Day 97 Iroquois to Salaberry de Valleyfield.

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A cool bright and sunny morning dawned and the wind was in the rear quarter, what more could we want as today was Andrew’s birthday, and the day we would re-enter Quebec.

The Monte Cristo provided an adequate repast and off we went. We took the Waterfront Trail (Bike Route 5) today and it proved to be an excellent ride. Some sections of the pathway being

now in my “Top5 bike routes” list. Of special mention are the sections coming into Cornwall which are paradigms of how bike routes should be constructed and maintained.

We took modern coffee at 18^th century Upper Canada Village, then sped on to Cornwall for lunch at Moustache Joe’s then Tim took the lead and navigated us through the rest of the trip to Salaberry. (The section between Coteau du Lac and Beauharnois is also excellent and very pretty and worth the trip to do it.)

We asked a couple of locals where we could find a Motel, and both lanes of the traffic on highway 132 stopped to let us cross. I thought I had died and gone to New Brunswick.

We Skyped Dave for the complex plans for tomorrow’s homecoming and if all goes well we will arrive home about 4pm

Average 23.2kph

Height climbed 210m up, 235m down

Today’s distance 131km

Total distance 7475km

I think that is all the news that’s fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 96 Kingston to Iroquois.

After the good meal and dessert last night Dave decided to stay over and take pictures of us departing today. (That man is a real trouper. ) We had a really strong tail wind which drove us along at a good speed and Dave would pop up from the hedgerow and snap our picture with a massive grin on his face. (He actually used a very clever Canon digital camera.)

We made Gananoque just as a heavy shower started, so where better to sit out a half hour than at Timmie’s? When it finished raining, we set off for Brockville only to get caught in a series of really heavy showers. We ate a Chinese lunch in Brockville as it was the only place open, but it was really good which was just as well, then off along the Parkway and Highway 2 to Iroquois. The last 15km in really heavy rain. Cold and wet we found the Motel Iroquois, (good) and settled in. Supper was excellent pizza from across the road and a couple of beers in the Legion.

Too tired to do anything but sleep.

Average 24.8kph

Height Climbed 600m up, 620m down

Today’s distance 131km

Total distance 7344km

We’ll try for Salaberry de Valleyfield tomorrow.

That’s about all the news that’s fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 95 Kingston Rest Day

We got up late, ate breakfast with Emily and Alice. chatted all morning and watched the rain. Ate lunch and continued to watch the rain. Felt very good that we weren’t riding today.

At 3pm we left A & E’s with arrangements made for a curry fest in the evening with the crew arriving from Montreal.

We found our hotel, First Canada Inns, and as we were sorting our kit the “Crew” arrived. Andrew, our son, Tim and Dot, our tandem partners in crime, and Dave, the man who has done all the worrying for us.

Hugs and kisses all round. Special Hug for Dave as he bought down a bottle of single malt for medicinal purposes, should it be required.

A great curry at Curry Original, a great desert at the The Sleepless Goat and a welcome walk round Kingston

That's more than enough news that's fit to blog.

Night, night

Day 94 Trenton to Kingston.

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Margie up with the lark to make her favorite captain a cup of tea in bed, then next door for a three egg breakfast. It’s no wonder people are putting on weight! It was a beautiful day for biking in the other direction, and the traffic was light once the rush hour had passed.

There was no hard shoulder to speak of, and due to the headwind, there was no down hill to rest our bums, but we made good progress through typical southern Ontario landscape of mixed bush and arable farms, rich and poor.

On the outskirts of Kingston we had another tire failure, this one was predicted and not remarkable, the tire had done about 1400km and had had enough. We put on our best new spare while talking to a chap who stopped his van and asked us if we needed help.

Another nice person.

We continued into Kingston and found a bike shop where we bought 3 tubes to see us through to the end, we hope.

We spent the afternoon in Tim Hortons drinking tea and doing the finances. The tea was good and the finances in very good shape as we were right on budget. We used Tim Hortons as the tourist office by asking Trevor, a young chap behind the counter, where the hotels were in the area and he gave us all the information we needed. He is a very smart young man.

Just before 7pm we went to Alice and Emily’s house and were made most welcome.

We had a pleasant evening talking to the girls and getting caught up on all the local St Bruno gossip.

Average 19.8kph

Height Climbed 570m up and down

Today’s distance 101km

Total distance 7206.

That’s about all the news that’s fit to blog

Nigh, night.

Day 93 Bowmanville to Trenton

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Under the great pressure of a critical audience of two young boys, I learned on the fly how to make Belgian waffles. Steven and Jeremy were so free with their criticism, that I felt we were familly, and I could have been their dad. Nice boys for all that.

After chatting with Mum and Dad for sometime, we got on the road and decided to take route 2 rather than the Lakefront trail as it stated in the guide that there would be places where we would have to take off the bags. So once that decision was made we had to live with the up and down sort of existence normally reserved for elevator operators. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the wind was cool.

We stopped for elevenses in lovely Port Hope, quite

charming it is, and so English.

We ate at a British Tea Room that served scones, and ploughman’s lunches and of course tea made in a crock pot with boiling water.

We got into conversations with Bill who was celebrating his birthday, his lady friend and the charming Vanessa the writer.

There were some tedious road works as we left town, but that negotiated, we were on a good road with light traffic so what made me make the decision to follow the Lakefront Trail beats the heck out of me in retrospect.

But we did and found ourselves in a maze of little streets with few signs and lots of turns. Still we got a view of Coburg marina and beach which we would have missed.

We got back onto the route 2 and our speed increased as it flattened out, running by the side of our old friend, the railway.

Into town we spied a Tourist Information, and with no prospect of being helped we entered this variation of the Monty Python cheese shop. The lady was helpful with data and suggestions, namely that the campgrounds were 8 to 10kms away and the motels were not. This led us to the Park Motel, which is a very classy establishment and 2/3 the price of the HO Jo’s last night.

The motel is under the flight path out of CFB Trenton, so we were entertained by the low flying antics of young people learning to fly big aircraft, and a couple of passes by the Snowbirds.

Average 19.5kph

Height climbed 570m up, 550m down

Today’s distance 104km

Total distance 7105km

That’s about all the news that’s fit to blog

Night, night

Day 92 Newmarket to Bowmanville.

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Rain was forecast today so we looked out with some trepidation to find the air moist and the ground damp. The sky was clear and it was nice and warm as we navigated through morning rush hourtraffic to get to breakfast on Davis Drive (route 31).

They tell me the ice in the last Ice Age traveled from north to south and hence all the ridges run N-S. Going east is therefore a painful process of up and down, it had the advantage of a strong wind at our back, so we went very fast downhill.

As the day wore on the weather became perfect for outdoor activity, sunny, warm and dry with a breeze. Once more the weathermen got it wrong.

We got to Uxbridge, for a snack and a chat to locals practically without incident, only the front chain required a touch of TLC, but just a few kilometers on, we had a fast puncture of the rear tire once again caused by rim tape. That’s 2 in 100km!. I did serious checking this time to see that the tape was properly seated and remedied what was needed. I can’t believe these new tubes are so fragile…

We slowly climbed on the rolling routes 8, 7a and Old Scugog road to Enniskillen where we

started the descent to Lake Ontario.

This is a really pretty route with no traffic and it passes farms and fields and billionaire’s houses. 15km of descent later we were in Bowmanville looking for the tourist information. This is where we met the lovely Mary Jane who was very helpful trying to place us, and was not put out at all when we ended up across the street in an overpriced and very run down Ho-Jo’s.

Average 20.1kph

Height climbed 655mup, 855m down.

Today’s Distance 93km

Total Distance 7001km

We are on the Waterfront Trail tomorrow to Trenton, so we will how that goes.

That’s all the news that fit to blog,

Night, night. Mary Jane

Day 91 Craigleith to Newmarket.

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The weather Channel was correct for once, we woke to sunshine and a warm wind from the SW.

Oh the joys of a new frying pan. Technology has improved so much since the old one had first seen the light of a gas flame. Today it was gourmet sausages and stuff, done to perfection.

The bike felt good as we rolled along into Collingwood, then onto highway 10 with a small peregrination round the ever present road construction. Here we felt the full force of the wind working against us for the first time. We stopped at Angus for a Tim Horton’s lunch,then trucked on hoping that the legs wuld take us to Stouffville. Unfortunately, we were delayed by a puncture in the rear tire, 1200km since the last one, which took the wind out of our sails, but we met a local young man who offered us all sorts of help, including a lift to Newmarket, which we declined. At the next intersection, there was a good restaurant so we pigged out once more and played out the last few,rural, noisy km into Newmarket. It was good, in some perverse way to see a double row of rush hour traffic lined up in the other direction.

We arrived at the Newmarket Inn, a rather swish place with a good room rate and swimming pool about 4:30pm very tired.

We Skyped the evening away chatting to friends and relations, and making arrangements for the last leg of the the journey.

Average 20.5kph

Height Climbed 505m up, 380m down

Today’s distance 115km

Total distance 6908km

Well that’s about all the news that’s fit to Blog. One of the most common comments we have from the general public is “ Don’t you think you need to change your front tire, it’s bald.” Marge came up with a good response today, “So’s my husband and I like him that way.” Lol

Night, night.

Day 90 Miller Lake to Craigleith.

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We had heard coyotes howling in the night, it was wonderful. Ron was up with the lark busting to use his new frying pan. All reports are that breakfast was brilliant, and the eggs looked like eggs for a change. It makes a difference when they’re not mixed up with Teflon from the bottom of the pan.

On the road just after 8h, and 43km later there was the first bend in the road. The bike felt very agile today as we polished off the miles into Wiarton for second breakfast. We saw no groundhogs in this town renowned for Willie the Albino Meteorologist. (If you ask me he’s got as good a record as the egg heads on the Weather Channel who don’t know whether it will rain or whether it wont.)

Wiarton is in a dip, so it’s hard work getting started again, and we seemed to be going up for ages ‘then, all the brakes came off and we on a steep downhill into Owen Sound’s Timmie’s for tea and a bun. We decided that as we were doing so well we would extend the day’s ride to Craigleith Prov. Park. Doing this, and adding about 25km to tomorrow’s ride will save us a day on the schedule and provide us some padding for those coming to meet us in Kingston. The Weather Channel has promised us perfect weather for tomorrow, so we are keeping our Pack-a-Macs handy.

The ride to the Prov. Park was easy, near flat, and fast. The downside was the complete lack of hard shoulder. There was also a lot of light traffic which kept us on our toes.

Average 21.5kph

Height climbed 630m up, 630 down.

Today’s distance 134km

Total distance 6793km

That’s about all the news that’s fit to blog:

Night, night.

Day 89 Sheguiandah to Miller Lake.

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Finally we decided to get rid of our old faithful frying pan, just too much Teflon coming off. Sad, but all good things must come to an end.

We went up the much vaunted hill out of the campsite with no trouble, gears, legs and lungs working in unison like a Greek chorus.

Once on top of the ridge it was relatively easy biking through mostly trees and rocks and water, with the occasional cow and bale of hay. It was perfect weather for biking, fairly strong tail breeze and we were soon in South Baymouth with 3hours to kill before we could sail on the ferry. We did what all good cyclists do when there is no defined plan; we went and got ourselves fed. Later we tried the Internet in the terminal, but it was really sloooow. We have a succession of places where this is true, and it makes adding photos to the blog a really tedious affair. That was a thinly veiled excuse!

The crossing was uneventful, no shipwrecks and nobody drowned, in fact nothing to laugh at at all. We did spend some enjoyable time with the Gambles and the Whitney’s from the Owen Sound area. They were retired farmers catching up for lost holidays now that the farm was in the good hands of their sons.

Once off the boat the clouds cleared and we had a very nice evening doing the 30km to Miller Lake where we got ripped off for camping at Miller Family Campground. The facilities there were not up to the price we were charged, especially as just 2km further up highway 26 there is a camp right by the side of the road. The site was quite good though. Ron was in bed by 7:30pm absolutely shattered.

Average 21.5 kph

Height climbed 560m up, 545m down.

Today’s distance 84km

Total distance 6659km

I think that’s all the news that’s fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 88 Massey to Sheguiandah.

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We waited for the coffee to be ready at the motel then got on the road accompanied by Claire and Robert. They were all dressed up in longs and all their kit looked new and clean. (How’d they do that?) The traffic wasn’t too bad as we clipped along a fairly flat road to the junction of the 17 and 6 where we were going to part ways. The 26km flew by and we were saying our farewells in both languages. Off to Espanola where we had second breakfast in Twiggy’s, very good it was too. The next few miles were some of the best cycling we had done on the trip, next to no traffic, wide shoulder and beautiful country. Even the wind was our friend. We got to the swing bridge just before Little Current, only to find the gate closed and the bridge in motion getting set to let the boats through the channel.

The weather had looked threatening all day, but we decided to camp at Batman’s Cottages and Campground some 13kms out of Little Current.

The campsite is very neat and clean and we set up in double quick time because it started to drizzle, however, nothing came of it, and soon we were drinking a good strong cuppa tea.

A lady came up to us and intro’d herself as one of the tandem couple from Ann Arbor Michigan we had met three days ago. We had a pleasant chat, and they gave us their address and told us to look them up on our next trip. Lovely people.

Average 21kph

Height climbed 650m up, 690m down.

Today’s distance 92km

Total distance 6575km.

That’s all the news that’s fit to blog. Great day today. Bonne chance Claire et Robert.

Night, night.

Day 87 Iron Bridge to Massey.

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We were out early to get breakfast at the Wildwood Resto run by 80year olds. It was nice, but slow, se we didn’t get started till after 9:00am. Summing up the day, rear quarter tail wind no hills, traffic variable, shoulder even more variable, and we are glad that there is only one more day on the 17. Truck traffic is quite high which is always a worry, even though the pro drivers give you as much room as they can.

There was a cold front coming behind us and we did not want to get wet again, so it was pedal to metal all morning, with only two short “bum” breaks. We arrived in Massey just after 1pm, which probably makes this our fastest “hundred” this trip elapsed time. Who should be waiting to check in to the Motel we had chosen but Robert and Clare, the Tandem pair we had met in Antigonish, and later at the North Sydney Ferry.

What a genuine surprise and it was so good to see them again looking buff and healthy. We spent the afternoon catching up on gossip, and hearing some of the traveler’s tales. We Skyped with Dave, did laundry, then felt really warm and cozy as an intense shower ricocheted a foot off the road in front of the window.

We went to the Resto next door, “The Dragonfly,” and had a surprisingly good meal after making arrangements to meet up tomorrow for a ceremonial ride towards Espanola, where we will part company. They will go towards Sudbury, while we head for Manitoulin Island

So after a ho-hum start, we had a great finish to the day; meeting up with fellow travelers, and clean clothes.

Average 22.8kph

Height climbed 280m up, 300m down

Today’s distance 96km

Total Distance 6483km.

I guess that’s all the news that’s fit to blog, plans are fluid for tomorrow depending on the weather so stay tuned.

Night, night.

Day 86 Sault Ste Marie to Ironbridge.

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We woke up to the gentle sounds of a downpour beating an arrhythmic tattoo on the taught top of the tent. That was 3am, there was no sign of rain last night. Did we proof everything? Ah well, too late now. We roll about fitfully napping, as the pitter patter continues until the alarm goes off at 7am. We have a plan: move all the stuff to the shop lean-to and eat breakfast and change the cassette and chain in comfort. Breakfast went well, onto job 2, damn adjustable is too small to fit the cassette removal tool, so we either have to wait until 10am when the shop opens, or buy one from Wal Mart. Cutting to the chase, we bought one from Wal Mart.

All packed and on the road at 10:30am. This is too late for our planned 113km, as we will have to eat big twice, but we set off with a will into a 35kph head wind. We stopped at Echo Lake where I got served a turkey sandwich with fries and delicious gravy which I could not finish. (First time in living memory.)

By the time we got to Thessalon (88km) we were spent and the rain had not given over, so we decided to stop there, but the only place open was way out of our budget for room charge and food. So it was back on the bike in the gathering gloom to do the 27 km remaining to Iron Bridge. We arrived around 18:30h, found a motel and got a Chinese meal from across the road. Weather channel says rain for 4 days. I don’t know why we watch it!

Not too many pictures today, too much rain and the traffic too heavy to allow pictures on the move.

At last we have moved into arable farming land from the trees and rocks which have been our friends for 1000km.

Average 19.5kph,

Todays height 470m up, 450m down,

Today’s Distance 115km

Total distance 6387km

That’s all the news that fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 85 Montreal River to Sault Ste Marie

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We took breakfast at the Resort, and started up the road by 9am in a beautiful day, a little chilly, but we can forgive that. We passed the power station which used to be the Mad Moose, and continued up hill, and continued and continued. It took 80 minutes to do the first 15km, and I did a quick calculation that we wouldn’t get to SSM before 7:30pm at this rate. Fortunately the terrain flattened as went along and all we had to fight was the headwind.

We stopped for lunch at the Voyager Restaurant at 51km and met up with a couple from Anne Arbor on a Tandem. Swapped a story or two, then as soon as we got on the road we were overtaken by a group of Montreal Policemen going from Vancouver to MTL and raising money for the Missing Children’s Network. We had a nice chat for 5minutes, it’s really good being chaperoned by a squad car up front and a paddy wagon with its lights on at the back.

We made really good time until Goulais River where we stopped for chocolate milk, then there was One Mile hill, a really nasty little climb. Fortunately after that it was all downhill to our camping spot at Vélorution.

Vélorutionis a bike shop that gives free camping to cyclists, they also had a nine speed cassette, and knew where I could get a nine-speed chain. They also lent me an adjustable wrench so that I could do the work. They showed us our camping spot out back and the biking track that they had made for the amusement of the local youth. Real fine folks one and all: Pat, Jan and André. We picked up the chain at the Duke of Windsor bike shop, and were very expertly dealt with too byRob White. SSM is lucky to be served by such professional bike shops.

We will change the cassette tomorrowearly and be on our way to Iron Bridge.

Average 19.2kph

Height climbed 800m up, 795m down

Today’s distance 125km

Total distance 6272km

That’s all the news that’s fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 84 Wawa to Montreal River Harbour

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We decided to have a quick breakfast of free coffee and muffins from the motel and cook aproper breakfast al fresco at about 30km. We were on the road by 8am in a cool, cloudy day and generally light traffic.

So we had 8km of mainly downhill before the climbing began. The scenery is typical of the area, namely, trees and rocks, rocks and trees and water. We stopped for breakfast at 29 km, Old Woman Bay picnic area, and met up with the bear hunters from a couple of days ago. They were on their way home, happy as clams that they’d bagged a bear. The bear however, was not asked its opinion.

On our way and running before very black clouds threatening showers we polished off another 40km of head wind and hills before we stopped for lunch. What a difference a rest day makes: the conditions were just as hard today, but they were not as wearing on the soul as a couple of days ago. Ham and tomato sandwiches were demolished, which fortified us till the next stop which was at the Agawa Bay Information Centre. Here we met Bob and Lucie. Lucie is a very talented artist, and Bob is a “builder of mountain bike trails” but, truth to tell, he also revels in snow shoeing. We had a good chat on diverse topics from P&W’s .190 Inco 625 studs, to the amount of play the BOB has in its rear bearings. (Both of us agreed it was too much.) He gave us his telephone number in case we needed help. Another excellent person.

The Mad Moose Lodge was our designated night stop, but apparently it has been demolished, and is no more, so we opted instead for the Twilight Resort, Cabins and Campground, just off the highway, at Montreal Harbour. There is no other accommodation for several miles. Our campsite is pretty and the sun did us a favour and came out for supper, canned chili and fries spiced up with hot sauce. (It was actually a lot better than it sounds.)

To finish the day we took a walk along the beach which gave us the opportunity to see the river enter the lake, a phenomenon which this old aerodynamicist found very interesting, and take a few photos. It will be Sault Ste Marie tomorrow, camping. Velorution Free Camping and a chance to change the Cassette and rear chain, both of which are well past their “best by” date

Average 17.5kph

Height Climbed 970m up, 1070m down

Today’s Distance 107km

Total Distance 6147km

That’s all the news that fit to blog. We feel very pleased with our performance today on this tough leg.

Night, night.

Day 83 Wawa Rest Day.

A nice garden in Wawa

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I had breakfast in bed, delicious muffins and coffee. Very nice day, blue skies, light wind. Did laundry and blogged.. The more observant would have seen a totem on yesterday’s Pictures marked with Gitchee Goomee. It reminded me of Hiawatha, the Poem by Longfellow, written in 1855. When I was about 8, I learned a lot of it, and have spent the last 54 years forgetting it.

It starts:

By the shores of Gitchee Goomee,

By the big sea shining water

Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,

Daughter of the Moon Nokomis

I had no thought that one day I would be here. Life’s like that always full of little surprises.

Enough for today. I’m going for a nap.

Night, night.

Day 82 White River to Wawa.

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So we woke up, this is always better than the alternative, and decided to move on. I made breakfast in the motel yard, much to the amusement of a gang of ladies of a certain age who had spent the last 10 days fishing and wanted someone to “torment” other than their husbands. I offered to share our ample victuals, and remained my normal placid self in the face of some good natured, but barbarous wit.

We got away just after 9am into a fierce headwind and a gentle rise that never ended. A quick check of the altimeter to see if we were getting close to needing breathing apparatus revealed a climb of 45m. Somewhat disappointed we battled on knowing there would be no long downhills today. We stopped at a lodge at 28km and spent a leisurely hour chatting to a young lad there and playing guitar. Glad to find the fingers have not lost all their cunning. This is a big hunting area and the other patrons were all looking to bag a bear. I asked if they were using bows, but they smiled and said the last thing they wanted was to give the bear a sporting chance. The whole exercise is way too expensive.

At the next stop, Halfway Motel, Marge took a picture of me sitting next to a tin man.

I’m the one in Yellow.

By this time, it was over 30’C.

I have a rule which graduates how tired I am: if I notice 5km or more between glances at the Odo, I’m not tired, at 1, or 2km, I’m “ok” tired, and at 200m or less, I’m in pain. Thus it was for the last 20km. The sting in the tail was 500m of 6%. It will be a rest day tomorrow.

We met some nice folks, Danielle and Jean from Longueuil, at the Tourist Information, where the Guide actually had a clue. And here we are in the Algoma Motel with a very well done hand painted mural of a friendly looking wolf in the snow.

Wawa is known for its statues of geese

We ate too much at the Viking Tavern in the company of a dozen Harley Riders and several hunters, then back to the Motel to sleep the sleep of the log. Marge did wake me at sometime, as she was being processed through a saw mill, at least that was the level of noise. But it was music to me.

Average 17.7kph

Height Climbed 550m up, 620m down

Today’s distance 93km

Total Distance 6039km

That’s all the news that fit to blog today. Thanks to everyone for their comments, including MJand RG who regularly brighten our day’s photos with comments.

Thanks also to all the folks who have donated to the JDRF. Your gift is appreciated.

Night, night.

Day 81 Marathon to White River

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Another day when getting up is hard. It doesn’t help when you hear the rain drumming on the roof. It stops, Marge looks out the window and says it’s a beautiful day. Up and at ‘em, 2 eggs over easy, sausage and trimmings. A waitress that finds my humor funny! On the bike and up the road into a slight hill and a stiff headwind. Mmmm, this ain’t gonna

be easy. Road surface was very good and we had a lane all to ourselves as the road was under construction and traffic light, but it soon it started to rain very heavily.

Flashing lights ahead and a SUV stopped on the shoulder signaled a Moose on the road. He sidled off as soon as he saw us. I have that effect on some people too.

Barrick Gold Mine

Terrain was not so steep as yesterday, but the headwind mean’t we had to work all the time. We were glad to get to Gloria’s Motel at 54km for a bite to eat and some coffee. The rain stopped and the sun came out to help us on our way, and with several short stops to ease the buns, we made it to White River by mid afternoon. No chance camping tonight, the forecast is for heavy rain showers so into a motel called White River Motel where the Manager was very helpful and brought us cloths to clean the bike, a toaster and a kettle.

White River is a town in difficulty, we were told due to the closure of the local paper mill, but it looked good and the local store was adequately stocked with good farinaceous food. It is of coursewhere Lt. Harry Colebourn purchased a black bear cub and started the industry of Winnie the Pooh. The story is on the plaque in Pictures.

We may have a rest day tomorrow as we have done 8 days in a row, depends on the weather when we wake up.

Average 17.8kph

Height climbed 615m up, 560m down

Today’s distance 93km

Total distance 5946km

Bangers and Mash for supper, we never get tired of this easy to prepare meal. (Good job)

Watch some TV as it’s Saturday and we can couch potato if we want. See what happens tomorrow. If the weather cooperates and we feel good, we will head for Wawa 90km away.

That’s all the news that’s fit to Blog

Night, night.

Day 80 Schreiber to Marathon

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Oh it’s sooo hard to get out of bed. The birds were cheeping; the sky is blue, and not too cool. Finally hunger drove us to get up and get the show on the road. It was a perfect day to cycle, except for the stiff head breeze. Later though, this would be a good thing as we toiled up some stinking little hills. One even brought us down to groveling granny, something almost unheard of on this trip. The good news again was a more than adequate shoulder for most of the time, and very light traffic.

The scenery was super, and there was a look out just after a particularly nasty climb with a picnic table that we used to rest, and admire the view of trees and rocks and water and railway line and road-bridge in perfect order.

A few clicks further we stopped for coffee and a cookie at Neys Lunch and Camp-ground. Coffee was excellent and freshly made. Thus invigorated we hacked away at the last 25km into Marathon and took a Motel with what turned out to be a good restaurant. (Sorry Andrew and Alex, Mom and Dad are spending the inheritance!!! )

Back in the room we had the pleasure of a Skype Video call with Andrew, did the blog, and as Mr Pepys would say, “So to bed.”

Average 16.8kph

Height Climbed 965m up, 965m down.

Today’s distance 90km

Total Distance 5853km

No mechanical issues today, so it’s the first time I’ve arrived with clean hands for what seems like a long time.

Today was a beautiful ride for the fit and prepared, we enjoyed it.

That’s all the news that fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 79 Nipigon to Schreiber

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Today is the first day of the next hilly section, so we set the alarm early and totally ignored it. After making breakfast in the motel forecourt, we were on the road by 8:15 none the less. Definitely a nip in the air, but by 10 am the Nipigon and we were well on our way to Mulroney’s nemesis.

Not too much traffic, which is a good thing, as it is noisy and once again today we had to take a dive when two trucks passed each other and us. Really no big deal as Marge had the situation well in hand, and explained to me in a few concise words what I had to do. Some people might find these words hard on the ear coming from such a refined lady as my wife, so I will not repeat them here.

We had some wonderful views of the Lake which with the haze looked like pictures from one of the Group of Seven.

Half way we stopped for coffee and homemade pie, and the somewhat taciturn waiter smiled wickedly as he told us of the three hills before we get to Schreiber. But what can you do, taking the train was not an option.

During our lunch break I took the opportunity to clean the rear hub, as with all the dirt and rain we have been through it was starting to bind and make gear changing unreliable. Thank the lord for the wonderful Hadley hubs on the Santana. 10 minutes later the job was done and the pawls cleaned and lubricated.

Just before Schreiber, around 3pm, we met a young First Nations guy on his way to see his parents on Salt Spring Island. He told us that he had met Robert and Clare, another tandem couple from Quebec City, in Terrace Bay. Good for them. Their website puts them in Neys last night. (http://albatros.over-blog.com/)

The weather seems settled so we are camping tonight at the RV Park, just us and another couple.

For those of you with interests in the culinary side of Tandem Touring we had Ginger shrimp stir fry, enough for four.

Average 16.8kph

Height climbed 930m up 875m down

Today’s Distance 90km

Total Distance 5763km

As the evening drew on, the mist started to roll in from the lake. Apparently this is a normal occurrence in these parts. It is the first time I have seen it when it is so warm. Let’s hope it does not hold us up tomorrow.

Today’s ride was very scenic, but tough on the legs. 930m is as high as most of the Rockies Passes. Tomorrow we will aim for Marathon and stay in a motel.

That’s all the news that fit to Blog

Night, night.

Day 78 Thunder Bay to Nipigon

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*This URL takes you straight to our page where, if you have a mind, or you are just a teenager, you can donate to a very good cause. Lol

It was hard getting started this morning, everything looked brilliant, but our heads were not with it. It took ages to lather ourselves with sun lotion, and pack up. Eventually we got on the bike and wended our way through the suburbs. We stopped to get some money from an ATM, and a guy came up to chat and told us of a route out of town which was quiet and scenic. “Just turn right at the Stop” so we did. 20km later we were on the TCH after a very pleasant ride along Strathcona Ave. Fortunately for us the traffic was light, on this section as the shoulder is none existent in some places and the road very rough. The trucks though gave the most room and there were no problems. It was very wearing, but I reminded Marge we used to ride roads like this in the UK all the time.

Most of the ride was with a perfectly good shoulder, and we stopped for construction at Moose River, where big trucks were moving big rocks. Too interesting.

The country is slightly rolling for the most part, with a helpful wind, brilliant sunshine and the air wonderfully clear we made good time. Today is the start of 6 days to Sault Ste Marie, and it was hot so we took it easy and stopped in at a campsite 5km before Nipigon, but I was tired and felt the need to be pampered, so we bought self cook food and found a very nice Motel “The Nipigon River Motel” just to the east of town and cooked our supper in their forecourt, Chicken stir fry.

Average 21.8kph

Height Climbed 580m up 560 down

Today’s Distance 106km

Total Distance 5673km

Today was the nicest day weather wise we have had since Saskachewan, and we have 4 more days forecast, and we had no tire problems. Hoobloodyrah.

That’s all the news that’s fit to Blog

Night, night.

Day 77 Shabaqua Corners to Thunder Bay.

Pictures Itinerary JDRF

So at 6am, I jumped out of bed to see if the tire was still up……It was. Well that’s a good start anyway. We did our usual breakfast and were on the road before 8am. The traffic was more dense on this stretch of the highway than we were used to, but fortunately for the most part the shoulder was well surfaced and wide. The invisible motel from last night appeared on the left after a couple of kilometers, and there were one or two little hills to test out the legs Iit also seemed that there were more signs of civilization. We developed some tests, learned from experience, to tell if the rear tire was deflating, which involve Marge moving about, waving arms and shuttling backwards and forwards on the saddle. A low tire exaggerates these movements in a way a hard one does not. The road split at about 21km to give us the option of using highway 102 which was 16km shorter. We decided to stay with the TCH as we wanted to visit one of Canada’s prime tourist spots, Kakabeka Falls which were really very impressive and well laid out to view. One minor grumble, the signage was all in English.

A quick coffee stop in Kakabeka Village then fast downhill all the way (almost) into Thunder Bay. For the last few km, we used a highway segment where bikes were not allowed. The traffic was light, the shoulder adequate and the surface very good. I was not going off into the styx where, if the tire blew I could not get a lift.

No citations were issued, and no mishaps occurred so we went into Timmies for a bite. (Thanks Anne) Then down to Cycle Path to be disappointed. But no! They had everything we needed and offered to fit it right there. High marks indeed.

Through the city, down to the harbor and exit east to find a motel, drink, take a nap, do the washing , fix the rim tape and put in a new tube, shop for food, do the blog, check tomorrow’s route, eat, and here we are, it’s 8:30pm.

Average 22.8kph

Height climbed 340m up, 550m down

Today’s distance 78km

Total distance 5567km

The sun shone today for the first time for a week, all the talk was about how hot it was.

That’s all the news that fit to Blog

Night, night.