Fınıshed at Last! :)

Dear Frıends,

I'm currently enjoyıng a lıttle R&R ın Istanbul before I return to Vancouver tomorrow vıa Brıtısh Aırways. Thıs cıty ıs so rıch ın hıstory, relıgıon, archıtecture, musıc and many other aspects whıch ınterconnect ın a multı-colored cultural tapestry. As I walked through the bazaars, palaces, museums, mosques and streets full of a cosmology of peoples, I felt rather alıen but a few days of Istanbul ımmersıon has reduced the ınterpersonal gap as I've had a chance to ınteract wıth some of the people who lıve here.

Four days ago, I dıpped my tıre ın the Black Sea at Constanta, Romanıa, havıng completed my four and one half month journey on my Kona Sutra tourıng bıcycle. I enjoy Konas play on words and Sutra, whıch I belıeve means phılosophy ın Hındı, was a suıtable choıce for my bıke as ıt was an excellent vehıcle for my raıson d,etre on thıs journey. It put up wıth an remarkable amount of abuse and provıded me wıth a satısfyıng rıde day after day. I had no accıdents durıng my nearly 8000 km trıp untıl the last 13 kms from Constanta. As I dıd a shoulder check on an approachıng truck behınd me, I dropped ınto the draınage grate from hell, about 15 ınches deep and the same for ıts wıdth and breadth. Perhaps my tıre pressure was just rıght, but I bounced out of the hole and came to a complete stop as my front fender jammed up agaınst the down tube because my forks bent wıth the force. Once I was able to free the fender, there was just enough clearance for the front wheel to spın smoothly enough to get me ınto town. I was grateful for such a recovery and was able to enjoy a successful conclusıon to my trıp.

Lookıng back, ıt dıdnt seem lıke four and a half months but standıng on the beach on the Black Sea was concrete enough for a realızatıon of how far away from home ıt was. From an emotıonal standpoınt, I often felt close to home wıth cell phone, ınternet and SPOT tracker contact. I met so many fıne people who helped me (and Lynda on the Amsterdam to Vıenna sectıon) along the way that brought realıty to the sayıng, Home ıs where the heart ıs. The same goes for supporters from home. Calls from good frıends, sometımes ın the oddest of locations, also aıded my spirit. There were down days but these were often overıdden by encouraging human ınteractıons. There were lonely tımes too but they dıdnt seem to last long. I must have recycled a thousand memories of joys, regrets, songs and relatıonshıps a number of tımes and ın ever changıng order as these memories ebbed and flowed. I think Take a Letter, Marıa was the all tıme wınner as most annoyıng ear worm tune but there were so many more!

There ıs much to share wıth you that I won't ınclude ın thıs brıef catch-up note but wıll backtrack to southern Hungary which ıs where I left off ın my last blog. I followed the Danube as ıt contınued south through Croatıa and swung to the east ın Serbıa and Romanıa. I look forward to tellıng you more when I get home ın front of my own computer ın good ol' Canada.

Yours truly,

Doug

To the Black Sea....Giurgiu to Constanta

see website for an update  http://www.dougsride.net/ 

Approaching Croatia

Dear Friends,

Wow, the first day back to school for kids, parents, teachers, support staff and administrators back home. I'm thinking about you guys today!

I am currently in Baja (not Mexico), Hungary, one and a half day's ride from the Croatian border, taking a rest day.

The Hungarian people I've met have been wonderfully helpful, from people offering directional assistance (unsolicited at times) to others contributing to the project materially. One example of such humanitarian support was from Maria Turi from Dunafoldvar. I booked into her pension and when she read about the clean water project she contributed free lodging and lent me her computer. When I arrived in town, I was welcomed by some of her family and I must admit, it was a wonderful feeling. As I get further away from home it's easy to feel more alienated, like a stranger in a strange land, so these acts of human kindness are much appreciated.

Another example of such generosity occurred today. At the pension I'm staying at, a young woman working here solicited the interpretation help of an English speaking friend across the street to help answer the plethora of questions I was posing to her in my dictionary German. Samuel Nganigi came over and was incredibly helpful, making himself available at any time of the day, even being willing to take a call during his work as dental technician. I needed to see a physician about something minor and he accompanied me personally to his Dr's office for a check up. He intepereted for me and the Dr. was most helpful and didn't charge me a florint for her services. We had a great chat and she wished me well on my journey and project. A special thanks to Dr. Knapig Rosalia!

I haven't covered the kilometers in the last 4 days I had hoped but lots of the terrain has been on gravel pathways (usually on top of dykes along the Danube) and some across farmland on a single track. Yesterday was amazing, riding 21 kms on an asphalt bike path through the Danube-Drava National Park.

I have many recollections of Budapest as I ride south with the Danube. Its history is as rich as its beauty. I recall a visit to the national Modern Art Gallery to see an exhibit with the theme of post socialist Hungary. I think I experienced more existential angst than watching the movie, Eraserhead. Some dismal black and white representations accompanied by a grating electronic soundscape challenged my sanity but there was one video loop of seniors doing old army exercises together which helped to reclaim a mild sense of well being, enough to get out of the museum. Maybe this is one purpose of art...to provoke a reaction. Clearly I'm not giving it a fair review and communicating its purpose but I suppose it just hit me the wrong way.

I've been intrigued by village statues I've seen along my ride including an occasional depiction of the German Wermacht from WWI and one in particular in Dunafoldvar from Soviet Union days, including the hammer and sickle at the top of an a star-sided spire with Russian script embossed at its base. So much history, so much change, like the endless flow of the Danube.

The pension staff here have been more than patient with my domination of the internet station here so I should end my ramblings and close for the moment.

Happy first day of school to my old working colleagues and greetings to my fellow retired colleagues. I wish you all another great school year.

Best regards,
Doug

Burnaby to Budapest and Beyond

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow I leave for the last and longest segment of my European journey to the Black Sea at Constanta, Romania. I'm currently in Budapest, Hungary and will ride south approximately 2öö kms following the Danube, then eastward across Croatia, Serbia and Romania. I replaced my fairly worn tires with new Vittoria Randonneurs, some really tough Italian touring tires and had some new brake pads installed so the Sutra should be in good shape for the journey.

My last leg from Vienna to Budapest was very interesting. It took a couple of hours to work my way through Vienna and then through lots of fields and forests to Hainsburg, Austria. At the private zimmer of Herr und Frau Putz, I met David and Felicia, bike tourists from England who were returning from Budapest. It was great to swap stories and get valuable road tips. David has cycled around the world and knows Steven Lord, the author of a handbook for long distance cyclists, a book which inspired me in part to undertake this journey. What a small world.

The next day, as I approached the border of Slovakia, I referred to my cycling guide published in 2öö6 which said to expect grim faced border guards at the passport check in. There were no guards, nor passport office but rather grass growing between cracks in the parking lot and rusting border gates. It was a little weird but I carried on through the border, passing only a flashy Slovakian coffee bar playing loud techno pop music which seemed to herald my entry into eastern Europe in a way I didn't expect. I skirted Bratislava with it's heavy traffic and headed south into Hungary where I encountered more border facilities in a similar state of entropy. After an hour or so, heading south towards the city of Gyor, a thunder storm broke out accompanied by torrential rain. I had to find a shelter quickly as I turned my bike around to the village of Donasziget where I recalled seeing a road house advertising lodging. Fortunately they had room for me and I used my stay to dry out my gear while the storm raged for many more hours. The next morning brought a steely grey sky but thankfully minimal precipitation. I rode a gravel path on top of a dyke for almost 25 km and found my way to the highway to Gyor, a small city en route to Babolna, my destination for the day. As I pondered my map at an intersection, a very friendly woman by the name of Andee asked if she could help. I suppose I looked confused although I'm usually not, it just takes me awhile to figure things out. Anyhow, she said, "Follow me", and away we went, weaving our way through a number of lanes and streets to the city limits. What a joy. We had a good chat...she used to live in Atlanta and commented that she wished she was back there. Early that evening, I arrived in Babolna, a small town famous for its Arabian horses.

I rode the towns main street on which the Imperial Hotel (which I had booked earlier)was situated but couldn't seem to find it. Fortunately I ran into an Austrian couple whom I had met the daz before and they pointed me to a small sign attached to an imposing wrought iron gate across the street. As I pushed my bike through the opening, I was amazed by a long walkway bordered by huge leafy trees, shrubbery and somber bronze busts highlighted by footlights to the hotel. My eyes were drawn towards a significant pale yellow Edwardian type design with a large arched wooden door at the centre. It was well into dusk and details weren't sharp but I was able to see a buzzer which I rang and got an immediate response from a speaker in Hungarian. The door buzzed and I took that as a cue to enter a dimly lit foyer including marble floors and a high ceiling. A woman behind a window gave me some instructions and a key...I guess I was in. A fellow seemed to appear out of nowhere and led me and my bike through another arched door into a large circular courtyard past a long row of stables. To my great surprise this was where they kept the famous steeds...the Imperial was part of the complex of Arabian stables, training area and horse breeding museum. I was lead into the first floor to my semi palatial room adorned by a 13 foot ceiling, marble flooring in the sumptuous bathroom and India rugs in the living area. Breakfast was not included but it cost 11öö florints, a little over 4 euros. It was served across the street (2 blocks once you traveled across the property) at another museum in a dining room fit for King Stephen, I think a King of Hungary past. The table was covered with a linen including silverware and china. Breakfast was served and the unnerving part of it all was that I was the only one in the elegant yet unlit dining room. Although I was treated like a king or a prominent bureaucrat, I couldn't help but imagine that I was part of an Outer Limits episode and that I would be trapped in this scene forever...arghhhh. I had a chat with the waiter, filled my water bottles and got the heck on the road. Still not sure what to make of the experience but it was unique and good value.

My other destinations included Ezstragon where I resided below one of the most beautiful Basilicas in Hungary and Obuda on the outskirts of Budapest. During my ride to Obuda, I took a ferry to an island called Szentendrei Sziget, about 15 km long. I encountered a shepherd there near the roadside and he asked me for a drink. I had a spare Fanta in my pannier so I was happy to oblige. The sheep were an old breed I think, with horns and a shaggier coat than the ones we know at home. His name was Zolten and was dressed in garb one might imagine being worn centuries ago except for the gumboots. As we attempted to communicate, one sheep got a little too close to the road and he excused himself to rein in the wayward animal...a very alert shepherd. I was quite taken by this encounter and he gave me permission to take his photograph which I will post when I get back.

Budapest is a whole other blog item but because I have to get out of Dodge soon, Ill save it for another day. I may take a train out to the city limits today to avoid the busy Budapest traffic.

Thanks to Zsalt Halsa and Mark Huber for being helpful during my journey. I will acknowledge others when I complete this phase.

All the best for now,

Doug

Loving and Leaving Vienna for Eastern Europe

Dear Friends,

I'm leaving Langenzendorf, Austria (an eastern suburb of Vienna) tomorrow for Bratislava and will travel back and forth a little between Hungary and Slovakia negotiating a route between the two countries on either side of the Danube. I believe it's called the Dunav in Hungary and Duna in Slövakia but I'll double check. It's been the Donau from Donaueschingen, Germany where we encountered it as a little stream. It even disappeared underground for a few kilometers. Now it's a wide, wide river used for hydroelectric power, shipping (each dam includes canals and locks for shipping). I've read the travel advisories and cycling guides so I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be for eastern Europe. It was great cycling with Lynda and sharing all of the amazing sites en route. A cycle tour lacks the ambling ability one has as a foot tourist because there are timelines and distances to achieve in a day. You also have to worry about securing your bike, etc. We did make some day trips by train to go to Ludwig's Castle in Bavaria, Climb the Ulmer Munster Cathedral spire in Ulm Germany and go on a guided tour in Dachau. I'm still significantly impacted by that last experience and plan to share my impressions in the future.

Cycling Germany was a remarkable experience, following the river at times and then disappearing into corn and wheat fields over winding country roads barely used by car traffic. We had to dodge more tractors than anything but for the mostpart, we had the roads and pathways to ourselves. Often, we would veer into cool wooded trails and end up back beside the river to be reaquainted with our old friend, the Danube. Before Austria, hills began to grow around us and each river bend seem to produce another castle perched high above the river. Some of these fortresses go back to the days of the Ottoman invasion hundreds of years ago. The Romans used the river for their expansions as well and it's fun to imagine a legion or two, plying these waters during their imperialist exploits. One can spend hundreds of hours exploring old Roman sites along the Donau. One of the best treats of cycling this part of Europe are the forays into towns and villages, rattling over cobblestone lanes seeking out that perfect cappuccino at a sidewalk cafe. Stretching out your legs and listening to the ringing of local church bells on a sunny afternoon, while scooping out that last bit of foam your cup was one of the most pleasurable parts of my day. The hard part was getting started on your bike again but after a few minutes of peddling, progress was fairly easy to make.

The other highlight of this portion of the trip were the aquaintences made with others. I hope to write more fully about some of the people we met but I was often impressed with their kindness and generosity towards us. Chris and Elizabeth who rescued us from being stranded late at night without a connecting train to our hotel and the birthday surprise they organized for Lynda on her '39th'. The crew at the pub just over the border into Austria at Feldkirchen who helped us find accommodation at night at a farmhouse when it seemed that there was no room at the Inn anywhere. I have to make a public apology to Martim Peterseil for misunderstanding his greeting of 'grus gott' (it did come across as rather grumpy) for something else and being less than friendly with him as a result. After the dust settled he arranged for a van to drive us and our bikes to the private zimmer at the farmhouse I mentioned. Later, I discovered that 'Grus gott' is Austrian for 'Hello'! This story demands more detail but I share this as an example of the kindnesses we experienced along the way.

I want to say hello to the following folks we met along the way...

Pauline, Chris and Elizabeth, the inn keeper's son in Zimmern, Kees, Anton, Bertrand, Willy, Mrs. Stapfolen, Mr. Koppel, another Willy, Patrick, Mr. Knols, Leda, and Herr und Frau Roderich. I'll ask Lynda to remind me of others I may have unwittingly missed.

As I leave for eastern Europe, I must admit some mild anxiety because of the conveniences I may miss that were experienced in the west but each stage, be they provinces of Canada or countries in Europe, has it's own unique experiences to offer. I am a person of Faith and am grateful for the protection I've received thus far so my prayers will include safety for the next portion and that I will be enriched as much as I have been for the last stages I've been able to complete.

Regarding my final destination of Istanbul, I am probably going to revise my route fairly significantly but will still aim to achieve the Black Sea but instead at Constanta, Romania which is near the mouth of the Danube River. The route following the Danube is established as part of the Danube Bike Trail although far rougher than it's western Europe sections. There exists infrastructure of some signage, cycling maps and guides and listings on accomodation along the way. If I was to plan a route from Budapest to Istanbul, the unknowns are significantly greater as well as opportunities to get lost. Once I achieve Constanta, I plan to return to Bucharest by train and make a connection to Istanbul. If time allows, I may have an opportunity to cycle in Turkey before I return to Vancouver.

I guess I'll have to change my trip-project name from 'Burnaby to Istanbul' to 'Burnaby to the Black Sea'. Perhaps this has a better ring to it but none-the- less, I hope to arrive in Turkey with my bike. By the way, the guys from Jubilee Cycle in Burnaby will be happy to know that the Kona is still running well with only one tune-up required and that was in Winnipeg last June.

Thanks to you all who are following this adventure and I hope we can raise a reasonable amount of funds towards the 'Clean Water for Ethiopia Project'. Lynda has returned to Vancouver with my netbook because wi-fi is too inaccessible so I will rely on internet cafes to keep in touch with you but SPOT will continue to transmit unless I lose it off of the back of my bike over the next bumpy 1700 km's.

There is much more to share with you about this trip but I hope to give it more attention in a fuller document upon completion of the trip. Obviously this is not a conventional travelogue per se but rather a set of reflections on a little bicycle journey I'm taking and I hope to share more impressions with you again soon. Lynda will load some long overdue photos so you won't have to rely on my limited descriptions alone.

Best wishes,

Doug Ibbott

Over the water and through the woods....

Dear Friends,

Apologies for not writing since I landed in Europe over two weeks ago. We are members of Friends of the Bike (Vriends op de Fiets) in Holland which provides accomodation opportunities in the Homes of Netherlanders who are avid cyclists or like-minded adventurers. In many cases, we haven't had access to internet services so other cycling functions seem to take over. The same applies to accomodation in German guest houses...great hospitality but internet is not necessarily a priority. It's been great to connect today via the Hotel Garni in Munderkingen (owned by an amazing couple, Christopher Baer and Elisbeth Meixel).

After the Trans Canada, Holland is a total holiday, with flat and wide bike paths, most paved on dykes where vistas are remarkable. It's a bicycle nation! In Germany, cycling the Rhein from Koblenz to Bingen was a head turner with castles perched on hilltops overlooking steep vineyards flowing towards the valley bottom. If that wasn't enough, barge traffic on the Rhein was fascinating and stops at cafes for cappucinos in villages along the way, made this leg more of a relaxing vacation than a bike tour.

We're now cycling the Danube Trail. On day one out of Donaueschingen (beginning of the Danube), we broke out of an urban scene into open vista of gentle hills and fields with a winding trail one might see in a post card. You might recall a scene from the movie, the Great Escape, where Steve McQueen is being chased on a motorcycle in some gorgeous hills and fields in Germany. It's kind of that sort of beauty although Bavaria is much further to the south.

I hope to give you more detail in the next few days but this will be dependent upon easily accessible internet access.

Happy Birthday to Lynda Kerr!!

Warmest regards to you all,

Doug

Ottawa, then flight to Moncton and final leg to Halifax

Dear Friends,

Cycling my way across Ontario seemed incredibly long until one day past Pettawawa, I read a sign which read, "Eastern Ontario". Unbelievable! Soon I would arrive in Ottawa. I stayed in Arnprior, east of Ottawa the night before and rode a pleasant route off of the Trans Canada through beautiful Ottawa Valley farmland for approximately 70 km's. I hooked up my little iPod and rode in with tunes from The Beatles Love Album and The Best of Earth, Wind and Fire on a gorgeous Saturday morning and afternoon. I count this as one of my best days of the trip. Rocks and trees were replaced with greens, yellows and reds of well organized farmland and buildings. When I passed Terry Fox Way and some multi-story office buildings on the perimeter of town, I knew I'd finally arrived. I booked Webb's Motel and it became a perfect base to see a few things and get things done for my next stage. My ticket for Amsterdam from Halifax is for the 22nd of July so I had to modify my plan because it was obvious that I didn't have enough days to cover total kilometers to my destination. Plan A: Cycle as far as I could from Ottawa (perhaps Montreal) and get transportation to Halifax or, Plan B: Fly to Moncton from Ottawa and complete my ride in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I opted for Plan B and here I am in Halifax. This is the city from which my mother arrived from Norway as a young girl in the 1920's and it was the departure point for my father and the Calgary Highlanders during the Second World War. I wanted to cycle here to experience it as intimately as I had arriving at so many other destinations in Canada. I will complete the Ottawa to Moncton leg next Spring and include Newfoundland in the plan which will fulfill a truly coast to coast experience which will even be better.

Ottawa is a remarkably beautiful city and I became familiar with a few areas including the parliament buildings beside the Ottawa River. I spent most of time on Carling St. where I stayed and Richmond Road where I visited bike shops and Mountain Equipment Co-op. I received great treatment from Scott and Ken (the owner) at CyclePower where I joined the guys to watch The Tour de France for a couple of stages in the mornings. The staff at Webb's Motel on Carling street were also extremely helpful and supportive once they heard about the Clean Water for Ethiopia project. Even Canadian Tire staff across the street from the motel were supportive. Everything was great about my stay and I was sorry to leave Ottawa so soon but time overuled and I boarded Porter Airlines for Moncton where I got in around midnight. Unpacking my bike box the next morning proved interesting as a few parts were loose or missing. I found everything and tightened up loose components and I was on my way (albeit a late start) to Amherst, followed by Truro.

On Monday evening, I arrived in Halifax and finally got my first glimpse of the inner harbour and was struck with it's similarity to Vancouver's inner harbour except for the absence of the precipitous North Shore. It was so good to see ocean again and I rode pretty much to the south end of town to Dalhousie University where I'm currently staying. Yesterday, I found a bike box for crating my bike for the flight on the 22nd and shopped at MEC, Cyclesmith and pharmacies to replenish or replace items for the European leg. Tomorrow morning I box my bike again and get ready for my departure for Amsterdam. I've not reflected fully on the cross-Cananda trip a lot due to the business of preparations for the next stage of the ride/project however I seem to have flashbacks at unexpected moments like shopping at the drugstore or while grabbing a coffee at Tim Horton's. Reflective moments like the wail of a train horn in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan or stopping traffic on the Trans Canada near Regina to help two young moose get across the highway without injury (same goes for drivers). I'll not forget that beautiful bear alongside the road as I sped by him/her on the downhill run from Kootenay Pass towards Creston, B.C. The challenge of two to three solid days of headwinds off of Lake Superior from the southerly run from Wawa, Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie, combined with seemingly endless hills and a long food/water replenishment gap proved "character-building" yet somehow, every challenge was handled on it's own terms and I usually found myself at the end of the day with a roof over my head (tent or room) and amenities to get me started for the next day - quite amazing.

One of the best aspects of this trip are the people I met along the way. We've acknowledged many of you who read the blogs from time to time and you have played a role in the success of this project, be it small or large. I've made new friends across the country, some briefly and others I hope to continue. I gained tremendous respect for some of the X-Can riders I met along the way...what remarkably strong individuals they are - like modern day Voyageurs, I think. I achieved moderate distances in a day but met (and heard about) some riders who were covering tremendous distances per day. I culled unnecessary equipment a couple of times via Canada Post during the trip and still felt I was carrying too heavy a load but everything was used. Still need to work on this.

There were others who were regular supporters from home, like June Evans who followed Spot Tracker everyday and her enthusiasm was inspiring. The same applies to Brian and Jan Strehler who followed my progress daily and followed up with phone calls every 2-3 days. Once when changing an inner tube outside of Swift Current, my cell phone rang and it was Brian Strehler calling to see if I was okay because I hadn't moved for quite awhile in an isolated area on the map. That is support!
Calls from my good buddy, Gary Lauwers were also most encouraging and I appreciated his insights and friendship. It was also good being in touch with my Mom who recently turned 90. Her mind is sharp but she suffers from a deteriorating back condition. We talk more from the road than when I was at home so in an odd way, this trip has contributed to our relationship. It's also been good keeping in touch with my younger sister, Jane who's support is also appreciated.

One person who's contributed over and above is Lynda Kerr, my girlfriend, who has overseen lots of logistical support issues, been an active listener and is looking after my great little cat, Latte. Cats are pretty independent but require lots of care and attention like kids. Latte loves Lynda because of the TLC she's provided and I am most appreciative. Latte will be boarded at the Cyber Cat Lodge while Lynda joins me in Europe for a month during the first part of my journey through the Netherlands and Germany.

There's lot's more to say but it's best to be brief. I intend to continue this blog in Europe until my return but am concluding the Canadian portion of the project. Thank you for your support...I learned a great deal and have been blessed by good weather, safety, health, friendship and prayers from my friends at St. James.

Bye for now. I look forward to being in touch with you during the next phase of the journey.

Doug

Ottawa to Moncton

Fold up the map and then a hop from Ottawa to Moncton.  Doug's scheduled flight to Amsterdam on July 22nd has not given him the flexibility of the extra week or so needed to ride from Ottawa to Moncton.  In just three or four more days Doug will ride into Halifax to complete the cross Canada portion of his trip.

Looking forward to more stories.  And pictures, too. 
You will hear from him soon.
Lynda

From Sault Ste. Marie - Eastward Towards Ottawa

Dear Friends,

The difficult terrain is behind me and I'm enjoying a rest day in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario over 400 km. west of Ottawa. I never fully recharged my batteries from the Wawa to Sault Ste. Marie leg so today was necessary. The terrain has been generally flat with a few rolling hills to keep things interesting. Sturgeon Falls and neighboring Verner are largely French Canadian communities, originally settled by French farmers. I read a historical plaque which indicated that an influential Catholic priest encouraged French farmers living in Michigan to move here and farm. Although I'm sure that folks came from other parts, the farms around here are some of the most beautiful I've seen in my ride across Canada so far. They are absolutely picturesque.

On my travels east from "The Soo", I camped in Thessalon (had blueberry panckes at the beautiful Carolyn Bay Inn, owned by a remarkable couple, Andrew and Sue).
I carried onwards through many other small towns and on the third day I stopped in Lively, Ontario, a little larger town about 10 km before Sudbury. Many km's before, I met Terry and Sylvia Carscadden at a campsite on Lake Superior near Schreiber. We had a short, yet interesting visit where we exchanged e-mails and in a few days, I received an invitation to stay at their gorgeous home on Long Lake near Lively as I would be passing by Sudbury on Highway 17. I had another great visit with the Carscaddens and an overnight stay at the lake, including a sauna followed by repeated jumps in the lake. Ahhh, the life! This is one of the best things about travelling in such a fashion, you get unique opportunities to meet some interesting and often very kind people, a few I would now refer to as "friends" for life.

In my eastward ride, I moved from the top end of Lake Superior to the North Channel of Lake Huron. This place is loaded with history of the First Nations people and the Colonials over the past few hundred years. I had an interesting conversation with a councilman from an Ojibway band and I sensed his pride in the heritage of his nation in this area. Samuel de Champlain travelled through this area, although the only evidence of his presence that I've seen is a motel that is named after him and it's not even recommended. I hope to locate some evidence in the form of a plaque or something like that soon.

Tomorrow I continue east towards Ottawa, travelling through places like North Bay,
Mattawa, Pettawawa, Pembroke, Renfrew, Arnprior as I approach the "Big O" in 4 or 5 days from now. I'm looking forward to gleaning more historical evidence of our rich Canadian past as I move further east if I get to take my eyes off of the road...the shoulders of Highway 17 (Trans Canada) have been poor, non-existent and often hazardous. I hope they'll improve as I approach our nation's capital.

Take care,

Doug

Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie - a Beautiful yet Challenging Leg

Dear Friends,

It's been eight days since I left Thunder Bay and have enjoyed a stay at the home of John Myles and Krista Ryall in Sault Ste. Marie. I met John and Krista while riding in Lake Superior Provincial Park and they graciously offered to host me for a night. After over two days of strong southerly headwinds, off of Lake Superior, combined with seemingly endless hills, I was ready for a rest.  This stretch of Highway 17 has been by far the most challenging part of my ride to date with long stretches of wilderness and no settlements in between. One has to plan food and water very carefully and I almost ran out by the time I got to Pancake Bay Provincial Park, about 156 kilometres from Wawa, Ontario. There was good drinking water at this campsite and food down the road and I've never felt so relieved to replenish these resources. "Clean water for anyone" had renewed significance for me as I chugged down my replenished bottle of water on that hot, windy day on the road. I got a bit of a reprieve in the wind for the next 40 km or so until I stopped at the Blueberry Motel, past the Goulais River about 27 km from Sault Ste. Marie. What a relief! I think this was the hardest ride I can remember doing...character building for sure!
The vistas of Lake Superior are unforgettable with the effects of sun and cloud on the changing blues in the lake, sometimes Mediterranean-like azure to a brooding steel grey more akin to the west coast of B.C. on a stormy day. I must admit, I had mixed feelings of isolation and exposure, blended with gratitude for being able to experience this profound natural beauty. I experienced a thunder storm just as I arrived at Agawa Bay where I camped one night and made it to cover just before the skies unleashed a deluge of hail and rain. Blessed again, the skies cleared up within half an hour and I was busy setting up my camp on the north shore of Lake Superior in the sunshine.

So much time was spent solo riding through through landscapes of rocks, trees, marshes and lakes so there is nothing to report that is notable except for the vastness of the wilds of Ontario. I did meet some interesting people on this leg which did enrich this part of the journey. At White River, I met Peter and Mary from Salt Spring Island, B.C. who were riding a tandem bicycle and Anne, a cyclist from Vancouver. We had dinner together on Canada Day and swapped tales of the road which was most intriguing. There were others as well...Houston and Jurgen near Nipigon who were riding west to Vancouver. Houston was returning to Vancouver after seven months in South America and Jurgen was planning on being in Vacouver for his birthday near the end of July. There was also a brother/sister team who were incredibly fit and were covering tremendous distances, heading east. The scuttle-butt on the road was that they rode 300 km on the prairies one day without much of a tailwind and they confirmed this fact when I met them at one point. On the road south of White River I met a Dutch gentleman who was walking across Canada. Bram had walked from Halifax to Ottawa last year and now he is walking from Ottawa to Thunder Bay. Quite a feat!

I've only found the energy to update this blog this morning but need to get going on the next leg to Sudbury before it gets too late, so I'll sign off for now but hope to fill in a few more blanks on this last leg when I recall experiences or information I'd like to share.

Until then,
Bye for now,

Doug

Maywood Community School Students Raise Funds for Clean Water for Ethiopia

I was recently informed by Brenda Hain, Teacher-Librarian at Maywood Community School in Burnaby, B.C. that  students (elementary) raised $100.00 for the Clean Water for Ethiopia Project. Peter Frouse, an ESL teacher at Maywood told me earlier that staff would be working with students on such a project and I am glad to observe that this initiative has been achieved.  The contribution is generous, significant and demonstrates the high level of social responsibility that these children hold for others in need. This demonstration of compassion is not uncommon at Maywood so many thanks to students and staff who supported this important fund-raising initiative. It is greatly appreciated :)

Doug

Natural Northwestern Ontario

Dear Friends,

I'm catching up on a few things on my rest day in English River, a little hunting and fishing outpost along Highway 17. I am not a hunter, nor do I condone it but it is the economic mainstay for this little community. The English River Inn (a great place to stay) fortunately doesn't post gruesome photographs of bears and moose hanging by a chain from some crossbeams with happy hunters smiling beside their trophies like one place I visited.

I've heard all the arguments but I still can't stomach the gratification someone can get in killing wildlife for fun. One day when I was riding past a ranch near Starbuck Manitoba, a small herd of cattle (acknowledging that they are not wild) started running alongside the fence skirting the road beside me. It was a remarkable sight as they didn't seem to be startled by me but seemed like they were joining me for a bit of my ride. Maybe I started a stampede. Okay, I'm probably anthropomorphizing a little too much here, but I really felt a connection with those animals. Something similar happened at an elk ranch in eastern Manitoba and I experienced the same sentimentality. A city boy mentality, I suppose. Nonetheless, I must admit that I am unresolved with the meat eating dilemna. I guess the main issue for me is about killing wildlife for fun as opposed to necessity or one's livelihood.

Highway 17 is a long run (by bike) of over 500 km. between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, Ontario, with a handful of small communities in between. When I first looked at the route on the map, I admit that I felt intimidated by the open spaces and perceived long rides in the north Ontario wilderness without much "civilization". It turned out much better than imagined as I began to feel more intimate with the countryside. It was much friendlier than I thought. One night, I had to camp in a rest stop because there was no other choice given time and distance factors. I had an exceptional time at Jackfish Lake, humming John Lennon's lyric, "Oh that magic feelin', no where to go...!" After my MEC dehydrated seafood chowder (recommended), I took an evening stroll to the lake and watched the moon's reflection on it's glassy surface with background sounds of loons, frogs and of intermittent 18 wheelers from the highway. Later, when settling in to the Summer Moon (my tent), I heard the distant roll of thunder preceded with a few flashes of lightening. Although it seemed afar, the patter of rain began and pretty much put me to sleep, feeling fairly secure, thinking that the weather would help dissuade bears from interrupting my much needed sleep.

The next morning brought breaks in the sky and the promise of a good day. It turned out to be one of my best as the winds were mostly friendly and I covered a little over 120 km to English River. I was a rather tired in the a.m. but got a welcome 2nd wind in the afternoon and 3rd in the evening. The landscape flattened out which also helped considerably.

One event worth noting occurred earlier in the day when I rolled into rest stop to look for water. I had another 40 km to go to reach a town called Ignace and had about 500 ml of Gaterade remaining. I drink a lot of water, especially on a warm day so I thought I'd try my luck although I didn't think there would be a reliable source. I was having a conversation with a truck driver from Quebec when an odd looking fellow, sporting a scraggly beard and crooked yellow tear drop sunglasses, approached. He seemed rather eccentric and interrupted with irrelevant comments. His old van was parked on the other side of the pull over and it's open side door revealed that he was the "keeper of many things". He was the kind of fellow I was tempted to ignore or placate but he asked me straight out, "How are you doing for water?" What a question! Guardian angels don't look like this, I thought. As I cautiously joined him at his van, he warned me about his vicious dog who did not look dangerous at all but rather motley, like his master. He told me that he filled up with water from the Huskey Station in Kenora and proceeded to grab an old plastic Coke bottle with the bottom cut out for a funnel and filled up my water bottle to overflowing before I knew it. My cup runneth over as there was abundance for all! A line from an old hymn came to mind later as I resumed my ride towards Ignace..."His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me..."

I thanked him for his generosity, we shook hands and wished each other well. He said he was heading for Halifax and debated whether he should take the Lake Superior route past Thunder Bay because it's twisty and steep...the route I may be taking. I'd rather not hear about that.

I'm grateful for this rest day as I've slept, fed, walked (what a concept!) and written - some functions repeatedly. It's a great opportunity to pour over my map to plan potential routes and destinations. My next leg will probably include Thunder Bay to Wawa, Ontario. In a couple of days, I would like to visit the Terry Fox Lookout, east of TB. Tomorrow, I'll be in the Eastern Time Zone...crazy, huh? 

I'm not covering the mileage I hoped to achieve but I believe it's the journey that's most important and it's better to "respond" than "react" to changing elements of my ride. I'm grateful for how well things have gone so far. Is Ottawa at the end of Canada? This country is so damn big!

Thanks for reading.

Take care,

Doug

Jackfish Lake

Doug is snug in his tent, with the comforting sound of big trucks passing by, at a rest stop at Jackfish Lake, Ontario, somewhere between Dinorwic and Borups Corners. The sign conveniently said "No Camping between the hours of 9 AM & 5 PM" so no problem. Oops, that's between 5 PM and 9 AM.  Looking forward to the pictures of the wildflowers and the moon at the lake.

Black Flies in Northern Ontario

The song going through Doug's head as he tries to out-ride the deer flies.

From the Prairies to the Canadian Shield

Dear Friends,

How does that 'ol country tune, go?..."Back in the saddle again..." Back on the saddle again is more like it. Got back home to celebrate my Mom's 90th - a wonderful time. I think she really enjoyed herself, I know I did! I landed back in Winnipeg in the rain but the next morning was beautiful and I rode to Hadashville, then Kenora on Sunday and here to Vermilion Bay, today. I kind of miss the prairies, they seemed so open and honest...it was easier to anticipate what was going to happen weather wise. At first I felt a little intimidated by it's vast openness but I got used to it. Today I was faced with a lot of hill work but not like the extremes of B.C.

In Winnipeg, I was hosted by Lee and Wayne Anderson who were remarkably generous with their home so I publicly thank them for their kindness. In Kenora, I was hosted by Jennifer Finlay and Tim Wehner so a thanks to you both as well. I am struck by the kindness of folks I've met along the way and I'm most grateful. speaking of folks you meet...I was finishing a plate of cabbage rolls at Sophie's Cafe in Hadashville when I encountered a fellow who seemed interested in the particulars of my bike trip. As we chatted, I felt that I had met him before but how could this be, I've never been in this neck of the woods before. It turned out that he and Deanna, his wife were one of the two couples who were selected for the History Channel series, Pioneer Challenge, a few years ago. They were given supplies that settlers of over 100 years ago would have had to survive with on the prairie for at least a year. It was a remarkable series and I am so glad that I had an opportunity to meet them. Interesting things happen when traveling.

I have a fairly challenging ride tomorrow so I'll sign off shortly but not without commenting on the voracity of Deer Flies..they are the jetfighter pilots of the insect world and their central strategy is to dive bomb you from all angles until you crack. I have been practicing "on bike" meditation to ignore their antics and as long as you are moving, they seldom land and bite. I was moving at 25 km/h and they were flying ahead of me and making tight turns to buzz me. Maybe I should think of them as Dolphins playing in my bow wave, but really, it doesn't feel that endearing, or should I say, en-deering. Locals suggest rubbing lemon on your clothes, etc. so I'll give this a try. When you experience lemons, you might as well make lemon-ade.
This is the lemon twist to my story today.

Bye for now,

Doug

Rest Day at Last!

Dear Friends,

It's been 8 days since I left Regina for Winnipeg and all points inbetween. I left Starbuck, Manitoba fairly early Thursday morning and arrived in the SE part of Winnipeg at around noon. I'm being hosted by Lee and Wayne Anderson and am benefitting from their generous accomodation at present - very much appreciated! Lee and Wayne are related to Janey and John Talbot, good friends of mine back home. I was treated to a tour of the waterways of the city including the flood control system. Very interesting. Great food and conversation is an amazing antedote to solitude and a repetitive diet of Subway sandwiches.

The reason I haven't taken a rest day after my intended 4th day is because of the wind. The Weather network enables me to see forecasted wind directions for coming days ahead. I enter a window of opportunity to ride if a westerly is blowing to my advantage. As you know, a headwind makes for a tough day with decreased mileage. Sometimes that's life, but if you get a run of westerlies, you have got to take advantage of the situation. Three days ago, I covered 120 km without exhausting myself which was very satisfying.

Winnipeg is a beautiful city, rich in the fine and performing arts and higher educational institutions. Today I visited Assinaboine Park, specifically an outdoor sculpture garden. I also headed downtown to the Manitoba Museum to get more background on the amazing history of this place. As I walked down near Portage and Main, a fellow sitting on a bench beckoned me over to him..."Hey you, you'd better get ready because it's going to rain!" I looked up and although it was overcast, it didn't look like rain to me and I'm from the coast. Fifteen minutes later, the clouds unleashed their ample supply of rain and I was drenched. The farmers can't plow their fields for seeding at present because they're sodden which is a serious time sensitive problem for them (and us) at the very least. I also took my bike over to Woodcock Cycles, a great shop on St. Marys Street to get some repairs done. I'm a bit of a bike shop junkie and enjoy observing variations in bicycle culture best located in shops with the people who you find there.

Looking back at the Regina to Winnipeg run, a few experiences stand out...

Montmartre (locals pronounce it "Mo-mart") was my first stop after Regina off of Highway 48. One of it's claims to fame is the 30' Eiffel tower at the head of Main Street. Montmartre was settled by French Farmers in the 1880's. This is about as close to the subtlties of Parisian culture in Mo-mart as one will likely get in my opinion. I stayed at the local hotel that night and the cacophony of yelling, drunken revelry and fights coming out of the attached local watering hole may be similar to the times of the wild, wild west. Granted, it was Friday night and the establishment was full of cowboys and pipeline roughnecks enjoying themselves after a week of hard work but the noise was incredible. I took a walk outside to achieve a reprieve from the madness and noticed a long horse trailer out front being bounced around and bashed from the inside. Even the horses were going nuts!

All I can say about that experience is 'Yeee Haaaa!" I was glad to see that place in my rear view mirror the next morning. Sorry if I've offended any locals. I'm sure this community has some fine attributes which of course would be noticed over time.

The next stop was Kennedy, Manitoba. On my way, I stopped for lunch at the Red Paper Clip Cottage in a small town called Kipling. You may recall the story of a young fellow who traded up a red paper clip on e-Bay acquiring a fish pen, then a door knob and so on until he finally traded for a small house in Saskatchewan. Well this was the house he concluded his trading challenge with...the cottage where I had lunch. He moved to Montreal and donated the house to the town of Kipling which is now leased out as a Cafe. What a hoot!

Kennedy is smaller than Kipling with no ammenities like a service station and such. It did have a campground at the end of Main Street which was very rudimentary but it was home for the night. The only inhabitants were me and a couple staying in their modest RV. There was water and electricity as well a few delapitated picnic tables but the grass was cut and the view of the rolling prairie to the south was beautiful. I liked this place...not pretentious at all!

As I began to unpack my kit, one of those fast moving storms moved in with battleship grey brewing clouds and brief bursts of thunder. Gord dropped by and as we chatted, it started to rain. I spotted a run down old pavilion for holding picnics under cover, ran and threw my stuff under it's protection just before the deluge. I looked out at the torrent with a sense of satisfaction, security and wonderment at my good fortune. It rained so hard, a mist drifted into my little refuge but this was more refreshing than anything. The smell of prairie grass in the rain made me feel more alive as I stood there in my odd cycling gear watching this remarkable act of nature. The storm passed as quickly as it arrived with the restoration of blue skies and the songs of birds. I could've set up outside again but decided to go for a double ceiling with my tent in the pavilion.

Gord and Betty invited me over for cocktails and munchies which turned out to be ribs and rice. What a feast! Gord and particularly Betty have deep roots in the prairies...Gord is a safety officer for the pipeline and is a country music artist. I got to hear about 3 recordings of his originals. One song in particular was about life on the road staying in less than desireable motels, as country music can convey so well in a lonesome existential sense. Personally, I don't mind staying in cheezy little old motels because they're more convenient than camping but I found the lyrics a little depressing because I thought for a moment that maybe I was one of these sad and lonely losers. As long as those suckers are clean and don't smell too badly, I'm okay. I use the ice from the dispensers for icing my leg and soak in a hot bath tub and I'm good to go for the next day. Whoo Hoo! The Lazy Dee Hotel isn't so bad. I kind of like to rank the kitchy art and tacky wallpaper for my amusement, smug yuppie that I am.

The next morning, I was packed up and ready to go and thought I'd get a good head start on the day when I decided to pump my rear tire up a little harder given the weight I carry. Big mistake! I lost all my air and my crumby pump could not reain it's former pressure. I ended up breaking the valve and replaced it with another inner tube. Pump was broken and I was out of comission. I did have a valve adaptor if only I could get to a gas station. Kipling was 23 km away and fortunately Gord had a day off and offered to drive me to Kipling. Gord and Betty were my guardian angels and I got my tire issue resolved. With a 12:30 start, I was able to resume my journey to Redvers where I may have fulfilled the image portrayed in Gord's song as I stayed in the ancient Redvers Hotel that night. I used a beer bottle to prop up the window but the view was pretty good of the old Redvers Grain Elevator and the Co-op, a prairie institution. I slept well.

My next day was blessed by westerly winds which took me over 100 kilometers to Souris where I arranged B&B accomodation in a beautifully refurbished victorian house. Marilyn, the owner likes cyclists and gave me a great deal and I slept in a room that Lois XIV would feel comfortable in. Highly recommended! Souris is a larger Manitoban town and has a well documented history with the longest suspension bridge in Manitoba. I walked/bounced on it before I left. I did restock my Subway provisions at Marilyn's daughter's store and off I went to Treherne (past Holland) and Starbuck before landing in Winnipeg. I illegally camped near Starbuck but it beat getting hit by a truck at dusk on the shoulderless Highway 2. I watched part of the Stanley cup with some good 'ol boys at the Starbuck Hotel before I found my safe place to tent for the night. All was well!

So here I write this little tome in a Frank Lloyd Wright'esque design of a home overlooking the Red River in Winnipeg, waiting to fly home tomorrow morning to celebrate my Mom's 90th birthday. Hilda immigrated with her family from Norway in the early 1920's and settled in New Westminster. Our family grew up in Burnaby where I still live. Since I've been on the prairies, I have developed a strong sense of the importance of families and their significance to the development of this country. You can smell the family histories out here and time/space becomes even more palpable as I cycle past old country town graveyards and listen in on the conversations of old timers in local cafes. A town of 300 that has 3-4 churches speaks of a time past where communities were more populated and economically robust.
Lots of young people have moved to centers like Winnipeg where they obtained further education and stayed. Some young(er) people are moving out to the country as well to pursue an alternate life style to the urban one so change continues to occur in a variety of ways.

I'm signing off for a week or so until I resume the next part of my cycling journey across Canada.

North Western Ontario, here I come!

Best,
Doug Ibbott

Starbuck - a one coffee town

Yesterday, Doug arrived at his destination of Starbuck and made a decision to carry on toward Winnipeg but quickly realized that there was too much traffic. It was getting toward dusk so after a few kms he turned around, headed back to Starbuck and ended up camping in the park by the golf course.
Winnipeg is very close.

Kipling to Kennedy to Kipling to Kennedy

Doug has discovered that riding on the alternate roads brings more opportunities to see the land, meet the people and have experiences that wouldn't arise while riding on the #1 Hwy.  Doug arrived in Kennedy last night after attending a horse auction, eating lunch at the trade-it-up Paper Clip guy's house, and experiencing a sunset like he's never seen.  In Kennedy, Betty & Gord immediately took him under their wings... fed him dinner and breakfast and helped to make his tenting comfortable.  This morning there's a few problems with a bike tire that required a gas station air pump and so Gord has driven Doug back to Kipling to pump up the tire. (don't run out of gas!)  Late start but Doug expects to make it to Redvers tonight.  At least he doesn't have to give up his hour crossing the time zone until tomorrow.

Looking forward to more of Doug's writings...soon.
Lynda

Dear friends,

I've taken a couple of rest days in Regina to get another new tire, find a battery charger, get some physio on my knee and get a little rest for the next leg from here to Winnipeg, Manitoba...I'm opting for an alternate route to Hwy. 1 via Hwy's 48 and 13 which becomes Hwy 2 in Manitoba and leads directly to Winnipeg. I've been generously hosted by Murray and Delores Logan and their two sons, Simon and Andrew in their home in West Regina. Murray is a good friend of a friend of mine...Vic Austen, back in Metro Vancouver. Speaking of generosity, I received physiotherapy from Keith Fitzsimmons of the Regina Sports Physiotherapy Center as a contribution to the Clean Water for Ethiopia Project. Other contributions over the past few days have been free bike repair labor and discounts on equipment, pizza, and a taxi cab ride, all in support of the project. People seem generally enthusiastic in their support of improving the quality of life for others.

At one breakfast place in Moose Jaw, an older gentleman sarcastically commented that "...this was another project to save the world." I know the plethora of humanitarian projects can be overwhelming for some and annoying for others but I believe that more projects provides more latitude for giving in a variety of arenas. One of the reasons I chose Clean Water is that it's not complicated and can provide clean water for life for 4000 people. Dead easy, but essential to the health of the folks in Southern Ethiopia.

I've enjoyed an abundance of clean clear drinking water on my trip to date. I must admit, I haven't been overly concerned with water conservation but I'm reminded of a story of an ultra-marathoner somewhere in the Sahara who jogged into the camp of a nomadic family. A young boy grabbed one of the runner's water bottles attached to his waist and in lightening speed, chugged it's contents to the very last drop before the runner could retrieve it. To this boy, I presume water might be like something precious. In Bonke District, Ethiopia, water accessibility is not the problem but the water quality is - a common problem in many places in the world, yet it is resolvable in many cases.

It's great that so many people have contributed in large and small ways to this project. Folks have many charities they like to support but if someone is looking for a new and effective project to support, I would recommend CWfE.

I wonder if someone woukd be willing to submit a haiku on clean water via the guestbook. I will announce the name(s) of the author(s) if submitted and publish a couple if I receive more than one. I have no t-shirts, mugs or pens on this road trip but fame can be yours.

I'd drink to that!

Goodbye to beautiful Regina (and it is!) and hello Montmartre (not Paris!), south east of Regina about 86 km.

Cheers!

Doug

Truck Stop Breakfast

It's a beautiful morning in Chaplin Sask. Woke up in the Summer Moon this morning at 6:00 a.m. No, this is not a motel, it's my little tent. The birds have been singing since first light at 4;00 and the trains stated at 6. Double rail lines yielded double traffic which I felt to my bones since my box spring was basically the ground. Watched a Sask sunset last evening with a classic grain elevator in the background. A fine photographic moment...camera back at campsite - darn. Oh well, it's etched in "my" mind.

Chaplin is located on Chaplin Lake about 80 km west of Moose Jaw and is known for it's salt mining (Chaplin is a salt lake) and a significant North American bird migration route. Brine shrimp is popular with many of the bird species.

Shelly, the affable waitress, has topped up my coffee for the fourth time and local working folk are chatting about agriculture and road construction for the most part. Weather is always the central topic because it's intregral to life in the most immediate sense. For me, it's the wind. Today is the last day of westerly winds because they're supposed to change to a NE on Tuesday. Headwinds are useful for character building and wind generators. Today they will be my friend if the weather report is accurate.

I learned a lesson two days ago riding towards Swift Current. I rode over some train tracks at Gull Lake and felt my rim hit with a sound that makes a cyclist cringe. Pulling over at the Shell Station, I noticed a soft rear tire. I just bought it in Medicine Hat a few days ago, how could this happen? I hadn't had a flat for 1500 km's! I pumped it up to near max pressure and it seemed pretty good after a few minutes. Decisions, decisions...do I run to Swift Current (56 km away) and hope it will hold or change it now? The wind was blowing cold and I didn't feel like disrupting my state of relative comfort so I gambled and off I rode. Lazy dude.

Seven km's from SC, I rode over some stones and I heard an insipid explosion, my tire bit the dust. I dragged my wounded steed off to a grassy slope below Hwy. 1 with the CP rail line on the other side. I was bounded by ample traffic on both sides which made life interesting. The wind still blew cold and because it was the rear tire, I had to remove all of my panniers, etc. and flip the bike over. I grabbed another sweater to compliment my layers and went to work. I hastily wrestled on a new tube with chilled fingers, pumped it up and "blam!", it blowed up real good. Where's the second spare? Took my time and got it right, loaded up the Kona and off I went. It took me over an hour until I could resume my journey. What's the lesson here? Something about "a stitch in nine saves time", whatever that means - a sewing maxim, I believe. A good lesson for life and successful cycling journeys.

Gotta get back to camp, pack up and head to Moose Jaw. Regina tomorrow.

Best Regards,

Doug

Chaplin, Saskatchewan

It's an amazing thing when Doug's in his tent camped in a small site behind the service station in Chaplin (1400 km away) and he can turn on his computer, attach his internet stick, and talk to me (face screen to face screen) on Skype.  The winds and weather were in his favour today but there is no room at the motel due to construction crew occupancy.  A flat tire yesterday, 7 km short of Swift Current, gave Doug quite a challenge as it was rainy, cold and... well, I'll let Doug tell you all about it in a few days.   Doug should arrive in Regina on Tuesday for a few day's rest and some writing.  I look forward to reading his stories.

Lynda
www.dougsride.net

Near the Saskatchewan Border - Irving Alberta

Dear Friends,

Mother nature is doing her thing and I am using this opportunity as a rest day. Winds were high yesterday and even brisker today ranging from 25-45 kph coming from the east. This evening, we even experienced some thunder and pretty intense precipitation. On Wednesday, I decided to get a head start and made a run to Irvine, a small town of about 300 folk. As I rode into this "breeze", I almost burst out laughing at my insignificance against the amazing force of wind. Fortunately, the mechanical advantage of my alpine gearing allowed me to spin away at low speeds without getting exhausted...it just took a long time. I'm staying at a B&B owned by a remarkable couple by the name of Mike and Karen Hamerton who also run the town's general store and restaurant. Some of the folk who turned up for lunch today were farmers and their families. One fellow sitting next to me commented that he was pretty happy to get one field plowed before it started raining.

Prior to this, I had two very good runs from Fort MacLeod to Taber and Taber to Medicine Hat, covering 215 km. Medicine Hat is a bustling small city with lots of green space and friendly people. I took my bike into the Cyclepath Bike Shop and got priority service as they referred to me as a "roadie". They replaced my almost bald rear tire and brake cable in quick time. Given their busy work load, I'd like to express a special thanks to Greg, Trent and Justin for excellent service.

I continue to be charmed by wild and domestic life from my roadside perspective, in particular the bird life and abundance of foals and calves with their mothers. It's also interesting to observe the ground squirrel activity long the way. Unfortunately I have to dodge a fair amount of road kill which is another story.

According to the Weather Network, winds will be westerly so I'm making a break for Saskatchewan in the morning and hope to make a village called Tompkins. We'll see if the wind is my friend tomorrow. The Hamertons invited me for a great supper this evening so the batteries should be adequately charged for a good ride tomorrow.

There's a book I never read called The Wisdom of Insecurity which sounded intriguing to me. Hopefully I'll find it one day and read it but the title causes me to reflect on the value of leaving one's comfort zone and launching out on an adventure which may provide discomfort in all sorts of ways like tough weather, loneliness, boredom (sometimes), and not always knowing where you're going to stay after a long days ride which has it's own demands. Technology is an incredible support in staying in touch with friends and loved ones which I do almost everyday via e-mail, cell phone and Skype. Don't get me wrong, I love this adventure for many reasons but it certainly helps to have the technology to maintain important relationships which keep me connected and motivated. I think that insecurity heightens my awareness to the physical world more profoundly which in turn seems to impact my relationships with people. Somehow, relationships have become much more important, perhaps because it has something to do with my survival, I'm not sure. It also impacts my faith, and over time, I believe I will gain more insight into this thought.

Freight trains are a frequent sight here on the prairies and an incredibly long one passing by infront of the general store as I write. I find the wail of it's horn and the repetitive rumble of steel wheels on tracks mesmerizing.

In closing, I have nothing of particular of interest to share with you except that the physical geography of this country seems to impact my mood. As a coastal boy, I'm used to the mountains, forests and the ocean. The wide open spaces, big sky and wind have impacted me differently somehow and there's a lot more to come so I hope to share my humble insights with you in future musings.

Yours truly,

Doug

Rest Day in Fort MacLeod Alberta - May 23, 2010

Dear Friends,

It's good to touch base with you again, here in Fort MacLeod. The mountains are beautiful but I'm not missing the climbing. B.C. could stand for Big Climbs. I was almost blown out of B.C. by the winds in the Crowsnest Pass 2 days ago. What a ride! I'd guess 70 km gusts. I flew (almost) into Blairmore, Alberta, a gorgeous little town in the Pass. The locals told me I'd get the prevailing winds to aid my ride to Ft. MacLeod but noticed that the flags were waving east to west the next morning. Crosswinds and headwinds were the order of the day all the way making it a 90 km workout. Welcome to the prairies! Oh well, it's a rest day today...sleeping in, laundry (my Century II  Motel operators, the Kims, did my laundry for me - kind but brave souls!), write, stretch, review my map, walk around town, etc. Went to the local Anglican church this morning which was built in the late 1800's for the RCMP. The Foothills were gorgeous yesterday with rain clouds all around the mountains but it was clear and sunny along Hwy. 3. The sun and clouds made for beautiful colours on the landscape so I look forward to reviewing photos sometime this evening. It's sunny and warm here today but the weather report predicts rain tomorrow so I may have to get out the rain gear. I've only had 2 days of rain so far so I'm pretty fortunate. Gotta get into rain mindset and embrace it when it comes.
I think the most memorable part of my last leg since Trail has been riding the Kootenay Pass, the highest serviceable highway in Canada. In truth, I wasn't sure I could do it but I made it to the base at Burnt Flats and spun for 4 hours to the summit at 1774 meters. Rain and some fog patches kept me cool but the truck traffic was a bit unnerving. The summit was still a winter wonderland although it rained fairly hard up there. The 40 km run downhill was kind of crazy and colllld! What rain shadow?!
One descending highlight was when I passed a healthy-looking black bear about 10 km down on the side of the road. He/she didn't hear me coming and when I passed him/her at about 25 kmh, I called out, "Hey there big guy!", I guess I surprised him/her and he/she took off in the other direction. What a beautiful animal! After 124 km, I arrived in Creston pretty elated. I have to admit, I was pretty dog-tired the next day and missed my goal of Cranbrook and camped in Moyie Lake Provincial Park that evening. 28 bucks to park your tent on a piece of gravel with access to an outhouse. There were more ammenities available but holy cow, I think the Ministry of Parks is going to make a little money this year.

I've budgeted to stay at a hotel every 3rd night but so far, I've only camped once. After some challenging days in the hills, a warm, dry room is preferable so I'll have to be a little more disciplined in the prairie provinces. I really like finding inexpensive, (in some cases, quirky) motels between the big towns. There's a whole blog article to be written on "motels"! There's also another blog topic on "cognitive itches"" or as Randy Bauchman calls "ear worms" on his CBC show which are tunes that get stuck in your brain and play over and over. Two anoying pop songs for me have been Sacre Charlemagne by France Gall, (heard on Lee Rosevier's CBC radio show Earlier), a sixties pop star and a more current and even more annoying tune called Calle Ocho or something like that. They've been driving me mildly insane but have involuntarily replaced them with some sixties oldies which have come out of nowhere. Could someone please tell me how to get rid of "Take a Letter Maria"? The psychology of long distance riding has much potential for study, perhaps more in the field of abnormal psychology.

Before I go, I have to tell you about my 22 story. Yesterday, I turned 58 (May 22)and along the Crowsnest Hwy. I photographed a sign which said Junction 22 for fun. To my mild surprise I noticed a sign across the highway that read, 22 km to Crowsnest. Wow, I thought that was an interesting coincidence but when I arrived at my motel in Fort Mcleod, I was assigned unit #22. As they say on Sesame St., "[Yesterday] was brought to me by the number 22". Interesting. I had a virtual birthday celebration last evening over Skype. Lynda sang Happy Birthday and my cat Latte literally meowed between verses. 

It was the funniest thing I've heard for a long time. Happy 58th birthday to one of my best friends, Pat Farley(in Calgary) today. Thank you to all who have communicated with me along this journey so far. Sometimes I'm afraid that I don't have the courage or physical strength to complete my goal but one has to begin with an end in mind. So think big and do what you can is probably the most realistic mantra and enjoy the people you meet along the way. Your words of encouragement and interest

make a significant difference to me. I've made it to Fort Macleod in one piece and for this I'm grateful.     
All the best,
Doug
www.dougsride.net
 

891 km completed and heading toward the Alberta border

Having had a late start due to the desire to enjoy the simplicity, and flowers, at the Creston City Centre Motel, (and an unexpected 1 hour time change) Doug left Creston heading North.  Spot was tracking on the website and so it quickly became apparent to me that he was heading the wrong way!  Fortunately, he answered his cell phone and hadn't put on too many unnecessary kms.  Doug arrived at Moyie Lake Provincial Park last night just a few minutes before the sun set and decided to set up his tent and experience his first non-motel night of the trip.  No cell phone signal, not much light to set up his computer and test his internet stick (and blog), but a pay phone and HOT SHOWERS! 
Doug plans on rising with the sun and riding to Cranbrook for a delicious breakfast (after a dinner of freeze dried beef stew and grapes) and will then head toward Fernie , 116 km away.
If time and energy permits we may get some pictures and blogging from Doug tonight, otherwise he'll be taking a rest day in Lethbridge on Saturday, May 22nd (pssst...his birthday).
Lynda