water and Gatorade before setting off for CARONPORT at 7:40 AM.

Sam and his Flame Thrower

Striped squirrel at bird feeder

Ben, Erika, Eva, Ida-Marie and Sam

At times there was no paved shoulder, other times it was quite rough. There were no facilities on the highway between Chaplin and Caronport. We did see a sign for a picnic Table at 2 KM. I said to Bev that that would be our next stop. We next saw a sign for a picnic Table with CLOSED under it. We both thought this was hilarious. How can you CLOSE a picnic table!!! Not much to see except rolling hills and the occasional duck pond. We stopped several times to give our hands and butts a break and to have snacks. 
We arrived in Caronport at Sam and Erika's at noon. I rang the door bell. There was no answer! I went around the back and found Sam catching a few ZZZs on the rear deck lounger. Erika was having a shower. We unloaded our gear and put our bikes away in the garage. We had a cold drink on the rear deck while watching a great variety of birds come to the bird feeders including some squirrels with stripes on their backs. Erika fed us lunch. A nice turkey noodle casserole with a spinach and strawberry salad. We chatted for awhile, showered and got our laundry started before going for a walk around the village. It was quite hot and sunny. The kids were playing under the sprinklers at the new water park. Sam showed us around the college where he worked as a pastor youth councilor. We returned to the house for a cold beer before Sam fired up the BBQ and grilled some very tasty hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids. Erika prepared coleslaw, potato salad and the toppings for our burgers. 
Ida-Marie (Sam and Erika's daughter) came over with her 2 children Eva (6) and Ben (2). We had a lovely dinner out on the rear deck. While playing, Eva lost her front tooth, which was quite loose, in the grass. Ida, Eva and Ben were all down on their hands and knees looking for it. Luckily it was found thus avoiding a "Tooth Fairy" disaster. Erika also had some Saskatoon Berry pie with frozen yogurt for dessert. 
After dinner, we all gathered out in front of the house so I could take some "family" photos. I went off to pack my things to prepare for an early morning departure. Bev played cards before coming down to do her packing. I got her to put some "After Bite" on the bites on my back. She checked her e-mail and we were soon off to bed at 10:30 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 22/12 - Day 34

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, June 22, 2012 - Day 34
Swift Current to Chaplin, SK. Trip 93.87 kms Time 5 hrs 44 mins Max 37 kph
We were up at 6:00 AM and after a quick breakfast of yogurt, banana and a small carrot muffin we packed our gear on our bikes and set off for CARONPORT at 7:15 AM. The first 20 kms went well as it was very calm with no traffic to speak of. Only the occassional small Prairie Dog (which I was later to find out are really a species of squirrel) to break up the monotony of clear blue skies and one hill after another. By 11:00 AM the wind out of the East had picked up and this plus several tough hills and the heat all combined to slow us down. Also I was having problems with constant numbness in my hands and Bev was having some pain in her foot. We stopped several times for "butt breaks" and snacks, etc. Finally by 2:00 PM we had reached CHAPLIN, SK, (about 60 kms from Caronport) where there were some "facilities". We decided to check out the Hotel/Motel. We had a little trouble finding it as there were no signs indicating where it was located in the small village. Eventually after asking for directions several times we found it. A double room for the night was $85 (including taxes). I asked for a discount but the manager wouldn't budge. We decided to camp for the night instead. It was only $10. No showers. No nothing. We were not far from a restaurant and a gas station/convenience store. So that would have to do. We set up our tent, etc. I called my friends in Caronport and spoke to Erika to let her know where we were and that we would arrive Saturday around 12:00 noon. We tried out the Watkins Insect Repellant that I purchased at MEC before leaving Ottawa. It was highly recommended to us by Bev's friend Nancy. It really worked well. Just a small amount on exposed skin and the mosquitoes would come near but would not land on us. Amazing stuff!!! I lay down for a "siesta" while Bev walked over to the gas station to check it out. She later joined me for a short nap before getting up at 5:30 PM and walking over to the restaurant for pizza (it was $2.00 off night) and carrot cake. After dinner we went for a short walk around the camp site. There was not much to see. Earlier we had seen a fox but there was no sign of it now. We were back in our tent at 8:00 PM and off to sleep at 9:00 PM. Bev seemed to have no trouble falling asleep. I stayed up to count the number of trains, trucks, etc. that kept me awake for most of the night.
Bev and Roly