Cross Canada with BA

Bryan's day included meeting and riding a bit with a Korean that he had been following, who stayed in the same place last night. He was doing half Bryan's speed so they parted ways. But he met a New York City biker going West....he's enjoying the easterly winds! They had supper together at English Bay... a very interesting guy. Later, Bryan met a couple from Maine who were driving to Alaska. Is everyone on the move?

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!

According to the good people at Tourism Ontario, Bryan is indeed halfway to St John's. They also asked him what they could do to make travel in Ontario easier. Better signage and maps with elevations on them, like in BC! He did see the plaque for the Last Spike today.

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!

Bryan had an early start on more bad Manitoba roads but was warned by the tourism office there that major road construction was ahead of him. He stopped to check in at the Ontario tourism office just two km later and they confirmed a 25 km stretch that would be worse than the 2 km he had just struggled with. He muttered something about 'nice welcome to Ontario' and was overheard by a sympathetic good Samaritan. This man told him that he would give him a proper welcome and invited Bryan to put the bike in the truck for a ride beyond the construction. Thanks to him, the day improved greatly!

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.

140km of the toughest workout yet. Bryan bucked a SE 35km wind with no protection from vegetation. There was still no good shoulder either. Towns and gas stations were off the highway a ways so it was tough to find food as well. And construction complicated things. At least a bike can go through the pilons when the cars are driving on the shoulders! He'd fought hordes of mosquitoes the night before and in the morning too.

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.

Sunday night and 170km of bad weather and bad roads. A hot SE wind was tough enough but the shoulder disappeared into gravel as Bryan got closer to Winnipeg. After trying to negotiate heavy traffic, and two too close calls, Bryan stopped 30km short of his goal. Near Ellie, he saw a farmer working in the field and asked him if he could pitch a tent in the nearby bluff of trees. No problem!

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!