Day 38: Ottawa to Gatineau Park and back

Distance: 78km

Total distance: 4901km

Average speed: 20.8km/h

Weather: sunny

Somehow I managed to sleep for 11 hours last night and didn't wake up until 10 this morning. I rode across the Portage Bridge to Gatineau and got on the Gatineau Parkway in the park. It was a cyclist's haven with miles of quiet rolling windy roads. They even close them just for pedestrians and cyclists on the weekend. Many cyclists come over for hill training since Ottawa is so flat. I first got to Pink Lake, an unusual lake because it is meromictic, meaning that its upper and lower levels of water never mix. Then I stopped at the nice and cool visitor centre and learned about how the Champlain Sea flooded the Canadian Shield many many years ago. The highlight of the day was getting up to Champlain Lookout, which although not super high by BC standards had a magnificent view of the Ottawa River Valley. I met some wonderful travelers from Mexico who decided to get the attention of everyone there to let them know that I'd biked from Vancouver! I finished the loop with quick stops also at Huron and Etienne-Brûlée lookouts before riding back to Ottawa. Coming over the Alexandra Bridge I was again taken away by the Parliament Buildings. Day 2 of Ottawa continues to impress me in every way.

Day 37: Ottawa City Tour

Distance: 29km

Total distance: 4823km

Average speed: 19.3km/h

Weather: sunny

After a solid 9 hours of sleep, the Warden family were just about to leave for an overnight trip to the Thousand Islands when I woke up. I can't thank them enough for letting me stay while they are gone. I lounged around the house until almost noon before heading out for a tour of the capital. Riding back along the Canal, I stopped at Parliament Hill and stood for the longest time admiring the beautiful buildings and statues of important historical figures. Unfortunately tickets for the tour of the inside were all gone today. There was already the stage setup for Canada Day and for a while a French band was even playing on it. I locked my bike right beside the parliamentary buildings and walked down to the Locks where I watched the fascinating process of a boat getting lowered from the canal down to the river. Afterwards I went in the Chateau Laurier and the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica. In the afternoon I walked to the Byward Markets and spent quite a long time watching the street performers and checking out the multitude of shops. It's incredible that this has been here since the 19th century! On the way back to Parliament Hill, I walked along Sparks Street Mall, which was pretty quiet being a Sunday. Because I just couldn't get enough I sat down on the lawn of Parliament Hill again and watched the hosts rehearse for the Canada Day celebration. Eventually I got my bike and rode down Sussex Drive. It's not everyday that you can ride right up to Rideau Hall and the Official Residence of the Prime Minister! On the way back I also stopped at Rideau Falls and took in the magnificent view of the Ottawa River and the foothills on the Quebec side. I love that Ottawa is so rich of both cultural and natural beauty.

Day 36: Petawawa to Ottawa

Distance: 184km

Total distance: 4794km

Average speed: 23.0km/h

Weather: sunny

Lucky for me David makes waffles every Saturday morning! After breakfast I said goodbye to the Weiser family and left Highway 17 for good. I went along Petawawa Blvd all the way into Pembroke where I crossed over the Des Allumettes Bridge into Quebec. I followed along a great off-road trail called the PPJ that is part of Route Verte, Quebec's mass network of bike paths, until it turned into hard packed gravel and my bike didn't like it so much so I turned back onto the highway. Highway 148 is not too busy and had good wide shoulders for the most part. Farmer's fields occupied a great part of the day with the occasional view of the Ottawa River. Being in the Ottawa Valley, it was fairly flat overall although there were some steep 6-10% hills that I (fortunately) went down. The challenge today was the heat, and I stopped often to make sure I wasn't going to overheat or get heatstroke. While pretty much all signs were in French, I was surprised to be greeted in English at the supermarket in Shawville and gas station in Luskville. Katherine told me that apparently many people in this part of Quebec speak nothing but English. Just before 7 I got into Aylmer of Gatineau and crossed the Champlain Bridge into Ottawa. With the parliament buildings in view I felt like a million bucks riding along the river and then the Rideau Canal. And the best part is that I will be able to do this many times over the next few days. I arrived at my host Scott and Julie's place and was immediately brought over to their friend's place for a BBQ, where I was fed lots of delicious food and then watched an amusing game of washer toss, a popular game on the East Coast!

Day 35: Deep River to Petawawa

Distance: 47km

Total distance: 4610km

Average speed: 22.9km/h

Weather: sunny

I didn't wake up until 8:30 this morning and played with the dog until almost 10. Taking my time packing up I finally started riding at 11. I hung out at the beautiful Riverfront Park for a while watching kids splash in the water before riding back out to the highway to see the Clock Museum. The sign pointed to a big house by the highway but admittedly I didn't end up making it in, however I did run into Anne and David again! We caught up on the side of the road and I wished them well before taking off as I might not see them again since they were planning to go nonstop to Montreal.  It was a scorching 30 degrees and I was cooking under the sun so I was secretly happy for the short ride. Around 1 I got into Petawawa, a town which is built around a big military base, and arrived at my hosts Katherine and David's place. After many glasses of ice water I went over to the Petawawa Point Beach and spent the afternoon soaking in the Ottawa River again and lounging on the beach. There are so many lakes and rivers in Ontario and I love that you can do this pretty much anywhere! A most relaxing evening was spent watching cartoons with Katherine and David's daughter. Tomorrow I will head for our nation's capital!

Day 34: Mattawa to Deep River

I Distance: 110km

Total distance: 4563km

Average speed: 24.2km/h

Weather: sunny

I was all prepared to quietly camp by the river last night when another miracle happened. As I was sitting on the steps of the closed Moon Cafe, the owner walks by to do some work inside. Not only did he not mind that I had plugged my phone in an outlet outside, he proceeded to give me the Wifi password and then told me about a women's shelter that I can stay in just around the corner. A few moments later, another man on his way home to Ottawa takes a pit stop right in front. He told me all about the neat places in Ontario as well as his motorcycle travels across the continent. Before he left he gave me his business card and said I could even camp in his yard in Ottawa. Somehow it was already 9pm and I decided I was going to check out the women's shelter. It was in a very nice big house and before I even start to knock, the door opens and the lady invites me to come in. And that's how despite not being at all the targeted population of women in crisis I was welcomed with open arms into the Mattawa Women's Resource Centre for the night. In the morning I met more of the women who worked there and was treated essentially like a celebrity. They were incredible and even said to tell other female cyclists about the centre! I could have stayed there and chatted the whole day but finally got going a bit after 10. It was another gorgeous windless day for cycling and the Laurentian hills were just perfect, steep enough to get enough momentum down that you don't have to work too hard going up. 25km later I found two girls who were also biking across the country and it turns out that they had biked with Natalie for days! The very interesting thing is that their dad was driving a motorhome carrying their stuff and he would drive to a spot and then bike back to meet them a few times a day. I went ahead arranging to meet them later and rode all the way to Driftwood Provincial Park. It was one of the hotter days and I couldn't wait to cool off in the Ottawa River. I swam to check out a tiny island before laying for what felt like eternity on the rocks sunbathing. When the park rangers came to install a new dock I packed up and did the last 20km or so to Deep River. I had lost track of time at Driftwood so my hosts Steve and Kate were already gone for their afternoon run when I arrived. When they came back we had a great BBQ with two of their friends featuring grilled liver. Then for dessert I showed everyone the Tim Tam Slam with the Tim Tams that I'd brought, a perfect end to a spectacular day!

Day 33: North Bay to Mattawa

Distance: 87km

Total distance: 4453km

Average speed: 22.6km/h

Weather: cloudy

With all this extra time I decided to have a leisurely ride to Mattawa rather than push 170km for Deep River while fighting another episode of headwind (I think Ontario is getting back at me for the tailwinds in the prairies as I've had nothing but easterly winds here). After leaving Kim and Terry's place at 10, I rode back along the highway to check out Duchesnay Falls at Kim's suggestion. There was no sign so I had passed it yesterday without knowing but it was quite a hidden gem of North Bay! Hardly anyone there and a short hike over the rocks brought me to the amazing 100m long rapids. Then I went over to the waterfront and walked along the boardwalk overlooking Lake Nipissing. I thought about going for another swim but ended up lounging for the longest time on the patio of a restaurant that is contained within a boat, a very nice change of pace as the days before. Finally I left North Bay around noon and headed for east. Contrary to yesterday the road was pleasantly quiet as all the traffic turned off to go to southern Ontario. I turned into Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, which again seemed deserted, and found a nice lakeside beach for a snack break. A park ranger directed me toward a network of hiking trails with good viewpoints, but I only managed to go for a short walk in the forest before retreating at the wrath of mosquitoes. It's mad that little insects are controlling what I do! On the way out I rode around the Canadian Ecology Centre which interestingly had a whole bunch of police cars parked around the cabins. A short ride away was Mattawa, which is where the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers join and was an important meeting place for the natives. Walking around town the biggest clump of people was lined up outside of this little fries cart (which have been everywhere after the Soo), so naturally I stopped there and got my first of many more to come poutine on this trip! Mattawa is tiny and like most small towns have few shops but I really like how pretty it is by the water. A neat thing is that I can literally see Quebec on the other side of the river!

Here are some extra photos to make up for the last few days!

Day 32: Sudbury to North Bay

Distance: 152km

Total distance: 4365km

Average speed: 21.8km/h

Weather: overcast turning to rain

At 9:30 I said goodbye to Sarah, the baby and Phil's mother, and left hazy industrial Sudbury on the bypass. Today wasn't the most scenic ride (the grey weather didn't help) and the shoulder was probably the worst I've had. Until now Highway 17 has actually been fairly good by my standards, unlike the horror stories that I've heard from others. I went through several small towns before taking a peanut butter break in Warren. I met the tremendous kindness of strangers again when I received a text message from Kim offering me a last minute place in her house in North Bay. The rain started for the second part of the ride and stayed with me all the way to North Bay. I didn't mind it too much as it was quite humid and the rain helped to cool me down. I passed Sturgeon Falls then went along Lake Nipissing, passing a viewpoint that wasn't particularly spectacular today, before arriving at Kim and Terry's place by the airport. They've hosted all sorts of cross-country people, everything from motorcyclists to those on segways, but never a cyclist so I was proud to be their first! We had hotdogs for supper and I got to hear all about their travels throughout the country, including when Terry went to the Arctic Circle! Now I am only 360km from Ottawa but it's still a week until Canada Day so I need to figure out how to stall these next few days, a problem I never thought I would have!

In case you're wondering, the average speed on my bike computer stopped working so I've been calculating it manually, although it seems a bit off because my average speed seems have gotten quite a bit slower despite the terrain being easier after the Soo. Oh well!

Day 31: Blind River to Sudbury

Distance: 142km

Total distance: 4213km

Average speed: 21.7km/h

Weather: overcast

Another hard goodbye with the Ortons later, I got on the road at 10 and rode all the way to the turnoff for Espanola before taking a break. I looked around the gift shop Northwest Trading Company and the wonderful smell of maple syrup tempted me to try some of their maple fudge. The traffic became noticeably busier after Espanola, such that I actually had to go onto the gravel when two trucks came face to face from opposite directions. I was so focused on staying in the narrow strip of shoulder that the last 40km or so went by like a blur. It was nice to turn off onto the calmer old Highway 17 on the outer edge of Sudbury and I arrived at my host Phil and Sarah's place in Naughton around 5:30. They've just had a baby so it's quite the houseful. After dinner I got a tour of their chickens, orchard, garden, duck pond and even a mini vineyard!

Day 30: Thessalon to Blind River

Distance: 52km

Total distance: 4070km

Average speed: 21.7km/h

Weather: sunny

Happy summer solstice! Like always it was quite the relaxed morning as we listened to some of Tome's favourite bands over coffee and then tea. Full of fresh eggs with rice, I said goodbye to Tome, his cats and chickens as I got back onto the highway. A very leisurely ride along the North Channel of Lake Huron had me at the Blind River Tim Hortons. I was about to head on when I saw an email from hosts Muriel and Wayne. I went to go visit them and since I've covered so much more distance than planned the last three days spontaneously decided to stay here for the night and ride to Sudbury tomorrow. The Orton family live in a beautiful house with a wide open yard and dock right alongside the Blind River. They are big cyclists; both Muriel and Wayne have ridden across the country and their son competes in road cycling at the national level, so there was no shortage of bike talk! After lunch Muriel and I went to a gorgeous sandy beach close to town and swam in the warm waters of Lake Huron. When we came back I helped Muriel weed the garden for a while before we had a wonderful BBQ dinner on the patio. Afterwards we took the kayaks out to explore the surrounding islands and it was just the most magical thing with the sunset staining the sky purple and dragonflies dancing around our heads. We even saw a muskrat! I can't even say how glad I am to have stopped!

Day 29: Agawa Crafts to Thessalon

Distance: 162km

Total distance: 4018km

Average speed: 22.4km/h

Weather: cloudy with sunny periods

Even with the mosquitoes buzzing inches from my face, I still managed to fall asleep until 8 this morning. Not wanting to spend any second extra with the bugs, I packed up everything inside my bivy, then proceeded to walk to my bike still with it over me. I was sitting at the picnic table cooking some chocolate oatmeal when Scott, the same friendly guy from last night, came by and gave me some coffee and a jar of peanut butter (of which I must have eaten like 1000 calories worth of). This little spot, which includes a campers grocery, crafts gift shop, gas station and carving gallery, has to be the greatest rest stop in Canada. All morning the staff and other visitors (including a vendor from Wawa, a woman whose daughter wanted to go to UBC and some motorcyclists from Minnesota) asked me about my trip and wished me well such that I again didn't leave until after 10:30. It was another wonderfully scenic ride to Sault Ste. Marie, a nostalgic goodbye to Lake Superior. People warned me about the mile long hill at Goulais River, which was one of the steeper ones but nothing is really that bad after BC. I really admire cyclists who go from east to west, who surprisingly I think I've met more of, as they must get quite the shock when they come upon the mountains (not to mention the prevailing headwinds)! 70km later I got to Velorution and finally got to see what all the touring cyclists have raved about. The owner, Andre, lets bike tourists camp and shower for free. It really was an awesome bike shop, and even though I wasn't going to stay there after having ridden further than planned the last few days I had to stop by. They made my bike all smooth and shiny again after 4000km, and showed me a very nice route out of the Soo on Highway 17B before sending me on my way. I admit I have been a bit obsessed with distance; there was no way I would have imagined doing another 90km at 3pm (or 5pm two days ago for that matter!) when I first started the trip, but those 200km+ prairie days showed me what my bike and I are capable of. From Lake Superior onto Lake Huron and  the landscape changed again. It's a lot flatter, almost prairie like with the farms and grass. There were also more towns in between, something like 5 in the 90km to Thessalon, which I hadn't planned to stop at until last night. I arrived at my host Tome's, who was wonderful to accept the last minute request, place around 7:15. Turns out Tome worked as a bus driver in Vancouver and I got to hear about a job that people definitely take for granted. After dinner we watched a cool sci-fi movie called The Jacket.

Day 28: Wawa to Agawa Crafts (just past Pancake Provincial Park)

Distance: 162km

Total distance: 3856km

Average speed: 22.3km/h

Weather: overcast with a sprinkle

Another day of evening riding! Mainly because as soon as I stop the mosquitoes would attack; they're just about as bad as that day in Whiteshell here. I slept in until 8:30 this morning and then had a nice chat with John about long distance touring over coffee and oatmeal. When I left at 10:30 though the other two guys weren't even up yet! A short ride had me in Lake Superior Provincial Park, where I spent a good part of the day. After going down a stretch of road that seemed like it was going to end up in the lake, I came upon at Old Woman's Bay, so named because the cliff side had the face of an old woman. Every view of Lake Superior takes your breath away and I can't believe I've almost gone around the world's largest fresh water lake. Later in the day I also stopped at Katherine Cove and the Agawa Bay Visitor Centre. Agawa Bay used to be a rest stop for the voyageurs during the fur trade. Reluctantly I left the park and passed the small settlement of Montreal River which is the mouth of the Montreal River. Crazy to think I'm actually somewhat close to Quebec! I bought some macaroni and beef at Northgate Service Station and  was going to look for somewhere to camp close by, except that when I got to Alona Bay and talked to some friendly people they said there was nothing until Pancake Bay 20km away. It actually was more like 35km, but I didn't mind the extra distance. I went in the park and rode around all the campsites before deciding to check out the Agawa Crafts store down the road. I got there at 8:30 and they were just about to close but a nice staff said I could camp by the house on the side and even come back in the morning to take a shower. An ice cream later I am hiding away from the bugs in my bivy, hoping they'd be a bit better than by the water in Pancake Bay but no such luck.

Day 27: Marathon to Wawa

Distance: 191km

Total distance: 3694km

Average speed: 21.8km/h

Weather: sunny

Guess what happens when you decide to bike another 90km at 5pm? After Jillian's awesome blueberry pancakes this morning, I went to the Marathon Library to use the computer and didn't leave town until 11. I was eating wind for a good part of the day and stopped 50km or so from White River to eat some goldfish crackers on the side of the road. Interesting signs of lake and river names  kept me entertained on the slow going to White River, including Fungus Creek and Hammer Lake. At 4 I rolled into White River, home of Winnie the Pooh (my favourite cartoon character!) which actually originated from a black bear cub that a soldier bought. After a Buddy Burger at A&W and a giant can of Arizona tea, I got back on the road. I knew that Obatanga Provincial Park, which is where the guidebook had recommended to camp, was closed for good and that there was a motel 40km or so down, so I was just going to head in that direction and find some place by the side to spend the night. I'm not sure what was in that tea, but 30km in and I was feeling the best that I've felt all day, such that I decided to go all the way to Wawa. I really started hammering but of course having it mostly downhill helped. Good thing I wasn't going too fast to miss another moose, this time a female, and my first bear, who was quite small and just chilling by the shoulder watching me! Just before 9, I came upon John's place in Wawa, who was ever so kind to feed me and let me shower. There are two other cyclists going from Montreal to Vancouver who'd been here for a few days because the derailleur on one of their bikes broke and they are waiting for a new one to get shipped in. I got to learn some French and them some English and we shared our photos from the different legs of our cross-country trip, before I knew it it was midnight! They are getting really antsy to go and I really hope they get the derailleur soon!

It's funny that at the hosts that I've stayed with I keep hearing stories about other cyclist who had just been there. Without ever meeting them I already know so much about them. Like the fruitarian guy who is crossing the country in 50 days and eats nothing but 5lb of potatoes in one sitting, or the trio of Europeans who got way too close to a bear!

Day 26: Terrace Bay to Marathon

Distance: 97km

Total distance: 3503km

Average speed: 19.6km/h

Weather: sunny

There is nothing quite like waking up on a gorgeous beach all by yourself, and I wanted to savor it so I didn't get out of bed until 8. I took my time packing up and bid Terrace Bay farewell after getting a large cup of mocha at the motel. It was another headwind kind of day but otherwise excellent weather so I told myself to suck it up. Up and down I went to about 5km before Neys Provincial Park where I had a gel break. Then I took a little detour into the park and found the most gorgeous spot at Prisoners Cove to sunbathe (not that my skin needed any more sun!). There was the perfect flat rock just a bit in the water and I ended up taking a nap there for almost an hour. Back out on the highway, it was only 25km or so to Marathon and I remembered Frank telling me about the secret jewel of Mink Creek Falls in this area. I saw the sign for Mink Creek but didn't see any trail turnoffs so I stopped and asked someone parked on the side where it was. Luckily I had just passed it so I rode back down the hill and stopped at a dirt road that he'd described. It just happened that David was there too! I walked across the highway and sure enough there was a little overgrown but obvious path that led to the falls. The water cascading down sprayed a cool mist in the air that felt amazing on my scorching skin. When I came back out David was still waiting for Anne so I said I'd catch him later and did the final 20km or so to Marathon. I got to my host Jillian's house just before 5 and was greeted by her two eager dogs. A game of Yahtzee was in order after dinner and now it's off to bed!

Day 25: Nipigon to Terrace Bay

Distance: 115km

Total distance: 3406km

Average speed: 22.5km/h

Weather: sunny

Why hello big hills, haven't seen you in a while! I had a hard time leaving Arty, Sue and Gord's dog, this morning and didn't get going until 10. A bit after the first substantial hill leaving Nipigon, there was a stunning roadside viewpoint of Lake Superior. And it kept getting better throughout the day as the road hugged its north shore. Climbing the hills (Google maps had said ~900m of elevation gain today and my legs definitely believe it!) had me drenched in sweat but the glimpses of the lake as I descended at 60km/h and the cool air at the bottom made the burn so worth it. I took a lunch break at the First Nations Reserve of Pays Plat, where I met Anne and David again. I also saw the couple from outside of Kenora too so it was quite the cyclist galore! Both groups were going for Schreiber or Terrace Bay (only 15km apart! This has to be the two closest full service towns that I've passed!) like me. After stopping at the Terrace Bay Visitor Centre, I rode back to Aguabason Falls at the suggestion of the lady there and was so glad that I did. I think it's more grand than Kakabeka Falls with the gorge, and the sunlight cast a beautiful rainbow as the water tumbled. A short ride into town had me at Simcoe Plaza where I climbed the Slate Islands Lighthouse and then did a thorough walking tour of the town. I got some food (only when you travel alone can you eat an entire tub of yogurt and crackers for dinner) and then rode down to Terrace Bay Beach where I followed two women hiking along a trail and ended up back at Aguasabon Falls! After returning, I went for a swim in the lake which was freezing but oh so refreshing. It was magical as I sat on a pile of rocks on the edge of the beach watching the sun move behind the hill. 

Day 24: Thunder Bay to Nipigon

Distance: 121km

Total distance: 3291km

Average speed: 24.2km/h

Weather: sunny

I have always been intrigued and amazed by what the human body can do, a big reason why I studied kinesiology, but this trip had shown me what the human body can accomplish on a whole new level. After a day like yesterday where every morsel of my being went into fighting the wind, I still manage to wake up energized for another day's ride; of course, it helps that there's the warm sun and a nice wind behind your back. This morning all of us cyclists sat around chatting after breakfast and didn't start moving until 10. Reluctantly, Anne, David and I said goodbye to Paola and Reto, the couple going to Mexico, as they were going to stay in Thunder Bay for another night. Frank runs bike tours for people and gave us great directions for good stops between here and Sault Ste. Marie. I stopped at the Marina Park in town at his suggestion to check out the Sleeping Giant, which is a big natural rock formation of a giant lying down located in the park of the same name. That was also my first view of Lake Superior, and I couldn't believe how vast it was. You couldn't see the other end, such that it seemed almost like the ocean. At the Terry Fox Monument, I reunited with Anne and David. Terry Fox had ran along most of where I biked today, and was definitely on my mind for a good part of the day. Leaving Thunder Bay, I stayed on quiet Lakeshore Drive. Once I got on the highway, there were lots of signs for amythest mines, which is also Ontario's gemstone. I was told the hills really start after Thunder Bay but today it was definitely more down than up. Passing through Dorion and the turnoff for Red Rocks, I reached the Nipigon Visitor Centre at 3:30 and got some postcards for mailing. Later I made my way to my host Sue and Gord's place and am happy as a clam after some yummy fajitas for dinner. Sue tells me that the next stretch along Lake Superior is one of the most beautiful parts of Canada and I simply cannot wait. 

Day 23: Kashabowie to Thunder Bay

Distance: 119km

Total distance: 3170km

Average speed: 19.5km/h

Weather: rain and more rain

Mother Nature obviously didn't listen to my plea. I woke up at 7am after zonking out for over 12 hours, and left Kashabowie with the exact same winds blowing into my face. The next 50km or so to Shabaqua was absolute hell, so many times I wanted to stop and cry by the side of the road. At Shabaqua, I marched into the Oskondaga Lodge looking for water and was met by my savior. The lady told me to sit down and cooked up a giant platter of breakfast. She also let me use the bathroom to wash up, charge my phone, and it was the best $10 I've spent on this trip. After two cups of coffee, which is more than I've ever had in one sitting, I got going again and managed to ride all the way to Kakabeka Falls in one go. It started pouring on the way but that only made Ontario's second largest waterfall more impressive. Then it was only 30km to Thunder Bay, but man that was the longest 30km of my life. The headwind was worse than it had ever been, and the sky started dumping buckets, such that it felt like icicles on my body, not to mention the thunder and lightning that was all around. My toes and fingers froze completely and I couldn't even shift gears. Somehow I made it to the Tim Hortons in the city, where I called my host Frank because I couldn't even think clearly to check Google Maps. After being chased down by the police for going down a road that had fallen down wires, I finally made it to Frank and Marcie's place where I was revived back to life with a warm shower and hot tea. It is full house here with four other cyclists, two going west from Montreal to Mexico, two going east from Vancouver to Montreal who came back after the atrocious weather today. The energy in the room is quite something as we share stories from our trips, making the killer ride earlier merely a bad fuzzy memory. 

Day 22: Sapawe to Kashabowie

Distance: 70km

Total distance: 3051km

Average speed: 20.1km/h

Weather: light rain and overcast

If I thought yesterday couldn't have gotten better I was wrong. After the Bjorkmans arrived at the diner, I got a ride to their house in the woods on their Harley Davidsons! Then I got to play with the horses while Nikki fed them and let the stallion out for the night. We sat around eating nachos and talking at like 10pm and I didn't go to bed until almost 12. They were seriously the coolest people ever. 

Today however is a bit of a different story. I was reluctant to leave their tranquility by the lake but alas Nikki brought me down back to the diner where I had left my bike (this time in the pickup) at 9:30. Carl had warned me that there was an easterly gust which blew at my face as soon as I started riding. Headwinds are my biggest weakness, and I had to stop 3 times in the first 50km. Hills that I was flying up and down yesterday I was crawling on, and the more I pedaled the more I realized I was probably not going to make it to Thunder Bay at a reasonable hour today. It was a relief when I finally convinced myself that because I stopped worrying about how slow I was going, nevermind that I had lost another hour according to my otherwise useless phone. The one bright spot came when I saw my first moose! Something was rustling in the woods and I turned and at first thought it was a horse! Then I saw the horns and it was gone before I could fully appreciate its immense size. I stopped at a pulp load check in slightly after the 60km mark, even though I had just stopped 20min ago for a snack, and tried to call my host in Thunder Bay after borrowing someone's cellphone. Nobody answered so I can only hope they are not too worried. Afterwards I ended up taking a nap because I was just so drained. Even though I have the wind as an excuse, this is something you should never do in the middle of biking because it is virtually impossible to get going again. And that's why when I rolled past the abandoned Kashabowie store and motel, 112km from Thunder Bay, I decided that I was done for the day. To my luck, the door of the first unit of the motel was unlocked, and there was even a mattress inside. Weather is the single most important factor that makes or breaks bike trips and I really hope Mother Nature throws something better at me tomorrow.

Day 21: Fort Frances to Sapawe

Distance: 160km

Total distance: 2981km

Average speed: 24.9km/h

Weather: sunny!

When I saw the sunshine filtering through my window this morning, I knew it was going to be a great day, nevermind that it was Friday the 13th and that the mayor of Fort Frances declared the flood yesterday a state of emergency. After the best omelette that I have ever had thanks to Robin, I said farewell to the Stearns family and of course somehow took the wrong turn on Reef Point Road on the way out to the highway. Eventually I got on track and was having a blast again on Ontario's gentle rolling roads. Being a Friday, everybody was going out to their cottages with their boats or canoes. Today was an example of a perfect riding day, with ideal temperatures, slight breeze, and not a cloud in the sky. I took a quick bathroom break at the Mine Centre School, the town which used to have a gold mine. Just after that, a man on a motorcycle caught up to me and called my name. It turns out that he's the father of Katarina Bjorkman in Atikokan who I had hastily emailed on Couchsurfing three days ago, and had sent me a text message soon after he saw the email offering to let me stay at their place (which I had not received until after this encounter thanks to the terrible reception my phone has had ever since I left BC). He and his wife are going to International Falls for some errands for the day, but are coming back to tend their horses this evening. We arranged to meet at the Sapawe Corner Diner, which is where I am now after having sampled their yummy coconut cream pie and lemonade, since their house was up a gravel road. I can't believe how lucky I am as I had all but planned to be eaten alive again at Quetico Provincial Park tonight. The road leading to Atikokan had some construction stop and go's and every time the workers would go above and beyond to make sure they sent me far apart from cars. Soon enough I got to the Atikokan Visitor Bureau where I met another cross-country cyclist Peter. He left Victoria on May 4th and was going to Nova Scotia. We shared stories about our trip thus far before he took off for Crystal Lake Resort. I tried to convince him that Thunder Bay is doable in a day so I hope to see him tomorrow! After a lovely chat with the lady in the visitor centre, I rode the quick last 20km to the turnoff for Sapawe. Going to hang out by Sapawe Lake for a while and maybe jump in the water!

Day 20: Rest Day in Fort Frances

Yesterday was truly a blessing in disguise as the weather is absolutely awful today and looks like it will flood any moment. The power has been going out sporadically and there's a downed power line and Bill constantly has to go outside to make sure everything is not submerged. Ironically the lake in front is called Rainy Lake and just down the road is a spot called Windy Point. It's too miserable to even go outside and I'm so so thankful and lucky that I have a roof over my head. I would not have wanted to ride to Fort Francis in this! It's sort of strange to finally take a breather and not to be on the go after 19 days on the road, but really relaxing to be able to read, watch TV (perfect timing that the World Cup kicks off today!), surf the Internet and I guess do what normal people do everyday. The rainfall warning ends tonight and it's suppose to be sunny tomorrow so fingers crossed!

Day 19: Kenora to Fort Frances

Distance: 121km

Total distance: 2821km

Average speed: 22.9km/h

Weather: overcast followed by rain

So far I've had such smooth sailing and today was finally thrown a curveball. It wouldn't be a bike trip without some rough patches, but everything ended beautifully thanks to the unbelievable generosity of strangers. 

Checking the weather this morning it had said a rainfall warning for Sioux Narrows and Fort Frances area. I guess I can't escape from it forever. It was overcast in Kenora when I left around 9:30. Riding so far in Ontario has been a gem, the hills are never more than 3-4min of climbing and keep you entertained enough to make the distance pass quickly. I ran again into an older couple who I had seen yesterday but parted with them when I took the turn for Highway 71. It started drizzling after about two hours, which kept me cool and felt nice at first, until it turned into a downpour. Around 70km, I got this ominous feeling that something was not right with my rear shifter and sure enough the derailleur cable snapped shortly after. I was locked into the hardest gear in the back and for the next 10km or so could only use the front rings. My hopes were up when I saw a sporting goods store in Sioux Narrows, but unfortunately fishing equipment were about all they carried. The lady was nice enough to look up the closest bike shop in Fort Frances for me, which I phoned and found out they closed at 5:30. She said it was 70km or so to there and that the terrain was similar to what I had just ridden through, reassuring that I should be able to get there with plenty of time. I was pretty certain it was much further because I had planned to stop at Caliper Provincial Park just past Nestor Falls, which is 130km from Kenora, but maybe the locals know better, so I got going quickly. Going uphills in one gear was tricky and there were some that I had to stand up and give it everything I had. Two hours passed and I still wasn't even in Nestor Falls. By then I was soaking wet and knew for sure I wasn't going to get to Fort Frances. I got to the grocery store in Nestor Falls and called the bike store to let them know I probably couldn't make it. The man on the other end was so nice and called his friend to see if I could stay there for the night. I was waiting around trying to decide what to do when an older couple came in. I guess because I was dripping wet and looked quite panicked, they came over and asked what was wrong. When I told them they said they were going to Fort Frances and immediately offered to bring me and my bike there in their motor home. The two of them were from Edmonton and had been at a cottage in Whiteshell Provincial Park for a nursing reunion (out of all things!). This is where I really appreciated how much faster a car travels. An hour later (so Fort Frances was ~100km from Nestor Falls as I thought) they drove me right to the bike shop McTaggart's. It was already 5 and the guy I talked to on the phone, Russell, got right down to tending my bike. It was really finicky putting in a new cable and he even had to phone someone to ask and look up on his computer for how to install it properly. In the meantime, I phoned Bill and Robin, who had last minute offered to let me stay in their gorgeous waterfront house just outside of Fort Francis, to let them know I was already in town. Russell was an absolute hero and ended up working on my bike long after the store had closed, after which he checked everything else and gave me all tips he could think of for the next few days. And he didn't charge me a thing. You just have to stop there if you are ever in Fort Francis! After quite an eventful day, I wrapped up the evening with a delicious meal while listening stories about three other cross-Canada cyclists who had stayed just there a week ago. 

Day 18: Rennie to Kenora

Distance: 97km
Total distance: 2700km
Average speed: 30.1km/h
Weather: cloudy turned sunny

As I laid listening to the various surrounding animal sounds (geese, birds, and most prominently the swarm of mosquitoes) and watched a chipmunk try to steal an apple from my bag last night, a guided tour group came by and went into the geese sanctuary. They were there for quite some time, then went for a walk along the pond. I drifted off to sleep before having time to worry about the park rangers kicking me out (which never happened). I had thought the mosquitoes would be better this morning but no such luck. I skipped breakfast and packed up in lightning speed and still managed to almost get eaten alive. It was the greatest relief to get riding and at last be rid of them. In just over an hour I got to West Hawk Lake, passing through many little pretty ponds and lakes, and basically had the whole place to myself with it being on a Tuesday. I took a dip in Manitoba's deepest lake and the cold (frigid) water felt amazing on my hundreds of mosquito bites. The group of boaters probably thought I was crazy. Afterwards I warmed up with coffee and a butter tart at the Nite Hawk Cafe before making my way to Ontario! When I got to the border, which was only 5km away, it really hit me how far I'd actually come, likely about halfway now! I didn't realize how much I missed windy roads and rolling hills. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the shoulder on Highway 17, and was thankfully glad to have Manitoba's rough roads and awful bugs behind me. Soon enough the Lake of the Woods and beautiful Kenora came into view. My host Gail in Kenora wasn't home when I got to town so I went to the library to do some research about my route for the next few days. Since I now had a couple of extra days, I think I'm going to take the southern longer route to Thunder Bay for a less busy way.