CENTRAL-CANADA BIKE TOUR

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The Last Leg

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TheFinalDayTheFinalDayTheFinalDayTheFinalDayTheFinalDay!!!


OFFICIALLY In Calgary!
After a long grueling treck from border to border and town to town, we've finally made it to Calgary, and our final resting place before the last kilometers out the YMCA Camp Chief Hector 100km or out towards the mountains. We're staying with friends in the city right now. This morning we spent some time down at the Eau Claire YMCA downtown meeting some Y headquarters staff from the offices that had heard about our trip and wanted to meet us. So we sat down in one of the board rooms with a lot of great people and just told stories. To say thank you for our efforts we were given these wonderful gift certificates to the Rocky Mountain Flat Bread Pizza Co. (the sweetest pizza restaurant you could image, right downtown Canmore) and invited to spend the afternoon using the membership plus facilities to finally, after 40 days on the road, soak in the warmest water and the steamiest of steam rooms, which was far more luxury than we could handle.


Tomorrow, Tuesday June 23rd, is officially the last day of the tour and our last day on the road. We expect to arrive (if all weather is good) at the gates of Camp Chief Hector mid-to-late afternoon to some interested media and some long awaited staff and friends. This is NOT the final blog, so keep reading for more to come and the final update of ALL the pictures.

Love, Calder

pictures from the road west

June 19-09

Camping on the Alberta tonight. We are getting close.

Heat and Wheat

The monotonous ridiculousness of ever-present Eastern-flowing winds must have finally sunken in to whichever godly pranksters control the weather, because FINALLY, for three days straight now, the wind has been filling our panniers like sails and shoving us in the direction we need to go.

Today is day 34. And out of those 34 days, 28 have been terrible weather – rain, snow, wind, sub-zero temperatures, you name it we got it… But the last 4 days (not to jinx ourselves here) have been flawless. In a province with the biggest skies, there has rarely been a cloud to be seen and the temperature just keeps rising—26, 28, and yesterday 31 degrees. I have 4 or 5 different shades of tans across my body and our sleeping bags are almost too hot to sleep in. But we’re tentative to complain when we know what other weather options are out there…

OFFICIALLY IN REGINA! As of 2 o’clock this afternoon! We’re staying with friends for the night and heading out towards Moose Jaw early in the morning.

So we have this friend (fellow Hector staff) named Wes Bauer who took the year off school and organized a full blown tour—from Mile 0 on the west coast to St. Johns, Newfoundland—with the help of family and friends to raise money for Cancer research and immediate care for patients. We’ve been constantly looking at maps, playing tag back and forth on the internet, trying to figure out the exact location where we’d intersect and after finally figuring out that it would be somewhere near Brandon Manitoba, we’ve been counting down to “Wes Bauer Day” watching the horizon. Sitting in the library in Brandon, uploading photos, we sent him a message saying “hey, we’re in Brandon, let us know where you are!”
He writes back: “BRANDON!!! I’m in Brandon!!!”
After some sweet swindling, he managed to find a free bed in the hotel he was staying and we had a great night with a good friend swapping stories.
Wes was an inspirational boost of energy nearing the end of a trip. Pictures will be up soon, promise.
Cheers to you Wes Bauer.
www.chasethecure.ca

Beautiful sun, beautiful sky, beautiful towns. It’s like consistently riding on to the set of Corner Gas.

As for being on the road, things have been the same—singing ridiculously loud and daydreaming, and the only thing that’s different besides the scenery has been the pee bottles, which are increasing in volume—Not quantity of bottles, just literal volume—we’re talkin’ liters here...

Will write soon,

Love, Calder.

Road Kill Count - From Day 1-28

2 Moose
2 Deer
3 Coyotes
7 Raccoons
2 Skunks
1 Porcupine
1 Marten
1 cat
1 snake
3 Bags full of Birds
A couple Barrels of small Rodents
(including prairie dogs)
Too many bees
Other insects and bugs

territorial red winged black birds, Calders cursed back tire- almost in Saskatchewan!!

lots of beautiful birds in Manitoba.
We made it to Brandon, and visited our 3rd bike store in this province.
Calder needs to make amends with the god who curses cyclists.
He has had SIX flat tires in 2 days, a wire barb, a piece of glass which ripped the tire, and multiple other snags.
Hopefully that ends here! Not to mention his broken panniers, and the sudden collapse of his front rack.
The abundance of pee bottles has declined, Manitoba truckers must have more respect for the beauty of the province.
What else... nothing really.
We are happy and healthy and starting to make peace with the ever present head wind.
- Love and Peace KATE

well i can write a bit more..

The weather has been mostly overcast and rainy.
After a lot more Boreal from Thunder Bay to Kenora, we finally hit the shores of Lake of the Woods. During our stroll around Kenora we ran into a mail box for YMCA camp Stevens on an island. Instantly we decided to write to our good friend Adrian who is currently working there.
While writing the first line of our letters, we ran into him! He called his boss and it was ok with her that we stay the night at Camp Stevens, which which was truly an unexpected, delight.
In the morning we were interviewed by the Calgary CBC and headed back to the number 1 highway, on our way to Manitoba!
After a lot of rain on the 8th we made it to vermillion Bay and had a great sleep at a trucker picnic area.
On the 9th we had 3 flat tired, and Calder's front rack was beginning to fall apart, luckily we were able to recharge at a friends house just outside of Winnipeg, and get a ride into the city for a new rack in the morning.
oh and i like biking beside cows.
-Kate

AHHH!!!! MANITOBA!

THis is the longest stretch we've had without writing and apologies must be made!
Damn these library computers and their minimal internet times--I have 8 minutes and 26 seconds left. So all I can say right now is that we are safe, we are in WINNIPEG FINALLY, and definetely have some stories. One hell of a lot has happened since Thunderbay--including wildlife (finally), a boat ride out to YMCA Camp Stephens on Lake of the Woods, an interview on CBC radio, and the friggin praries...
Pictures soon, stories soon, probably from Brandon in a few days. Promise.

Love, Calder

before we continue..

Before we continue our next stretch I would like to thank all friends and family who continually show their support along our journey. I would also like to thank those who have financially shown support with their donation to the Strong Kids Foundation. I would like to especially thank employees at my father’s company Comxel Telecommunications and members at the Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, your generosity is truly appreciated, this year probably more so than others.

Beardmore, Nipigon, THUNDER BAY

Well after a lot of ferocious head wind and snow threats, we finally entered a diverse stretch of highway 11.

Day 17 from Beardmore to Nipigon was definitely our most beautiful day, foot hills resembling the mountainous edge of Western Alberta, vast shores of Nipigon, and narrow cliffs, was a very nice change from dense boreal.
I was also very excited to see saw a black bear outside of Nipigon about 5m from the highway!

Day 18 we met other cyclists our total is now six, four solo males going across Canada and two females travelling from Winnipeg to Montreal, all travelling east.
Planning the trip we knew the wind would be a factor, but sometimes we really feel quite defeated. There have been times when pedaling in the lowest gear on a steep downhill gradient is a challenge. During our ride into Thunder Bay this was the case, going mostly downhill it took us almost 2 hours to ride 14km!!! We have also been told that the prairies are like a wall of wind, one foot after the other- Calder always says…

We are thrilled we made it to Thunder Bay and will take some time to tune our bikes and rest before the prairies. In the future I hope we run into some other cyclists who enjoy a good breeze in the face.
-Kate

Thanks Elmwood Kitchens!

Thanks to the family at Elmwood Kitchens! Your generous donation will go so incredibly far.


Thank you.

May 27 2009 Geraldton Ontario

The 210km from Hearst to Long Lac is a quiet lonely stretch, two days and nothing but trees. Although the road featured a lot of moose alert signs, (about 36) alas we did not see a single mammal, other than a beaver and musk rat. Long Lac was a beautiful town to stay in, small, but welcoming. After doing some laundry and finally showering, Calder and I feel relaxed and recharged.

One thing we were not expecting to see on this trip is the sheer abundance of trucker pee bottles, in all sizes and shades (we see about one every 3-5 k, 'comon truckers, is stopping to pee really that hard?') anyways we are both very excited to get to Thunderbay which we should hit in 3 days, May 30 and the shores of Superior. Other exciting news is that we have almost raised $5000 keep spreading the word! and a big thanks to those who have donated.

Kapuskasing and Hearst -- "The Moose Capital of Canada"

The Kapuskasing story
Under heavy rains, we ducked into a little coffee shop to wait out the weather--which turned in to one of the greatest days.
A table of wonderful elderly ladies began asking where we're riding to and why. They were so chatty and so excited they then proceeded to make sure that everyone who came into the shop knew who we were and what we were doing, they collectively pooled their money together and donated, and one even called a local reporter from the Northern Times (a paper which hits Kapuskasing and most towns along HWY 11) to come for an interview!
Thank you to so much to that table of ladies.

And thank you SO much to Sandra and the staff of Back to the Grind, the cutest coffee shop in 'the circle'--downtown Kap.
Your generosity and spirit pulled us through some rainy days...


As for now, Kate and I are in Hearst--The Moose Capital of Canada. The next town past Hearst is Longlac, 210km away with not a single sign of civilzation inbetween; so the next stretch is going to be a little tough and we're in town stocking up on some food and supplies.

Sweet History for the buffs:
Each of the towns, big and small, scattered across HWY 11 were built from the ground up on the roots of the logging industry, an industry originally pioneered by the French during colonization through Northern Ontario. So while the borders of Quebec represent the legal boundaries of the French colonial influence, the northern logging industry carries the same culturally historic weight--and thus, every town we enter, or have entered north of Temogami has been 75-95% french and Hearst is definetely no exception.
French comes before English on all advertising and street signs (if English comes at all), and hoping to get a new book to read for the empty stretch we found the only book store in town, which alas, carries no english literature.
Man I wish I didn't drop french in Grade 9...

We'll write again as soon as we can:

210 to civilization
510 to Thunder Bay

all against the wind...


Love, Kate and Calder

The update of ALL updates, and a couple things we missed:

So we forgot to mention a couple side-note awesome anecdotes along the way.

Anecdote 1:
Just passed North Bay, as we headed towards Temagami (Day 3) on HWY 11 North, we ran into our first biker we’ve seen on the road. He was an older man, great spirited, who spoke with an accent and let his trip bring the grey scruff in on his face how it wished. He had left Victoria, BC on April 3rd and had to be in Ottawa by next Wednesday (one week away) to see his son, who’s “in a rock band” play a show. He had excellent advice about the road – The trade winds, keeping your mind focused here and now, and packing food when stores were scarce... Never caught his name.

Oh, and the rock band his son plays for? The Trews. His son is the drummer. Rad.


Anecdote 2:
62km North of Temagami, we reach New Liskard early in the afternoon in search of bolts to fix a broken fender, use the internet and wait for the sun to finally show itself…

We’re in the library using the internet when a boy comes downstairs asking “who are the owners of the loaded touring bikes outsides?” He starts up a lively conversation about our trip, his dreams of biking through Ontario and out west down the coast, his vegetable garden back home… Such a wonderful spirit in him and he brightened our day so much. But the most interesting thing was his name – John Muir.
Turns out he’s in the same blood line as THE John Muir, an American naturalist and poet (1838-1914) who’s works are world famous and rival (or rather run equally parallel to) Thoreau, Carson, Whitman, etc.
Even while we used a payphone, he rushed home on his bike to get us home-made rhubarb muffins he had baked with the produce from his mom’s garden. He’s only been able to travel as far from New Liskard as his bike will carry him…


Anecdote 3:
We slept on the front lawn of a great guy named Colin just outside of Liskard that night. Waking up to snow in the morning he brought us in and we sat and watched “P.S. I love You” (a great friggin movie) till the snow passed.

As of right now, Kate and I are in Kapuskasing. There are 610km to Thunder Bay, which may not sound like much, but with the Westerly winds smacking us right in the face, it’s going to be rough…

PICTURES COMING SOON

Love, Kate and Calder

May 17, 5:30 PM

Kate just called. They awoke to snow this morning in New Liskeard. A friendly man invited them in to the house, he had given permission the night before to camp on his lawn. They spent the morning and set out at noon. It was still freezing and the wind was so strong they had to peddle hard to go downhill. They only made 30K today and are just past Englehart just south of Kirkland Lake. The country is mainly agricultural and forest beginning as they enter the James Bay watershed. Faces wind burned they remain happy and determined. 901 KM to Thunder Bay stay tuned!

YMAC camps

These are the two camps where we worked and were inspired to make this journey
www.ymcacalgary.org/web/Default.aspx?cid=2952&lang=1
and
http://www.ymcahb.on.ca/locations_wanakita.cfm
copy these URL's to learn more.

New Liskerd- Day 4

Rained all morning which delayed our early start, (had to buy some large ziplocks to waterproof abit better). We saw a big dead moose on the highway, i got alittle teary. Yesterday calder moved a rather large snapping turtle across the road- ummmmm we slept in Temagami by some train tracks, calders bum is sore, and now the library is closing- so thats all for now!

pictures

Temagami

Made 100 K today. All is well.

NORTH BAY

Ridiculous Rain and Ridiculous Wind.

We just came in to North Bay late this afternoon after battling the ridiculous rains and winds. Our butts are sore and it might be time to wrap this day up pretty soon...

Every store or restaurant we seem to walk into, people want to know what we're doing, where we're from and why the heck we're travelling EAST to WEST instead of the other way around...
Coming out of Huntsville we found a maple shack & petting zoo, but alas insurance could no longer cover the goats or donkies, and all that was left were chickens. So we bought some fudge and had a solid break hanging out with the chickens (which we couldn't actually touch because they'd peck us). We tried to camp that night in a picknic area but Ontario Parks officers came in and waited in their truck until we left; so we found a nice spot down an old abandoned road off the highway, pitched a tent, and then freaked ourselves out thinking that we kept hearing a bear.

So far the biggest challenge has been the wind, hitting us hard from the side today, but things are wonderful, the road is long and we'll write soon.

Calder

OFFICIALLY ON THE ROAD!

As of tomorrow morning Kate and I are officially on the road, pedaling out of YMCA Wanakita in Haliburton Ontario, and bound for the west!

1321KM to Thunder Bay
3427KM to our end point at Camp Chief Hector

Keep a lookout for updated BLOGS and PHOTOS that we'll post as the trip goes on!

Cheers to you,

Calder & Kate

THANKS GEARHEAD

We want to put up a HUGE thanks to Bryden and everyone at Gearhead in Milton, Ontario.


Without you're help, this trip wouldn't be possible. The bikes and the gear are phenominal, and we're proud to represent the Gearhead Team from province to province. Keep a look out. Photos coming soon.

http://www.gearhead.ca/

Need gear or a bike tune-up?

On April 25th and 26th, Kate and I will be at MEC in Toronto promoting the tour.

MEC has generously offered bicycle panniers or a free tune-up to be raffled off in support of Strong Kids. Kate and I will be selling the raffle tickets for two dollars each if you get the chance to see us—and if not, send us an e-mail or come on down to MEC on April 25th/26th!

All proceeds to Strong Kids.

Kick start to fundraising with Craig Cardiff

In Peterborough March 6 and Guelph March 8th Calder and I promoted the tour at 3 of Craig Cardiff's shows during his spring tour.

The Audiences were receptive to a small talk about strong kids, and we were able to spread the word about our site, and raise 300 dollars. If you have not heard of this amazing Canadian folk singer, please check out his music: http://www.craigcardiff.com

We continue to write letters to friends and family, which has been a great success, to date we have raised 1100 dollars, big thanks again to Wanakita staff who may not remember donating at the Christmas Bistro party! - Kate