Bike Touring Canada. Cycling across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto.
Bike Touring Canada is a journey of discovery from Vancouver to Toronto to find out what makes this country so special.
Monday 1 September 2014
Thursday 22 September 2011
It Was The Best of Times, The Worst of Times!
Trip Statistics:
Total distance: 4781km
Total riding time: 228 hours, 56 minutes
Number of days: 38 days including 1 rest day
Average speed: 20.9km/h
Average distance per riding day: 129.2km
Longest day: 201km from Marathon to Wawa
Accommodations:
Camping: 34 nights including 5 nights of guerrilla camping
Hostels: 3 nights
Motels: 1 night
Quirky Facts:
Number of calories normally required daily to maintain body weight: 2578 calories
Approximate number of calories burned during a 129.2km ride: Over 5000 calories
Weight of panniers/equipment attached to bike: 65lbs
Weight of bike: 35lbs
My weight before trip: 211lbs
My weight after trip: 181lbs
Number of flat tires: 0 (Vittoria Randoneur tires are amazing)
Equipment failures: 1 chain, 1 derailleur and 1 worn out tire
Other cyclists I met: 22 (including 4 soloists)
Encounters with people walking around the world: 2
Friendly bear encounters: 7
Road kill count: 286 animals including birds.
Most inspiring adventure: Dana Meise's 7 year, 22 000km walk. Dana was lugging a 60lb backpack through the wilderness and will be the first person to walk the Trans Canada Trail. Special mention to the grandfather who set the new record for cycling across Canada in 13 days. Unfortunately, I never got to meet him.
10 Favourite Moments:
1) The RVer's at the campgrounds. They tell great stories and cooked good dinners.
2) Drivers in B.C. honking and cheering on the mountain climbs.
3) Saskatchewan hospitality. It was impossible to buy your own beer at the pubs in small towns.
4) People. Everyone has a story to tell and all were friendly.
5) The beauty of the Crowsnest Highway through B.C. and the 5 bears on day 2 through Manning Park.
6) The retired cyclists from Montreal. Stayed at the same campgrounds in parts of B.C. and all of Alberta. Bumped into them again in Northern Ontario.
7) Other cyclists crossing the road. Always lots to say.
8) The Ontario Provincial Police. These guys always had your back. Thanks for the chocolate bars.
9) Swerving around a bear that crossed the road near Creston. I could have patted it on the head.
10) Complete and utter freedom every hour every day. Loved waking up in the morning.
10 Worst Moments:
1) The flooding in Manitoba. Sad to see so many farmers getting wiped out.
2) Brushing up against the side of a semi in Northern Ontario. That was close...
3) Headwinds across the prairies. Tougher than climbing mountain passes.
4) Getting pelted by rocks picked up off the road by the wind between Kenora and Dryden.
5) Climbing the Crowsnest Pass on a stormy 5 degree morning and almost getting blown off my bike by an 80km/h gust of wind near the summit.
6) Road kill. There was too much of it.
7) Ontario Provincial Park Campgrounds. The motels were cheaper.
8) The road outside of Thunder Bay. As one cyclist put it, "The worst roads in the world are in Kazakhstan, but this is worst than Kazakhstan."
9) Mosquitoes, black flies and horse flies.
10) Hail and Lightning storms on the prairies. On the prairies there's nowhere to hide.
5 Interesting Characters I Met Along The Way:
1) Dana Meise: Walking 22 000km along the Trans Canada Trail.
2) Jean Beliveau: 11 years, 64 countries and over 75 000km. He's walking around the world
3) Pierre Deroi: Professional Adventurer. Rowed the Atlantic, cycled from Paris to Beijing, pulled a 180kg sled across Greenland and cycled from Vancouver to Montreal in 31 days.
4) Lloyd and Willa: Owners of the hostel in Thunder Bay. After spending their lives traveling the world, the world now comes to them. Recently sponsored 200 Karen Burmese refugees.
5) Matt: Who needs a wallet when you have a ukulele? Busking to raise funds in every major city, he is slowly working his way from East to West. A true adventurer who doesn't mind getting lost along the way.
Would I do it again?
In a heart beat. Life seems too ordinary without the great adventures so go for it!
"It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had."
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Total distance: 4781km
Total riding time: 228 hours, 56 minutes
Number of days: 38 days including 1 rest day
Average speed: 20.9km/h
Average distance per riding day: 129.2km
Longest day: 201km from Marathon to Wawa
Accommodations:
Camping: 34 nights including 5 nights of guerrilla camping
Hostels: 3 nights
Motels: 1 night
Quirky Facts:
Number of calories normally required daily to maintain body weight: 2578 calories
Approximate number of calories burned during a 129.2km ride: Over 5000 calories
Weight of panniers/equipment attached to bike: 65lbs
Weight of bike: 35lbs
My weight before trip: 211lbs
My weight after trip: 181lbs
Number of flat tires: 0 (Vittoria Randoneur tires are amazing)
Equipment failures: 1 chain, 1 derailleur and 1 worn out tire
Other cyclists I met: 22 (including 4 soloists)
Encounters with people walking around the world: 2
Friendly bear encounters: 7
Road kill count: 286 animals including birds.
Most inspiring adventure: Dana Meise's 7 year, 22 000km walk. Dana was lugging a 60lb backpack through the wilderness and will be the first person to walk the Trans Canada Trail. Special mention to the grandfather who set the new record for cycling across Canada in 13 days. Unfortunately, I never got to meet him.
10 Favourite Moments:
1) The RVer's at the campgrounds. They tell great stories and cooked good dinners.
2) Drivers in B.C. honking and cheering on the mountain climbs.
3) Saskatchewan hospitality. It was impossible to buy your own beer at the pubs in small towns.
4) People. Everyone has a story to tell and all were friendly.
5) The beauty of the Crowsnest Highway through B.C. and the 5 bears on day 2 through Manning Park.
6) The retired cyclists from Montreal. Stayed at the same campgrounds in parts of B.C. and all of Alberta. Bumped into them again in Northern Ontario.
7) Other cyclists crossing the road. Always lots to say.
8) The Ontario Provincial Police. These guys always had your back. Thanks for the chocolate bars.
9) Swerving around a bear that crossed the road near Creston. I could have patted it on the head.
10) Complete and utter freedom every hour every day. Loved waking up in the morning.
10 Worst Moments:
1) The flooding in Manitoba. Sad to see so many farmers getting wiped out.
2) Brushing up against the side of a semi in Northern Ontario. That was close...
3) Headwinds across the prairies. Tougher than climbing mountain passes.
4) Getting pelted by rocks picked up off the road by the wind between Kenora and Dryden.
5) Climbing the Crowsnest Pass on a stormy 5 degree morning and almost getting blown off my bike by an 80km/h gust of wind near the summit.
6) Road kill. There was too much of it.
7) Ontario Provincial Park Campgrounds. The motels were cheaper.
8) The road outside of Thunder Bay. As one cyclist put it, "The worst roads in the world are in Kazakhstan, but this is worst than Kazakhstan."
9) Mosquitoes, black flies and horse flies.
10) Hail and Lightning storms on the prairies. On the prairies there's nowhere to hide.
5 Interesting Characters I Met Along The Way:
1) Dana Meise: Walking 22 000km along the Trans Canada Trail.
2) Jean Beliveau: 11 years, 64 countries and over 75 000km. He's walking around the world
3) Pierre Deroi: Professional Adventurer. Rowed the Atlantic, cycled from Paris to Beijing, pulled a 180kg sled across Greenland and cycled from Vancouver to Montreal in 31 days.
4) Lloyd and Willa: Owners of the hostel in Thunder Bay. After spending their lives traveling the world, the world now comes to them. Recently sponsored 200 Karen Burmese refugees.
5) Matt: Who needs a wallet when you have a ukulele? Busking to raise funds in every major city, he is slowly working his way from East to West. A true adventurer who doesn't mind getting lost along the way.
Would I do it again?
In a heart beat. Life seems too ordinary without the great adventures so go for it!
"It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had."
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Wednesday 6 July 2011
Day 38, July 6th, Owen Sound to Toronto!! (196km)
CN Tower Toronto |
By 6am, the rain had slowed down. For the first time on the trip, the inside of my tent got soaked. It was warm and humid night. My tent had trapped the moisture and the heat kind of like a sauna. Oh well, I thought, at least I'll have a wet jersey to keep me cool today. By 6:30am, I started to pack up camp for the final time. It took me till 9am to hit the road, everything was soaked.
Dodgy Highway 6 |
Coutryside Hayfields |
Wind Turbines Near Shelburne |
Somewhere on Highway 10 |
Pearson Airport from Airport Road |
Toronto Skyline from Lake Ontario |
Sailboats Along Lake Ontario |
Average Speed: 25.8km/h
Maximum Speed: 71.2km/h
Time: 7:36
Odometer: 4781km End of Trip!
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Day 37, July 5th, Tobermory to Owen Sound, (145km)
Georgian Bluffs Along Georgian Bay |
Wind Power and Hay Fields |
The scenery on Highway 9 turned out to be phenomenal. This part of Ontario has had optimal weather for growing crops this year. Canola fields were brilliant yellow and the hay fields were being harvested. Every now and then, Lake Huron would come into view. Farmers waved, not many bike tourers go this way. A farmer filled my water bottles when I stopped for a chat. The road was a bit longer but its definitely worth the ride. I would recommend Highway 9 to any bike tourer riding the Bruce peninsula.
Taking a Break Along Georgian Bay |
Eventually, Highway 9 got me to Wiarton. Stopping by Rexall to top off my supplies, the cashier gave me another great piece of advice. She suggested taking Highway 1 through Grey County along the coast all the way to Owen Sound. While it was a lot longer, she said the view of the Georgian Bluffs was worth the ride. Highway 1 didn't have a shoulder but there were only a few cars along the road. Skirting the coast, the bluffs appeared on the far side of the lake. It was so beautiful. Taking my time, I headed down to the boat launch to take some pictures. Walking along the beach, I had the whole place to myself. It was too hot to ride so I jumped in the lake. What an awesome feeling on a muggy day.
Highway 1 Rolling Down to the Coast |
Wanting to make it to Owen Sound, I moved on. Highway 1 bends inland over a steep hill close to Indian River. I climbed the hill and looked back at Georgian Bay. The fellow who owns the farm must have the most pictures-tic farm in Canada. Rolling into Indian River, I discovered a General Store. The lady running the place is famous for having the best butter tarts in Ontario. People drive here from all over the place to buy them. I ended up buying a dozen. There's still a few left for breakfast but they might not make it till morning. The locals at the trailer park I'm camped at know where I bought them.
Canola Fields In Full Bloom |
Not far from Indian River, is Owen Sound. It strikes me as a tough and gritty city. Perhaps I just came through the wrong part of town. Right down to the architecture, the downtown core reminded me of the Eastside of Vancouver. There were even a few drug attics out and about. Lunch down here was really cheap. For some reason, when you order a slice of pizza they give you two. The girl at the tourist information center was the friendliest I've met on this trip. She helped me contact a trailer park outside the city to check to see if camping was available. Camping was available and Donna gave me a tenting site for half the normal price. The residents who call this park home are nice people. A lot of them are down on there luck or older seniors with no where else to go. I'm kind of incongruous with the surroundings but everyone is so friendly that the place feels like home.
Hayfields by Owen Sound Along Highway 1 |
Tomorrow I'm not sure what to do. I saw a sign saying Toronto is 185km away but there's a lot of hills by Orangeville. If there's no campgrounds I might push into town. Highway 10 is reputedly busy without much of a shoulder. It's gonna be strange being in the big city after spending weeks in some really remote parts of Canada. It's only during the past couple of days that I've realized this adventure is nearing its end.
Toronto is so Close Now |
Distance: 145km
Average Speed: 21.9km/h
Maximum Speed: 56.6km/h
Time: 6:50
Odometer: 4585km
Labels:
Bicycle Touring Owen Sound,
Bike Touring
Location:
Ontario, Canada
Monday 4 July 2011
Day 36, July 4th, Sheguiandah to Tobermory (58km)
Chi-Cheemaun Ferry |
Last night the campground was hopping. With Canada Day on Friday and Independence Day on Monday, a lot of people had made it a 4 day weekend. Batman Campground is huge, it must have over a hundred sites. At the rec hall I met a lot of people. Word spread quickly that I was the guy on the bike from Vancouver. Kids love good stories and adults like adventure. So many people came by to say hello. Throughout this whole trip, I've been lucky to hear a lot of great stories from friendly people. It was tough to escape the crowd and I didn't get back to my tent until well past midnight. The ferries sailed from South Baymouth at 7:30am or 1:30pm. I chose to sleep in and catch the later boat. The terminal was only 52km away.
Manitoulin Landscape |
In the morning, an old timer told me I would have a breakfast hill to warm up my legs. It wasn't too bad and after the hill, Manitoulin Island flattened out. This island is the largest freshwater island in the world. You can see the lake along the side and beautiful rolling hay fields. The roads weren't busy and the construction crews were friendly. I really enjoyed the ride to the terminal along its quiet roads. The ferry I'm taking takes you from South Baymouth to Tobermory across the channel between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. It's almost a 2 hour ride.
I got to the terminal an hour before the ferry. It was already full. So many people were heading home after a weekend at the cottage. There's always room for a bike so I purchased a ticket and went to the front of the line. I saw another guy with a couple of bikes. He had been in Manitoulin for a triathlon on the weekend. He gave me directions on how to get to Toronto from Tobermory. I'm only 308km away. “The hills are done,” he proclaimed.
Chi-Cheemaun Heading Towards Tobermory |
The ferry ride was beautiful. From the cafeteria, you could see the islands in Georgian Bay. Cutting close to a lighthouse we rounded the bend. Tobermory appeared in the distance. I went down to the car deck to untie my bike. A bunch of bikers came by to say hello. Bikers seem to relate well to cyclists. We both know what it's like to have total freedom on the roads. It's really quite a diverse group out here. You have the tough acting, foul mouthed red necks riding their choppers but also well spoken doctors looking for new adventures. On the road we all get along. I guess the glue that binds us together is the great adventure. A few days ago, I said you are who you are in the moment when your traveling this way. As I watched a redneck help a doctor with his bike, that statement couldn't have been more true. In the city these two would have never talked. Out here, it was like they had been friends for the past twenty years.
A Few Bikes on the Ferry |
First off the ferry, I pulled into the information center. I didn't want to battle the ferry traffic on a tight country road. The girl said there wasn't much between the 100km stretch from Tobermory to Owen Sound. She suggested a campground run by Mennonites at the southern edge of town. After a week of tough riding, I wanted a break. It was only a 58km day. Toronto is just over 300km away now. In so many ways, I don't want the adventure to end. Tonight I talked with a couple who's son has been posted to Sierra Leon with the Peace Corps. The pictures were awesome. Happy 4th of July to all my American friends.
Leaving South Baymouth |
Distance: 58km
Average Speed: 19.6km/h
Maximum Speed: 47.1km/h
Time: 2:58
Odometer: 4440km
Day 35, July 3rd, Blind River to Sheguiandah (174km)
Amish Cart & Buggy |
Sitting down at Tim Hortons for dinner last night, Joseph came by to say hello. At first I was a bit surprised, Joseph is Amish and they have a reputation for being reclusive. He'd been in Blind River all day at the farmers market trying to sell his wares. Joseph makes wooden furniture and grows berries and vegetables on his 85 acre farm. Originally, he said a lot of Amish had settled on Manitoulin Island. Land is more expensive there, so 5 young families relocated to Iron Bridge. Life was difficult but they were going to give it a try. Waiting for the Grayhound to take him back, he asked if I saw any horse and buggies today. I mentioned the carriage I had seen at Iron Bridge near the store. He said that was probably his wife, she bakes and sells homemade bread. Joseph and I are about the same age and I was glad to get a better understanding of their culture. According to him, he wouldn't want to live any other way.
I think what Joseph believes is important. While some may consider him crazy he feels he lives in a historical period where there's enough technology to serve the needs of man. Perhaps for him it's the ideal balance between our wants and needs. He has time for his family and the kids. The clock he lives by is the sun in the sky. He's a happy fellow unburdened by the wants of consumerism. While I would never choose his lifestyle, I can understand the allure of simplicity. With dinner finished, he wished me the best of luck. He told me to look out for the horse and buggies going west in the morning. We shook hands and I took off. The sun was setting and camp was 5km out of town.
I think what Joseph believes is important. While some may consider him crazy he feels he lives in a historical period where there's enough technology to serve the needs of man. Perhaps for him it's the ideal balance between our wants and needs. He has time for his family and the kids. The clock he lives by is the sun in the sky. He's a happy fellow unburdened by the wants of consumerism. While I would never choose his lifestyle, I can understand the allure of simplicity. With dinner finished, he wished me the best of luck. He told me to look out for the horse and buggies going west in the morning. We shook hands and I took off. The sun was setting and camp was 5km out of town.
Serpentine River |
Today my goal was to reach Espanola. Espanola is a pulp and paper town that also serves as the junction for Highway 17 and Highway 6. I plan on going south on Highway 6 and taking the Manitoulin Island ferry to Tobermory. At just over 100km, the ride to Espanola should have been easy. It was another sunny day. The morning was hot but the winds were calm and I cruised smoothly through the rolling hills. I crossed a bridge over the waterfall on the Serpentine River. Things were going great. The heat was intense so I took lots of breaks. Cruising through a series of small towns, I made it to Spanish. Espanola was less than 30km away.
Highway 6 Breaking Off to the Right |
After taking a break, I battled a few more hills before arriving at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 6. I can't say I'll miss Highway 17. It's a dangerous road to cycle on. Right until the end, the shoulder was narrow. When there was a shoulder, it was often chipped or the cracks would be filled with soft rubber that catches your wheels. Motorcyclists have the same problem. The rubber they use to fill the cracks wobbles their bikes. As I paused at the junction, a guy waved me in to Tim Hortons. He bought me an Ice Cap. I'm still amazed at all the acts of random kindness that I've experienced on this trip.
Entering Espanola, you see a massive paper mill. “More Than a Nice Paper Town,” is what the sign says. High and low I searched for somewhere to camp. The guy at Mcdonalds said there was nothing near the town. He suggested I make the trip to Manitoulin Island. It was 60km down the road and late in the day. Without much choice, I started the journey. The kid had said there might be a few small hills along the way.
Grinding up a Hill |
A few small hills turned out to be the LaCloche foothills. Sharp and steep, they reminded me of the shoreline of Northern Lake Superior. The heat radiated off the pavement like a blast oven. It was tough to climb in these conditions. After a 25km struggle, I made White Fish River. The sign said this was reservation land. Rolling past the community center, an Indian came out and asked me to stop. “I have a vision,” he said, “you come from a land many moons away.” I couldn't tell if he was joking, so I said, “The land you speak of is surrounded by mountains that descend to the sea. The white man calls it Vancouver and it's 35 moons away.” The Indian introduced himself as Rising Mojo. It's the most interesting name I've come across on this trip. He said he wanted to buy me a drink. I told him that “The 36th moon wasn't far away and that I still had a long way to go today.” He told me “No harm would come to me as I went through White Fish River lands.” Rising Mojo blessed my trip. He couldn't stop saying "For real bro," when I told him of all the things I'd seen. I think he thought I was Indian. It was such a funny chat but he was a nice guy.
Oh La La! La Cloche Hills |
The land flattened out and I hit Swift River. Stiff headwinds greeted me for the rest of the way. At Swift River, they said the next campground was at Sheguiandah. I kept pushing forward. Finally making the campground I greeted the girl, “Glad to see you Batman.” The name of the campground was Batman and it's a good one. A lot of regulars come here from as far away as Toronto. I'm getting very near. Tomorrow I take a 2 hour ferry to Tobermory.
Manitoulin Island Landscape |
Distance: 174km
Average Speed: 20.9km/h
Maximum Speed: 58.4km/h
Time: 8:19
Odometer: 4382km
Saturday 2 July 2011
Day 34, July 2nd, Sault Ste. Marie to Blind River (156km)
Got Em! West of the Soo |
View of America |
Land Disputes |
Bruce Mine |
Lake View Near Thessalon |
Amish Horse & Buggy |
Hayfields Near Blind River |
The Harbour Sault Ste. Marie |
Average Speed: 23.8km/h
Maximum Speed: 47.7km/h
Time: 6:33
Odometer: 4208km
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