- Date: Wednesday August 9th, 2006 21:12 Comment 87
JL - Week 10 photos
- Date: Wednesday August 9th, 2006 20:17 Comment 86
MT map location of Lac Le Jeune, B.C. - Too much driving today...even Benson was asking for a break near the end! We did not ride, John's achilles was bothering him again after his last ride :-( but we had a few short hikes in the Rockies and took our lunch break by a perfectly clear lake near Golden. We noticed the devastation of the pine beetles as high as Revelstoke and it is certainly obvious here where most of the trees around this park, some very mature, were recently harvested and the few left are clearly affected. This is our last night in the marshmellow...
- Date: Wednesday August 9th, 2006 20:03 Comment 85
MT map location of Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff, AB - For August 8th. Another day of scorching heat on the prairies. We crossed Alberta today; I cycled first thing this morning (55km) and John rode near Canmore (45km). In between, we drove and drove. Like yesterday, we stopped at a Provincial Park (Willebrook) for lunch and a bit of shade. We camped at Tunnel Mountain Campground in Banff. We camped here twice before, in 199? when I ran a half marathon (Melissa's) and again in 2002 when we toured the Rockies on our tandem. It is a spectacular place and high enough to provide a cool and peaceful evening.
- Date: Monday August 7th, 2006 21:06 Comment 84
MT map location of Eagle Valley Park Campground, Maple Creek, Sask. - We had a good taste of the prairies today as we drove through most of Saskatchewan. We left the Trans-Canada to follow a rural road this morning and loved what we saw. Every 10 or 15 km, a small town, or village, modest but charming, separated by immense fields of various crops. Sunflowers reminded us of our trip to France a few years ago. We put country music on to complete the "western" experience! We had a picnic lunch at the lovely "Moose Mountain (?) Provincial Park". I left from there for a 45 km cycle. I admit that I felt a bit nervous initially and was very aware of in-coming traffic...but the wide shoulders, the slight downhill and the robust tailwinds were irresistible and I had a good ride. I fear an impingement syndrome in my left shoulder but overall am recovering surprisingly well. As in past hollidays, we found ourselves submitting to our "barning instinct" and are heading home sooner than planned. We have very mixed feelings...we're sad to see this amazing adventure come to the end but are eager to see family and friends...and sleep in a real bed!!!
- Date: Sunday August 6th, 2006 18:32 Comment 83
MT map location of Meadowlark Campground and RV Park - A blissfully uneventful day! John had a good ride, from Kenora to the Manitoba border. I did not ride but think I will get back on the saddle tomorrow. I am feeling much better than I expected...sore and bruised but the good drugs are helping :-) So far, on this trip, we had "Christmas in July"...twice and yesterday, "Halloween in August"! We are not quite used to the RV crowd and culture but enjoyed the surprisingly good firework display that followed the trick or treating last night.
- Date: Saturday August 5th, 2006 19:13 Comment 82
JL - Week 9 photos
- Date: Saturday August 5th, 2006 18:36 Comment 81
MT and JL map location of Anicinabe Park, Kenora, Ont. - Tonight we are counting our blessings...and icing! First let us say that we are both OK....but Madeleine was hit by a truck today while cycling. The side mirror on a rental moving truck hit her left shoulder hard enough to
shatter the plastic and glass mirror and push her off the road. Madeleine was shaken up and had shoulder pain severe enough to think that she had
fractured her scapula. The truck did not stop nor did a semi trailer truck that was following it. There was no cell phone coverage in the area so Madeleine made her way back, walking and cycling, to the rest area where John was waiting, 11 kilometers away.
We met with
an ambulance and police crew by happenstance, at the scene of the accident. They had been dispatched by the driver of the semi. They told us that the Hit and Run driver had been
stopped in the next town, Ignace, 30km away. The closest
hospital was in Dryden, 130 km west. The ambulance crew
deemed Madeleine well enough to be transported by John in the van. We were very impressed that Madeleine was examined, xrayed, treated and out of the emergency department in less than 90 minutes! No apparent broken bones, or pneumothorax (which the EP querried) but some serious bruising to the back and shoulder. It could have been so much worse. A enormous sense of relief and renewed appreciation for how precious life is! ... And for our cyclist friends "the Litespeed" is OK too.
- Date: Friday August 4th, 2006 18:36 Comment 80
MT and JL map location of Happy Land Park, Thunder Bay, Ont. - We are in exactly the same site that we had here in june and the free wi-fi is working well! We were hoping to make it to SandBar Provincial Park, some 200 km west of here but the #*@!*$*&@ Ontario Park reservation system failed us and we did not want to chance sleeping on the side of the road :-( It means a bit longer drive tomorrow but rain is forecasted so...The rides around here are really pretty and John gets to enjoy some of it finally!
- Date: Thursday August 3rd, 2006 18:12 Comment 79
MT map location of Neys Provincial Park. - We (well...mostly John!) slept in and had a late start today. I rode from the KOA campground to Batchawana Bay Provincial Park where I met John and Benson for lunch. What a spectacular place! A long sandy beach, almost deserted, and the water of lake Superior is crystal clear and just the right temperature. We spent almost 2 hours swimming and playing in the waves..it was fantastic! We thought that Benson looked better this morning but were completely reassured when we saw him jumping in the lake. He has his spark back! John rode from there and we reconnected down the road, for the long drive to this campsite. We were almost alone here in June...but tonight grabbed one of the last few sites available!
- Date: Wednesday August 2nd, 2006 20:54 Comment 78
MT map location of KOA Sault Ste Marie - We are coming home in leaps of 400 km/day, cycling 50-75 km each and driving the rest. We select the sections that we liked the best for riding; the driver usually waits for the rider in a rest area or a park so that Benson can get some exercise too. Today, it was pouring rain for my ride (55km) but nice and sunny for John's (70km). We took time to stop at the "Round Barn", a huge, beautiful barn converted into a craft shop. 5 days ago Benson ate corn cobs from a compost pile at our friends in the Eastern Township and puked in the van (of course!), an art gallery in Montreal and now 2 provinces! After seeming back to normal for the past 4 days, he had a belly ache again today :-( We may have to go back to the vet we consulted for another Benson "issue" on our first pass through Thunder Bay...
- Date: Tuesday August 1st, 2006 18:58 Comment 77
MT map location of Ratter Lake Campground, Hagar, Ont. - Yesterday John spent the whole day working with Marc and Isabelle. We stayed at their place in Ottawa and had a good visit with them. Theirs is a busy, lively, warm home and we felt very welcomed. While everybody was at work, I went for a walk with Benson in a local park, read a fair bit and had a chance to try their endless pool..very very cool! Today, we are back on the road and camping. It was the warmest day so far...close to 40C we're told. I tried to ride in the middle of the day but overheated and ran out of water within an hour or so. John rode later in the afternoon and faired a bit better. We stopped at a couple of small lakes and joined Benson for a cooling dip. Tonight we're back in Ratter Lake campground, we stayed here a month or so ago and had liked the owners. They purchased this campground as their 25th wedding anniversary present...personnally, I want something silver!
- Date: Sunday July 30th, 2006 19:43 Comment 76
MT map location of Ottawa - Just across from my brother's house in LaPrairie, there is a little jewel of a garden where you can go for tea and sweet treats. The owner is a retired teacher who taught my niece in grade 3, more than 15 years ago. I went there yesterday afternoon with my friends Pierre and Andree from Sherbrooke...we had home-made sherbets, and cute little cookies! Lovely!
It's been a busy, social week end. We sat at different tables, with different company at each meal. Brunch was with John's brother and his partner Karen, in their garden...a peaceful oasis of green in the middle little Italy, in Montreal. Dinner with my brother Louis, his son "Funk" and Melissa, his girlfriend. They had just arrived from Vancouver and gave us news of our cat, plants, house and neighborhood! Then, this morning, we shared a quick breakfast with Liette whom I have known since I was 7 or so. It was all too short but so very sweet to see everyone.
We're on the move again...I rode along the Ottawa river today and had a giggle at the sight of a man and his Irish setter bouncing on a trampoline near Hawksburry. I love this country!
- Date: Friday July 28th, 2006 19:49 Comment 75
JL - Week 8 photos
- Date: Friday July 28th, 2006 19:48 Comment 74
MT map location of LaPrairie, PQ - We did not blog the last 2 days because we were having such a great time with Denis and Michele. They have a beautiful place on lac Megantic in the Eastern Township. John rode around the lake, a hilly 60km loop, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I hiked up a small local mountain with my friends that afternoon and was treated to an amazing 360 degree panorama of the region at the top. We were all in and out of the lake all day and Benson obviously loved that! Mostly we were spoiled rotten by our hosts...Michele is a genious in the kitchen and produced one delicious feast after another, making it look effortless. It felt just like old times and the visit went by far too quickly...
We stopped at a campground in Mont Orford on the way here, to drop in on Marc and Isabelle. They are timing a triathlon in Magog on sunday and are camping for a few days with their boys before the race. Another impromptu Eventsonline meeting! We are at my brother Louis tonight and just finished dinner with him and his daughter Marylene. She spent last year in Paris and it was lovely to see her again. So many pleasant "retrouvailles"! We are still trying to get some cycling but the
compulsion has lessened!
- Date: Thursday July 25th, 2006 Comment 73
MT map location of lac Megantic -
Camper's Haven campground is located near a small lake and I
had a long swim first thing this morning, anticipating a long day of travelling.
We had a reservation for the 1 PM departure of "the Cat", a fastcat ferry that runs
between Yarmouth NS and Bar Harbor Maine. It's a 3 hour crossing in a sleek, modern,
smartly appointed vessel. The sea wasn't particularly rough but you feel the motion
of the waves a lot more than on regular ferries. The long drive to the Quebec border
went smoothly; despite thick fog we managed to narrowly avoid 2 foxes and a skunk on the road.
It was late when we arrived at Denis and Michele. We've been close friends for more than half of my
life and getting to their place feels like coming home. What a good feeling!
- Date: Monday July 24th, 2006 17:45 Comment 72
MT map location of Camper's Haven Campground, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - It was raining when we woke up this morning. Not an abrupt,impatient rainstorm like we've experienced in the recent weeks, but the steady, relentless rain that we know so well on the other coast. We were grateful that we did not "have to" ride in it. By mid-day, it was back to the sunny blue skies that we have become accustomed to. We spent the morning beachcombing with Benson, visiting various coves and villages. This afternoon, we went for a short ride together, our first one on this trip. I was hoping that John's injury and my long days on the saddle would have narrowed the gap between us a bit...no such luck. John is full of energy and I have stale legs. We went out for diner tonight and we finally got to eat lobster...messy but worth it!
- Date: Sunday July 23rd, 2006 16:51 Comment 71
MT and JL map location of Fisherman's Cove, Hunts Point, NS - A misty and cloudy day along the coast, cooler but still very humid. We went from beach to beach and cove to cove, driving and cycling. At times, it feels like you are in a calendar, the scenery is so typical and picturesque! Lunenburg, a Unesco world heritage site is particularly charming. We had lunch in Mahone Bay, a fishing village, now catering to tourism. Benson had a ball (or rather a frisbee) on 3 different beaches and is now passed out, happily tired! We could see the ocean from our campsite, until the fog rolled in...now it's just a distant sound.
- Date: Sunday July 23rd, 2006 16:38 Comment 70
MT and JL map location of Hubbards Beach Campground - For July 22.We started driving together in the RV today. Previously, the "rule" was that one of us had to be cycling, but we are on our way back and time is running out. $29.95 bought MT 8 new spokes, 2 pulley wheels and some peace of mind today. The bike mechanic in Truro was knowledgeable and friendly. JL rode a stretch of the coastline south of Halifax, around the scenic and very popular Peggy's cove and the memorial to the flight SwissAir 111. The ocean water is like tea around here...from all the tanin in the rain water mixing into it, we were told. We've been trying for a few days to get a lobster diner, but the restaurant adjacent to this campground closed at 8:30!!! Maybe tomorrow...
- Date: Saturday July 22nd, 2006 9:03 Comment 69
JL - Week 7 Photos
- Date: Friday July 21st, 2006 17:38 Comment 68
MT map location of Sydney KOA, NS - Well, that's it! We were going to have to start driving more than cycling soon, but were debating where the turnaround should be. My bike was malfunctioning yesterday and today and when John had a look tonight, he found 8 spokes and a pulley wheel in the rear derailleur needing replacement. A bike mechanic in Truro, who answered the phone at 9PM (Yeh!)said he could fix it tomorrow. So, we're driving to Truro tomorrow!
John took a day off today and hopefully will be able to get a few km in tomorrow afternoon. Today's ride was particularly hilly with the steepest descent I have ever faced...thank you brake pads! We took the shortest (cable)ferry ride across St-Ann's Harbour, less than 100 metre crossing...so cute!
- Date: Thursday July 20th, 2006 17:17 Comment 67
MT and JL map location of Broad Cove Campground, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, NS - We all had a very good day. A bit slow to start because of another flat tire but it went uphill from there...litterally! John had his best and longest ride since Kenora. The coastal road around Cape Breton is very similar to the Oregon coast one, twisting and turning, switching back, up and down these steep cliffs. Long slow climbs followed by hair-raising descents (or melting brakes in MT's case!). John was delayed getting to the meeting point by Floyd Landis'daring attack on the peloton! Even our lunch stop was special...in this shady spot where a short trail took us to a stone hut with thatched roof, a reproduction of the mountain shelters that scottish shepperds used. Benson tried out 3 different beaches today and is still dripping wet from his last swim.
- Date: Wednesday July 19th, 2006 17:19 Comment 66
MT and JL map location of MacLeod's Beach Campground, Dunvegan, NS - What a great day! We both had terrific riding conditions and the 80% probability of precipitation never materialized. We are now in Cape Breton and it is charming. Our campground is a large open field, waterfront, with easy access to a sheltered sandy beach. We took Benson there earlier and he was like a seal in the waves. John went skinny dipping too...photos of this may not (John says "will not") make it on the web!!!! It is cooler and we'll be more comfortable for sleeping tonight.
- Date: Tuesday July 18th, 2006 16:10 Comment 65
MT map location of Whidden Campground Antigonish Nova Scotia - I thought of Audrey today as I rode through Belfast...PEI! Much, much quieter place than the "real" one, I'm sure!!!
We caught the 9:30 ferry to Nova Scotia. No line-up, punctual and friendly service. This is our last province and we are starting to think of the return. Sadly, the delay occasionned by John's injury has made it unrealistic to tour New Foundland. Everyone I talk to, in campgounds and on the road, tell me that you need a month on the rock alone to do it justice. It will have to wait for another adventure!
- Date: Monday July 17th, 2006 16:31 Comment 64
MT map location of Lord Selkirk Provincial Park PEI - A day off for John, a shorter ride for me (70km). PEI seems to be more affluent than we expected, the houses all look freshly painted and well landscaped. We passed through Charlottetown, it has a small town feeling despite being the capital. While riding, I saw a good half-dozen potatoes lying on the shoulder, here and there.... stray spuds or PEI roadkill ?!? We took Benson to the shore for a swim in Orwell Bay this afternoon and came back with reddish toes...the earth is strikingly red on this island!
- Date: Monday July 17th, 2006 5:58 Comment 63
JL map location of Prince Edward Island National Park Stanhope Campground -
We're in PEI, our 8th province. The Confederation Bridge is very spectacular.
13 Km long and very elegant. It is a toll bridge but you pay only on leaving the Island.
The day was sunny and warm again... we're having a good stretch of weather.
Rolling hills and nice vistas for cycling but some sections were touristy, particularly around Cavendish where
everything is "Anne of Green Gableish" !
The campground is next to the beach but I'm not tempted to swim
because of the many Arctic Red Jellyfish, some the size of dinner
plates. The sting is not deadly but would be painfull.
- Date: Saturday July 15th, 2006 17:50 Comment 62
JL - Week 6 photos
- Date: Saturday July 15th, 2006 17:49 Comment 61
MT map location of Sandy Beach Campground, Bas-Cap-Pele - John always regretted skipping the Bay of Fundy when he cycled across Canada in 1980. He spent some time there today and looking at the photos he brought back, it is now my turn to yearn to see it...it may not be wise to wait 26 years though! I cycled inland, a shorter route, to allow us to move to PEI tomorrow. We met in Moncton for lunch and John rode to Bas-Cap-Pele. It is a very popular beach and the busiest campground we have visited so far. Amazingly, dogs are permitted on a section of the beach so that Benson was able to chase his frisbee in the waves.
- Date: Friday July 14th, 2006 17:42 Comment 60
MT map location of Town & Country Campark Sussex - It's 9:30 PM, all windows are open, the fan is going full blast, I'm sitting still and sweating! It's been another very hot day. Thankfully, Route 105 south of Fredericton snakes along St-John river and I had a bit of shade and a slight breeze. It is also extremely pretty. John's ride was inland mostly and with long rolling hills...but he's so happy to be on his bike, I doubt he noticed the heat! We are camping next to a drive-in cinema and the film should start soon...we don't know what is playing yet but will have a pretty good view from here:-)
- Date: Wednesday July 12th, 2006 17:04 Comment 59
MT map location of Mactaquac Provincial Park - In my last hour of riding, I flatted twice, took a wrong turn (adding close to 7 km to an already long day) and faced a knee-busting hill! Still, it was a lovely day, sunny and warm (31C). The small country roads we chose were so pretty, with little or no traffic and John rode pain-free for the 3rd consecutive day...short but sweet! We also got to see the world's longest covered bridge, 1282 ft, in Hartland. Benson was suffering from the heat until John found a small lake along the road this afternoon. He had another swimm in the Mactaquac tonight(illegally as the Park does not allow dogs anywhere near the beach). Tomorrow is a day off...laundry and grocery and NO riding!
- Date: Tuesday July 11th, 2006 16:40 Comment 58
MT map location of Muniac Park Campground - We have not seen such nice road surface since Alberta (when you spend this much time on a saddle, these details become too important!). New Brunswick is green and clean so far. John is very impressed with their Tourism Info. offices, they are equipped with free high speed internet, feeding his addiction with the Tour de France. I had increasing headwinds this afternoon. They were bringing in a spectacular thunderstorm that is just now winding down. Benson slept through most of it, the heat and humidity are getting to him.
- Date: Monday July 10th, 2006 14:11 Comment 57
MT and JL map location of Jardins de la Republique Provincial Park, New Brunswick - Ahhh! we're back in a provincial park. It is lovely, quiet and spacious, and immediately adjacent to New Brunswick Botanical Gardens. We had to stay in private campgrounds in Quebec, ie cramped with few trees, as dogs are not allowed in any "Parc Provincial" there :-( We narrowly avoided huge thunderstorms at both ends of the day. The best news today is that John was able to ride pain-free for a 25 km test ride. Yehh! It had been 9 days since his butt was on a saddle, so he is keen! Benson got to swim in yet another river, the Madawaska is accessible by a short trail hike from here.
- Date: Sunday July 9th, 2006 17:08 Comment 56
MT map location of Lido Campground St Antonin - This is likely our last night in Quebec. Again today, we drove and cycled through very pretty farmland and villages, including the famous St-Jean-Port-Joli, well known for its many wood carvers. The whole place is like an art gallery. We met for lunch in the picturesque Kamouraska (there was, in fact, a movie made in and called "Kamouraska" in the ?80's?). We had a designer pizza (John's had caviar on his!) on a patio, in the shade but also in the breeze. Benson was allowed, on special permission from the friendly owner, to sit with us...his first restaurant experience! It was another hot and muggy day and now the clouds are starting to drop some rain on us...I think we'll be wet tomorrow.
- Date: Sunday July 9th, 2006 11:06 Comment 55
JL map location of Rock Climbing Spot
- Date: Saturday July 8th, 2006 14:23 Comment 54
MT map location of Camping Rocher Panet, L'Islet, P.Q. - There was a small Eventsonline meeting in Levis PQ this morning as John dropped by to see Isabelle. She was timing a multi-events race there. Route 132 is a "route verte" between Quebec city and here, so there were many cyclists in both directions all day. I stopped at a roadside "casse-croute" to buy a gatorade and had a delicious cone of soft ice cream laced with maple sirop...Yum! It's close to 30C today. Our campground is on the shore of the St-Lawrence river and Benson had a swim in its murky waters earlier to cool down. There is a small rocky island with an iron cross on it nearby that is believed to have been the site of an exorcism a century or so ago. The legend says that the footsteps of the priest who exorcised the "miserable woman" are now imprinted in the rock...unfortunately, the tide is high and we can't go verify this.
- Date: Friday July 7th, 2006 13:33 Comment 53
JL map location of Quebec City KOA - Route 132 hugs the shore of the St. Lawrence river and
passes by lots of interesting old but well maintained farm houses, many with gardens in bloom. It is definitely cheaper
to cycle around here as the price of gas is $1.16 per litre, the most expensive I have seen so far.
- Date: Friday July 7th, 2006 7:27 Comment 52
JL - photos from week 5 are up.
click here
- Date: Thursday July 6th, 2006 15:31 Comment 51
MT map location of Camping Cap a la Roche - We're on the road again. It was hard leaving my parents and the cottage. We crossed the St-Lawrence river at Trois-Rivieres and for the first time, we had to drive some distance as bicycles are forbidden on Laviolette bridge. We had a few "banked km" ie distances that we had cycled twice, backtracking for various reasons. I got lost this morning and had to call John for "navigational assistance". Thankfully, my techie husband, with his computer maps and satellite this and that, was able to re-direct me...my very own personal Onstar!!! Strong tailwinds pushed me along route 132 all afternoon, making the aleady lovely ride that much more pleasant. John is not riding yet, he's still resting and icing his Achille's...and hunting mosquitoes to get rid of the frustration. He bought a different pedal system today, in case that contributed to the problem. He also fixed the blog map links..try it!
- Date: Wednesday July 5th, 2006 12:15 Comment 50
MT map location of Lac a la peche, Quebec - We've been taking it easy for the past 3 days at my parents'cottage. I spent all my summer hollidays here until I was in university and it hasn't changed that much, except for in-door plumbing which is very welcomed! John learned a couple of new card games and is a good sport about consistently losing to my mother. Benson is in and out of the lake and we've discovered that he is, in fact, an endurance swimmer. He seems to get anxious if John or I are too far and comes to get us. There is no internet access at the cottage but we can follow the Tour de France on french television. It will be hard to get back on the saddle!
- Date: Monday July 3rd, 2006 8:19 Comment 49
MT - Entry for july 2nd. A shorter ride to my parents'cottage, near Shawinigan (75km). I had great tail winds and rode the first 33 km in less than an hour...that is very fast for me! It was lovely to ride on roads that I know so well and have always associated with good memories of my summers at this cottage. A few km from here, I was riding with my cell phone in hand, looking for a connection to call John. I violated the cardinal rule of cycling to look where you're going and hit a curb....and crashed. I was going so slow, only my ego was bruised but it happened at the very moment when my brother Louis was driving by. Antoine and Marc-Andre, my young nephews, will not forget this image of their aunt, in her great adventure to cycle across Canada, picking herself off the pavement! Oh well!
- Date: Monday July 3rd, 2006 8:07 Comment 48
MT map location of Berthierville, Quebec - Entry for july 1st. We had too much fun on Canada day to do the blog! We made it to my very dear friends Louise and Claude and camped on their property. They have a gorgeous place right on the shore of the St-Lawrence river. Benson's host was Rollo, their energetic chocolate lab. They were allowed to swim in the pool...it took Benson a little while to figure out how to get in, but Rollo actually jumps from the diving board and uses the ladder to get out of the pool. Claude loves hunting and fishing and served us (those of you who think I am a vegetarian, please close your eyes) moose and blueberry sausages, Canada geese and mustard sausages and fresh trout that he had caught the day before. It was delicious. We also got a glimpse of the local fireworks from the shore of the river. Wow!
- Date: Friday June 30th, 2006 17:00 Comment 47
MT map location of Camping Plage des Trembles, St-Canut P.Q. - Some good and bad luck today. I found a penny this morning and I managed to avoid the showers that the ominous black clouds predicted today. Both in the morning and in the afternoon, the storms started minutes after I got off the bike! John, unfortunately, had to step off the bike after 10 km or so...no, nothing to do with the TDF doping scandal...his Achille flared up and it looks like he'll be off again for a few days :-( Benson is also having a sad day as this campground bizarrely allows dogs, but absolutely forbids to walk them on the property!?! He's more or less on house (read RV) arrest...pooor puppy!
- Date: Thursday June 29th, 2006 18:30 Comment 46
MT map location of Camping Cantley - I had a really good ride this morning. Just over 100 km along pretty country roads, lush green farmlands and sweet sweet smelling fields. It was starting to cloud over when John took over and within an hour he was riding in a deluge. You know it has to rain hard to impress Vancouverites! The streets of Aylmer were like rivers and lakes ...it was pouring! We ended up having to go close to 20 km off course to find this campground.
- Date: Wednesday June 28th, 2006 19:04 Comment 45
MT map location of Pine Ridge Park, Pembroke - A formidable thunderstorm stranded John 2.5 km from the campground, for 45 minutes. It was raining so hard, it would have been crazy to ride in. Benson and I were cozy in the van, all set up at the campground, having a cup of coffee (me of course,...not Benson!). My ride was surprisingly hilly today, having been told by a cyclist I met yesterday that it was "all downhill" from North Bay to Ottawa...Liar, liar, pants...etc! We are hoping to cross into la Belle Province tomorrow but are having trouble locating campgrounds near Hull. Anybody knows where there might be one?
- Date: Wednesday June 28th, 2006 18:54 Comment 44
MT map location of Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park - Entry for June 27, 2006.
I started the ride in a rain shower and was soaked for the whole morning but it was warm. John had a few sprinkles as well but managed to stay reasonnably dry for his 50 km. Slow but hopefully steady rehab. These last couple of days, every now and again, we see groups of 3 trucks go by, carrying one blade each for Electricity wind mills...beautiful, looong, elegant shapes. We've seen other components of the generators on trucks and trains as well. The campground tonight is by a lake and a river, which translates into fun and swim for Benson but also in lots and lots of mosquitoes. John saw his first fireflies tonight!
- Date: Monday June 26th, 2006 17:11 Comment 43
MT map location of Ratter Lake Campground - Nicole, the owner of this campground and a franco-ontarien, tells us that there are close to 65% francophones in this part of Ontario. We are on the shore of a little lake and had a lovely swim after a long, hot, dusty ride. Benson swims almost as fast as I do! There was also a pair of loones nearby while we were in the water and they seemed as curious of us as we were of them. We had whitefish for diner, locally caught and smoked...very tasty! Oh! and if you have never been to Sudbury...Don't!
- Date: Sunday June 25th, 2006 17:24 Comment 42
MT and JL map location of Chutes Provincial Park - John started the ride today, in the rain, and was able to cycle 30 km without a flare up, so we remain cautiously optimistic about his recovery. We are in the only provincial campground between Sault Ste-Marie and Sudbury. Yesterday, we forgot to mention that we cycled thru Amish country and came upon a market stall with women in traditional attire and their horse and buggy nearby...quite a sight!
- Date: Saturday June 24th, 2006 14:03 Comment 41
MT and JL map location of Brownlee lake park - Bonne Fete Denis! Aujourd'hui le blog est en francais pour celebrer la St-Jean. Il semble y avoir une bonne proportion de francophones au nord de l'Ontario puisque presque partout, on entend parler francais. On annoncait de la pluie aujourd'hui, mais la temperature nous a gate encore une fois. John a pedale 30 km sans probleme...ca nous donne espoir! Nous n'avions pas de destination precise mais avons trouve ce charmant petit parc avec quelques chalets a louer, un camping au bord du lac et un joli petit restaurant avec vue sur le lac, ou John m'invite a diner ce soir! Nous avons tous les trois nage pendant une bonne demie-heure cet apres-midi.
- Date: Friday June 23rd, 2006 17:57 Comment 40
MT - We did something today that we had never done together....we washed the car! It was a nice sunny day and the marshmellow sorely needed it, what with that stretch of red mud last friday and the million bugs we slaughtered! The campground is equiped with a pressure washer for this purpose so...But of course, the forecast is for showers tomorrow!!!We also had a (short)swim in the (unheated)pool here. The campground is filling up for the week end. We've been spoiled so far with nearly empty campgrounds everywhere, but july will no doubt be much busier. We are back on the road tomorrow...heading east!
- Date: Thursday June 22nd, 2006 17:16 Comment 39
JL - Photos from week 3
- Date: Thursday June 22nd, 2006 16:38 Comment 38
MT and JL map location of KOA Sault Ste-Marie Campground - Another perfect day weather wise! Today was to be a short cycle for Madeleine but the 2 campgrounds we were aiming at did not deliver the wi-fi they advertised. So we went a bit further...then a bit further still...to this KOA just north of Sault Ste-Marie. It ended up being a 136 km ride, hilly but aided by good tail winds, and tomorrow is a day off! This is a very nice campground, exceptionally well kempt and with free wi-fi although Benson is missing the beach already! For the first time in over 2 weeks, there are no mosquitoes here! YEH!
- Date: Thursday June 22nd, 2006 16:20 Comment 37
MT and JL map location of Agawa Bay Provincial Park Campground - June 21st 2006. John is unfortunately back on the bench after a 10km test ride where he felt his Achille's protesting a bit. We were hoping to get closer to Sault Ste-Marie today, but Madeleine rode 88 km to this destination instead. This is such a great campground that it all worked out for the best! We have waterfront property again tonight and Benson certified that the beach is A-OK! We thought we must have a dip in lake Superior...which was crazy since the water temp. is at 7C! We were also treated to an awesome thunderstorm in the evening. All in all a good day!
- Date: Tuesday June 20th, 2006 14:06 Comment 36
MT map location of Wawa RV Campground - June 20, 2006. This was one of the best days weather wise: perfectly blue sky, pleasantly warm and breezy. John had a 30 km test ride today, and is not completely symptom-free but hopefully on the mend. I cycled 100km even, with strong headwind for the last 20 or so. There must have been a large fire around here a few years ago because we travelled through long stretches of scorched forest. Still the lakes are beautifull and very inviting...just ask Benson, who will try as many lakes as we will allow! We're sitting in the lobby of a hotel/pub with wi-fi in downtown Wawa. John is catching up on work, having been internet-deprived for a few days. Our campground is just west of Wawa, on HW17.
- Date: Tuesday June 20th, 2006 13:46 Comment 35
MT map location of White Lake Provincial Park - June 19 2006. Well, today's ride tested my determination. It was overcast and a bit chilly when I left camp around 7:30 this morning, but I optimistically put on some sun screen. Litterally within the first km it started raining, and it poured for the first hour. I was soaked and freezing for the whole morning. I had to brake in the descents to avoid getting too much colder and, for once, welcomed all the climbs as it got me a bit warmed up. Once again, the sun came out as I finished cycling (!) and the rest of the day was pleasant. Not quite warm enough to want to swim in the lake though...except for Benson who spent an hour retrieving his water frisbee and had to be forced to come back to camp. John will try riding tomorrow.
- Date: Tuesday June 20th, 2006 13:32 Comment 34
MT map location of Neys Provincial Park. - June 18, 2006. John's achille is still bothering him :-( so I was the solo rider again today. I rode for 4 hours in a thick, dense fog...not unpleasant really...just a bit eery. As soon as we got into camp, the fog burned off and we had a sunny afternoon at the beach. We are again on the shore of lake Superior and the sandy beach reminds us of Long Beach...with surprisingly strong waves and this expansive body of water! Benson loves it here and played on the beach and in the water for well over an hour.
- Date: Tuesday June 20th, 2006 13:23 Comment 33
MT map location of Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, Rossport Campground - June 17th, 2006. This is fishing country for sure. There are so many lakes along this road and very little traffic. The roads follow long rolling hills with occasional steeper climbs, but quite manageable. We are both very impressed with the provincial campgrounds and parks...they are well equipped and very well maintained. This one sits on the north shore of lake Superior and our site is a few metres away from the beach.
- Date: Tuesday June 20th, 2006 13:08 Comment 32
MT map location of Ragle Canyon Adventure Campground - June 16, 2006. John did not ride today. He is resting yet another tendinitis, this one to his right achille's. I cycled 94 km, the last six or so on dirt road and ended up looking like a mountain biker, covered with this thick reddish mud. We are alone in this brand new campground tonight...it is a bit weird. We took a short hike up this magnificient canyon, to what is supposed to be the longest suspension bridge in Canada (?). Benson is , in turns out, terrified of heights and absolutely refused to cross it.
- Date: Wednesday June 14th, 2006 19:34 Comment 31
MT map location of Happyland Campground, Thunder Bay - We both rode on tired legs today and it showed! Plus we had headwinds. (Bitch whine!) The weather was gorgeous though, with perfectly blue sky, agreable temperatures and blankets of wild flowers in bloom by the roadside. Some of them are incredibly sweet smelling. We each saw a moose while riding, they are really big! We had lunch about 3 metres away from the time zone change and so it seemed like we were at lunch an awfully long time! Day off tomorrow...and it will be welcomed :-)
- Date: Wednesday June 14th, 2006 19:21 Comment 30
JL map location of Ignace Campground - Entry for June 13. Thunder and Lightning during the previous night. A sky full of cumulus clouds with short intense rain showers during the day. Rolling hills and lots of small beautiful lakes. Longer miles on the bike caused me to bonk
in the last 15 km of the ride. There was no cell phone coverage so we checked on each other's progress more often. Benson had a good swim in Jackfish lake at a rest area.
- Date: Monday June 12th, 2006 19:20 Comment 29
MT and JL map location of Anicinabe Campground - Between the two of us we rode 247 km today,
some parts were very scenic and enjoyable.
After days of only occasional grain elevators,
crossing Winnipeg, watching for street names, rush hour traffic and formidable pot holes felt like stimulus overload.
Today's most significant wild life encounter was with
swarms of huge black flies. We needed to go over 30 km/hr to
out run them, easier for John at the beginning of his ride
than for Madeleine at the end of hers.
Madeleine had one lodged between her eyeball and her sunglasses which resulted in a frantic stop crashing
on the gravel shoulder. The fly was unharmed (as was Madeleine)!
When John arrived at the exchange point it looked like
someone had just put the boots to a
Bee Hive. There were hundreds of them.
The highlights of the day for Benson was a swim
in West Hawk Lake with Madeleine and another swim
this evening in the Lake of the Woods next to the Campground.
... Bonus WIFI at this campground.
- Date: Sunday June 11th, 2006 17:37 Comment 28
MT map location of Welcomestop RV - My Veta bike computer died 4 days ago but I was able to replace it in Brandon yesterday. It makes it a lot easier and more interesting to have some feedback again. Benson seduced everybody in the Bicycle Shop while I was waiting to
have the new computer installed. We made good distance today despite less than perfect conditions. This is our third week and we are well into the rythm of the trip. It is amazing how you establish routines ... and by "you" I mean "I"! We enjoy blogging every evening and will miss it in the coming week.
A bientot.
- Date: Saturday June 10th, 2006 20:01 Comment 27
JL map location of Meadowlark Campground and RV Park - The roads in Manitoba are the worst so far. BC and Alberta were great in comparison. The Trans Canada in Manitoba has little or no paved shoulder in many places. So it was a day of headwinds and avoiding the cracks in the pavement. My right knee is getting stronger and at the end of the ride was feeling pretty good about how my legs felt. I'm still cautions about doing a full hard day with it. Internet access is going to be a lot more difficult to find after Winnipeg. Other than Thunder Bay we may not be able to post comments or get email until we get around Lake Superior to Sault Ste Marie.
- Date: Friday June 9th, 2006 19:22 Comment 26
JL - Week 2 photos have been updated.
So far we've been lucky and have had Internet access every day.
- Date: Friday June 9th, 2006 18:48 Comment 25
MT map location of Moosomin Fieldstone Campground and RV Resort - We're very cozy in the RV tonight.
We are just about alone, except for the resident bunny rabbits, in this beautiful campground.
It is raining softly and for once, we are quite a ways from the train track. The sound of the frequent trains is muffled by the trees around us. We've been so aware of train traffic in the prairies, sleeping next to it most nights. This is our last night in Saskatchewan. It was a day off for me today but John rode in
the rain and into the wind all morning.
- Date: Thursday June 8th, 2006 18:58 Comment 24
JL map location of Whitewood Campground - Happy 40th Birthday Simon. Hope the weather in Vancouver is better than here because it sucks! MT battled headwinds for more than 4 hours with very cold fingers and toes. I got my ride in before the rain came. Benson got a nice walk on the local 9 hole Golf course and MT and I both got some work done this afternoon. The forcast for the rest of the week indicates
head winds. Darn. MT says #&%$@ WIND !
- Date: Wednesday June 7th, 2006 19:21 Comment 23
MT map location of Indian Head KOA campground - Yehh! John was able to ride 45km pain free today, so we are hopeful. He'll just have to hold his horse(power)s and increase the mileage and the intensity gradually.
Now this was a very flat ride today. I could see Regina from over 20 km away! We had cross winds from the North, and the temperature was perfect for cycling. We are forecasted 25km head wind and some rain tomorrow..we've been so spoiled so far!
We've discovered that Tim Horton's Iced Cap is an excellent cycling fuel...how very canadian eh!
- Date: Tuesday June 6th, 2006 17:07 Comment 22
MT map location of Moose Jaw River Park Campground - The high points of the day are the weather and the campground.
It is another beautiful warm sunny day and the praries are lush and green . The Moose Jaw River Park Campground is a
lovely peaceful place with lots of trees and blossoming Lylacs.
Benson had a fine day with a dip in the river with the frogs.
90 Km for MT, O km for JL . The tendinitis is feeling better.
- Date: Monday June 5th, 2006 17:04 Comment 21
JL - More photos
- Date: Monday June 5th, 2006 16:23 Comment 20
MT map location of Chaplin, Sask. - If there is a "Chatouille" somewhere in Canada (I'm thinking New Brunswick maybe???), we'll try to visit as well, but tonight, we're in Chaplin, Sask. Purrrrr! We're the only one in this vast field/campground, located next to a salt mines, with 50 km/hour wind in our direction!!!
I am really enjoying the prairies. It is not that flat...there are long rolling hills that make you shift one or two gears, and the tail winds are incredible. (I keep thinking what a different story it'll be on the way back!)
I've cycled by a few coyottes, another fox, a deer nursing her calf, and , of course, dozens of those clownish prairie dogs!
John is taking a few days off to rest a tendinitis so our progress are that much slower but the Saskatchewan people are so friendly, we don't mind hanging around here a bit longer. A bientot!
- Date: Sunday June 4th, 2006 18:27 Comment 19
JL map location of Pondarosa Trailer Court and Campground - We each rode 109 km today. The highway shoulders in Alberta are in better shape than in Saskatchewan. Mild temperatures, moderate tailwinds and gently rolling terrain made for pleasant cycling. I have some tendonitis in the back
my right knee so will take tomorrow off and perhaps the next day as well. Will have to see how it goes. Madeleine is feeling OK so tomorrow she will ride.
- Date: Saturday June 3rd, 2006 20:09 Comment 18
JL map location of Ross Creek R.V. Park - I'm sure will find different
adjectives on the way back but today the
wind was awesome. We both rode well above our average pace and
distance, basically crossing southern Alberta in one day.
- Date: Friday June 2nd, 2006 20:17 Comment 17
MT and JL - You know you're in Alberta when there are more pickup trucks
than cars in any parking lot and they play Country/Western music in the washrooms. The Mosquitos are beef fed and still hungry. We spent a lazy day in and around Blairmore. We are recharged and ready to go. The forcast for tomorrow is sunny
with 50 km/hr tail winds and the terrain is downhill. Enjoy it
while you can.
- Date: Thursday June 1st, 2006 20:58 Comment 16
MT map location of Lost Lemmon RV park in Blairmore AB - We crossed the border to Alberta today. I enjoyed my longest ride of the year so far from Cranbrook to Fernie. JL took it easy with a 67km ride. Tomorrow is a rest day, a chance for John to catch up on some work. I am planning to take Benson for a hike along the river and to try out his new pink frisbee! Tonight our campsite is adjacent to the Railroad track and trains seem to go by every few hours. It is going to be a noisy night.
- Date: Wednesday May 31st, 2006 22:06 Comment 15
JL -
The first photos are now up. click here
- Date: Wednesday May 31st, 2006 20:23 Comment 14
MT map location of Mt Baker Campground in Cranbrook, BC - The mountains are definitely getting bigger as we approach the Rockies! I rode from Nelson to Creston, alongside lake Kootenay, with a short ferry ride across the lake early this morning. An osprey had nested on a navigation light in the middle of the lake and we could see one young sticking out his head as he ferry went by. No big climbs today but rolling hills all along. The road was peppered with quaint little towns and villages. I saw a coyotte and a deer and John rode by a moose, somewhere between Creston and Cranbrook.
Benson had a swim in Kootenay lake and was quite happy about that...but he later lost his beloved freesby, dropping it into a fast moving creek. We chased it downstream as far as we could but to no avail :-(
- Date: Tuesday May 30th, 2006 19:35 Comment 13
MT and JL map location of Kokanee Lakeside RV - 28 Km east of Nelson. The last time MT cycled this route,
the monster hill from Christina Lake to the Paulson summit (1535 meters) made her walk. Today different story. Better bike, better training made up for older legs. She made it to
the top feeling strong. Half way up the hill she saw a fox crossing the road ahead of her. Best wildlife sighting so far.
I had an easy start from Nancy Green Lake, good thing, because my legs felt fried.
40 km downhill to Castlegar then a few rolling hills to Nelson. Kootenays in full glory. Nelson has many charming old buildings.
- Date: Monday May 29th, 2006 20:43 Comment 12
MT map location of Grand Forks Riviera RV - A great ride for me this morning: Richter pass from Keremeos to Osoyoos. I had cycled it in the opposite directions many times so it was interesting to do it in reverse. Predictably, the winds were strong and changing(isn't that what the name Keremeos means?). It was sunny and warm and I was serenaded by birds and crickets all along! My section was shorter,52 km, it left me some energy to take Benson for a walk along the river.
John finally took the red rocket (Cervelo)out for a ride today. He climbed from Osoyoos (elevation 277m) to the summit of Anarchist mountain (1233 m) in one looong continuous climb. He barely escaped various showers and thunder storms in the afternoon...at one point, it was raining just behind him and in the next valley...but he managed to stay dry for the Yippee! descent into Grand Forks.
We did this ride some years ago in a cyclotour of the Kootenay, we both enjoy revisiting the small towns and villages and the riding is fantastic around here.
A bientot!
- Date: Sunday May 28th, 2006 20:39 Comment 11
MT and JL map location of Eagle RV park Keremeos - John lucked out today. He saw 3 deers 1 bear and a lot more sunshine than Madeleine did. She had the hill from Hope to Manning Park Lodge and rain storms off and on. John had wicked
tail winds. The section from Princeton to Keremous was a magic carpet ride! Despite all this, Benson is the one flaking out on the bed at the moment.
- Date: Saturday May 27th, 2006 20:40 Comment 10
JL map location of Campground in Hope - my ride today: 3 hours 40 minutes from Mission to Hope 2 hours of it in heavy rain. The campground we planned to stay at was closed. Backtracked about 10k to a camp ground called Hope Valley Campground. Nice place - would recommend it.
- Date: Saturday May 27th, 2006 20:30 Comment 9
MT - 2 blocks away from home 2 cyclists waiting to cross the street ask me where I am heading to. "New Foundland" I replied. They suggested I hurry or else I'll miss my ferry.
- Date: Saturday May 27th, 2006 12:45 Comment 8
JL map location of Starbucks in Mission - Benson and I are at the first meeting place. MT departed at 8:35 this morning Accompanied by her friend Mary D.
- Date: Friday May 26th, 2006 11:04 Comment 7
JL - Doing the checklist thing today. Don't want to forget
anything. Just loaded up the van water tanks. I'm wondering
how many showers per tank it gets. Haven't used the
shower in the van yet. Instructions for the house sitter
still to be done.
- Date: Monday May 22nd, 2006 17:17 Comment 6
JL - I'll have a computer with me for work. I can connect to the
telus cell network to download emails and upload work files so
I'll be checking in regularly. For personal email my email address is johnl(at)wi.ca and for Eventsonline.ca work related emails send to support(at)eventsonline.ca . Madeleine's email is madeleine_tremblay(at)hotmail.com .
Please do NOT send emails with attachments containing large video files.
- Date: Monday May 22nd, 2006 13:16 Comment 4
JL - Here is a link to a map with our intended route . It is likely to change.
- Date: Monday May 22nd, 2006 0:01 Comment 2
JL -
Some blog posts will have a link to a Google map. We'll have a handheld GPS with us
and if the Latitude and Longitude from the GPS is input with the post,
you'll be able to see our location on the map. I've set up this blog so I can post to it from my cell phone.
When I rode across Canada in the summer of 1980 with my highschool friend Andrew Lawrence, my parents kept a map
on the wall with push pins showing where we had stayed. This is the same idea.
... Could also come in handy for search and rescue .. or Pizza delivery.
- Date: Sunday May 21st, 2006 23:29 Comment 1
JL
map location of home - On Saturday May 27th. John and Madeleine will start
their trip across Canada to celebrate Madeleine's 50th birthday on July 3rd 2006.
We are bringing our RoadTrek camper van
so Benson, our black lab can join us.
The plan is to take turns cycling. Madeleine will ride
in the morning, John in the afternoon. If we each ride on average
about 100 km per day with one day off a week we should
make it to NewFoundland and back
by Mid August.
The date and time shown on the map is the time that the
post to the blog was made.