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Rest Day in Goulais RiverJul 29, 2008
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Terry Fox Memorial
Tummy Gone
Jane Palmer
| Total Distance to Date: 4114 kms Another welcome rest day as we've just completed five days of hilly riding since leaving Thunder Bay. The last two days were over 100 miles each so our legs have turned to rubber. Strangely, one of these rides had the highest cummulative elevation gain for one day including the Rockies. Northern Ontario is pretty much all hills. We have been following the northern shore of Lake Superior with its numerous panoramic views and cottage areas. At times all we can see is bush on both sides of the road which would be quite tedious if it weren't for the numerous lakes spotted throughout. The last few days we have been heading south along the eastern edge of Lake Superior with strong cross winds from the west. It's a rugged but pretty part of the country. On leaving Thunder Bay we stopped at the Terry Fox Memorial which is close to the spot where he was forced to end his trip. It's an impressive memorial and quite moving for us from B.C. On July 26 we reached the half-way point on the tour. It's hard to believe we are well into Ontario but only half-way across the country. We all stopped for sandwiches and a cake to celebrate. The next day we were flagged down on the highway by who we thought was some crazy lady but it turned out to be long time friend, Jane Palmer. We hadn't seen Jane for over 22 years and we were impressed that she would take the time to search out our itinerary and drive out to meet us. We all commented how none of us had changed through the years. Jane had cold drinks, blueberries, and fruit snacks which were much appreciated and enjoyed. Everyone was jealous that we had blueberries on our morning porriage. Of some interest is that one of our cyclists, Gary (69), actually fell asleep while riding his bike. He crashed on the shoulder but luckily wasn't hurt. Fortunately, he didn't swerve into the stream of traffic. Many of us have felt sleepy on our bikes at times which probably means that our blood sugar levels have dropped. No "catacomb" jokes, please. (Inside joke) We are now in a remote little spot called Goulais River at the Blueberry Hill Motel and Campground. This is unfortunate for those needing bike repairs and other supplies. Otherwise, there is little to do but fight off the mosquitos and black flies. The locals say that this is the worst year in memory for these insects. Everyone has large welts on their head and neck from black fly bites and we usually wander around with head nets and the rest of our bodies fully covered. This is the only campsite so far that actually had a mosquito warning prior to our arrival. Fortunately, this campsite also has motel units so several of us whimpy types are lounging in the lap of luxury with a real bed, a private bathroom, no bugs, and best of all, no need to set up a soggy tent. Today we plan to take a cab into Sault St. Marie to see the sights and get a change of menu. Hopefully we can download photos to go along with this text. |
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