Windsor to Ottawa 2010

Departure : 09/june/2010 – 20:26
Arrival : 17/june/2010 – approx 19:00
Route and details to come.

Quick Easter Monday trip to Caledon

From 165 Attwell Etobicoke, to Bruce trail and Terra Cota, and then back to Brampton for a ride into work

Brampton to Windsor Dec 2008 By bicycle (pics)

Fingers still numb – knees getting better

It’s so odd… I mean moving up stairs and down stairs my knees are still complaining… but a lot less.  I think I’ll wait a couple days before taking my legs into the gym for a long overdue quad and calf workout. 

My pinky and that other finger … in my right hand are still numb.  Not from cold but from pressing up on the handlebars.  Apparently I flattened a nerve.  I’ve got most of the feeling back.  Next week I should be 100%

I’d like to manufacture some really thick pillow top handlebar grips.  They will go good with my frictionless electromagnetic floating bearings.

Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that 500 K for 15 days straight to get to the temple of the sun in Peru might not be a vacation …. (Unless those frictionless bearrings and axle floating in an electrognetic field is already being manufacturred). 

So I’m coping out for now.  I figure I’ll just bike it from Santiago Chile.  I’ve always wanted to see Santiago.    That’s still over 200 KMS… Soo let’s do a real cop out here and I’m biking it and then hiking it from Lima.  Yes Lima Peru.  That will be so much easier -and totally vacationy. 

The Christmas Gruel Marathon

Finally a moment I can use to sit down and reflect upon what I consider to be a relatively important accomplishment.  If I ever embark on a venture such as this one again, I will ensure to schedule time from my riding schedule specifically for jotting down notes and taking pictures.  There are places the bicycle takes the mind that I would be a fool to forget… and here I am … a fool trying to remember where I’ve been. 

So I baptized my trek:  “the 1st Annual 2008 Christmas Gruel Solo Unsupported Mini Marathon” between Brampton and Windsor.  

I have a few photographs I’d like to share as well, before deleting them from my Canon.  This first one is me next to my finely tuned (or so I thought) bicycle probably about 1 week prior to departure.  I was feeling good; I’d recently lost a few pounds so no reason for me to continue avoiding the camera.  I had my friend Peter snap this picture.   I was very proud to have received my bicycle stand from MEC.  It made repair much easier and cleaner.  Instead of using a tool tray I just throw old gardening trays under the bicycle to collect dirt, grime, tools and falling parts. 

This is me and my steed Norco

 

I spent some time adding as much reflective tape to my bicycle as possible.  I was hoping for it to be as obnoxiously loud and safe as reflective tape could be.  As you can see I still hadn’t received my lighting from Lightman LED.  Today I’m still very unhappy with my bicycle lighting options.  I’m using a Cat eye and a nice red blinker.  I find that insufficient for cycling down secondary roads.  For instance; if you are ahead of a line of cars; the second car will not see your lights until it is too late.  For this reason I will be adding a lightweight stiff flagpole to the rear of my bike to elevate the rear lights above my head so that traffic about to overtake me cannot make a mistake and will no doubt spot me.  I’m also thinking of adding something similar to what you find on police motorcycles, the spinning light on a pole behind the officer type (perhaps in an purple or road worker blue).  

Here is what my bicycle looked like prior to leaving on the morning of December 25th 2008.  I pretty much stayed up most of the night getting ready.  Was I ready?  Nope.  Not even close.  I purchased the wrong axle the day before and had to use my bent rear axle.  I slid it out of the rear hub a tad, compromising my use of the lowest gear (my bike was heavy anyway) in order to have something that would roll close to true.  If that wasn’t enough, rolling up Northpark (just outside my place) to top up my tire pressure at the gas station I learned… my brake pads really need to be replaced.  I had some stopping power … but very little with the added weight.  By the time I was exiting Halton Hills… my brakes were my left leg (and knee – OUCH!). 

Two major planning mistakes off the get go.  It wasn’t a good start, and had I consulted with some of the experienced cyclists at BikeCanada or on the MEC page or even at the bike shop… these could have been prevented.  Nonetheless I had just repacked my front bearings, cleaned and lubricated my chain and replaced all my cables so the rest of the bike was in sound working order.   The crank had recently been redone as well.

Here is my bike before leaving… not even fully packed yet.

Bike before leaving … not fully packed yet. Notice the Ligtman LED’s

 

Yes… already I am too heavily packed for what should essentially be 2 centuries and a bit of a ride.  That’s okay… It’s my first attempt and it’s solo…   Here’s a glance of what I still needed to pack into my bike before leaving … and believe it or not … I did pack it!!  My bike finished up weighing in probably between 80 and 100 pounds.  (OOPS! my knees are still angry with me)

And i packed a little bit of food!!

And that was that.  Low breaking power, packed heavy, inexperienced, but fairly well equipped, with little to no money or credit card.  I did have a couple of spare tubes and a few tools. 

December 25th 2008 at 8:00 am… I was on my way down Bovaird and on my way to Guelph.  I told Peter, if I make it to Guelph; I know my bike will be sound enough to make it to Windsor…  It turned out … Guelph was a little further away than I had expected.

A bit about my cycling and wilderness background?  Probably a good idea.

I spent some time as a weekend warrior in the reserves as a youth, so the outdoors, camping, traveling long distances really doesn’t bother me.  It’s kind of like riding a bike.  I’ve been asked if I would get scared being outside alone… well…. I’m a loner by nature… I wouldn’t be a very good loner if I got scared for being alone, granted I did have some concerns during this trip; I’ll describe those later.   

Fitness level?  I’d say my fitness level is about average.  I would recommend this trip (supported) to anyone of low to no fitness level.  It is very challenging in the winter but for a summer vacation it should be easy.

Cycling experience.  I’ve been an avid cyclist for a long time.  I did put my bike aside when I moved to Brampton (biggest mistake of my life) but I picked it back up again and things are starting to fall back in place.  I used to bike daily a short distance along the Welland canal between Port Colborne and Welland.  Often I would just go on solo day trips looking for the roughest terrain I can find in Niagara… which is not all that rough but it can get muddy.  I commute to work on my bike as often as I can; it’s a short commute, takes half the time it would take by bus. 

So that’s me and my preparation in a nutshell.  Just lost 30 pounds, feeling good, well fed and confident.  I have good camping equipment as well.

DAY 1 -December 25th 2008

It was a little chilly.  I had to change from gloves to lobster claw mittens just as I was leaving Brampton.  A light dusting of snow started to come down, but it was nice and sunny, and I wasn’t being blinded.  For this trip I brought glasses… but I have so many problems with glasses I just gave up on them before starting.  I shouldn’t have even packed them.  I’m feeling good actually I’m feeling great.  My new boots and two pair of wool socks are just perfect to keep my feet warm without sweating profusely.

My first stop to take a few snapshots was at this creek.  I was trying to get some ducks in the shot but by the time the camera shot they had already passed.

Creek in Halton

The roads were pretty much empty; which was great for me this Christmas morning, one less thing to worry about.  Although this picture doesn’t capture it, Ontario is breathtakingly beautiful in the winter.  The little bits of wildlife my shadow rolled over on the side of the road had me wondering; “How I can allow such a disconnect between myself and nature to manifest into reality?”  Seriously, I wonder that kind of stuff after pedaling for a few hours.  I don’t know if it was the crystallization of the day with the moment into the landscape or if it was the exhilaration of cutting a path through the landscape.    I recalled a time when I had named the little chipmunks and when I knew all the birds and their nests in my area.  I meditated on how nature can be so welcoming and even recognize those who have not been home in a long time. 

The light dusting of snow receded.  The road ahead was clear and well lit. 

The road ahead

 Behind I had left all my worries and fears to melt away in the sun on the pavement.  All my reasons and all the voices for not undertaking this trek were silently melting away and receding from the pavement into the ditch… to be forgotten.

The road behind

Looking back now, I realize that I have many times used the opinions of others to opt out of plans that I would lay out for myself.  It’s only through action that I’ve come to realize, it wasn’t the doubts of others that crushes dreams, but it’s the fear to stand up for one’s own self worth that stops the best of plans dead in their tracks.   I was very happy to be on the road today.  I’d been wrestling with the idea for quite some time and on some nights I would get on my bike to see how far I can go before turning back… Always the fear of the unknown pulling me back before dawn.  Back to the routine of ordinary life.  Today, I was able to abandon the “flee feeling” that assaulted me on some of my nighttime rides, it was replaced with a simple plan and goal.  I could even allow myself to fight for that goal.  Much more distance would be covered this way, mentally and physically.

Man I wish I had some more pictures.

So I stopped at a gas station, just up the way from here:

Terra Cotta

 

 

As you can see, I’m getting a light dusting of snow.  My water bottle was frozen solid, but I was not cold.  I knew it was cold I didn’t want to expose my hands and I took time to really hydrate at this station.  I drank about 3 Gatorade bottles and a carton of chocolate milk.  I also ate a few chocolate granola dips I had saved.  It was an odd stop, as I was getting on my bike a gentleman in flannel pants, probably just waking up on Christmas morning to pick up some odds and ends, says to me:  “You’re biking in this weather?  That is crazy?”  I didn’t even bother trying to tell him the distance I had just covered or was about to cover; he did not seem like a very understanding or motivated individual.  My boss told me my idea was crazy as well (encouragingly/the difference), but it never really dawned on me just how much other people don’t know when they think they know.  I was warm, comfortable, well hydrated, well fed and covering good ground.  The roads and visibility was relatively good and the forecast was nice all the way to Windsor.  Prior to this trip I would have said, (unplanned) that it was crazy, but at this point I think crazy fun would be more of an accurate description?  Crazy revealing?  Crazy intuitive?  Crazy transcending?  I don’t know… but just plain crazy?  I can find many other things or actions that crazy would be more suitable to identify… a bike trip?  Crazy?  Go back to your TV.

  Anyways; I was not discouraged because the cashier was very kind and explained to me that he too was a touring cyclist.  He wished me well on my way … and you know it’s those few kind words that make all the difference in the world.  They are as encouraging as chirping birds and curious squirrels poking their heads out of the shadows cast behind the trees from the sun.

I was on my way… I felt great.  Then the world exploded.  The end.  Okay well maybe not.  But I had encountered a minor setback.  As I mentioned before … no breaking power.  At this point I made the decision that any city or crossroads I would have to walk my bike.  I was already a little behind schedule (naively) hoping to make London by day 1.

Was it in London or in Kitchener that I fell flat on my ass?  I know my knees were only starting to feel pain… I don’t think I had hit the Advil bottle yet; my instinct says it was in Kitchener… it was in Kitchener.  Just coming into Kitchener is this big hill.  I know it was a big hill because it has the truck warning signs.  So I stop to walk my bike down the hill.  Lucky for me, Kitchener has the narrowest streets in southern Ontario or the worst snowplow operators; I’m not sure, so there is absolutely no room for me to safely walk down this hill on the road.  I move across the street to what looks to be a very poorly shoveled and heavily coated ice-walkway.  Well wouldn’t you know…? I’m not even going downhill yet but my ass is going downhill and my legs are where my head should be.  I wasn’t in a lot of pain from the fall…. in fact I didn’t even feel it.  When I got to the bottom of the hill I tried to get across the street safely, Kitchener roads are just too narrow.  Just as a piece of my equipment falls off my bike, yes in an intersection, how embarrassing, a local cyclist overtakes me.  I felt so under-preparred at that moment.  The feeling was misleading but it was the first mental shot that in the head I had to deal with.  I repacked, and made it through Kitchener.  You know … my knees were still sore.  

I’m pedaling. 

Up the road I went to the corner of Reidel Dr. and Fischer-Hallman Rd.   Actually I missed the turn for New-Dundee… and stopped at another gas station for some liquids and a rest stop.  Now, I was feeling tired.  The no brakes was weighing heavy on my mind and already started to take a toll on my legs… but I was not cold and still I remained in good spirits.  It’s odd because I had planned for pain to be felt in my quadriceps and calves … but not once did I ever think I would start feeling sore in the knees.  The new boots I had purchased gave about an extra inch to the sole of my feet.  That coupled with the fact that my seat is already a smidge low for my daily commute presented extra strain on my knees.  The excitement of the trip had left me completely oblivious to the wear and the problem this would bring me down the road.

I didn’t have a watch but I could tell by the sun that nightfall was fast approaching.  Winter solstice was only a few days behind us so daylight hours were fairly scarce.  I wanted to make the most of them, but I had new camping equipment and wanted to set up camp, grab a bite and get a bit of rest.  I scarfed down like a wild dog a couple cans of flavored tuna just down the road from this sign.  And then I setup camp from where I took this picture from.  It’s actually a coffee time donuts and gas station (closed for the holidays).

 

 

 

Camping accross from...

I took a picture of myself in the tinted window of the store… I was a little disappointed they were closed as I wanted to buy a phone card just to let my friends no I was fine and would be alright for the evening.  I’m sure they knew I would be fine but it did bother me some and no numbers that I had would accept collect calls.  I figured the next morning I could buy a phone card when they opened and grab a coffee. 

Flash in the window DEC 25 09

 

 

I setup my camp behind the coffee shop in between some lovely cedars and a fence.  I had good cover and would avoid the haphazard gaze of any curious onlookers or shop owners when they would open up in the morning.  So I settled down for the night.

Night 1 -  December 25th 2008

You know; today on Christmas day I rode passed a stable.  I thought that was funny.  So before bedding down for the night I’d like to show you the Christmas day photos I took of a few horses that lived in the stable.   When I approached I noticed one of the horses, startled at first insisted on putting him/herself between me and the herd, unselfish.  It’s amazing in the animal kingdom the dominant one of the herd is also the first to rush to the herd’s protection, but in the human species, it seems the dominant ones are always looking out first for their own interests. 

The horses were quick to relax and return to eating so I snapped a few shots.

 

some horses

I hear that some wild horses are roaming about some places in Ontario, Northern Ontario actually.  I don’t know if this rumor is true but I plan on taking some photos of them if I get the chance.  They are apparently in the Mattawa area, which is close to my father’s home… a good excuse to go visit!

Well… My tent setup nicely.  I didn’t bring an air mattress but the bag was well stuffed and insulated me from the ground.  For sure next time I think some foam would be appropriate.  I sat in my tent testing out my sleeping bag for a good 30 minutes.  Finding my way into out, finding a comfortable position, it was a little claustrophobic in that mummy bag but I was warm.  Very warm… A little too warm actually and my mind started to wander into the realm of fear.  Am I coming down with hypothermia I thought?  Not being cold is certainly a symptom of hypothermia.  I compared my breath to the temperature in the tent… after about 20 minutes I realized my bag was very comfortable and I had planned according to the forecasted conditions, so my fear was assuaged…  Only to be replaced with another fear that I had not even thought of planning for.  I had carried turkey with me from Christmas dinner.  Too much to eat in one sitting, but not being canned I figured it may attract some critters.  So, I got out of my bag and brought all my food away from my campsite.  (It was safe in the snow untouched when I left – Like an hour later).  I went back in my tent.  I’m laying down looking up at the ceiling of my tent thinking to myself… “Wow, so I’m really going to do this trip”.  Then it dawned on me just how long a night in winter can be and it was still light outside my tent.  Well, by this time I had to go pee… so I unzipped my tent and (no watch remember) and poked myself out and realized… it’s been dark for quite some time… actually probably a couple good hours at least… I only thought it was still light out because a drive thru light from the coffee shop was cast down right on my tent! 

It was somewhat amusing to have lost all track of time because of a simple spot light… It was probably about 10 pm… I rolled back into the tent, maybe got 20 minutes sleep and then decided to use the energy I had to cover some ground.  I was a little upset that I hadn’t made it to London on day 1.  All my fears of the night were illuminated by a spotlight, and scurried away as I packed up my tent.  I had become fairly proficient at packing and unpacking my bike, and I left nothing behind.  Off to London I thought… I could camp outside of London for a few hours and then hit the road again, as sleep deprivation is not an issue with me during physical activity… just at a desk.

Well London it turns out is pretty far off from Kitchener.  This summer I plan on riding out centuries from Brampton to London to get into better shape, and I want to totally master this course… but for a first shot and in winter… it was a stretch. 

I kept on pedaling down the country roads… more or less following the planned route (one more wrong turn).  Starting to feel a little sore now… Sunrise is not even near.  What was that cute little town I just passed?   Why can’t I find Tavistock?  I thought those lights up ahead were Tavistock… but they are just some factory or mill.  These near winter solstice nights are great for time… and I did cover a lot of ground.  I camped along an Oxford road a few hours later… at least I think it was an Oxford road.  Tavistock was only a few miles up a head.

Me and the night

 

Night cycling is one of those truly mystical melds between the night air, stars and mind.  I tried to take a picture of my shadow rolling on the road between the seemingly seldom appearance of orange road lights… but it didn’t turn out as I had hoped.  I would like to take some time to put together a scrapbook album of just cyclist shadows along the road. I love the shadow and the forms they adopt skimming across the pavement sometimes held upright by a snowbank or on a bridge crossing. 

I woke up probably around 7 or 8 am and headed on forward to what I thought was London.  I passed Tavistock well actually somehow I bypassed it and I rolled into Woodstock… still feeling good, but my knees:   KAPUT!  I have a Mac’s receipt here for a phone card that says I made it to Woodstock at 10:50 am on:

Day 2 – December 26 2008

I’m officially a wild man.  I’m feeling like a Wildman… and I’m aching like an inexperienced Wildman.  I have so much praise for experience… honestly I don’t ever want to miss another chance at experience for as long as I live.

I’m groaning my way into Woodstock.  Probably these groans are exaggerated by my drama queen tendencies … but still I’m thinking I’m in pain and I’m letting the world know of it.  It still hasn’t dawned on me that at this point I should be adjusting my seat height.  Experience to keep for next time. 

Did I tell you about my milk truck?

Let me tell you about the oddest nothing that happened on my trip.  You know around Christmas time… you can expect fewer trucks to be on the road than you would normally.  I think maybe 3 big rigs went by me the whole trip (one reason why the Christmas gruel is to become annual).  And another 2 big rigs went by wherever it was that I second camped on night 1.  They woke me up.  Well this milk truck I swear to you must have been following me.  Their are no trucks on the road… traffic is light between towns and concession roads… but still this milk truck goes by me on Boxing Day.  Nothing too odd about that, it’s just that I noticed it since it was probably the only vehicle that went by for an hour or so.  Well later I’m on the other side of London I figure and their it goes again… another milk truck again at a time when no other vehicles are on the road for hours… just out of upcoming crossing comes a milk truck.  It’s nothing really it’s just one of those little details that stuck with me.   The only guys running on the holidays I suppose are dairy farmers … I don’t know.

I walk into the Mac’s Milk at 3 Vansittart in Woodstock Ontario.  I don’t have a lock and chain for my bike so I just lean it up on the window.  I’m on a tight budget looking for a quick source of protein.  I pick up a few Gatorades, and chocolate milk.  Gone in seconds.  I buy another Gatorade for the road.  I also picked up ye olde “Advil”.  I’d like to thank the Academy, Hydroxycut Hardcore and ADVIL!!.  I swallowed a reasonably large dose right at the counter.  Eat everything I bought, pick up a phone card and head on down the road.  London is finally, and I’m not just kidding myself this time … London is in my sights.  But first; phone call and then Tim Horton’s.  I swear to god this phone call is worrying me more than it should worry anyone I promised to call.  I scratch of my phone card pin # and what do you know… no PIN #.  Thank you Gold Line and CiCi phone cards for selling me crap.  Honestly I really appreciate your agent telling me on Boxing Day to fax them a copy of the card so I can get a pin number.  If I had a fax would I need a phone card for a pay phone?  Here’s to socialism and free communication.  It’s overdue.  At that moment I gave up on calling anybody on this trip and just tried to put them out of my mind.  From time to time I would worry that they may be worried.  I promised my Boss (aforementioned) and close friend Sharon as well as Peter some check-up calls but honestly it was just not possible.  I know I worried 10 times more about them worrying then they would have worried … does that make sense?  Yeah seriously.  Socialist communication networks.  I’ll get right on that.  LOL.

The Tim Horton’s in Woodstock on December 26th 2008.  Let me describe to you the scene at this Tim Horton’s.  I love Canadian small towns.  You know where the real character of Canada comes from it’s from the people in Canadian small towns.  I felt GREAT!  When I walked into this Tim Horton’s; I was surfing on ego and adrenaline like never before… I was sore I knew I was sore… I had no idea it would get worse but I was feeling good.  Well the mood inside this Tim Horton’s on Boxing Day was kind of surreal.  It was almost church like as the people from this small town came in everybody knew everybody and the welcoming chit chat between friend’s family and neighbors filled the air with warmth I hadn’t experienced in some time.  I ordered my bagel and coffee and grabbed a roomy seat by the window.  There was a paramedic that went by and I mused about asking for a quick check up before moving on (Oh the drama!).  I noticed a well dressed gentleman looking at me not in a disdainful manner but with serious curiosity.  I saw him checking out my bike and perhaps the mild wear that should have overcome my face by now.  I regret not engaging him in conversation, but I was too busy enjoying the Boxing Day atmosphere and the conversations around me.  I’m more of a people watcher type person, very hands off; it’s just my nature.  It’s odd though; the looks that you do get from time to time.  Try pulling up through a line of cars on a bike packed with expedition gear after riding a century at a London intersection.  It makes you feel really big.

Now I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Well, time to hit the road… and I needed some motivation to overcome the pain that was creeping up on my with every leg extension and push of my pedal.  I broke out the old walkman (Samsa).  This should get me to London. 

I’m pedaling.  You know… I don’t think I can convey to you in between the story of getting from Brampton to Windsor by Bicycle … just how much pedaling is required.  I counted 34 672 strokes.  Just kidding; I did the trek and I have no idea how much pedaling is required … but I can tell you how much music is required.  LOT’S!  Bring 200 hours of music minimum or hook up a satellite FM radio.  Avoid pop music because you will get so bored.   I would recommend seriously about 80 % intelligent music and 20 % motivational music.  I used prodigy as motivational music and classical, some jazz, and some Jessie Cook as stimulus for the inteligencia.  Next time, I’m bringing satellite FM radio and a direct link into Jazz FM and maybe CBC radio 2.

 Outside of London I stopped at another Timmies.  I for the first time… get ready for the gross… for the first time I changed my base layers and jacket.  The weather was getting colder, my socks were feeling wet, but the quick change of clothes was so soothing. 

 

You’ll never guess who I met outside of the Tim Horton’s.  This guy pulls up on a BMW dirtbike, equipped with saddlebags and everything.  We chatted a little bit, he says he was once into bicycle touring as well.  Then he told me this neat little story about the cyclists in the Yukon… Yes the Yukon, who pull trailers on their mountain bike’s.  Apparently they are a different breed of man up there.  Well the soup and coffee and sugar treat was great I had to be on my way.  London is a sketchy town.  I didn’t like crossing it at all.  in fact going through London was a mental torture.  First of all I have no brakes, secondly, I needed to repack my gear again, and thirdly my chain jumped off my rear cassette towards my spokes.  This was a very scary moment.  I thought I might be in trouble mechanically.  Well I flipped the bike over and pulled out my surgical gloves to stay clean (handy disposable suckers) and I wrenched the chain free.  NO Damage.  I felt really lucky, but mentally drained.  I had no real cash.  I was only halfway through my trip so it felt to me like the middle of nowhere.  I’ll have to visit London under different circumstances I think.  getting to the other side of London took until nearly nightfall.  I’d resolved to check my map and take the most direct route to Chatham.  I was feeling tired, had no extra money for a big huge meal like I wanted … or a Hotel room.  It was time for some nightcycling.  I think I made it halfway to Thamesville. 

 

Night 2 – December 26 2008

I setup camp just off the road in some farmers field under a tree along some electrical wires.  It was wet out and foggy.  The air was wet, the ground was wet.  It was almost raining when I got into my tent.  I should have expected this… but I was caught completely off guard.  I made it into my bag begging for some releif for my poor broken knees… I slept real good… for maybe a halfhour or so when out of nowhere I was woken up by a giant alien spaceship.  Just kidding, actually a flash lightning storm went right over me.  This is one of those moments when you are thinking to yourself… How smart am I?  Under some aluminum poles and hydro lines camped right under the only tree in the field.  So no, I’m not feeling to good about this evening right about now.  I rush out my tent and did the only thing I could think of possible to minimise my risk of being electrified and I moved my tent further away from the tree.  I left my bike on the tree as a lightning rod and then settled back down into my tent as low as possible to the ground.  Then I counted the elapsed time between the thunder and the lightning.  if it was going to get anywhere in the 3 second range … I’m knocking on a door (Only about 500 metres away) and asking for shelter.  Well… it was fast moving away from my.  Man did I ever sleep well at that point.  I slept so well I woke up late.  It was light outside and my knees were a killing me!  All in all I was still comfortable and warm except for the tremendous pain on my knees.  What should have been one more day of cycling ended up with some night cycling to cover ground and me camping out at stoney point. 

 

Day 3 -

Pretty uneventful.  made it to Chatham in lots of pain.  Stopped at a crossroads talked to a nice gentleman who gave unlimited coffee and told me about some touring cyclists who had passed his way before.  They were on recliners. 

The goal was in sight.  Thanks to a lot of pushing and pain.

 

Evening 3

Coverred lot’s of beautiful country on my bike.  I swear some of the pictures in my Canon are deleted because I had been awestruck by how beautiful the country was at night.  It was a great time except the humidity tried to seize up my crank.  I had to pedal backwards in intervals to keep the bearings lubricated… and had to stop and short jerk the crank back and forth a few times to prevent seizure.  It worried me but I was in a place where I really didn’t care … I was going to make it.  Had I had a support vehicle to accompany the DNF would have been probably yesterday or this evening for sure … lucky for me (I’m such a great planner) i have no support vehicle… so the only choice is finish.  The outskirts of chatham have lot’s of sulphur in their drinking water.  I stopped at a house for a bottle refill.  They were very kind.

 

Wind picks up.

 

Wind really picks up.  I thought I was making it into Windsor tonight.  Boy was I worng. 

I camp at Stoney point right under the sign that says … Welcome to Stoney point.  And guess what? Windstorm.

 

day 4

Wind is bad.  Had some encouraging words from a fellow cycling tourist on the way out of Stoney Point.  It takes me the whole day to cover what should be done in 3 hours.  I’m in lot’s of pain.  Was offerred a ride into Windsor. 

No thank you sir I have to finish.

Rode up grand marais around 4:30 PM in windsor… after seriously celebrating loud at the Welcome to windsor in Tecumseh.  My last meal was a bag of cold hot dogs. 

Mom wasn’t home … went up the block to my sister’s.

 

Her boyfriend says to me…

You didn’t bike here all the way from Brampton did you.  I almost collapsed for a second at the realisation of what I did and I answerred him.  he tells me I’m crazy.  You know what he’s right.  we’re doing the trip together this summer!

 

Happy Cycling!!

Okay I made it

No time to write (until I get to work)
Departure was Dec 25 8:15 am
Arrival in Windsor was Dec 28 5:00 pm.
What a trip. next time no tent just a bivy
Packed to heavy
Crank seized
No brakes by the time I was out of Halton
Lightman LED strobes suck
Yes I left with a bent axle.
But yes I made it… Not bad time I’d say.

The Planned Route

Driving Directions

Link:

<

 

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&saddr=Bovaird+Dr+E&daddr=Guelph+St+to:Wellington+St+W+to:HWY-124%2FHWY-24+to:Maple+Grove+Rd+to:Fountain+St+S+to:New+Dundee+Rd+to:Cassel+Sideroad+to:16th+Line+to:Thorndale+Rd+to:Medway+Rd+to:Longwoods+Rd+to:Longwoods+Rd+to:Grande+River+Line+to:Grande+River+Line+to:Tecumseh+Line+to:Tecumseh+Rd+to:Tecumseh+Rd+to:HWY-22%2FKing’s+Hwy+2+to:HWY-22%2FKing’s+Hwy+2+to:Tecumseh+Rd+to:Tecumseh+Rd+to:Tecumseh+Rd+to:Tecumseh+Rd+E+to:42.311593,-82.888756&hl=en&geocode=FfFWmwIdXgk_-w%3BFUAAmgIdHHk9-w%3BFVInmAIdBD03-w%3BFXeklwIdvv42-w%3BFZCalgIdDoU1-w%3BFfwklgIdC5c1-w%3BFUqrlQId6Wc0-w%3BFT5slAIdLqIv-w%3BFfAFlAIdqNcv-w%3BFXTPkQIdCCMq-w%3BFRDGkAIdIB0n-w%3BFZxbjQIdLqQj-w%3BFYZohwIddmUa-w%3BFVSbhgIdUqAY-w%3BFeZPhgIdmt8X-w%3BFfqChQIdNiIW-w%3BFQyFhQIdcmoU-w%3BFX5bhQIdRz8T-w%3BFWFnhQIdhj0R-w%3BFeBvhQIdzOEQ-w%3BFbZ7hQId1M8Q-w%3BFaKHhQIdOKoQ-w%3BFWynhQIdpA8Q-w%3BFYaghQIdbq8P-w%3B&mra=mi&mrcr=23&mrsp=24&sz=12&sll=42.317178,-82.888756&sspn=0.111953,0.219727&ie=UTF8&ll=43.088949,-81.309814&spn=1.76906,3.515625&z=8>

T Minus 20 hours (or so)

Okay, I picked up my axle put my tire back together.  Still have to put my bike back together and pack it up real nice. 

I picked up some extra wicking thermal tops, so I should be in good shape.  I can’t beleive it, Norco totally pulled through for me and managed to get me a perfect weather window.  It’s just short enough to make the journey difficult, just long enough to make the journey possible.  I traced my tentative route last night on the bus.  I haven’t committed it to memory but I’ll keep my map and compass handy. 

Hydration strategy in full effect.  It’s 8:30 am now I need to be pissing clear in a few hours and hold it clear t’ill I knock on my mom’s door with season’s greetings in Windsor.  The crystal jug of water is full and going down. 

I picked up a brick a cheese, some beef jerky (which is gone I ate it already – I’m not much for planning), an energy drink, canned turkey flakes (yes I will be ovolacto vegeterian again in March – no I don’t feel bad).  I have my tunes, batteries for lights, spare tires, road tools, eyewear, lot’s of wool socks, ziplock bags and garbage bag liners.  Okay… I’m ready to move out. 

Let’s do this thing.

I leave at 3 am Dec 25th.  Need to make it to London on the 1st leg.

500 K for 15 days to the temple of the sun for summer solstice in Peru –

My first blog.  I suppose I am overdo for a blog by now… I keep jamming inbox’s with ramblings and jargon at work… I think I might be costing my employer a lot of money.  I don’t know what the theme of this blog will be but it was suggested to me that I should maybe blog about my trip to Windsor at Christmas by bicycle… from Brampton.  I will pursue a cycling theme for the time being.

 

Preperations… well I’m not ready … But I’m almost ready.  I have a map a compass, a weather window… THANK GOODNESS… some time off, a 4 season tent, bag and some saddle bags. 

I’m short one rear axle because mine bent either when I was trying to pull off my freehub or when I went for a bike walk and ride in last friday’s snowstorm to pick up my orders.  Well; I never made it to my orders but I did make it around the block and around a small pond.  It was quite an interesting journey. 

My noble steed’s name is Norco.  He is very old and wise.