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