Toronto to Montreal - Day 4 - Johnstown

July 31, 2007

Mileage: 111.41 km
Total to Date: 405.27 km
Avg Speed: 27 kph
Max Speed: 51.3 kph
Time: 4 hours, 7 minutes and 12 seconds

This day is not a very spectacular day. Sort of like driving through the Praries. Other than Bill missing a stop sign and almost getting himself killed at the last break stop it was a pretty tame ride. Barb came in with the sweeps today...as she does pretty much everyday. She came in late. I had already set up tent, showered (laked), relaxed, read, chatted it up before she came in. All that time on the saddle has to be hard on the bits. Betty was nice enough to relinquish her massage and give it to Barb as she is in too late to sign up for one. I didn't need a massage other than just because it feels nice so I gave mine up to Betty.

I feel bad for Jeff. He's pretty frustrated that he can't ride. All that effort in raising money and training. I'd be pretty frustrated as well.

Patricia and Kelly beat me in today. Actually they beat a lot of people in which is amazing. Patricia told me that her motivation was that she would have done anything not to finish behind me. LOL It's a great feeling beating someone who can normally kick your ass with one leg tied to the frame.....:) kidding. Great work ladies.

I've been tracking a Travel Bug that I'm going to drop off in Montreal.
Looks like there's some interest by a couple of people and I will have company dropping it off. What's a Travel Bug and what am I going to do with it? Check out www.geocaching.com

Toronto to Montreal - Day 3 - Kingston

July 31, 2007

Mileage: 52.80 km
Total to Date: 293.86 km
Avg Speed: 29.8 kph
Max Speed: 52 kph
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes and 41 seconds

Heat Stroke, Air Conditioning, Pizza

HOT! I wanted to get out of the heat as fast as possible. Thing with going fast on a hot day is that it only makes it hotter. Last year I broke 30k avg on my mountain bike so I wanted to do better this year on my road bike. Not to be. I guess the winds were a little more favorable last year. I don't remember it being this hot. I should have easily made 30k but the group I rode with slowed down a little. I tried to pick up the pace when I lead but wasn't able to do it. Not much to speak of on the ride. It was a short day relatively speaking. We hit Kingston pretty early and had a nice little surprise waiting for us. The dorms this year were different than the ones from last year and this time we were air conditioned. I can't imagine what it would have been like had we not had air conditioning. Kingston is a nice little town. The plan was to do a little shopping but after washing our clothes at a local laundry mat the heat was just too much and I gladly hit the sack for a little snooze. I came back to the dorm and had a nice note on my cell phone from Linda. I miss her :(. I wonder if she's been giving Meeks the chicken strips I left behind. I look forward to feeding Meeks those chicken strips together.

The team went to Atomica for pizza and pasta. I had a chicken and spinach pizza. YES! After getting back, everyone went to bed but I was restless from taking that earlier nap so I hooked up with a fellow rider and we went over to a bar where other riders were at. A beer and a small chat later and it hit me. Off to bed and ready for day 4.

Toronto to Montreal - Day 2 - Adolphustown

July 30th, 2007

Mileage: 126.25km
Total to Date: 241.06km
Avg Speed: 27.1 kph
Max Speed: 51.2 kph
Time: 4 hours, 39 minutes and 36 seconds

Ohhhhhh my Shoulder!!!!!

12 kms more in 10 minutes less time. Much better day for me.....not so much for Jeff. Poor bastard took a nasty tumble about 15k from finishing today. Gravel was the main suspect although knowing Jeff a little horseplay or the intent of horseplay should be considered. :)

The day started with my television debut. Breakfast television was in Port Hope this morning and Jeniffer approached me and asked me a few questions.

The ride was so much better than yesterday. We had a nice wind from behind and the hills smoothed themselves out a bit.

I rode the whole day with the same person. Bill is a team member and we ride at about the same speed. He's older than I am. I think he's in his 50's and he can put me to shame on the hills. Drafting sure helps make the ride faster and easier.

Toronto to Montreal - Day 1 - Port Hope

July 29th, 2007

Mileage: 114.81 km
Avg Speed: 24.1 kph
Max Speed: 50.4 kph
Time: 4 hours, 44 minutes and 53 seconds

The Wind

Throughout training, all 1400 kms of it we never had one single day of easterly winds. Day 1 however was into the wind. If I were a sailer or kite flyer I'd be pretty happy with the wind but cycling into it for 144 kms isn't as enjoyable. I was looking to try averaging 30 kph every day to Montreal but that goal was quickly extinguished with my end of ride 24 kph average. The one benefit of the head wind was the ability to keep us a little cooler. It was a hot day. Little did we know what the next 5 days was going to bring us. I found today to be a lot tougher than the same day last year. The heat and wind really took it's toll. Even with the horrible average I was able to get to Port Hope relatively quickly and was one of the first to arrive at camp. Pickings were good and I grabbed a scenic spot over looking the lake.

We are camped at a farmer's field so there are no showers here and we are bussed to the local YMCA. A hot shower is in order and it will be the last one for a couple of days.

This time away is long coming and I'm looking forward to the next 500k to do nothing except pedal and camp. My head needs clearing. Work has been stressful and I need this time away from my world in Toronto.

As I'm writing this I'm looking over the cliff and into the water and there below is a naked dude. Argh. I'm guessing hoping for a naked woman is pretty much out of the question this week. :) Maybe home is OK afterall.

Today's start wasn't great hearing that my sister-in-law's father had a stroke and is not doing well.