Day 28, Saturday, July 29, 2006
Wawa to Sault Ste. Marie....226 km
WE DID IT!! The longest and hardest and the day I feared the most!! I actually had a great night's sleep and it is amazing how good you feel after a 6 hour night! I did wake up once as I heard someone on the floor above, walking about, but I fell back asleep. Woke up at 4:30, packed up and Bob and I helped the roadies organize some provisions for the day and I did the breakfast dishes for those who stayed and ate at our church. Then it was a mad dash to the other church to pump tires, clean and refill water bottles and head out.
It was a chilly morning and we needed arm and leg warmers and our nylon jackets. Great riding temperatures. I think we knew it was going to be a good day when the Lord provided a west wind and we did the first 10k in about 12 minutes!! We were riding with Bern again today. I think we may continue this routine for some time. We hadn't gone too far when the hills began....lots of climbing today and really steeper and much longer climbs. I was popping into granny gear almost immediately, but could get a good spin and rhythm going.
Today was a fantastic day for scenery. We hit the view of Lake Superior once again and followed it for the entire day. At times we were up high with great look off places. It is so vast and and it is like looking out at the Atlantic Ocean when you can see nothing but sea! Even with cloud cover it was a great sight. We cycled through Lake Superior Provincial Park and that was nice. Little lakes, marshes and swamps on both sides of the road. Last week going to Kenora it seemed like every car was towing a motor boat. Through this area the cars were carrying kyaks or canoes. I played the same game with myself and the odometer for today...turning it to the clock instead. I find it easier to watch the minutes pass rather than the miles. I knew that it was going to take about 12 hours in the saddle...so I would encourage myself each hour. We stop to take photos, or to refuel with fruit, energy bars etc. I don't know what is in the food that is causing us to be so gaseous, but man, look out! We could start a flatuence choir.
Becky, one of the young roadies is so enthusiastic and encouraging. She drives one of the support vehicles which hauls a trailor capable of carrying 20 bikes. There are three of these vehicles which also have a large sign on the back indicating that there is a bike tour ahead with cyclists on the road. I have come to the conclusion that most people do not read as they do not slow down. I do realize that the highway is for vehicles but we keep well to the side but the roads in some places are too narrow with no shoulder so we have to share. I firmly believe that some truckers are arrogant enough to like running us off the road! I figure these would be the ones that leave the discarded pop bottles filled with "waste" behind. There is a pattern when you see these on the roads edge and it is usually while climbing steep hills....I suppose that is when trucks are in lowest gear and going the slowest allowing driver to "do his business". Anyhow, back to Becky...the roadies travel along with the group stopping at different locations...Becky is always clowning around and dancing, standing on the roof, hollering and waving us on. You never know where to expect her! Yesterday while climbing a steep section cut through the rock I could hear this voice and there was Becky sitting on the cliff edge. Today as we went by a lovely section of Lake Superior, there she was...out on a rock in the middle of the inlet, standing and waving!! I admire her spunk and her maturity in the handling of her vehicle as she drives across this country.
We had one final hill about 15km before Sault Ste. Marie, and a killer it was. The worst of the trip...it took 18 minutes to get up. From then on clear sailing to our destination.
WE DID IT!! The longest and hardest and the day I feared the most!! I actually had a great night's sleep and it is amazing how good you feel after a 6 hour night! I did wake up once as I heard someone on the floor above, walking about, but I fell back asleep. Woke up at 4:30, packed up and Bob and I helped the roadies organize some provisions for the day and I did the breakfast dishes for those who stayed and ate at our church. Then it was a mad dash to the other church to pump tires, clean and refill water bottles and head out.
It was a chilly morning and we needed arm and leg warmers and our nylon jackets. Great riding temperatures. I think we knew it was going to be a good day when the Lord provided a west wind and we did the first 10k in about 12 minutes!! We were riding with Bern again today. I think we may continue this routine for some time. We hadn't gone too far when the hills began....lots of climbing today and really steeper and much longer climbs. I was popping into granny gear almost immediately, but could get a good spin and rhythm going.
Today was a fantastic day for scenery. We hit the view of Lake Superior once again and followed it for the entire day. At times we were up high with great look off places. It is so vast and and it is like looking out at the Atlantic Ocean when you can see nothing but sea! Even with cloud cover it was a great sight. We cycled through Lake Superior Provincial Park and that was nice. Little lakes, marshes and swamps on both sides of the road. Last week going to Kenora it seemed like every car was towing a motor boat. Through this area the cars were carrying kyaks or canoes. I played the same game with myself and the odometer for today...turning it to the clock instead. I find it easier to watch the minutes pass rather than the miles. I knew that it was going to take about 12 hours in the saddle...so I would encourage myself each hour. We stop to take photos, or to refuel with fruit, energy bars etc. I don't know what is in the food that is causing us to be so gaseous, but man, look out! We could start a flatuence choir.
Becky, one of the young roadies is so enthusiastic and encouraging. She drives one of the support vehicles which hauls a trailor capable of carrying 20 bikes. There are three of these vehicles which also have a large sign on the back indicating that there is a bike tour ahead with cyclists on the road. I have come to the conclusion that most people do not read as they do not slow down. I do realize that the highway is for vehicles but we keep well to the side but the roads in some places are too narrow with no shoulder so we have to share. I firmly believe that some truckers are arrogant enough to like running us off the road! I figure these would be the ones that leave the discarded pop bottles filled with "waste" behind. There is a pattern when you see these on the roads edge and it is usually while climbing steep hills....I suppose that is when trucks are in lowest gear and going the slowest allowing driver to "do his business". Anyhow, back to Becky...the roadies travel along with the group stopping at different locations...Becky is always clowning around and dancing, standing on the roof, hollering and waving us on. You never know where to expect her! Yesterday while climbing a steep section cut through the rock I could hear this voice and there was Becky sitting on the cliff edge. Today as we went by a lovely section of Lake Superior, there she was...out on a rock in the middle of the inlet, standing and waving!! I admire her spunk and her maturity in the handling of her vehicle as she drives across this country.
We had one final hill about 15km before Sault Ste. Marie, and a killer it was. The worst of the trip...it took 18 minutes to get up. From then on clear sailing to our destination.
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