Sandi and Lewis' ride across Canada

Day 33, 34-Thunder Bay Quetico to Thunder Bay, Ontario Distance: 174 km Hot then rainy Well, wouldn’t you know it, the Button Pusher (BP) and I got into a huge row in the parking low at Kakabaka Falls; without going into too much detail, all there is to tell is that I am all that is logical and reasonable and he has the logical reasoning of a teenaged stubborn donkey. I tried to begin the conversation like an adult, inviting him to discuss a matter that needed attention. He refused any such engagement and immediately went into the equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and saying, “lu lu luluuuu, I can’t hear you,”. I attempted to engage him again in adult dialogue which he again met with the same type response. At this point I lost any cool I had left and regrettably made it personal by asking him if it was any wonder that no one liked him on the tour. It got ugly from then on in, and I am embarrassed to say we caused quite the scene. Since we were engaged in battle at a popu...

Day 32-Quetico Provincial Park Taylor’s Cove, to Quetico, Ontario Distance: 154 km 40 degrees measured on the road We have all, since starting this tour, become quite adept at ‘cyclist tracking’; how far ahead the others are, how long ago they passed a certain point, and the like. Naturally one needs clues in order to be able to ascertain this information, and in this case the telltale signs are fruit skins, specifically spent bananas. Often riders will eat the fruit while still on the bike, and throw the peels onto the road; judging by the shade of the brown on the skin, and the general hydration of the skin, we can judge their position, and adjust our speed accordingly-I am starting to feel like a Great Cyclist Hunter. I am not sure where these skills will take me once the tour is over, but for now, it has been of some use. The ride today was a toughie, as the terrain was very hilly; as soon as we climbed one hill, there lay another one in wait, taunting us. According to someone’s al...

Day 31-Taylor’s Cove Caliper Lake to Taylor’s Cove, Ontario Distance: 128 km 28 degrees We’re staying on a private campground tonight which has definite advantages, and some disadvantages; on the plus side we do not have to contend with the masses who have packed all their earthly belongings including the dog and cat (yes, cat) into their roving home, and then disgorged its contents for all to see, cat included. There are very few others around; giving the place the kind of solitude that one often wants when in the Great Outdoors. We’re camping beside a lake, which except for the odd motor boat, is quite quiet. I got to chattin’ with a ruddy, red swollen faced guy at the camp store who is here from the States for a three day fishing competition; turns out he is a professional fisherman and travels all over Canada, US, and Mexico from competition to competition. He says he hunts in the winter. I didn’t know that people like him still exist. He was complaining about having been on the wa...

Day 30-Caliper Lake Kenora, to Caliper Lake Distance: 127 km Hot It rained on and off throughout the night last night; there is something comforting about sleeping in a dry (hopefully) tent while it’s wet outside. Lewis and I did a cycling trip in Newfoundland a couple of years back and experienced torrential downpours; unfortunately our tent then wasn’t up to the challenge, and I ended up spending the night akin to what I imagined Chinese water torture to be like; with a constant drip on my forehead. Luckily the rain let up by the time we set out in the morning, and we cycled for most of the day under cloud cover, but by the end of the ride the temperature was measured at 36 degrees, making it an intense ride. It’s also strange to be in Ontario now, with its very typical Canadian Shield terrain-even though I have never been here; it seems all very familiar with the rocky, sandy, treed terrain with many lakes - it’s very much like the Muskokas north of Toronto. Also immediately noticea...