Distances: 6902 total kilometres (we found an error)
39 total days/ 37combined days of riding (the goal was to do it in 40)
- 3 partial days: 93 out of Vancouver, 50km to Moose Jaw, and 50 into Quebec City (1 total ride day)
-1 day touring the Cabot Trail
-11 days of over 200 km per day, overall average of 180km/day
-average of 9 hours of riding per day
-average speed 20km/hr
-week 1: 1145 km -week 2: 1295 km -week 3: 1176 km
-week 4: 1439 km -week 5: 1086 km -week 6: 516 km
*Bryan calculated that he turned 83-86 cranks per minute one day.

Days of riding in each province (approximate):
BC.......7 AB......2 1/2 SK......3 1/2 MN.......3 ON.....11
QUE....3 NB......2 1/2 PEI.....1/2 NS........3 NF......1

-5 ferry rides, 2 short and 3 long ones
-rode through 5 time zones
-hardest climbs: Osoyoos with 17 1/2 km at 9-14% grade
Hope Pass and Emerson Pass: climbed 4000 metres over 10 km
-9 nights of camping, 3 in the homes of friends, 27 in motels
-it's easier to get up to ride after a soak in a tub, a bed to sleep in and all the continental breakfast
you can eat (at least half a loaf of toast, cereal, and whatever else is offered!)

Weather: -Usually an East or North East wind, not the usual westerlies.
-very few favorable winds, a few in the Maritimes
-14 days of rain, most of them all day and sometimes very heavy
- 2 days of snow/rain/hail in BC (6 inches in one day)
-coldest day: June 7 into Sparwood -warmest: June 4 into Osoyoos

Mechanics: - the Cannondale T1 bike proved itself as up to the task (Thanks for the advice, Bike Doctor!)
- 2 flat tires, 1 tire replaced (Marathon)
-one poor lube job that created some problems but the chain held up well all trip
-1 new battery for the bike computer

Blessings: -answered prayers for safety and health (Thanks for praying for Bryan.)
-a helmet from Roland Stevenson when Bryan lost his near Nelson, BC
-meeting the target of June 29 in Quebec when we had no idea how long it would take
-having a wife and a support vehicle to get rid of the paniers and add in so many other ways
-daily goals met and perfect timing in meeting each other at just the right places
-cell phones that kept us connected and WiFi connections in motels to keep us all together
-support in so many ways
-phone calls, e-mail messages, words of encouragement
-visits in homes and on the phone as Bryan passed through (sometimes it worked out)
-friendly interest from perfect strangers who were also encouraging
-people all across the country in coffee shops, restaurants, tourist offices and by the side of the road
who make up the community that is Canada
-Kevin Berg who filled in at work for Bryan and made it possible to be worry free the whole time
-the fact that there were very few mosquitoes (just bad black flies around Lake Superior)
-legs that were ready to go every day!

Reflections: -Rural connections made all the difference. They came to see the spandex man and stayed to chat.
-There is no boring landscape at bike level. It's all in the details and appreciation.
-Covering the cost of a trip like this is easier at our age. That's one advantage of being over 50!
-the money was well spent, with no regrets
-so many have asked if Bryan was raising money for a charity
*If you want to donate to your favorite charity in honour of this great country and generosity of the
people in it, go ahead.

-Take secondary highways if you really want to see the people and not just cover miles
-bypassing rural communities hurts them financially and we miss what they can offer
-there's less traffic too!
-Although the goal of this trip was to cross Canada, not to tour sites, it whetted our appetite to
return. There's so much to do and see in each part. A week, not a day would be a start.
-A biker can never eat enough to keep going. Bryan learned a lot about when and what he needed to
eat to stay on the road. You can't ignore good nutrition.
-Bryan didn't see as much live wildlife as he expected but saw and smelled more roadkill than he liked.
-he also saw enough hubcaps, gloves, tarp straps and small tools to stock a store
-Ontario is HUGE but they have some of the worst roads and best scenery. (outside BC!)
-If you have a dream, make it happen. Eat the elephant one bite at a time.

THANK YOU for following the blog. Your comments have been encouraging but so have the numbers of hits on this site. It is good to share this dream with all of you. Who knows what will be next? Everest?

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Meanwhile, I had gone into Corner Brook to pick up a shipping box for his faithful Cannondale. When we met up, we loaded the bike and continued into Stephenville for the ceremonial dipping of the tire into the ocean.
With 6657 kilometres completed, this cross-Canada bike tour is officially ended. A bitter-sweet moment to be sure. We celebrated with supper and a walk along the ocean.

We also talked to a clerk who had worked at that store for 40 years, including when Stephenville was a US air base. In the heyday, 34 employees worked where now only 4 are at that store. It was also fitting that the trip should end by sharing stories, small town style. She sent us on our way with the familiar good wishes and a thanks for stopping by.

The bike packed, we catch the ferry again for North Sydney tomorrow and head for home. One more entry to write...this trip by the numbers.

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By 11:30am, Bryan easily covered the 61km to North Sydney. The sun was shining and it was very calm, the first time since LaChute, Quebec. A great ride topping off the total 6423 km on mainland Canada.

We spent the afternoon in the Louisburg area. We really didn't have enough time to tour the national park at Fort Louisburg but we can see that this would be a great place to spend the whole day. However, we needed to return to catch the ferry to Port-aux-Basques from North Sydney. We were able to find a bike store in Sydney en route, talk to the owner about an upcoming Cape Breton race and buy a jersey advertising Jittery Joes Coffee Shop. Perfect, eh? Bryan would have liked to continue biking on such a beautiful day but we enjoyed the 5 hour sail and a full moon.

At midnight, we pulled into a very hospitable hotel near the water. Bryan heads for Corner Brook on Wednesday. He would like to cover 131km which is the distance that he would have covered into St John's if the original plan had been possible.

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After that warm encounter, we continued on the Cabot Trail, stopping several places along the way to enjoy short hikes and the scenery. It is a spectacular combination of woodland and ocean vistas along a winding road. A very definite bonus was the sunshine that we enjoyed all day long. Bryan noted that he had ridden in rain from Thunder Bay, Ontario and on. Today, a day without the bike, the sun came out! The finale was a tasty supper at an Acadian restaurant at Cheticamp some 4 hours later. Bryan is always hungry so anytime is a good time to eat. I hope that changes when we settle into life at home!

Tomorrow, Bryan will bike the 56 km or so to North Sydney where we will catch the ferry to Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland at 6:30pm. We'll have some time to tour the area before we leave.

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Again, we have been impressed by the way people open their homes to strangers, even though tourism is a cottage industry. These past two nights, we have stayed with people who had added on to their home to create a motel. We've seen this often. Perhaps some of these stately homes were just too big for the average family. We both appreciate the architecture, almost as much as the scenery.

Tomorrow, we will drive up to the Cabot Trail for a day of touring and hiking together. I've seen the sights but Bryan has missed the tours I've enjoyed. It's time we did something together!

Total this week: 1281 km

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I met Bryan at 1:30 when he had stopped for dinner at the Magic Wok.....4 plates heaped and then dessert! He had gone through steady rain but was enjoying the food and was still pumped about the wind push. We met friends of Tannis and Rich Kamminski, Kevin, Margaret and Ellen Whittrow, at their house near downtown. We had a good visit and Kevin rode with Bryan out of the city after a personal tour of some downtown landmarks.

The next leg, from Charlottetown to Wood Island featured a strong crosswind until the returned tailwind the last 15 km but the sun had finally decided to make an appearance. Meanwhile, I took a mini-tour off road to the Point Prim lighthouse, the only one made of brick on the island. Great view from the top! Bryan arrived at the information centre at 7:00, just in time to get into the line for the 8:00 ferry crossing. Total today: 151km .

Of note: -first day with much sunshine in the past week of rain.
-ditches filled with lupins of all shades
-the surprise of hills on the island
-lush, lush expanses of mowed acres
-beautiful old homes, carefully maintained
-red soil and potato fields

We stayed in Pictou, Nova Scotia at cute motel just past the ferry landing. Two more provinces conquered and two to go. I booked the ferry passage for Newfoundland. Our plans to go to St. John's have changed based on our time frame and the ferry times. We'll head for Cornerbrook instead.

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Bryan still covered 175 km today in all kinds of weather. That raincoat of his is a marvel! We have seen so much rain these past days. When so the people around here get their lawns cut? It has been humid but not sultry. We can't wait for the sun to come out though.

Tonight, Bryan cleaned his chain, and has settled into watching the opening day of the Tour de France. He's still pumped about his own personal Tour de Canada. Charlottetown tomorrow! Total kilometres: 6000

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When he met me, he decided to keep in the rhythm and continue out of the city. He made it to Jemseg by 8:30. So, of a 201 km day, 110 were from 9:30am to 4pm and 91 were after 4:30pm. As Bryan said, the mental aspect of this game is just as challenging as the road. The first part of his day, he had a hard time getting into the groove but after 4pm, he made up for that. The conditions were the same all day so there's no excuse there!

I went out to Jemseg to pick Bryan up since I had settled into a motel in Fredricton. That also meant that I had to return him to that starting point the next morning. However, a good meal of lasagna was incentive for Bryan after a good finish to the day.

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So, he 'beat' Quebec! We are now in a different time zone. It's now 3 hours ahead of home time. Bryan appreciated the good highway shoulders in Quebec and the way they treat bikers. I enjoyed being able to practice my French. We've had some very nice hotels to stay in....a soak in a hot tub really revives Bryan. Almost as much as food!

Now that we're in New Brunswick, we notice the bilingual signs and more English being spoken. The scenery along the highway reminds us of BC but without the major mountains. The Appalacians are gentler and more rolling. The people here really don't know what a steep incline is like. The highways have really good shoulders too. Funny how you notice that more when you're with a biker.

What have I done the past 2 days? Toured an amazing carving museum/workshop, found a great used bookstore, did a bunch of reading while I waited, and did a bit of shopping. All that and, of course, keep "the machine" fed.

Fredricton, here we come!

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He was tired from battling the wind yet again. It's just getting pretty old! However, after warming up, he was game to start again. The last leg into Cabano put the fun in this game again. There were lots of uphills and the matching downhill races on great shoulders.

July 1: 188 km

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Our GPS came in handy to find the ferry station to Levis, not far from where we had recently toured. We crossed the St Lawrence and had a bite to eat in Levis before Bryan mounted his faithful Cannondale. Oh, it had started to rain...hard.
With me ahead (and cell phone on), we took the quieter scenic route, Highway 132, through many small towns to Montmagny, 50kms from Levis.

With the gale-force headwind and pelting rain, Bryan averaged 17km/hr nose down and pedaling hard. He was almost stopped short by gusts when he once sat up, going down a hill. The rain was coming sideways too. It would have been impossible to make headway with paniers on the bike. He is grateful to have his wife take the extra weight and meet him with a hotel for the night. I can also help him with the language....fun to be able to use it!

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Another biker who had started from Montreal a day earlier joined him but soon felt the pain of the journey and suggested a pit stop at 2:00. There were no gas stations or restaurants so they made do with a hot dog at a convenience store. Highway 138 certainly isn't a tourist route but there isn't much traffic either and no semis. There is still a great shoulder 4-6 feet wide. The whole route from Trois-Rivieres to Quebec City is like one long community dotted with farmland. Bryan hasn't encountered any construction since Hull either until a little bit just outside QC.

At 2:00, I called him from the Montreal airport while I waited for the last leg of my flight. That gave him some added incentive to keep going even though the wind had increased. He has never had a favourable wind that strong! He still had 63 km to go at that point.

I arrived at the airport, picked up the rental SUV (a Kiah Rondo) and headed out to try to find Bryan along the road. I found him just 16 km out of the city. I don't know if he was happier to see me or to get rid of the paniers at that point.
He had to adjust his balance after 4 weeks of that extra weight but followed me back to a hotel. A bath, clean clothes and a big Chinese buffet followed with a nap made him a new man.

I can report truthfully that he has a biker short tan line like no one else, has no extra flab to lose and is feeling in the best shape of his life. He still looks forward to the rest of the journey, even more now that we can share it.

Of note:
- the deep fried frogs legs on the buffet reminded him to tell me about all the frogs and large turtles he has seen on the roads around here
-fruit punch power gel is actually really good tasting
-people really don't know distances to places not far from their own towns
-121km today
-total: 5185 km!

I will be including some pictures from here on!

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At about 3:00, Bryan was at Bertherville and reported having helped a woman and her son change a tire on their vehicle. They didn't know how, had stripped the lug nuts, and no phone. However, a police car suddenly came over with the siren blaring. Apparently, the officer had seen Bryan's bike beside the car and thought that there had been an accident. They really have a heart for the bikers.

Joliette was one long run of car dealerships and no restaurants but there were huge thunder clouds ahead. Even with a headwind that later turned fierce, Bryan maintained an average of 21km/hr. The land continues to be flat and very scenic. In the ditches are huge ferns, 8-10 feet tall. There are fields of potatoes and huge dairy operations. There are a lot of cheese factories as well. As Bryan continued, there were more dairy operations, as well as hay and silage being put up.

Bryan is traveling along the edge of Lac St Pierre which empties into the St Lawrence River. It's so large that Bryan couldn't see across it or see Trois Rivieres as he approached it. The last hour into the city, it rained but he had already covered 205 km that day. He stopped at a motel which was owned by a woman who had moved from Vancouver 10 years ago. She was delighted to talk only English to someone from the West. She shaved $20.00 off the price of his room and added a free breakfast to boot. She also called to her 12 year old son to meet Bryan, He must be something special!

As you all know, speaking French isn't Bryan's forte but he has had no trouble for the most part in Quebec. Tonight, though, his waitress spoke only French and the menu was in French so they had to use pictures to communicate. Two other young girls that Bryan talked to later explained that while they had learned English in school, the numbers of students taking the course is declining. Sort of like Core French class numbers shrinking in Saskatchewan. Sounds like I should be working on my end of that problem!

Bryan has a shorter day ahead tomorrow, with the airport near Quebec City just 130 km away. I hope to keep posting blogs
as often as possible. I will add some photos as well.

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At Ottawa/Hull/Gatineau another biker helped Bryan get through the city, going past the parliament buildings and over the only bridge they needed. Bryan appreciated the tour guide but it still took an hour to get to the other side and on their way again. There have been many bikers to ride along with including one that needed some help in fixing a tire. The people here treat bikers very well.

There are towns every 5-6 km with lots of restaurants and tourist shops....all seem to be very busy. The traffic is light since no semis take this route. Bryan covered 230km on this scenic ride along the wide Ottawa River of fairly flat land. He could see towns on the Ontario side. At Montebello, not a big town, he was impressed by a chateau much like the Banff Springs Hotel. There were lots of boutiques, craft shops, wooden carvings, a nice golf course and a music festival happening in the town. The way trees and houses are so close to the highway, often only20 feet away, reminds Bryan of Denmark.

By 9:00 pm it was so dark and rainy that Bryan had to stop for the night even though LaChute was only 20km away. However, there was no motel so he slipped inside a large, old abandoned barn for the night. He's hoping that no one minds! He''ll be up and at it early, no doubt.

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The Ottawa Valley is beautiful, quick climbs followed by long downhills in farming land much like Saskatchewan. He glimpsed the Ottawa River from time to time as he rode along. Once, when he stopped to call the Wagners and Kareen Akre in Pembroke, a fellow in a truck stopped to talk to Bryan about his trip. He commented that he wished he had done that when he was younger. That's a common response!

Bryan was impressed by the size of Petawawa, a bit of a surprise in the middle of a farming area...8 highway exits and a huge army training base. He bypassed Pembroke and made good time on the other side. He noticed that, from Sudbury to Pembroke, roadside businesses seem to have succumbed to the poor economy. After that, there was a number of thriving stands. With a 14% total tax, everything including meals is more expensive. Gas is .94 per litre, although that's no concern for a biker! However, lots of gas stations and cafes were closed. Too hard to make a go of it these days?

The Trans Canada highway is in sad shape however. In Manitoba, at least the driving surface was decent. Bryan has been surprised that Ontario has been tougher to ride in than the mountains of BC. There have been lots of long, hard hills. Coming out of Lake Superior would have been tough even with lots of nutrition. Who knew? This trip is full of steep learning curves but Bryan is still on top of his game. Since last Friday at Pass Lake, he has covered 1390km.

Maybe he's in a hurry to get to Quebec City by Monday. He feels the encouragement of all his supporters too. Thanks!

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Today Bryan enjoyed rolling hills and great weather. In fact, just a perfect day for a 213 km bike ride in the country with the best roads in Ontario for 30km. He had to stop early though because there was no town close enough along the road. He found a wonderful town where the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers meet...Mattawa, circa the 1880's. The hotel, an elder version of the one in Piapot, SK, was built in 1881 and has been lovingly kept in mint condition.

This is a jewel of a town. There are 10 foot, finely crafted wooden statues of likely famous explorers in front of every store on main street. The bridge crossing the river is a beautiful place to watch the big boats pass. Since it is so close to the Quebec border, everyone speaks French. Celine Dion had been here for a concert in the past but, better yet, each Sunday there is an all-day music jamboree. Sounds like fun. Too bad Bryan has to get to Quebec City by Monday. He is really taken with this picturesque, old world town. That evening he was entertained by an outdoor concert while he sipped a cup of coffee. Life is good! Apparently the fishing there is also a major tourist attraction.

Although Bryan's best biking rhythm seems to be in the heat of the day and the evening, he plans to get an early start so that he reaches Pembroke mid-afternoon if possible. Total to date: 4465km.

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Crossing four reserves, he found that the food was cheaper and there was no tax. Great meal of real fish and chips too for $6.50. The weather, the food and the people made for another great day. After 225 kms, Bryan ran into a wild thunderstorm that had left Sudbury area without power for an hour. But by that time he was south of Sudbury on the overpass so he pulled into a motel for the night.

The weather network is predicting a westerly wind tomorrow. Good news!

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Again, the generosity of another traveler, a trucker, came to his rescue with water and 2 chocolate bars. That gave him enough energy to carry on another hour to a cafe. At 11:30 he sat down to a hearty breakfast and a good visit with a couple. Bryan encouraged the wife, a novice bike rider, to start small as he had done. Later, when he went to pay, he found out that they had covered the cost of his meal. That was the start of a really good rest of the day.

He caught and passed the Norwegian and two women who had also bonked earlier. A bit scary for all of them!
Bryan got into a good rhythm, the temperature reached 34, and he had another swim in Lake Superior. He came across a high-end bike store where they cleaned and lubed his chain at no cost. They also encouraged him to pitch his tent in their compound. But he had more road to cover so they gave him good advice on routes. It's interesting that even the signs read 'minutes' to a destination, not kilometres since they're still thinking in miles but can't put that on a sign.

From 6pm and on, there was no wind on the flat terrain so Bryan was able to maintain 25-27 kmph easily.
With a 184 km day behind him, Bryan stopped at Bruce Mines, 60km east of Sault Ste Marie. It was home to the first copper mine in North America but now they export rock for road base to the States.

Bryan enjoyed an evening meal in a small cafe specializing in fresh baked bread and pie. Everyone was encouraging and friendly. That's the best part of this trip, connecting with real people.

So, a day that started badly, ends with 3895 km as a total and a great soak in the tub.

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Saturday, June 20, he logged 196 km which brought him to Jackfish Lake. The next town would be Marathon. It was cold (5 degrees) and windy traveling along Lake Superior.

Sunday was a better night's sleep in a cabin at Hammer Lake Lodge, 40 km beyond White River and 60km from Wawa.
He managed 182 km against the wind and flies. White River is the home of Winnie the Pooh apparently. Bryan also met two riders from France who had been badly bitten by the hordes of black flies. There were also some pretty steep hills the past 2 days that surprised Bryan.

On Monday, Bryan made it to Montreal River, 182 km down the road. He had a relaxing breakfast that day, not rolling on until 9:00am but not calling it a day until about 9pm. There was a headwind part of the day and the temperatures reached 30. He had planned well by stocking up on food in Wawa. There would be 120km of nothing but road ahead from there. He didn't see Lake Superior much all day either but at 4:00pm, went for a swim in the chilly water much to the amazement of some others stopped at the picnic spot. There were some stiff climbs again but some sweet downhills too. This is one monster lake but Bryan was glad to be away from the cold winds that come off of it. He saw the lake the last 20km of the 83km long park at the end of the day. Tonight, he pitched his tent at the edge of a hill overlooking Lake Superior. He says that the sun setting over such a huge expanse of water is pretty awesome. Life is good!

Bryan met lots of bikers traveling west but there is a group of 5 somewhere ahead of him. He hopes to catch up to them tomorrow, especially the Norwegian man. This guy has already crossed 5 countries or continents, according to the people at the tourism office, on his 3 year trek. He still plans to cross the USA and South America yet! Bryan wonders if maybe I would support him in a trip like that.... One trip at a time!

Tomorrow...Sault Ste Marie, a soft bed and fewer black flies!

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He got into Thunder Bay by noon and found a bike shop. They didn't carry Cannondales but the mechanic dropped what he was doing right away when he got a look at Bryan's bike. These bikers....not a pretty face that gets their attention but a nice set of wheels! They loved the bike and the paniers. The mechanic cleaned the chain properly, shaking his head at the previous work. When he took off the rear tire, both he and Bryan were amazed that it had made it that far. Paper thin!! Hey, Greg and Dave, Bryan is wondering if there's warranty since it's only 2 months old! Just 3276 km on it with this trip, plus another 300 or so to break it in at home. The bike shop was high end so they had the same brand of tire in stock...no problem to get Bryan on his way quickly.

Bryan said that Thunder Bay is an amazing city...beautiful 30 km scenic drive along Lake Superior with plenty of huge grain ships and cruise liners. However, he was caught in Friday rush hour traffic as he left. Lots of semis and campers heading for the lake and no shoulder for bikers.

Today Bryan crossed into the next time zone..he's now 2 hours ahead of Sask. He also crossed into the Atlantic watershed. The elevation is just 503 metres as compared to his high of 1356 metres in BC. Practically flat!

Based on some good advice from locals, Bryan will be leaving #17 highway tomorrow at Nipigon, 70km from Pass Lake, taking highway 117 at Kirkland Lake, near the Timmins turnoff. He's been told that it's a fairly level, good road with a lot less semi traffic but that it will also save him some 3 hours driving time if he were in a car. This should get him into Quebec sooner.

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Bryan also saw a number of moose and battled wind and a thunder storm but managed 150 km anyways. He is stopped for the night about 60 km north of Thunder Bay at a fishing camp. A whole cabin for the same price as a campground. The rain had stopped by then, too. Tomorrow in Thunder Bay....new tire for the long suffering bike!

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Bryan got into Dryden at about 2:30pm, just in time to meet with my cousin Yvonne and her husband Alan Henderson for coffee. They had a good visit but Bryan was anxious to get back on the road. He say that he gets in to a rhythm after his afternoon feeding and it just feels good to ride. He covered 202 km today but the last part was a challenge.

However, there was no bike shop in all of Dryden! Lots of fishing and hunting supplies but his tires will have to last until Thunder Bay.

In the last 10km before he stopped, he was greeted 55 semis in a convoy that showered him with spray from the rain that had started. They set up a wicked turbulence as well on that winding road. He was tired and it was getting dark but he was committed to get into Ignace. There's no other town on that stretch of highway! It's dark there so early; another time zone soon. In fact, the town's restaurants were closed before Bryan got to eat supper. He did find a supply of granola bars though. Bryan's going to stock up well for the next stretch tomorrow. Got to keep the 'machine' fed!

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The winds varied from calm to helpful to very gusty but Bryan managed 203 km today for a total trip distance of 2756km. Trees often gave him a shield and the scenery is great. There are lots of lakes, resorts and downhills. It has been a bit tough to find places to eat but highway workers were generous with their water and Bryan dipped into his stash of energy bars. He also finds that apples and especially oranges are a big boost when his stamina is waning.

Tonight he is about 40km past Kenora and has hit the jackpot for good eating at Ron's Roadhouse. The only thing on the menu tonight was a barbequed steak special: the inch thick steak filled one 12" plate and the corn, potatoes and bread filled the other plate, all for $10.00! He was definitely hungry enough by that time to do it justice.

He's tenting there tonight, to the tune of big, noisy frogs but is content with a good day overall. His right leg seems to have recovered from the earlier tendonitis- no swelling or soreness today. The bike will need some attention in Dryden though. His front tire had a flat that was a quick fix but the rear one is showing wear and should be replaced.

Ontario is off to a good start. He hopes to get halfway to Thunder Bay tomorrow. It's hard to believe that he's been gone 17 days already.

Ontario hospitality remains copyright of the author Janet Akre, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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There were some interesting perks to the day though. He was cheered by a crowd gathered as he entered Winnipeg. Several young people ran up to talk to him. There was a police escort at the ready too! Apparently, the son of Blue Bomber General Manager Lyle Bowers is also on a cross-Canada bike trek and they were waiting to take him to a reception complete with TV coverage. Bryan declined the invitation to join them, saying that it was the other guy's day to shine.

He also discovered that it is 97km around the city on the ring road. He caught up to a lone biker, a retired teacher who had taught 12 years in Tanzania. As they neared his exit, the man invited Bryan to his house for lunch. Good food and a good visit.

Bryan finally cleared Winnipeg but was glad to stop at Richer, Manitoba for the night. About 30 km earlier, he had passed a sign that declared the longitudinal centre of Canada. He knows that he still has more that half to go, with some long miles in Ontario. He could sure use those legendary westerlies! So far they have been a bit shy.

Almost a celebrity remains copyright of the author Janet Akre, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Bryan had been warned about the state of the highway shoulders, often told about two cyclists who had been killed near Virden. I'm glad that he pulled off. Please pray for safer conditions tomorrow to get him through Winnipeg.

He should be into Ontario tomorrow...then the long part begins!

The Manitoba Trans-Canada nasties! remains copyright of the author Janet Akre, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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