Thursday, June 30, 2005

Day 3 – Mileage: 63.22 km
Lake Errock, BC to Hope, BC

Well, I almost started the morning briskly – I put my bathing suit on, and got into the lake up to my knees, but decided that was enough – it was definitely a mountain lake and very cold. Adele then took some pictures of the bum tree (an interestingly-shaped cedar tree), and we proceeded to make our first meal at a campsite.

Biking was great today – wide shoulders, and great scenery. I’ve been loving the smells and sounds – whenever I smell cedar from now on I’ll think of BC, as the logging trucks go by, and all the sawmills along the rivers. It was a relatively short day, biking-wise, but I did get to climb a few hills. They were nothing like the ones that will be coming up, but good training. There was also a steep downhill, with maximum speed posted of 40 kph for vehicles, so I made sure I didn’t go any faster than that either! Adele found a bakery and brought me some treats for lunch, then we met again in Hope at 2:10. We had the bike loaded and DQ visited by 2:30, and headed back to Vancouver to check in at the Fairmont Airport Hotel, in preparation to pick up Monique. We were really looking forward to getting there early so we could enjoy the spa and other amenities, but alas, traffic was against us. We were tied up for at least an extra hour, and arrived only at 7:00 pm. Adele was able to take a quick whirlpool soak, as she was in major pain after all the driving and delays, then we walked to the arrivals area to meet Monique on her 8:13 plane. Everything went well, and after some BC champagne in our room, we went for some food and fun. I haven’t laughed so much in a long, long time. Monique is definitely good therapy.

By the way, my foot is feeling good; there’s a bit of stiffness in the mornings, which works out as the day progresses. Also, the new bike is great! I think I’m going at least 5 km per hour faster for the same amount of effort. It will take some time to get really used to the different body position; my neck and arms get much more of a workout this way. The fellow (Bruce Wenting?) at the bike store in Mission wondered if the handlebar stem (is that the right part name) was too long; he thought it might be and asked if my neck and shoulders were hurting. I told him I wasn’t familiar with the drops so had nothing to compare with, so I’m trusting Jay’s measurements at least for now. I told Bruce (if that’s who I was talking to) that I would consider his advice, and if I was hurting in Calgary I’d consider changing it. My saddle seems to be softening to my shape nicely, as I haven’t had too many saddle sores yet. Of course, I haven’t put in super long days or efforts yet, so that could all change.

Wednesday June 29, 2005

Day 2 - Mileage: 78.45 km
Maryhill Bypass & Broadview, Vancouver to Lake Errock, BC

We were up at 7:30, but still got off to a slow start. Because it had been so late the night before, we had had no time to organize ourselves. My sleep had been somewhat fitful, as I kept thinking of traffic, and some of the less than ideal biking conditions I had gone through during the day. However, we finally managed to get out of the site, and back into Maple Ridge for some breakfast. Then we drove back to the place I left off the day before, and I loaded up and started out. Traffic was still heavy, but not so bad since the highway had a good shoulder. I did walk across the bridge over the Pitt River, as there was no shoulder to speak of, but then carried on. A little later, however, the shoulder disappeared, and biking was less than ideal again. However, I carried on, until I got back to Maple Ridge, at which point I noticed a sign to Mission going off to the right. I was worried that Adele might not notice it, so I tried calling her. No answer. I went a little further and tried again – same result. I kept going until Hwy 7, and tried again. This time I got her; she had been doing a bit of shopping. I gave her my location, and waited. And waited. I thought to myself, “this trip was supposed to give me a chance to find out who I really am, but I don’t need this. I already knew I’m impatient!” I phoned her again, and this time we connected properly, and she was with me within minutes. We took a nice long break, then were able to designate a meeting spot, since I knew there might be a rain cover for my bike bag waiting for me at the local bike store, Wenting Cycle. We had an address, so we arranged to meet there.

At Wenting Cycles there was indeed a cover waiting for me. I also bought a bear bell (to let the bear know dinner is ready), and a new tire pump. The gentleman who helped me explained my pump was more suited for mountain bike tires, and it was extremely difficult to get more than 40 or 50 psi with that type. That explains why I couldn’t get enough air in yesterday! My new one has a little foot pedal and works more like the regular pumps, so I’m very pleased. I also asked him about biking the Coquihalla Pass versus going the Fraser Canyon Route, and he very emphatically said I should NOT do the Coquihalla Pass route, as it is not biker friendly, there are no rest stops, and traffic is very fast. So, that ends that quandary – we’ll follow the Fraser Canyon route.

Someone at the bike shop also kindly gave us the name of a campsite at Lake Errock, so we arranged to meet there. It’s not the best maintained campsite I’ve ever been in, but the view over the lake, with mountains surrounding us, is spectacular. There’s a train track on the other side of the lake, which is about 750 metres across at this point, so I think a sleeping pill and some ear plugs will be the order of the day (night) tonight.

The biking conditions after we left Mission have improved as well. The shoulders are not great, and it is still a highway, but traffic lessened considerably, and I was actually able to relax and enjoy the scenery occasionally.

I’m off to get ready for bed now, so good night.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Day 1 - Mileage: 94.55 km
Victoria, B.C. to Maryhill Bypass & Broadway Ave., Vancouver B.C.

A perfect day to start a trip of a lifetime. I hope I’m up for it. Breakfast was a perfect send off with Belgian waffles and sausages, scones, muffins, cranberry bread (I hope you’re not hungry as you’re reading this). Albert wanted to top up the tire pressure on both bikes, so we had our challenges figuring out Presta valves – I also wanted to confirm that my little bike pump will indeed come through for me when I need it. I managed 40 psi, but no more, after I totally flatted out one of the tires on my new bike. Sorry, Jay.
However, with the car pump, we finally got them up to sufficient pressure.

We got down to Mile 0, which is only about half a kilometer from the B&B, took some pictures, then made our way down to the beach so I could dip my tire into the Pacific Ocean. After a few hugs and tears, I set off at 10:55 a.m., along Douglas Street, then Blanshard, and on to Hwy 17. I tried to keep my eye open for the bike route, but was a bit nervous of losing too much time, since I really wanted to catch the 1:00 ferry if at all possible. So, in the end, I just followed the highway. There are good shoulders all along the route, and once I got out of Victoria, it was fine. There was even a section where there was no traffic, and I briefly tried out my new aero bars. At approximately the half way point, Albert passed me in his rented vehicle, followed by Adele. Both honked and waved, then shortly after that I saw them both pulled over by a police car! I also stopped, of course, and it turned out the officer thought that Albert’s licence plate had expired. She was a lovely lady, and apologized for making the error.

The highway seemed to have quite a lot of downhill, and at one point I looked down at my speedometer and noticed I was going 57 kph, and didn’t even notice it. The bike is very well balanced, and I felt great. I made it to the ferry at 12:30; we got the bike loaded up, and off we went. The ferry ride was relaxing, which was just as well, because it turned out I would need energy for the rest of the day!

We pulled off the highway at the first opportunity so I could get my bike unloaded etc. Serendipitously (that’s Murray C’s word), we had stopped at one of the biggest great blue heron rookeries in Canada, according to the gentleman who pointed them out to us. It was incredible to see all these very large birds landing in trees, and to see the young ones trying to fly. I had also spotted a bald eagle perched on a pole as we drove away from the ferry, and sure enough, there was an eagle’s nest here as well, with two young eagles sitting atop it. They were fairly large already, but evidently do not develop their tell-tale white heads until they are about five years old. I left Adele to admire the location a little longer while I started out. I arrived at the place we were to meet Pat and Rick, but still no Adele. I started worrying, so called her. It turned out she had answered the call of nature at the reserve by going into the little meadow in front of the trees, and sitting on the grass (she had to be discreet because there were other people around). Her intention was to sit in comfort, while watching the herons, and trying to take a picture, so she wasn’t thinking very much about what was happening to her nether regions. Much to her chagrin, she soon discovered she had sat down on an ants’ nest! She was covered with welts in all the most inappropriate places, up to her waist, and over her hands. She had to ease the pain and itch by dousing a sock with cold water, and doing a quick wash. Luckily she has a good sense of humour, and is still laughing about it.

Then started the next leg of the biking adventure. After some photos, possibly for a local Richmond newspaper, I followed Rick. Then I followed Rick some more….we finally stopped at 7:00 p.m. when I said I really couldn’t go on any more. We had met up with Adele and Pat several times, but the last stretch was the longest. It turned out we turned right instead of left at one point, and ended up taking a shortcut, for which I was grateful. We went through bad traffic, over bridges, up hills (usually walking, because I’m not up to hills yet, and haven’t totally figured out the gearing), and down hills (me braking most of the time). We stopped at Maryhill Bypass and Broadway Ave.; I loaded up my bike, and then we drove to a restaurant in Maple Ridge, where we had supper with Pat and Rick. We ended up at a lovely campsite, but it was 9:45, so we got ready for bed and crashed. Thus ends day 1.

Monday, June 27, 2005

Well, it’s the day before the biking adventure really begins, and last minute nerves and preparations are both underway.

Breakfast at Ashcroft House Bed & Breakfast, on Battery Street, Vicftoria BC (just a little plug for our host and hostess) really was sumptuous. As well as warm, homemade muffins and breads, fresh fruits, and great granola, Paulann made a quiche that was loaded with various cheeses, on a grated potato base. This was served with bacon and tomato. We’ve been promised waffles for the send off breakfast. If any of you are ever in Victoria, I highly recommend this place. It’s also within an easy walking distance of Mile 0, which is at the base of Douglas Street, Victoria, and from where I’ll be starting my trip.

The rest of the day was basically spent reorganizing the van to suit two women (three soon), and to get the biking needs out. We also found a great bike store, recommended by the shop owner in Steveston (part of Richmond BC), where I was able to purchase an aero bar modification that will allow my computer to be turned towards me, and a mirror for the end of the drop bar. This may not be the ideal mirror either, simply because the drops are so far down, but every bit helps. I’ll see how it works when I start biking Tuesday. The staff member who installed everything, very cheerfully I might add, was also able to put the light that Nory had bought me onto the handlebar, so I felt the whole expedition was very worthwhile. He even phoned a bike shop in Mission, BC, to see if they could get a bright yellow cover for the back rack pack I’ll be using, so I’ll be extra visible in the rain. I do have a black cover, which I’ve made brighter with fluorescent tape, but I’d still love a bright colour. Anything I can do to be seen!

We ended the day looking for a Shoppers Drug Mart that was open (none were; Victoria streets roll up early), and a quick supper at McDonalds! Then we headed back to the B & B for some champagne, and a bath in the extra large tub in our suite. There were still some things to be done, but I knew I’d be awake early, so I figured I could do them in the morning (which is when I’m actually writing up this blog entry).

Wish me luck – I’m on my way.

Love,
Nynka

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Today was a full day, but everything went according to plan. We left Rick and Patricia’s house on time, after a delicious breakfast, and got to the ferry for Victoria, no problem. We chatted with a gentleman on the ferry who gave us good directions to the airport, plus we found a map, so we had no problems getting to the airport in time to pick up Adele. Her flight was slightly delayed, but the airport is small, so we were ready to leave by 12:45. Since we were too early to check into our B & B, we went to De Dutch Pannekoek House for lunch/dinner (for Adele, everything feels 3 hours later), and enjoyed a pancake that tasted much like the ones I remember when I was a youngster (what a good memory I have). We then proceeded to our B & B, Ashcroft House, on Battery Street. It’s a huge century house, which used to be a rooming house, and the rooms are gorgeous. We have a huge bathtub and separate shower, a king-sized bed that’s about 4 feet high, and lots of Victorian-style furniture. I didn’t sleep super-well last night, so I think I’m going to be very happy to try out the bed early tonight.

We set out to explore a bit of Victoria, and were fortunate enough to see some of the tall ships still in the harbour. Many had already left for Vancouver, but it was neat to see the ones that were left. We also managed a few photos of the parliament buildings, the Empress Hotel, etc. We thought of making reservations for high tea at the Empress, but in the end decided the price of $46 per person was a little too steep. Maybe after we win the lottery… Meanwhile, we did find a nice restaurant where we enjoyed a light supper.

Now it’s time to enjoy the B & B; Adele is going to try out our big bathtub, as she only has a shower in her room. I had thought to do the same, but it’s getting late, so maybe I’ll indulge tomorrow night.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

We got up relatively early (which is still not early by my normal standards – I shall have to mend my ways soon!), and started organizing things. We got some more laundry done, and got routes and maps out to decide the best way out of Richmond. After a great breakfast including homemade muffins, Albert, Rick and I got on some bikes (yes, finally I was able to try my new bike), and rode around the neighbourhood. The roads are very flat and Rick managed to avoid bad traffic areas. The bike is superb, but do I ever have a lot of training to do to get used to it! My legs felt like they weren’t working at all, but my arms and neck definitely knew they were being used. I also have to get used to a helmet mirror again, so if anyone has some advice, I’d sure appreciate hearing it. I used to use one with my hybrid bike, before I got the fancy handlebar mirrors, but my position was much more upright, and relatively constant. I find I’m changing positions a lot now, especially as I get used to the bike, and I haven’t found the ideal mirror position yet. Help!

We came back home, then went out to a favourite Japanese restaurant for some sushi. I had been looking forward to trying Oriental food in the Vancouver area, as that was something I remembered from approximately 30 years ago, which is the only other time I have been in the Vancouver area. We are also going to enjoy fresh salmon on the BBQ for supper tonight; we went to the wharf and bought it fresh off the boat, as it were.

I’m finishing this segment just before bedtime – we had a lovely party with friends and neighbours of Pat and Rick, and now we’re getting ready for bed, as it will be another early morning tomorrow. We have reservations for the 10:00 a.m. ferry to Victoria tomorrow, and we have to be packed and organized. We’ll be picking Adele up at the Victoria airport at 12:30, and then we’ll start getting prepared for the next segment of this adventure. Whew!

Friday, June 24, 2005

We had intended to get up fairly early, but ended up sleeping in. Oh well, we are on holidays, after all. We started the day with a bracing swim in Okanagan Lake; it had felt fairly warm near the shore, but it’s definitely cold further out! We followed with our first campsite breakfast; it seemed to make sense to try out the stove etc at least once in case we needed to replace something before the actual bike trip. Then we set off for the Mission Hill Estate Winery for a tour of Albert’s favourite wine brand. The estate is incredibly beautiful; we could swear we were in the Mediterranean somewhere. The proprietor has taken great pains to make this a world-class establishment, and hired the right architect to design the building for this jewel-like setting. He also hired a master vintner from New Zealand to manage operations in 1992, who proved his worth within two years by winning at international competitions.

Then we left for Vancouver, via Hwy 97C and the Coquihalla Hwy. This is a toll road, great for driving but with extremely long stretches of down (or up) hill. I was thankful that this is not the route I intended to take back. Little did I know that on Saturday (which is when I’m updating this), a local biker who is experienced in all the various mountain routes recommended that this is indeed the route I should consider taking! I guess Monique and I will have to have a conference.

We arrived in Richmond close to 7:00 p.m., where a delicious BBQ steak dinner awaited us, prepared by Rick and Pat, at whose home we are staying. It was good to see Albert’s two grandsons in their home setting; it’s much easier to get to know them there. After supper we had a bit of a tour of the area; it’s spectacular, with the ocean and Fraser River being within two blocks of their house. Pat and Rick are also going to be very helpful in determining a route from the ferry out of Vancouver, hopefully with as little traffic as possible. They’ve offered to meet us at the ferry and “lead” us out, which will be fantastic.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Today is a sad day for the Greer family, as it marks the first anniversary of their mother’s passing. Albert connected by phone with his sister Virginia, which was good for his soul.

After breakfast in Jasper, we headed to the Columbia Icefield, and enjoyed a tour of the Athabasca Glacier on a Brewster Snocoach. We then headed back toward Lake Louise, at times through a blizzard, where we connected again with highway #1 west. This allowed me to see some of the route Monique and I will be tackling. Sorry, Monique – I know I’m not supposed to be analyzing the shoulders etc. Suffice it to say we have our work cut out for us. I believe I’ll be taking the Iron Lady character back out of her closet for this portion of the trip. We may also decide walking shoes should be included in our panniers for awhile. The BC mountains are spectacular, but the passes are long!

I’ll take a minute now to mention the wildlife we have seen so far. Yesterday we saw two mountain goats, drinking from tiny cracks in the asphalt at Minnewanka Lake. We also saw a deer and her fawn (we have actually seen several deer en route). Today we have seen three bighorn sheep, and another deer alongside the highway. We also passed beautiful swaths of lupines. I’m interested to note how different the Indian paintbrush is from our Devil’s paintbrush.

Other notes: my left leg is feeling stiff from the exercise it had yesterday, but otherwise no ill effects. Also, I didn’t even bother turning on my phone since we have had so little service. Rogers has a long way to go to live up to their promises!

We ended the day in Kelowna, in a beautiful campsite right on Okanagan Lake. The temperature was balmy, so we got some take out to eat at our campsite. The evening ended at a communal campfire with the other campers (our sites were very close together). We were parked next to a couple from Germany; their English was very good, but I wished Adele was with me already so she could converse easily with them. They love Canada, and are even considering applying to immigrate.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

I had a dream last night, in which I was able to run! I hoped it was an omen of at least being able to walk somewhat today.

We gathered our things together: I checked one last time for emails, and got a few more answered (sorry those of you I haven’t replied to yet). Then we were off for a day of doing “touristy” things. We were soon in Banff, and headed for the gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain. I was especially excited to see there is a trail that goes all the way to the top of the mountain, and decided that if I ever get back to Banff, I will climb to the top. I even told Albert if we were staying in Banff for the day, I would be trying the descent, sore foot and all. In any event, at the top of the mountain there was an extensive boardwalk with many lookouts, and Albert and I did manage to walk the whole distance. I remembered later that this is a very special mountain in the life of Nory and Robin, but that’s their story.

My foot felt quite good all day, although I never did manage to run. After lunch at the Banff Springs Hotel, we headed to Lake Louise, and viewed the lake in the rain. It was a fairly brief shower, and by the time we got coffee at the Chateau Lake Louise, we were able to take a couple of “sunny” pictures as well. We then headed toward the Columbia Ice Fields, where we stopped, again in the rain, but the last tour had already gone for the day. So, we continued on to Jasper, stopping for a photo op at the Athabasca Falls. We found a camping spot, then headed into town for a lovely pasta dinner at Caruso’s. I’m sure you can guess who chose that restaurant...the music did not live up to its name, but the food and service were great.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

I got my chance to chat with the biker who had set up camp near us; he’s from England, and had cycled the Logan Pass the previous day. He said it was actually not as bad as some he had already done on his trip (he was on day 20), as it was straight up and straight down, more or less. Others he had done went up, then down about 700 feet, so he had to start over again. Good point; I wonder what Rogers’ Pass is like (sorry, Monique – I’m analyzing again…) He was pulling a trailer, and was using a mountain bike with fat tires. He preferred them, as he said he passed lots of cyclists who were having many flats and broken spokes. I may have to go back to using my old bike yet!

We headed back toward Calgary, stopping for a short visit at the interpretive centre at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. With a name like that I couldn’t resist checking things out. I was most fascinated by bits of stories about Napi, who seemingly is the Blackfeet Indian equivalent of the creation stories. I tried to get some written material, but there was none available, but one the staff gave me an author to look up.

We arrived back at John and Joy’s in Calgary around 3:00 and relaxed for awhile before I attempted to put some seam sealer on my tent. It has never leaked before, but I thought it might be a good idea to reinforce some of the seams, especially after seeing what kinds of rains the west coast is capable of getting! After that I transferred my pictures to the computer, and attempted to add some photos to the blog. So far it’s a bit of a marathon process, but I hope to be able to speed it up with more experience. I hope you enjoy my efforts so far.

For those of you who received Albert’s detailed itinerary, and are noticing that we’re not really sticking to it, I’ll let you know that we do plan to visit Banff and Jasper tomorrow and Thursday, and hope to be in Vancouver by Friday night. The rest of the itinerary should be about the same. We never did get to see the dinosaurs in Drumheller due to all the flooding etc. It just seemed to make more sense to stay with people who had a proper roof over their head, rather than camping where people were being evacuated.

We’re going to have a final cup of tea before bed; I’m happy to finally catch up on my blogging. Chances are I won’t have another opportunity until we get to Vancouver. Thanks for all the emails; I’ve tried to answer a few of them, but can’t do them all. It’s great to keep up with the news from my friends and family.

Lotsa love,
Nynka

Soaking the foot in some ice water

Bear Grass - one of my flower photos

Glacial Waterfall near Logan's Pass

Monday, June 20, 2005

After a fitful sleep, I got up early to check and answer a couple of emails. Monique had mentioned she had sent me one, and I got a great chuckle out of her admonition to stop analyzing every shoulder and sidewalk for biking potential. I was also delighted to learn that she has also started up a blog, and I hope all of you will check it out. It’s at www.cheerleaderbikerbabe.blogspot.com . When you do, you’ll understand why I’m looking forward so much to having Monique join me. She’s a French Canadian fireball, and she’ll keep me going for sure.

Albert and I left Calgary after breakfast, on a side trip highly recommended by Mike and Jan Jarvis. We went to the Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, part of which is in Alberta, and part of which is in Montana. It was through scenic countryside, the likes of which we had only seen in wild west movies to this point. We did wonder occasionally if the trip was going to be worth it, but I can attest to the fact that it was. Especially in Montana were we thrilled by the scenery. One travels along the Going to the Sun Road, through Logan’s Pass, which is an astonishing 6,646 feet high, and on to West Glacier. The road is narrow and winding, and often there are no barricades to keep a vehicle on the road. However, everyone drove slowly and carefully, and there were many pullouts and scenic lookouts where we could stop for photos. Several waterfalls came right to the road, and walls of snow were within arm’s reach. I took lots of photos of the steep mountains and valleys, but have to confess I often found myself looking not so much at the grand vistas as at the beautiful roadside flowers, many of which I was not familiar with. After leaving the park, we drove to St. Mary, where we had a lovely dinner and camped for the night. I spotted a biker setting up his tent near our spot, but did not speak to him, as we were heading out for dinner at that point.

Sunday, June 19, 2005

We had decided to try an Anglican church service, at a church which had been touted as having a good choir. Well, there was a lovely organ, complete with horizontal Spanish trumpets. Unfortunately, the choir was nowhere near as good as our Orillia church choirs, and the organ was only played for one hymn! The rest was done on a piano, with the choir singing rather off-key in addition. Oh well, you can’t win them all. We did have the opportunity to see beautiful old Calgary homes, situated along the Elbow River, with water almost up to their doors. By this time the rain had stopped, and everyone was out surveying the damage. Many roads were still blocked, though, as workers attempted to clean up the messes.

We dropped in on Sheryl to see her condo and her paintings; she is planning a show soon, so look out, art world. After this we stopped off at a MEC store, and picked up a lot of little needs/wants for the bike. We spent the rest of the afternoon emptying and repacking the van, so that we had a better idea of where things were located, and what can likely be sent home with Albert. I was also able to check in with Dad and Mom (it being Father’s Day) to find that their move had gone extremely well. Albert was also delighted to be wished happy Father’s Day by Nory (I also enjoyed my chat with her), and to hear that daughter Linda had left a similar message on our answering machine at home.

I also phoned Monique to see if she would be requiring any panniers, and to get some free advice on whether I could start to use my foot. She suggested I could start using it for a couple of hours each day, provided I had good shoes on, so I was delighted to hear that.

The day ended with another incredible meal prepared by Joy, who had invited her brother Don and his wife, Barb, and their son Chris, to join us as well. Albert and Don especially had a good time reminiscing about good times at their Mara Beach cottages, and traveling to Expo 67 (Don, by dint of his relationship to Albert, managed to join the North York Youth Choir, which Albert co-directed and took to Montreal). Again, we felt so welcome; I especially felt spoiled, as John and Joy both took great pains to make sure my foot was as comfortable as possible.

Calgary Flood

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Albert was concerned about taking the bikes back into the rain, which was still coming down quite hard, without getting the chains cleaned and oiled again, so Dick took us to Tuxedo Bikes & Sports in Calgary to see about getting a few supplies. We bought an aero bar, plus some extra chain oil, then proceeded back to Airdrie, via a scenic route that included a spectacular lookout over the city and the Elbow River, which was definitely looking “muddy and wide”. We had to take several detours, and drove through some sections of road that were at least a foot or more under water. I unfortunately didn’t have my camera with me (I thought it was just going to be a junket out to a bike store), but Albert got some good shots. After we got back to Airdrie, we spent some time trying to put the aero bar onto the bike, but were unsuccessful, in that we didn’t know how to keep the computer and light attached. So, we said farewell to the Buchanans, with many thanks for their wonderful and unexpected hospitality, and headed back to the bike store (in more rain). We were fortunate enough to have them do the installation free of charge, but we unfortunately had to sacrifice the wonderful handlebar light Nory gave me.

After these errands were completed we made our way to John and Joy Railton’s (Albert’s cousins). The directions we were given would have been terrific except a main road was closed due to flooding, but thanks to the GPS program Terry Hehn insisted I take along, we had no difficulty finding an alternate route. Thanks, Terry – we’ve used the program a lot already. Joy was ready for us with a warm fire blazing and a glass of wine at the ready; she knew what I needed! At the same time as we arrived, John and Joy’s children Sheryl and Bryan, along with Bryan’s girlfriend Alyssa, came to visit also. We had a fabulous dinner with the family, and then settled in for a much needed sleep.

Badlands

Friday, June 17, 2005

Friday, June 17, 2005

We started the day in rain, although not heavy, so we left our lovely campsite in River Park Campground, Moosejaw, and headed out. We loved Saskatchewan; its vastness, and incredible skyscape were awe-inspiring. No wonder its motto is “Land of the living sky”. The country is anything but flat, and we enjoyed the changing scenery including horse farms, oil rigs, a bison ranch, and a few bikers heading into a strong headwind.

After reaching Alberta, we stopped at Brooks, where we got directions to the Dinosaur Provincial Park. What an incredible place! It’s located in the Alberta badlands, and we had no idea such a place existed. We were a bit late to take the last bus tour, but caught up to the group, and were allowed to participate at each stop. The thought of viewing land that was “on the surface” 74-77 million years ago, with dinosaurs roaming freely, is incredible. I can’t really describe it; all I can suggest is that you make every effort to see if you ever have a chance.

Albert was able to contact friends he made in Cuba, who live in Airdrie near Calgary. We are en route there now, and will join them for supper. We are also thankful that they have invited us to spend the night at their house, as it is currently teeming with rain. We are driving through one of the areas that is under a storm watch; we felt fortunate that the golf-ball sized hail that hit Medicine Hat this afternoon waited until we had left it! All I can say is, I hope this isn’t a sample of what is to come this summer, but that the weather will revert to more normal conditions by July.

I’m finishing this log Saturday morning, after having spent a wonderful night in a comfortable bed, and being glad that we didn’t have to negotiate our way to washrooms through major puddles. Instead of going out into the rain again, Dick and June Buchanan, our hosts, ordered Chinese food takeout, which was much more relaxing, especially with the good Scotch we were offered before dinner.

The flooding is continuing in surrounding areas here in Alberta. I feel very badly for the people who are having to deal with it. Hopefully things will dry up in time for crops to grow for the summer.

I’m using June and Dick’s internet connection this morning. This has been my first chance to get things posted onto my blog, and I’m delighted at how well it has worked. Hopefully I’ll be able to figure things out equally well at internet cafes and libraries, where I won’t feel as “at home” as I do in June’s hideaway computer room. I don’t have my camera cables in the house with me, unfortunately, so I haven’t had a chance to do photos yet. Maybe next time!

Lotsa love,
Nynka

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Thursday, June 16, 2005

We woke up to more mosquitoes, after a fairly cool night (no problem thanks to a nice warm sleeping bag), so we showered and left. We sampled a truck stop breakfast (eggs etc for Albert and a toasted cinnamon bun for me – no calories there!) at a Husky station in Headingley, Manitoba, bypassing Winnipeg. The route was very flat and uneventful, so after we got to the Saskatchewan border, we decided to take a scenic route, which led to the bike route I will potentially be taking. That route is very lovely, through farm country and the Qu’Apelle Valley. It is not, however, totally flat! However, it may well be desirable to get away from traffic and experience “real” Canada.

After bypassing Regina, we went to Moose Jaw, where we made a few more purchases of the things we forgot or needed, then we drove out to rediscover Tilney Station, where Albert’s mother spent her childhood to age fifteen, approximately. Albert now owes me a major bike wash, as we had to travel over a very dusty country road to get there… I think we will look up a bike shop in Calgary to make sure things are cleaned properly, as I don’t want to start the trip with problems. We ended the day with a supper of Chinese food – interesting how different it tastes, depending on where you buy it. There’s a big sidewalk sale event happening in downtown Moose Jaw, but unfortunately my broken foot prevented me from taking full advantage of it. I read in the paper we could have bought perogies from street vendors, but I didn’t read that until we had finished supper. Maybe we’ll find a restaurant that features them on the menu before we finish this adventure.
We’ve lost another hour, so even though it’s only 9:15, it feels like bedtime, so I’ll sign off for another day. At least I was able to use my cell phone today, after we got to Saskatchewan.

(Note: it appears that Manitoba cell phone problems may have been temporary only; I surely
hope so!)

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

After a sumptuous breakfast prepared by Patti, we drove off into a beautiful, sunny day. We made our first stop (after buying gas and a Tim’s coffee) within half an hour at the spectacular Kakabeka Falls. The well-maintained walkways brought us very close to the top of the Falls, and it was thrilling to hear/feel the thundering roar of the brown waters cascading over the slate rock. I thought of my canoeing and kayaking friends as we drove away, and I saw the rapids on the other side of the highway. I also wondered what the original explorers and natives would have thought as they first saw this wonder. I surely hope they sent a scout ahead on foot before taking any kind of canoe over the waters! Otherwise – quelle surprise!

I’m typing as Albert is driving, and the route today is, happily, much flatter. However, still no cell phone service! This is most annoying! I had checked before buying my new phone to make sure there would be adequate coverage, and all salespeople assured me 90% or more of my proposed route would be fine. Think again, people.

We’re riding on new pavement right now, which is also making me feel better, as we went through a lot of construction yesterday. I guess when I get here in August, I’ll take it as a reprieve and chance to gear up for the week ahead. On the other hand, we just passed a small black bear which crossed the highway behind us. Albert bought a noisemaker device which is supposed to help scare bears away, but I think maybe I’d better get some spray as well, just in case…

I’m at day’s end now. We continued to enjoy the relatively flat, lovely scenery to Kenora, where we joined Eric Closs, a BDO employee who crossed Canada in 2003, and who has been a source of inspiration and advice, including giving me his route, for supper. It was the first time we actually met, and I felt we bonded instantly. He was full of encouragement too, in spite of my cast.

We are now in Manitoba, poor, soggy, mosquito-ridden Manitoba! We’ve passed lots of flooded areas, and the campsite where Albert reserved a space is very wet. This will put quite a damper on the tourism industry for awhile at least. We’ve covered ourselves with Deep-Woods Off, and are going to have to do a major foot-washing before getting into bed. It’s still light (we’ve gained an hour), but I’m still on “old time”, so I’m going to sign off, and start getting things ready.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

We got up at the very civilized hour of 7:00 a.m., and I discovered why I might yet have to get my hair cut before the trip is out. The shower was fine, but not like ours at home! Oh well, we’ll see. We pulled out of the site about 8:40 and went to “Bobbers” in Bruce Mines for a lovely breakfast. Scenery is getting better all the time, as we started seeing more of Lake Huron and all the rock of the Canadian Shield. As the day progressed, however, I realized more and more what others meant when they said the climbs around Thunder Bay are worse than in the Rockies. My goodness! I tried not to think too much what cycling in August will be like, and am certainly hoping I will be in good shape by then. We also found that there is no cell phone service between Bruce Mines and Thunder Bay. This is a bit of a disaster, as Adele and I planned to keep in touch by phone. I guess we’ll be playing leap frog for at least a week. The afternoon turned rainy and windy, and I was glad not to be biking. We did see at least 10 bikers going east, all fully loaded, and I wondered if they were going the full distance. They would have started in early to mid-May to be this far already, but that of course is entirely possible. In many ways, it would have been nice to be this far already, as the summer traffic hasn’t started yet. It was also interesting to think that though we saw them all on the same day, in actual fact they were several days apart, by biking time.

We arrived at our hosts’, Jim and Patti Whicher, home at about 7:00 and were treated royally. Thanks, Jim and Patti.

Monday, June 13, 2005

Monday, June 13, 2005

We got up at 6:00 a.m. with high hopes of having our van organized, clothes packed, etc. and of being at Mom and Dad’s by 1:00 for lunch. Needless to say, we were dreaming in technicolour. It’s very frustrating trying to get around with one foot in a cast, and each time I tried to concentrate on one area of packing, I would get sidetracked by all the other things that needed to get done. Jim Mintz dropped by for a few minutes to offer help, and he and Albert loaded the van. My hopes of having all the clothes, tents, cooking supplies, food, biking gear, tools, sleeping bags and other paraphernalia under the bed were sadly dashed; we look like a moving van rather than a camping van. Oh well, maybe we can reorganize later, or send some things back with Albert when he flies home on July 2nd. Without going into any more details, suffice it to say that we were on the road by 4:00 p.m., after a brief last visit to the family “farm” for a few nostalgic tears, as my family home of 50 years will have been sold by the time I return.

Once we were actually driving, however, my spirits lifted, and the first leg of our adventure began. The first thing we did, after buying a Tim Hortons, of course, was to start a list of the things we had forgotten in our haste. So far, there has been nothing serious, but the list is certainly growing.

My interest in the route started growing immensely once we reached Espanola, as this is where I will actually be biking to, before turning down to Manitoulin Island. The shoulders on Hwy 17 are not wide, but there appears to be about a foot allowance. Traffic was light; I can only hope I will be as lucky in August.

We camped in our van at a lovely site at Pinecrest Tent & Trailer Park, and managed to sleep relatively well, in spite of it being very hot to start. The mosquito netting velcroed to the front windows worked extremely well, and after killing the little beasts that got in before we got set up, we had no further problems with them.

Sticks and Stones

Yes, indeed, the crazy lady has done it again!

I was paying my last "nostalgia" visit to my parents' home (affectionately known as "the farm", even though they stopped farming it years ago) on Sunday, and doing a wander through the woods where I used to play as a child etc. I left the woods and was walking (more quickly than I should have, obviously) along the trails nearby, and went over on my foot over a root or rock or something. I managed to hobble back part way, and since I had my cell phone with me, I phoned Dad to come pick me up with his car. I went to see my doctor on Monday, who sent me for an X-ray "just in case" and sure enough, I have an "undisplaced fracture at the base of the 5th metatarsal". I guess the good news, if you could call it that, is that I should be able to ride in 3 weeks. Evidently riding is better than walking in this case. Monique (my biking companion for the month of July) is also a medical doctor, and strongly suggests I keep a cast on, and the foot as immobile as possible for the first 10-14 days, to give the bones as much chance as possible to knit properly. She reminded me that bones don't heal as quickly at my age as they once would have - thanks, kid! Anyway, I will try to heed her advice. The air cast I have now is a bit big for me, and she is couriering one that she used a few years ago to me.

Unfortunately this means I won't even be able to try out my new bike when I get it! I hope to go down to Guelph on Friday afternoon to pick it up. Jay Filer has been working into the wee hours of some mornings in order to get it ready on time for me, and I'm looking forward to seeing it, even if I can't ride it yet.

On a happier note, the van is almost outfitted - I just have to fit mosquito netting to the side windows. Hopefully the sticky-backed velcro will hold. Then I can start concentrating on all the other stuff I have to pack and organize. It will definitely be good to be on our way by next Monday; I'm going to need the rest.

New Bike

Well, nobody will be able to accuse me of having everything done in plenty of time, and not going down to the wire on important decisions. A few people will be telling me I'm nuts, on the other hand. I'd been waffling about whether I needed a new bike for this trip, and each time I would convince myself that the bike I have is fine; it's comfortable, it's strong enough for extra loads, I'm used to it etc. etc.

However, I was getting frustrated by riding with people with better, faster bikes who "kicked my butt" without seeming to have to expend any more energy. Of course, riding while I had a cold didn't help, but I was tired of puffing to keep up. Soooo, my husband and I travelled to Guelph on the evening of May 31st, to Winterborne Bicycles where I had gone to take a bicycle repair course, and I got measured up for a custom built bicycle. Jay Filer will be working long hours to get the bike built on time; I'll be lucky if I even see it before the day we leave for the west coast, which we expect will be June 14th. With a totally different configuration, I'm taking a chance that I'll find it comfortable over a long day; I'm used to sitting upright because of a back problem. The new bike has drop bars, and I'll be stretched out somewhat, but Jay assures me that I'm ready for the upgrade. My spin classes all winter should have brought me to a level of fitness where my abs and arms can take some strain off my back. Sure hope he's right! I guess I'll be going on practice rides every day en route, perhaps before breakfast.

At this point, I'm thinking I will likely take along my old bike as well as the new one, in case I don't adapt as quickly as I'd like. I guess that's an advantage of having my own vehicle along as back up. It will be a bit of a nuisance when we want to get into the back of the van, so we'll have to weigh the pros and cons. Maybe if the new bike arrives soon enough, I'll be able to test it a few times before we leave, and make the final decision then.

Now, all I have to do is decide on colour, and tire size...