Day 42: August 9 Tobermory to Craigleith  95 miles (153 km)  Climbing (meters): 750 up, 806 down
Picture: Craig (Kiwi Craig) posing in front of the Georgian Bay on his birthday.  Note the streamers on his handlebars

It rained most of the night.  I was a little wet inside of the tent for the first time.  I think it was because I had set up in a cramped site and didn't have the fly pulled away from the tent.  Water seeped in at two seams. The sleeping bag was damp around my feet in the morning.  I slept soundly anyway.  Putting the tent away wet and dirty was no fun.  I hoped the day would improve.

There seemed to be some anxiety in the air as many riders got closer to home -- Toronto.  They had plans to make and people to see.  I think we're only going to have six of us in the campground tomorrow night.

The ride was long.  Early riding was pleasant with a slight tailwind.  I stopped for a snack in Wiarton, right after a big downhill into town.  The cinnamon buns from the bakery were ok, but nowhere near as good as the ones New Craig's daughters made for us and brought to Hemlo (we still talk about those).  Kiwi Craig and Jules caught up to me, having practically flown into town.  They were having a good day. which is only fair since it's Craig's birthday today.

After errands - post office, phone calls, and washrooms - we climbed out of town.  (Yes, for every downhill, there's an uphill, sigh.)  Finally, we turned east and had the wind at our backs for a few kilometers before turning south to Owen Sound.  Bud's directions took us off a busy highway that had no shoulders and put us on little used county roads.  Some of them were very rough, nearly gravel.

In Owen Sound we found a Subway for lunch.  After a quick bite to eat, and a little back patting for how fast we'd gone, we set out again.  We headed due east for the next 30 miles (50 km) and covered it fast.  The wind stayed at our backs and we cruised between 22 and 25 mph (35-40 kph).  On one big hill, Jules and I dropped Craig for a bit when we sped past 45 (72 kph).  Craig rides a heavy bike with a huge rear saddle bag.  He's happy when he can hit 37 mph (60 kph) on a hill.  I refer to his bike as a tank.  Jules told him the only thing missing was a turret.

Craig led us into the park.  It was a pretty setting, on the shore of Lake Huron (the Georgian Bay, I believe).  I went to sleep with the sounds of waves again.

Day 43: August 10 Craigleith to Toronto 118 miles (190 km)  Climbing (meters): 1101 up, 1106 down
Picture: Keith and Isabelle cutting the cake at the luncheon in Alliston

It was a long day.  I wasn't feeling great.  My butt was starting to remind me that it needs a rest day.  I knew I could do the kilometers; the question was how painful it would be.

I rode in the morning with Eric.  He said he wanted to have enough energy in the evening to visit a friend so he planned to ride slowly.  I've heard that phrase before.  We rode fast all morning.

We ignored the official route for the first half of the day.  Eric and I took a more direct route out of the campground and then used the directions Isabelle provided to get to Alliston (the town where she and Keith live).  Her office put on a party and provided us with a free lunch.  About 15 of the 23 riders made the detour and took advantage of the offer.  Free food and a party were pretty strong motivators.  The tough part was stopping for lunch so early in the day and then having to restart with such a long distance to go.  I spent nearly two hours there (I was stalling a bit.)

The route was mainly back roads all day.  It was interesting to see all of the farms - vegetables, hay and some dairy.  They were smaller than the ones out west.  As I got closer to Toronto you could see the smog haze in the distance.  The traffic picked up and the shoulders disappeared.  I passed a lot of new home construction.  Toronto must be doing well.

In the city of Newmarket I spotted a bike shop on the left (Bikesports, 47 N. Main St..  (I think Bud should mark them on the route maps.)  I was looking for another pair of shorts and a pair of gloves.  I've been having trouble getting a clean, dry pair of shorts every day.  With the rain or dew in the evenings there's not much time for them to dry out.  One set of my gloves has worn through.  The bike shop owner was very helpful.  He stopped what he was doing and helped me sort through the shorts and gloves he had in stock (I found gloves, not shorts.)  We talked about the Tour du Canada and he explained that he used to do touring/racing (multi-day races, similar to the Tour du France).  He gave me a great discount and then handed me a few energy bars as I left, saying "you'll need these on the road".  About a mile down the road I realized that I'd left one of my gloves, the one with the hole in it, back at the store.  It wasn't worth going back for.  A mile later, the bike shop owner comes racing by me in his car, stops and gives me the glove.  How's that for service?  Some of the people I've met along the way have been amazing.  It's refreshing.

I played leapfrog a few times with the Ron-Sue-Tacia group and the Dave-Carol group throughout the afternoon.  It was good to do since that told me I was on the right route.  The directions for the day, even without Isabelle's modifications, were quite lengthy.  I was out of practice.  I used to pull them out every 60 or 70 kilometers, just to see what was coming up next.  Today there were 35 different turns, a lot of them onto small roads that would have been easy to miss.

I was officially in charge of dinner.  (My crew mates were home, sleeping in the own beds, and probably having dinner in a restaurant.)  There were only six of us having dinner at the campsite.  I reheated the leftovers from the night before and made a new salad.  Voila, instant dinner.  Salad for six was the tough part.  I had to scale down the quantities I was used to making.  We closed out dinner with the scotch that New Craig left with us in Hemlo. (Thanks again!)

Day 44: August 11 Toronto (rest day)
Picture: This mailbox caught our attention.  I think it was photographed by half the group.  By the way, the chain could use some oil

Jules, Karin, and I made french toast.  It was a nice relaxing start to the day.  We're quite a few miles outside of Toronto.  We're not even close enough to walk to a coffee shop for breakfast.  After eating, I went into the city with John, Jules, Karin and New Ron (one of Karin's friends who joined us back in Wawa.  I haven't written about them because I haven't ridden with them.  You'll meet them later.)  Karin needed to visit a bike store for a quick repair.  I couldn't resist the invitation.  I found the shorts I was looking for at a "candy store" downtown (La Bicicletta).  One of the other bike shop owners referred to it that way.  He said, they have great bikes and a wonderful presentation.  He was right.  You could easily drop $4,000 (Canadian $6,000) on one of their bikes.

The other stop was at Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada's corollary to REI (a Seattle-based outdoor supply co-op).  I restrained myself, picking up only a few tent pegs and another fork and spoon.  My baskets on the truck are getting too full so I can't buy anything without discarding something of equal size.

The afternoon was spent cleaning and tuning my bike.  The biggest job was replacing the chain and rear cogs.  The chain had stretched more than half a link from use.  It had over 4,500 miles (7,000 km) on it.  The rear cogs also wear with the chain; it's best to change them together.

I received good news this morning.  The campground in Holiday Haven just received the package with the shifter.  They'll forward it to the next mail stop, Mont St-Hilaire.  I'm crossing my fingers.  At least there's no customs to clear this time.

Dinner tonight was at the Liverpool restaurant, just up the road.  We thought it was going to be a mid-priced steak place because of the cheesy OPEN sign in the front window.  Nope.  The waiters wore tuxedos and the dimly lit dining room was a little stuffy for us.  Our group of 11 pulled some tables together out on the front porch and had a great time.  It felt much less stuffy and we could laugh and tell stories without bothering the other guests.  Our version of dress-up clothes and theirs was quite different.  The food was excellent and we didn't have to wash our own plates when we were finished.

Day 45: August 12 Toronto to Campbellford  92 miles (149 km)    Climbing (meters): 1383 up, 1332 down
Picture (left): Big Bruce
Picture (right): Neri

I guess I'm not the mechanic that I thought I was.

I rode out of camp with John, Karin, and their friends Ron and Corinne. Ron and Corinne had driven up to Wawa with Karin's husband John.  New Ron and Corinne joined Karin and John on the ride while John L drove the RV and provided support to the group (a comfortable lunch and water bottle refills).  All 4 had been training for the Tour since the spring.  Unfortunately, only John and Karin could get the time off to do all of it.

On the first hill out of camp my chain began to slip.  Brook drove by right then so I flagged her down in case I needed tools or my old parts.  I tried removing chain links, thinking that it was too long and had too much slack.  Nothing worked.  25 minutes later I rode off again with the problem still not fixed.  I could use the big ring in front without too much problem so I decided to keep going without changing anything.  I thought we'd be able to find a bike store in one of the big cities we were going to pass through.  A few kilometers later Ron just stopped in the middle of the road.  He spotted a van that was about to turn out of a side street next to us with the words "mobile bicycle repair service" on the side.  After we stopped laughing, we explained who we were and what my problem was.  He diagnosed the problem, worn front chain rings.  He couldn't help because he didn't carry road bike parts.  He pointed us to Impala Cycles, a few kilometers away in Whitby (185 Thickson Rd., N.).

We arrived at the shop at 9:40.  It opened at 10.  Kevin Schonken, the owner, was a triathlete and had some nice bikes on the floor.  He also had the parts I needed.  Since I wasn't using the small ring in front (the granny gear), I had him change the entire crankset and chainring assembly to a double (2 rings, instead of 3).  For the gearheads among you, I swapped a Shimano 105 52-42-30 for a Shimano Ultegra 53-39.  Kevin also pointed out that my seat was broken and could fall apart any time.  As much as I hated to, I picked out a new seat -- the Specialized Body Geometry model.  Of all the things not to do during a long ride, changing seats is the worst.

Two hours later I walked out with a very different bike.  Kevin only charged me for the parts, not the labor.  I just have to send him a post card.  Thanks Kevin.

Karin, Corinne, and Ron rode on ahead.  They were cooling down too much during the wait.  John waited for me, knowing that it would be tough riding alone on a long, hilly day.  We didn't know how long the repairs would take, but we thought we could catch them.  We never did.  The ride to the bike shop was only 22 miles (36 km).  According to Bud's map, we had 87 miles (140 km) to go.  At the beginning of the day we'd decided to take a more direct route, avoiding the scenic but rambling route he'd laid out.  The route we took was very hilly and we had a headwind.  Worse yet, Highway 401 was closed due to a severe accident and much of the traffic was rerouted to the path we'd chosen.  It was ugly for about 20 miles (30 km).  John and I didn't get to camp until around 6:30.  Boy was my butt sore.

The countryside reminds me of upstate New York (with good reason, I guess).  There were lots of rolling hills, some steep.  From the tops you could see for miles.  It was mostly farmland -- lots of hay and corn.

I took the fastest shower on record then hopped in a van that took us back to downtown Campbellford for a free dinner.  It was from another of Isabelle's supporters.  Dinner was burgers, beer, and corn.  I was nervous when I saw a small amount of food sitting out for us.  They'd been warned, however, and just kept bringing more whenever the dishes started running low.

Day 46: August 13 Campbellford to Fermoy  91 miles (147 km)    Climbing (meters): 844 up, 901 down
Picture (left): Karin, John, New Ron, Corinne, and John McCormick riding a double paceline
Picture (right): John Lawrence in the captain's seat, driving the RV

I slept well last night.  As soon as I closed my eyes, I was out.  I didn't wake up until I heard voices around 6 a.m.  That's not too bad considering that home these days is a small nylon tent (about 5 x 8 feet) with no sound insulation.  It keeps me warm and (usually) dry.

I rode out of camp with John, Karin, New Ron and Corinne again.  I hoped we could have a real ride together today.  John McCormick, Chef Bruce's son, joined us for the day.  He'd ridden out of Toronto with his Dad and was going to leave us after today's ride.

The route was on Concession Roads, similar to County Roads down in the States.  I still haven't found anyone who can explain why they're called Concessions.  We continued to ride past farms and the occasional small town.  It was Sunday, so traffic was light and trucks were non-existent.  There were no winds to speak of and the sun was shining.  By lunchtime it had warmed up to around 88F (31C).  These were wonderful conditions.

My bottom was not happy with the new seat.  I dropped out of the paceline early.  I couldn't sit still and didn't want to make it rough on the riders behind me.  Instead I rode ahead of or behind the group.  I used all of the hills as excuses to stand and get out of the saddle.  After a while, I didn't even wait for hills to stand up.  I think I spent 25% of the ride off the seat.

We stopped in the town of Tweed for a second breakfast and then met Karin's husband John by the side of the road in Reidville for lunch (only one lunch today).  Both were welcome breaks.  I finished the final 30 miles (50 km) on my own.  One more day of riding and we get a rest day in Ottawa.

The campground was on Canoe Lake.  It was great water for an inland lake - clear and warm.   A bunch of us played ultimate Frisbee in the lake for a bit before dinner.  Reminder to self: when inviting other people to join you in a game involving strength, put the big guys on your own team.

Day 47: August 14 Fermoy to Ottawa  88 miles (142 km)    Climbing (meters): 589 up, 705 down
Picture: Karl, Jules, Jon, and Alan celebrating in front of the Parliament Building in Ottawa

Finally, I'm getting used to the changes in the bike.  The gearing is becoming automatic and the seat is almost bearable.  I was nervous starting out this morning, thinking it would be another uncomfortable ride.  It wasn't.  Some of the hot spots were gone, at least for the morning.

I rode out with Jules and Alan.  We found Jon repairing his bike on the gravel road out of camp and stopped to help him fix the chain.  He joined us for the day.  It was the first time that the four of us had ridden together since Youngstown, a month ago.  Jules set the pace early, riding out fast.  I teased him that he was riding like a man about to see his wife for the first time in six weeks, which he was.  He just smiled.

Kelly had recommended a coffee shop a block off the route in Perth (Coutts & Company, 17 Wilson St. E., next to the Fiddlehead Restaurant)  It was another beautiful day, so we stopped.  The shop was in an old felt mill building.  Across the street was a park with a stream and a pretty bridge.  Not a bad place to visit.

Once again, we decided to skip part of Bud's route and take a different way into town.  We took a more direct route for part of the morning, but then added scenic detours later.  Jules grew up in Ottawa and had moved back to it several times for work.  He took us past two of the homes he'd lived in and then along the bike paths he used to get from home to work.  The bike paths here are wonderful.  They were either paved or packed gravel.  As Alan put it, "even the gravel was better than the best roads in Saskatchewan".

We traveled along the Ottawa river to downtown and reached Parliament Hill.  We took the obligatory photos in front of the Parliament building and did a victory lap around the building before riding out to Carleton University.  We also saw the Chateau Laurier, another Canadian Pacific hotel that was built at the turn of the century.  It's remarkably similar to the Chateau Lake Louise outside of Banff, the Royal York in Toronto, and the ?? in Vancouver.  The city itself seems friendlier and more compact than Toronto.  It has tons of bike paths that I don't plan to use tomorrow.  I'm walking or taking a cab when I go out.

I arrived early enough to set up my tent on the lawn to dry it out (and drink a few beers).  I also got to meet Jules' wife, Helene.  Since they live near Boston, she's going to take some of my excess clothes and 'stuff' back to the U.S.

Dinner was pizza and beer; we can't cook from the truck while we're here.  Sleeping indoors should be easy tonight, the rooms have air conditioning.  And the beds can't be harder than the ground.
 

Day 48: August 15 Ottawa  (rest day)
Picture: Brook and Karl sporting their tattoos before going into the bar for a beer

What a nice day this was.  As much as I wanted to be a tourist, I knew I needed to rest.  I had a leisurely breakfast with John, Alan, and Craig. We ate in the dormitory cafeteria.  It was an all-you-can-eat buffet.  I'd swear the food is much better now than when I was in school.

John and I joined forces and did laundry.  Actually, he did more of the work than I did, so I owe him at the next stop.  I also updated this web page on my PC but didn't have a phone line to send it out to the net. I'll find one eventually.

Close to lunch time John and I walked the three miles into downtown.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm.  We walked on the bike path next to the canal (yes, we walked side by side, pissing off the bikers who had to pass us).  We ate lunch outside on the patio at a creperie (sp?) in the market area (lots of little shops, restaurants, and street vendors).  We were people watching and it was fascinating.  For example, all of the clothes we've been wearing for the past six weeks are functional..  It's fascinating how fashionable clothes, especially shoes, are impractical.

After lunch we went for hair cuts.  Since it was a big city, we were directed to Joseph's Coiffures.  It was very hip.  Lisa cut my hair, washed it, then styled it.  She didn't think I should leave with my standard "just combed it with a towel" look.  She put stuff in it and made it do tricks.  She said it made me look young and hip (but not very practical).  I'll go back to simple tomorrow.

Coffee and cappuccino was next on the agenda.  We met Brook on the way and talked her into joining us.  It wasn't too hard.

She also joined us as we got tattoos.  (And we weren't even drunk.)  There were a couple of street vendors who did tattoos using henna.  The woman who did ours said they'd last about two weeks.  Jon has a Canadian maple leaf on his ankle.  Brook has a canoe on her shoulder.  I have a sun on my arm.  I wanted sun for the next two weeks of the tour; now I'm sure to have it.

The rest of the day was spent in a bar and a restaurant.  The bar advertised 145 beers from all over the world.  Eric had recommended it strongly.  I tried a couple of Belgian ales -- a double bock and a kriek (sort of a cherry beer/champagne).  Both were excellent.  We went upstairs for dinner, then returned to the bar for nightcaps.  We laughed a lot and just enjoyed the day.

The only sour note for the day was when the ATM machine ate my card.  That's a problem that I'll worry about solving tomorrow.

Stats to date
Total Distance: 3,318 miles / 5,351 kilometers
Total time: 190:48
Average speed:  17.4 mph / 28.0 kph
Average distance/day: 81 miles / 131 kilometers

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