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