Sandi and Lewis' ride across Canada

Tomorrow the ride officially starts! Our first day is pretty easy-about 84 km heading east out of Vancouver and heading towards Mission, BC. They’re starting us out ‘easy’ the first few days, to get us warmed up into the riding, and to ease going through the Rockies, and then will do 124 km on the third riding day. Apparently this is a tough day as it’s hilly and a bit dodgy on some of the roads. After that it looks like most of the days are around 124 to 172km, which is pretty manageable, considering we have the day to do it. So far as training distances back to back, we did the Rideau Lakes ride from Ottawa to Kingston (180km) and then back the next day, a few weekends back. This year’s ride was a lot easier than last year, due to last year’s intense 42 degree heat on the roads (although this year was freezing cold, again, good training for the crazy weather patterns we may be about to encounter.) The ride back to Vancouver from Victoria was very pretty, the cycling route taking us o...

Victoria-BC After assembling our bikes and packing a week's worth of stuff into our day-backpacks we rode to catch the ferry to Victoria. The ride wasn't very long, and quite scenic and pretty. I took me some time to get used to riding with a saddle/trunk thingamaboobie, as I am not used to riding with anything on my bike, plus the massive backpack for our few days stay in Victoria. We got going quite late from Vancouver; Lewis is very slow and methodical in his preparations; he takes about the same time to get ready as an entire class of teenaged girls getting ready for the prom. I pack and prepare more along the lines of a drug dealer moving across a Singaporian border-just get it done as quickly as possible. So we're both up against each other's paces; Lewis was keenly excited to learn from my dad in the car ride to the airport that my mother is very impatient. He jumped at the chance to blame it on genetics, as he made the quick connection between my impatience and ...

Well here we sit at Terminal One Toronto; our adventure almost tangible-the flavor of our trip teasingly waved under our noses and then snatched away, ‘no trip for you’, said Air Canada, or at least not yet. We left this morning in a rush- (as always,) my dad came down early to pick us up and ended up waiting for us to drag our 101 bags, bits and pieces, and bikes downstairs, onto to a rush to sit in traffic, crawling along the Gardiner Expressway. I won’t miss that commute in the morning, with people and their barely concealed rage. The check in process went well enough; our hockey bags each weighed 60 lbs, plus our bikes, and other bags-the nice Air Canada lady let us through without having to pay extra. For the 18th time I forgot to check my Swiss army knife before flying; it’s become somewhat of a traveling ritual for me; if I don’t have to defend myself as an innocent, and not someone who has terroristic tendencies, I feel like my travel experience is incomplete. My girly private ...

A while ago, my husband Lewis started making some noises about wanting to ride across Canada. I laughed at his idea, and thought it to be silly, irrational, childish even. "Ride across Canada," said I, with a surly smirk- "don't be daft." And, so it's now a few months later, and we are both signed up for this alleged adventure. I think perhaps I was drugged or hypnotized, as why else would anyone sign up for such a thing? (I am asked repeatedly.) I really don't know the answer, but suspect I am soon to find out. Honestly, the riding doesn't so much scare me as much as the camping does. I like camping, but like annoying people, can take it in small doses. 10 weeks of having to set up and tear down a tent is daunting. Riding 7,550 km over 10 weeks somehow doesn't scare me as much as the camping. Am I delusional, or is my brain trying to keep me occupied and have me avoid looking at a grizzly, gory multiple car pile-up? Anyhow, despite myself I am ...