Kyuquot Sound Kayak Trip
July 5-14 2006

Wed July 5
The 2006 trip would take us to the rugged north west quadrant of Vancouver Island where we planned to paddle the Kyuquot Sound area. Our group included Randy Spiess, Simeon Morice, Gord Kelly and Me, all of us are experienced paddlers, which I believe should be a prerequisite for paddling on the exposed Pacific side of the island.

Following the usual days and days of planning, and meetings, in preparations for the trip we arranged to head for the coast at about noon on July 5/06. Gord arrived at my house around 11AM and after loading the boats and gear into my Trailblazer we were ready to go. We just had to wait for Randy and Simeon to give us a call that they were ready and following Weezie’s lunch we met up with them on the west side at 12.30 PM.

It was then off non stop to Chilliwack where we got gas at 108.8/lt,( that seemed like a deal back in July) then it was off to Western Canoe in Abbotsford where I purchased a new paddle float, which for those who haven’t paddled a kayak is used for self rescue and attaches to the end of your paddle in the event of a capsize.

Our next stop was the brand new MEC in north Vancouver where I bought a very spiffy back pack with a gift certificate I received as a retirement gift. While I was spending lots of money the other guys were busy buying various items necessary for our trip. After leaving MEC we finally made it to Horseshoe Bay at about 7.20 PM. We missed the sailing by about six vehicles, which meant we would have to kill time until the 9.20 PM sailing. We got into Naniamo at 11.15PM, it was off to Campbell River an hour and a half up island. We searched out a motel, and after waking the owners we finally got to lay down for a well deserved rest following a very long day.

Thurs July 6
After a short night’s sleep we were up at 7.00 AM, had an egg McMuffin at MacDonalds we headed up island, stopping this time at Zebellos which is a tiny community in the middle of nowhere. It was necessary to stop there as Gord had forgotten his toothbrush and a week without brushing would be a bit much. Finally at 12.00 noon, after driving about 65 km on twisty, rough gravel roads we reached Fair Harbour, our starting point for our excursion.
It was then time to begin the fine art of packing an entire household of gear which included but not limited to, tent, sleeping bag, mattress, stove, fuel, cloths, pots, pans, etc, etc, plus enough food to last several days, and I cannot forget to mention enough booze to last several days. All of the above after two painstaking hours, manages to fit in or on a 17foot kayak.

With all boats loaded and in the water, we headed for Rugged Point Prov. Park at 2.00PM. On route we decided to take a short cut which involved a short portage, however considering the weight of the boats we might have been better off to paddle the extra distance. What we didn’t hope for on our first day or for that matter any day, was a strong headwind, but that was exactly what we got, with the wind kicking in at exactly 2.00PM when we started out. We paddled on despite the wind, and as the day became evening the wind and sea calmed down. We arrived at our camping place at about 7.00PM.

We landed on the north beach of Rugged Point Park, which also has a south facing beach, requiring a 5 minute walk through the woods on a well worn path to reach the other side. After checking out the south beach, which was completely vacant, it was decided to camp there. As it turned out that would prove to be a bad decision, as I will come to later. The decision to camp on the south beach also meant that we had another half hour of paddling, requiring us to round a headland to get to the south side, as if 5 hours on the water had not been enough for one day. So it was back in the boats and off around the tip of Rugged Point arriving at the south beach at about 8.00PM. We quickly set up our camp and as the sun began to drop in the western sky I cooked up chili and wings for supper. Actually Weezie made everything and I just heated it up, but after a busy long day we were all pleased with the quick and easy meal. Following our first campfire, we headed for bed at about 11.45PM.
Our plan for Friday was to sleep in, have a good breakfast then head south east to check out Grassy Island, which we could see from our vantage point on shore.

Fri July 7
Following a good night’s sleep on the beach I was up at 7.45AM and as everyone but Gord was still asleep I headed down the beach for a long walk. While walking I also made the trek to the north beach to retrieve my food from the bear cache where we had placed all our food, in case of. Unfortunately there wasn’t any cashe on our side of the park, so each morning and evening we all had to make the walk to the other beach to place our food in safe keeping. Gord volunteered breakfast of bacon McMuffin, however, as the bacon was still back in the vehicle at Fair Harbour, the menu became sausage McMuffin instead. Note: Before leaving home Edwina, Gord’s partner, gave me instructions to look after him, as she would not be there to do so. I thought she was kidding, but I was quickly realizing what it was she meant. Anyway, the McMuffin’s were great and everyone was happy, except that while enjoying breakfast we did notice that the wind and sea began to rise significantly, prompting us to get the VHF radios out to check the weather channel, only to find out that a low pressure system was building, with winds up to storm force (60 plus knots) with rain, was moving from the south east, which would be directly at US. That meant that we would be encountering high surf on our beach. Had we chosen to camp on the north beach we could have paddled all we liked, because that side was in the lee of the wind. Hearing the forecast meant that paddling on that day was out of the question, so it was time to prepare out tents and boats for the expected storm, which was to arrive later in the evening.

Once we had our tents secured down with heavy logs and the boats were well up on dry land, in order to kill some time we headed south down the beach toward Kapose Creek. This beach like many of the beaches on the west coast are indeed magnificent in that when the tide is out they are up to one hundred meters wide and often several kilometers long and this beach was no exception. As we made our way along the two kilometers of sand we encountered one particular fresh water creek that was obviously popular with an assortment of wild life, as evidence in the sand we spotted deer, wolf, bear, and cougar tracks however we didn’t see any of the critters on that day. Upon arriving back at camp around 3PM, as predicted the rain, and wind, was upon us, so we all headed for our tents to take an afternoon nap which for me lasted about 2.5 hrs which must have been some kind of record. It was then about 6.30PM and the storm was gaining strength, which could only mean that it was going to be a damp evening around the camp fire.

Lucky for us there was somewhat of an island directly in front of our camp, which was above water level except at very high tide, allowing us to build a fire and kitchen in the lee of the wind and rain, and with a large cedar tree over head, little rain got through. Randy had built a fire and was busy preparing Burritos for supper as we all sat around having a drink and watching the rain and wind intensify.

As darkness approached around 10PM and with rain continuing to get heavier, we decided to hit the sack at about 11PM, however as we all approached our tents we notice that the tide was beginning to creep ever closer, and with mine being the closest to the water I became very nervous about going to sleep with the tide still rising for another hour before maximum. Therefore I decided to stand on sentry duty, which meant standing in the wind, and rain, watching each wave wash onto the beach, with the succeeding wave washing just a little closer to our sleeping quarters. The tide continued to rise until 11.30PM, when according to our charts the sea had reached high tide. The water had stopped rising only a few meters from my house. I then could go to bed and sleep soundly, feeling assured my tent and the others would not be floating away with the tide in the middle of the night.

Sat July 8
We awakened at about 7AM to a familiar sound of wind, rain, big surf, and drizzle, which meant the low pressure system had not yet passed, which we soon confirmed on the VHF radio weather channel. Unfortunately that meant that we would not be paddling again on that day. As we were in no hurry, I made a leisurely breakfast of sausage and egg bagels, and following that excitement it was sitting around the fire, and visiting the kayakers camped on the north “ calm” beach. After that it was sitting by the fire again, and I think you get the picture.

As the day progressed it became obvious that Simeon was getting anxious to paddle, regardless of the weather conditions, however he couldn’t convince the three of us to join him. Finally he decided to suit up, and head out into the surf, regardless of the rain, fog, wind, high seas, and generally all round nastiness, to practice surf landings. While the remaining three of us stood safely on shore watching, with great anticipation, ready to assist if it ever became necessary. I’m not sure how we would have assisted should it have become necessary, but it wasn’t required as Simeon played in the surf for about an hour practicing his landings, all the while without mishap, probably due in part to him being a very big strong guy, but more importantly he is a very skilled paddler. Perhaps he got very skilled because he is willing to go out in foul weather in big surf, and practice.

As the day lingered on the drizzle kept up but the wind did begin to subside, which was a welcome sight, as we planned to break camp early the next day and head up the coast to the Kyuquot area, then onto Spring Island where we would camp. The hopes were that by morning the sea and surf would permit us to travel, as two days stranded on shore was enough.

Simeon was on for supper, which included steak, mashed potatoes, peas, and green pudding for dessert. Actually it was pistachio. I’m sure as you read this you have noticed that we eat very well on these trips. As the evening progressed we paid close attention to the tide, as the charts were telling us that the tide would be at it’s highest that night, and the charts did not lie as the water at high tide came within inches from our fire, and only a few meters from our tents, but the tide turned at 11.05PM so we could head off to bed without worry of getting flooded. We all called it a day shortly after that, knowing that weather permitting we would be on the water early the next morning, with a long paddling day in front of us, so some good rest was needed.

Sun July 9
Awakening at 6AM I took a peek out of the door hoping to see sunshine, however such was not to be, this is after all the west coast. The good news was that the rain and wind had stopped, and the sea was reasonably flat, which meant it was time to wake up Simeon, and Randy. There was no need to wake Gord as he was already starting to break camp while the going was good. Once again all of that gear had to be packed into the kayaks. You may think that if you pack it once the second time would be easier, since we have been eating and drinking the food, right? Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to work that way, requiring just as much time to pack the second time as the first. It was 9AM when we were all ready to launch.

The tide was extremely low at that time of day, so we had to carry the heavy boats a long distance to the waters edge where the surf was breaking onto the beach. Now came the tricky part, meaning launching into breaking surf with a loaded boat. The technique involves waiting for a set of smaller waves, then jumping into the boat, quickly attaching the spray skirt, then when the time seems right the other guys on shore give you a push and you paddle like hell, hoping you can make it over, or through the first big breaker to calmer deeper water, and stay upright. Nothing to it- right? Simeon agreed to be the last to launch, which meant he had no one to assist with a push off. It was agreed that I would launch second, following Gord. We waited for the sea to calm, then it was into the cockpit like a formula one racer, quickly attaching the spray skit, and when I said ok, they gave me a big push. I began to paddle like a windmill in a hurricane, stroking toward this large breaker that was bearing down on me. I stayed low in the boat arms paddling as fast as they could. I managed to ride up one side, then crashed down the other side, and with a little well timed bracing, I stayed upright. With adrenaline pumping, I knew I couldn’t relax just yet, as I continued paddling into the next wave, and the one following that wave, finally making it to deeper calmer seas. I could then sit back relax and watch the other two guys make their attempt. Fortunately, the launch was successful for everyone , and they all got a good laugh from my windmill attempt.

Now that everyone was on the water we began the long journey northward along the western shore of Union Island, all the while battling confused seas, which continued to buffet us from every direction for most of the journey, which in turn made everyone stay alert. We finally reached the more sheltered waters of the islands surrounding the native village of Kyuquot,making the last part of the 2.5hr trip much more pleasant.

We paddled into this part native, part non- native village situated in a very protected harbour on the north side of Walter Island around noon Sunday.
I recall we all welcomed landing and being able to stretch our legs after that rather long period in the boats. As the only store in town did not open until 1.00PM we past the time by filling up our water supply, eating lunch, and wandering around this tiny quiet coastal community. Kyuquot was indeed a sleepy little place, with not even a place to buy a coffee. We asked one local resident what people do there, and his reply was “ nothing,” and we could certainly agree with him on that. After checking out the store, and making a phone call home, it was time to launch again and head for our destination on Spring Island. According to our charts it was about 3.5km west, which meant an easy 1hour paddle, as any wind that had still been hanging around from that low pressure system, was now gone and the sea was dead flat.

The journey across to Spring Island was the most relaxing paddle of the trip so far, with sunshine, flat water, and Sea Otters, who kept us entertained, as they escorted us the entire way. Upon reaching the northern shores of Spring Island we decided, because the weather was favourable to paddle the western shore, to the south end of the island and camp in and area where Gord had camped the year previous. The leisurely paddle along the rugged western shore of the island was uneventful, and relaxing. As we paddled into more open water rounding the south end of the island we found ourselves in some big seas, with large swells, and once again confused, and potentially dangerous water. Again everyone had to be extremely alert, as there were many hazards such as shoals, that would explode into a torrent of white water when hit by the large ocean swells, that had been gathering momentum all the way from Japan. Therefore, we needed to stay safely away. Finally we made our way into a sheltered cove on the southeast side of the island, which would become our new home base for the next day or two.

The campsite was perfect, situated at the south end of Spring Island on a neck of land where a stone covered beach separated the eastern view, from the western view by a walk of fifty metres. We all set up or tents looking to the northwest, with my tent in an exposed area( stupid me) with a million dollar view, that I would pay for later in the week. The sun was now shinning and quiet warm, we took full advantage and aired our tents, sleeping bags, and took the time to bathe in the ocean, as you never know when you might get another chance.

After our cleanup we spent the remainder of the afternoon napping, and exploring the island. Gord’s dinner that evening of pasta , meat, and veggie surprise was enjoyed by all. We then headed for our western view to catch the sunset, immediately followed by a walk to the eastern side to watch the full moon make it’s appearance over the horizon, with not a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful evening, and after a drink around the fire it was time for bed at about 11PM, and it was barely dark. It had been a great day, as the sunshine is truly very good for the soul.

Mon July 10
It was 6AM when I was awakened by the sound of power boats heading to the nearby salmon fishing hot spots, which were just off our island. I eventually climbed out of the tent at about 7AM to brilliant sunshine. Gord was already off exploring, and while he did his thing, I made coffee, and found myself a perch high up on a rock to sit and view the world and sun rise from a superb vantage point, while Randy, and Simeon slept. Too bad for them!

Monday was intended to be a down day with plans to paddle around the area, exploring the Mission Group of Islands. After heading out together we soon split up, with Randy and Simeon heading in one direction while Gord and I, planned to paddled around Spring Island. With VHF radios, it was comforting to know that we could always keep in touch, while off exploring in different areas.

As we paddled around the northeast side of the island we pulled up on a beautiful beach where we were greeted by Mike Simpson , the owner of a kayak camp called West Coast Expeditions. The guests of the camp are taken on guided kayak trips to the Bunsby Islands, and beyond, to the Brooks Peninsula area. Although busy preparing for a group of sixteen guest arriving from Switzerland within two days, Mike was kind enough to give us a tour of his camp, which included hot showers, dinning tent, beautiful sleeping tents, and much more. After thanking him for his hospitality we headed back along the eastern shore of Spring Island to our camp, while Simeon, and Randy arrived about an hour later.

The remainder of the afternoon was leisurely spent on the beach watching Simeon practice Eskimo rolls in the calm bay of our camp. The water was far too cold for me to be hanging upside down in a kayak. We then walked to the north end of the island to show the other guys the West Coast Expeditions.

Arriving back at camp we met a couple who were in the process of paddling around Vancouver Island ( a lofty goal) and were preparing to set up camp for the night.

It was my night for dinner, so, with some tuna helper, and cans of tuna, that was supper, sort of like Kraft Dinner with tuna, ok but nothing really special.

As we sat around the fire we talked about heading north to the Bunsby Islands on Tuesday, however, strong north easterly winds were forecast for the next day, and as the trip involved paddling in open water along the exposed coast, it didn’t look promising. With thoughts of the next day on my mind I headed off to bed at about 11PM.

Tues July 11
When I got up on Tuesday morning I immediately turned on the weather radio which I keep next to my pillow, to check the forecast, discovering that the strong northerly winds that had been predicted yesterday, had been changed to a strong south easterly front, therefore the smart decision was to stay in camp. The morning started with an overcast sky, and light rain, however the predicted wind had not yet arrived.

As we would not be breaking camp, Gord and I decided for the first time this trip that it may be a prudent move to set up our tarps, before the weather got too nasty. Randy soon joined to assist with the construction, soon to be followed by Simeon who had just rolled out of bed, and had his own ideas of how we should be building this shelter after we had nearly completed the task, so to humour him, we followed his lead and extended the coverage. And to complete the job we hung floats that we had collected on the various beaches to decorate the structure. We had the best looking shelter on the beach, actually it was the only shelter on the beach.

After breakfast Burritos, courtesy of Randy, Gord and I headed off for a hike around the perimeter of the island, which involved scrambling over extremely rugged terrain. While we hiked Randy and Simeon chatted with the kayak couple who were circumnavigating Vancouver Island. They also were not going anywhere due to the weather forecast.

Following our hike, we decided to gear up and go for a paddle, as the high winds had not yet arrived. Mike from West Coast Expeditions had given us some tips on where to paddle in the area, near to camp, and not be exposed to the open sea should the winds get up. As luck would have it before we hit the water the wind was starting to rise substantially, but since we would be paddling in mostly protected water we carried on .

We headed north crossing a channel to the leeward side of McLean Island where we began looking for a creek which we could paddle up, but before finding the creek we spotted a black bear on a beach directly in front of us. We paddled as quietly as possible toward the beach in order to getting some good pictures, before it saw us and immediately ran off into the forest. We hen headed off toward the creek mouth while watching three eagles diving unsuccessfully at a mother duck and her babies. We then paddled up the creek ( with a paddle) to a small water falls where we filled our water bottles, and enjoyed the quietness of the area, while the wind blew strongly only a short distance away.

We then headed back to camp along the north west side of Spring Island, all the while paddling into very strong winds, however avoiding high seas as we were on the leeward side to the island. As it turned out we had made a wise choice as the water was flat, however the headwind was probably the strongest I could ever remember paddling into. It is easy to see how exhausting it would be if you had to paddle any great distance into wind that strong.

Once back safely in camp we all changed into the warmest, driest clothes we had, then began setting up a new tarp on the leeward side of our camp. The beautiful tarp we had set up in the morning was pretty much trashed, as the wind continued to increase, and that side of the camp was taking the full force of the arriving storm.Simeon cooked up cabbage, and sausage for supper, which we all enjoyed, as the wind and rain intensified. I soon headed off to bed, because we had had a tiring wet day and I welcomed the warm dry cozy sleeping bag. I fell into a sound sleep only to be wakened at about 1AM by what only could be described as storm force winds (56-63knots)(100km/hr) pounding at my tent , sometimes flattening the roof against my shoulder as I lay there listening to the intense storm. My main concern at the time was that the tent would not leak, and that I wasn’t going to get blown away. As I lay there I couldn’t help but think that I could have been at Christina Lake enjoying beautiful weather, instead I was in the middle of a severe west coast summer storm. Fortunately as the night progressed the wind began to subside enough to at least let me get some sleep.

Wed July 12
I got up around 7AM an was once again greeted by wind, rain, fog, and mist; yes the west coast at it’s finest. One thing for sure is that our gear was getting a good test. I made my way to our shelter on the leeward side of our camp, where I started the coffee as one by one the others slowly arrived. As we sat there staring out at a dismal day we watched with dismay our neigbours packing their boats with plans to head south down the coast. We settled in for a second coffee, as Simeon prepared bacon, pancakes, and Gord gathered fire wood.

As the rain, and mist, and I forgot fog continued, it looked like we would be in for another day of sitting by the fire in camp without any paddling. The forecast again was calling for high winds. We could only hope that tomorrow would bring better weather, because that would be the day we planned to make our way back to Fair Harbour.

As the day progressed the weather didn’t change much except, that the wind changed from south east to south west, which meant that we had to move our shelter again back to the other side of the camp to remain out of the foul weather. After two or three hours we had to move back again, as the wind once again changed back to south east. I guess I should be thankful that we had the option of moving from one side to the other, which doesn’t exist in most camps. Apart from moving our shelter from one side to the other the day was spent mostly by sitting near the fire, eating, drinking, and reading. Later that afternoon a group of Swiss tourists who had arrived at West Coast Expeditions wandered past our camp while out for a walk following what must have been a very long journey. Once again Simeon was beginning to get restless as he tried to convince someone to go paddling with him. However again he didn’t have any luck, so he gathered together his fishing gear and headed out to sea in an attempt to catch us a salmon. He arrived back a couple of hours later without supper, which meant that Randy made us tuna surprise, which turned out just fine. Even though we spent most of the day relaxing in camp I was ready for bed at about 10PM. The plan was to rise at 6AM pack up, and get on the water early for the 27km paddle back to Fair Harbour. We all kept our hopes high that tomorrow’s weather would drastically improve. Once again I was awakened during the night by driving rain and wind. I only hoped that by dawn the weather would improve so that we could pack up and get under way, as we were all ready to head home by this time.

Thurs July 13
As dawn broke nothing seemed to change, so, I rolled over and tried to get a few more winks, thinking that there was no way we would be going anywhere, at least not early in the day. Suddenly I heard Gord walking past my tent, asking if I was awake, while advising me that he was packed and ready to go. I then quickly dressed and went out to talk to him, and indeed he was ready, all dressed in his wet suit, as he busily packed his boat.
I then asked if he was not concerned about the weather for which he replied, “ there is no way I’m sitting around here for another day.” At this point I was more than a bit concerned about leaving, as the wind and rain continued although not as intense. I then wakened Randy and Simeon in order to hold a group meeting, to decide what we should do.

We listened intensely to the VHF radios to hear the latest forecast which called for south east winds at 20-30 km with rain, all day as the low pressure system appeared to be stalled over the Queen Charlottes, therefore waiting one more day would not provide us with any better conditions for traveling. We then, unanimously agreed to pack up in the rain, and head for home. On the positive side, despite the continuing poor weather we knew that most of the trip back to Fair Harbour would be protected, as the route would take us on the leeward side of the islands, sheltering us from the predicted southeast winds, therefore providing us with safe passage. It would only be necessary to paddle across two or three short channels that could show the effect of the wind direction.

As we packed up our gear the rain continued making the chore that much more difficult. We then all dressed for inclement weather and were on the water heading for Fair Harbour by 9.00AM. As we paddled up the west coast of Spring Island heading toward Kyuquot the sea was relatively calm making the start of the trip easy paddling.

As we made our way along the north west coast of the very large Union Island we continued to be in the leeward side from the wind only dealing with some light drizzle. That was about to change when we prepared to cross a one kilometer channel after ounding the north east side of Union Island. We then encountered fairly strong winds and choppy seas hitting us directly on the starboard bow. It’s important for safety when paddling in difficult conditions like we were about to encounter, to group everyone together and paddle close to each other, and that’s exactly what we did as we approached the upcoming channel. As we crossed we all kept a watchful eye on each other as we paddled intensely for about twenty minutes finally reaching calm waters on the leeward side of Hohoae Island where we relaxed in calm waters before continuing our journey.

The remainder of the trip was mainly uneventful paddling in calm sea with light rain. As Fair Harbour came into sight I was probably not the only one that would be glad to get my butt out of that boat finally. We had just paddled 27 kilometers in 5.5 hours arriving at the harbour at 2.15PM all tired, wet, and sore. Following one hour of unloading boats and packing the vehicles in the rain it was off to Campbell River, arriving at 7.00PM where we found a motel before heading out for supper, then it was off to bed after a long tiring day.

Fri July 14
I was awake very early due to all the noise from the nearby highway and all the diesel trucks starting up outside our door. So it was off at 6.30AM to catch the Departure Bay ferry. As we arrived at 8.15am expecting to catch the 10.30AM ferry we lucked out, and drove straight onto the ship, which got us to Horseshoe Bay at 10.15AM. Then it was off to Mountain Equipment where I picked up the backpack that I had bought on the trip out. Next we stopped at Western Canoe in Abbottsford as Gord had to buy rigging for white water paddling. Finally following a fill up and lunch at Tim Horton’s in Chilliwack we headed for Kelowna, arriving back in my driveway at about 4.15PM.

As for Simeon and Randy, we never saw them all day due to us catching the early ferry, which they didn’t. In any case they arrived safely home later in the day.

Summary
On the positive, we enjoyed some beautiful west coast scenery, as well the four of us were still on speaking terms after spending ten days together, we enjoyed great meals, great paddling, with good company and tons of laughs. Despite the elements we managed to keep dry, warm, sheltered, and we all arrived home safely without any injuries and are looking forward to our next kayak adventure.

On the negative, unfortunately out of eight day on the water, six were either cloudy, rainy, windy, or all three at once, with gale and sometimes storm force winds being common. We all agreed that out of all the kayak trips we have been on over the years, this was by far the worst weather trip, but hey this is the west coast of Vancouver Island, and you never know what you may get.

Cost: #300.00 and 1600km traveled by vehicle.

Life is Good!
BILL DINGMAN

***********************************************************************************************
The Great Soichuck Expedition

Phil & Maureen Soichuck are on a bicycle trip across Canada for the summer, here are some reports from their trip

Updated 8/09/2005

Hi All,
The first installment, hope you like.

On the road address is, cyclebums@hotmail.com

May 5, 2005

First day out, finally after 3 years of talking about it. Leaving home, the trailers at first really have a mind of their own. They can overbalance you really easy. Phil's weighs 65 pounds and mine was 55 before adding those last few things. We left Vernon about 9 am. I used to be able to bike up Mission Hill - not with those trailers. Once we were at the look out it was basically downhill to Kelowna from there. We stopped for lunch at Rutland and then headed up hill - and up hill - and up hill. Whose idea was this anyway? I was ready to quit just as we finally headed down hill to the campground. We had barely put up our tent (moving very slowly) when we had some company from the kayak club, Karen and Walt. They came to see if we survived the first day and to wish us a good trip. They could have been a little earlier and given us a ride up the hill - but I guess that would have been cheating. We're now showered, wined and dined and ready to pass out.

May 6, 2005
We found the trail. We started off from Eight Mile Ranch and for the first 20 kms it was mostly down hill with a few rolling hills - but then you hit the hill to Big White. Five miles of hell - except for the two girls in a pickup who offered us a ride. We had walked about half way up when they picked us up. From McCullough Lake to Carmi it was all downhill. We were cruising along and from the opposite direction a car starts honking at us. Ruth & Rod were coming back from a holiday in the Kootenays and spotted us biking along. We had a visit on the side of the road. At Carmi we left the road and started on the trail. Highway 33 isn't that busy but it was sure nice to get away from the traffic. The trail is great - long straight lines with very little grade. It was a little rocky the last bit into Beaverdell. The weather has been great - need to remember the sunscreen every day. We didn't refill our camelbacks this morning - we need to fill up with water whenever we can. We're at Zack's Campground - great showers. Time to open the wine.

May 7, 2005
Where is my Barbie cushion? We did 45 kms today - the first 40 kms was on the trail. The section of trail from Beaverdell to Westbridge is very sandy and a lot of washboard. The incline up or down is less than 2% and, with the sand, even going downhill you have to pedal. No resting. We saw 6 deer, a rabbit and a big fat otter. We stopped for lunch at the Rhone cyclists rest stop. IT is an old caboose remoddelled by Paul Lautard(sp) for cyclists. There are hundreds of names written on the walls and ceiling of the shelter from cyclists who have stopped there over the years. Paul is 83 years old and looks after about 10 kms of the trail and offers shelter, water and first aid to any cyclists who stop by. Beautiful views from the trail - with a great view of a canyon - wouldn't want to kayak that one. Into the Nalgene tonight.

May 8, 2005
We seem to be burnt out today and it wasn't a good day following the trail. We started at the Provincial Park and the trail was great part way to Rock Creek, but we heard so much about blocked areas by the farmers that we were soon back on the road. We headed out from Rock Creek to find the start of the trail. The start was in a field - the trail was full of holes made by horses - with trailers it was impassable. We had to backtrack to the last bridge and cross over to the highway. We biked to Midway, had lunch and tried the trail again. The trail was really sandy and soft - made worse by the dirt bike riders. We backtracked to the highway again. We are now in Greenwood - having travelled 48 kms.

May 9, 2005
The battery died just as I was finishing yesterday's journal. We spent today in Greenwood, walked around town and rested. Katie at the Museum let us recharge our laptop. It rained a bit today so it was nice to hide in the tent.

May 10, 2005
You were right Graham, the trail from Eholt to Grand Forks is great. We started off the day in the rain in Greenwood. By the time we packed up, the rain had stopped and we headed uphill to Eholt. It's a steady climb for 15 kms on a gravelly trail - it took us 3 hours - and a lot of muttering from my part. Knowing that it was downhill from there to Grand Forks - we continued on. After about 5 kms you come around a corner and can look miles down into the valley - the views are great. The trail is a little rough , but on the downhill you don't notice it as much - momentum takes over. I am getting more used to the trailer and managed to keep the rubber side down. About 12 kms down the trail there is a cyclists/hikers cabin with bunkbeds, eating area and an outhouse. A lot of work has gone into it. We didn't see any animals today, but I am sure that we smelled a bear. This afternoon was probably the best ride that we have had on the trail. We had wanted to take a bus from GrandForks to Castlegar but they don't have any bike boxes outside of Vancouver or Calgary, so we are biking on tomorrow.

May 11, 2005
Grand Forks has a nice campground in the City Park, but we couldn't find any one to register with so couldn't get a key to the washrooms. They were open for another group in the evening so we did manage to get showers. We had to go for breakfast early at the hotel to use the facilities. We made it to Christina Lake. The trail was relatively good all the way. There are 2 choices at the 17km mark - straight in to Christina or follow the rail bed. We followed the rail bed and crossed 2 trestles that had been restored in 2002. They cross the river - once when it is roaring down the mountain and the next when it is slowly flowing through the valley. The scenery is tremendous. After the second trestle the trail heads uphill to Paulson. We had to follow it a way before we could get back down to Christina. Most of the trail wasn't bad but because of the loose rocks it was a little tough with trailer. I was getting a little frustrated - I had been ready to head to Christian Lake 8 kms earlier. It was 28 kms in total. We found a bike shop near the bus depot - rode our bikes back to the depot (they nicely let us store them in the back) - walked back to the bike store - then walked down the road carrying empty bike boxes on our backs. Bob at WildWays lent us tools and geve us boxes for free - nice guy. We're waiting for the bus to take us to Castlegar. Phil's brother is picking us up there to take us to their home in Trail and a real bed. Take care,
Phil & Mo

Good day all.
For your reading pleasure (????)
The second installment of Mo and Phils journal or "The uphill downhill saga"

May 14, 2005

We are in Alberta. We have decided to avoid mountains in BC. At the rate that we were travelling we would not make it to Halifax in time – Phil has to be back Labour Day weekend. We spent 2 nights in Trail – had a good spaghetti feed at the Collander. We wanted to catch the bus from Castlegar to Blairmore, Alberta. The only buses are at 7:30 at night or 4:00 in the
morning. The night bus doesn’t have a freight trailer and the bus driver didn’t want to make room for our bikes, so we arrived in Blairmore at 3:00 in the morning with two 50 pound gear bags plus bike bags etc. And no bikes.
We stumbled across a park in the middle of town and set up our tent. We didn’t get rousted. Found a great coffee shop in the morning to use the facilities and get Phil’s caffeine fix. We waited until 1:30 in the afternoon for the next bus to arrive and fortunately our bikes and trailers were aboard. Took an hour to get the bikes back together and trailers reloaded. Leaving Blairmore is downhill – what a treat. There are still hills – but at least they are bikable. We biked 48 kms to Pincher Creek
through sun, wind and rain. We stopped at Frank slide for pics. The number and size of the wind generators is amazing. Wind was 25-30 kms an hour over our shoulders. It seemed to push us up the hills a little but also wanted to push us into the middle of the road. Supper’s almost ready.

May 15, 2005
We left Pincher Creek this morning to head to Waterton Lake Parks – 48 kms. About 20 kms on the road I blew a tire. The tire was shredded. The tape from Christina Lake bike boxing came in handy again. Phil taped the tire together and we continued on with strict instructions from Phil not to go over 25 kms per hour. At Twin Butte there is a general store but no bike supplies – the cashier phoned Waterton Lakes to see if Pat had any tires. Pat’s is a bike/moped rental/convenience store. We continued on at rather a slow pace – especially after the wind came up right in our faces. At the gate to Waterton we found out that there was another 10 kms to bike to the town. The gate attendent phoned Pat – he came and picked us up – gave us a lift to town and replaced both tires at a very reasonable price – Thank-you Pat. Waterton is incredible. It is in a valley just below the Rocky Mountains – they seem to almost surround you. It is a National Park and someone must have told the animals. There are deer and big-horn sheep wandering all over town. They have absolutely no fear. We are in the Waterton city campground and it’s time for a hot shower.

May 16, 2005
We spent the day in Waterton – wandering around the town and hiking up to Prince of Wales Hotel – the hotel is much more impressive from a distance– it is quite old and needs some new paint. It wasn’t open, so couldn’t go in.

May 17, 2005
We made some distance today – 106 kms. It is amazing how fast you can go with a good tail wind and basically a down hill ride. I have never been to the prairies before – it sure is flat. We made it to McGrath – we seem to be in Mormon country. No liquor is sold from Waterton to Lethbridge we were informed in the convenience store after Phil requested very loadly “Where’s the nearest cold beer store?”. We are both tired today.

May 18, 2005
What a long day. We left McGrath at 9:30 and headed east. We stopped at Sterling and they had a pvilion that expained the history of the Mormon settlements – they were asked to come here to build the irrigation canals and to settle the area. We continued west and hoped to stop at Skiff– there is nothing at Skiff. The riding wasn’t bad – all straight, no hills and the wind mostly behind us. I didn’t get into the low gear all day. Finally after 123 kms we got to Foremost and the first sign that we say was a camping sign – the second sign was the Saloon. Naturally we went to the Saloon first for some cold beer and a steak sandwich then back to the campground. A municipal campground with great showers.

May 19, 2005
Another long day. We headed east to Etzikom – they converted an old school into a great little museum. We toured the museum and windmill exhibit for $4 each. We headed north with a westerly wind of 30 knots (maybe). We had to lean the bikes over at a 30 degree angle to go straight. Forty-seven kms of windy riding. We saw 2 rattle snakes – one dead and one trying to get across the road. We got to Hwy 3 and headed east to Medicine Hat – the wind at our backs sure makes a difference. All we had to do was sit and ride– barely had to peddle even uphill. We stopped at Premium Sausage in Seven Persons for a snack – picked out some goodies and when the owner heard that we were biking across Canada she said that there would be no charge. Great pepperoni and cinnamon buns. Medicine Hat is not a biker city. Tourist info is at the east side on the Trans Canada Highway up a hill. We tried to get info from the attendants at the gas station, but they had trouble even getting us to a liquor store. Finally found a bottle of wine and a campground. The showers were good but will the wind ever stop.

May 20, 2005
Who’s idea was this one? (I think that it was mine) Cypress Hills Provincial Park is 1800 ft above Medicine Hat – I didn’t know that until we got here. It was a very, very long (31kms) slow climb. We managed to bike up most of the hills but every three kms we had to stop for a break. It was also in a southerly direction so the wind wasn’t helping us. Every cow we pass as we bike has to check us out and watch our progress and every farmer’s dog has to bark at us. It is Friday of the May long week-end so a hundred cars must have passed us. We got the last camp spot on the lower level – if we had to bike one more hill I would have quit. We set up camp just as it started raining. The wind blew and it rained most of the night. Phil has a great tarping system so we are actually quite sheltered.

Thats it for now. Remember - Keep the rubber side down!
Phil & Mo

Hi All.
We are trying to keep up to date. The days are so large, we see and do so much that something that happened yesterday seems like weeks ago.

May 21, 2005
Rest day in Elkwater. It’s May long weekend and the campground was filled with partiers and kids.

May 22, 2005
We headed through Cyprus Hills park to Saskatchewan. Seven kms uphill pushing our bikes to start, then an eight km ride at the top with a great viewpoint of Alberta and Sask at the point above Reesor Lake. We headed down to Reesor Lake – there is a small campground there that is much quieter than Elkwater. After Reesor Lake the paved road turns into loose gravel for eight kms – I crashed my bike part way down one hill. Good thing there isn’t a lot of traffic as I lay sprawled in the middle of the road. As we headed into Saskatchewan the road improved and we made it to a campground. Only 40 kms today but it seemed like longer.

May 23, 2005
Downhill. We started out from the campground with a steep 2 km climb, then it levelled out at the top of the Saskatchewan side of Cypress and a paved road again. Coming down is extremely steep switchbacks with bits of gravel– full brakes the whole way. Once we were back on the highway heading north we were back to the rolling hills of the prairies, with a basic downhill trend. The TransCanada Trail is south but we chose the paved road to the north. It is so nice just to sit and enjoy the scenery. Phil’s brakes started to give out on the ride down – a bit of a scary ride. We arrived at Maple Creek and booked into a B&B for a shower and bed. The weather during the days has been great but it still gets cold at night with occasional rain. It is always windy. We needed a night of civilization.

May 24, 2005
Heritage House B&B at Maple Creek is an old brick house being renovated by Tina and her family. I was awakened with Phil telling me that there were warm cinnamon buns and fruit salad in the kitchen. It was a tough choice– the warm bed or the warm cinnamon buns. We’ll have to go back sometime to see the complete renovation. I was ready to stay for a few nights or weeks
– but we headed towards Swift Current. Tina had warned us that there were a number of hills between Maple Creek and Swift Current. She was right – we only made it 85 kms to Gull Lake. The hills aren’t really steep, there are just so many of them. Phil broke a spoke on his back tire so he was not wanting to go too fast on the downhills. The little community campgrounds are great – not very busy, cheap and good facilities.

May 25, 2005
Shirley was right – the WIND starts to drive you crazy. We made 56kms to Swift Current today with the WIND mostly beside us – sometimes behind us which helps. Every time you stop for a break IT wants to push you over. The campground furtunately has a cooking shelter to get out of IT for a while. We arrived early so we could find a bike shop. We walked to a nearby mall – but there was no bike shop. We were directed downtown and found a person who repairs bikes at B&B Liquidators. Phil will take his bike in tomorrow. We then followed Phil’s shortcut back to the campground. His sense of direction was good but we ended up on the other side of Highway 1 which is blocked on both sides by fences. We had to walk miles (maybe½ mile) down to the next underpass. We’re back at the campground with wine and nalgene – so everything is fine.

May 26, 2005
Phil got his bike fixed – 4 spokes were broken. We hid in the laundry room for the afternoon – we washed our jackets and it was too cold and windy to go outside. We hooked up to the internet and sent messages.

May 27, 2005
It was nice and sunny today but always windy. We biked to Hodgeville 85 kms. We stayed off the main roads and there was almost no traffic. Saskatchewan is not flat – there are gullies and ridges, we spent the day going uphill and downhill but the scenery is great. There is not much in Hodgeville. The signs said that there is a campground – we didn’t find it– we ended up camping in the beer garden area of the local ball diamond. It was the only shelter we could find. The WIND is still blowing. We brought our outback oven with us – what a great invention. If we are at a supermarket in the morning I buy a frozen dinner like lasagna, or enchilladas. It defrosts a bit as we bike and I just throw it in the oven for 40 minutes while we are setting up camp. We had seafood lasagna tonight. Good stuff.

May 28, 2005
We woke to wind and rain. What a miserable start to the day. I checked the accomodation guide and found a B&B in Coderre so we headed there. The wind is blowing out of the north and it was cold all the way – 56kms. We are now warm and dry at Carol’s B&B. Coderre consists of 1 B&B, 1 hotel and a grain elevator – and of course we had to check out the pub at the hotel. The pub consists of ~30 seats in the family restaurant area and 10 seats in the pub only area and they were all full Saturday night.

Thats it for now. Remember, keep the pedals going round. Attached pic.

Hi all,
Well, another bit of info.
The weather has not been all that great but........ We decided to take the train from Winnipeg to Sudbury. We have heard nothing good about the highway and do not want to risk #1 for that long. Our route will take us on a ferry to the Bruce Penninsula and to Niagra. This will also give us more time to explore the "East".

May 29, 2005
It was nice to start the day off inside. Eighty-six kms to Moose Jaw. The wind has died down and the sun even came out today sometimes. We biked with one layer less clothes than yesterday. There were a lot of up and downs again today but the last 20kms into Moose Jaw was all downhill – what a treat. We were offered a ride today from some people we had net in the Coderre bar – but we declined. Phoned home today and found out that the temperature was in the 30’s all weekend – I’m sure it will warm up here sometime.

May 30, 2005
Day off in Moose Jaw. We got our bikes fixed at Boh’s Sport Shop – half the spikes on Phil’s new Norco have now been replaced. We toured the Tunnels of Moose Jaw – the story of Chinese immigrants. It was really good. Moose Jaw has really nice parks and trails down by the river.

May 31, 2005
We found the flat part of Saskatchewan – between Moose Jaw and Regina. The only problem is the wind has changed directions and is now in our faces. It was a long 80 kms – having to pedal all the time. It is not true that the butt stops hurting at some point – it’s been over 3 weeks and I still wish that I had my Barbie cushion. Arrived in Regina in rush hour – always exciting when we have no idea where we are going. Found King’s Acres campground with internet and laundry.

June 1, 2005
It is so nice to get off the Trans Canada. The road is still busy but not with so many transports and RV’s. The first part was uphill and the landscape changed from flat farmland to some forested area. The trees and the new growth smell so good – didn’t realize how much I missed the trees. Near Edgley we were resting by the road, a guy in a car doing about 120km/hr goes by, slams on the brakes (4 wheel lockup) stops, backs up, gets out of the car and walks toward us (tension building) he says “Are you OK?”. He
told us that stopping was “The Saskatchewan Way”. About 10 k farther we saw him pulled over with car trouble. About 10 kms out of Fort Qu”Apelle a thunderstorm storm hit us – we put on our bright yellow rain ponchos but still got soaked. Fortunately it was downhill and a quick trip into town and to the first restaurant for some hot food. An hour later it had cleared a little and we started the search for a campground. The Fort Campground has limited facilities and the Braeburn (sp) RV park is too good for tents. Back to the Fort and set up in the picnic area – close to the washroom.

June 2, 2005
It’s about 4 kms uphill out of Fort Qu’Apelle and then flat and rolling hills. The wind seemed to be directly behind us today – not really strong but just that little push. It’s fun cruising along at 28 kms/hr with not too much effort. The 70 kms to Melville didn’t take long. The Melville campground is not a great site for tenters. The nearest bathroom is a kilometre away – there is an outhouse in the campground but you have to share it with the birds and other creatures.

June 3, 2005
A short ride today – 44kms from Melville to Yorkton. We had almost dried off from the first rain shower when the second one hit us. It wasn’t so bad being soaking wet when we knew that we were heading to Lazy Maple B&B. A hot shower and dry clothes felt so good. Phil had his bike in the shop again today – this time to check the gears and brakes – he’s not too happy with his new Norco.

June 4, 2005
Woke up to torrential downpour – it’s so nice to be inside. The rain eased off later in the Ann had room for us for another night.

June 5, 2005
After a great breakfast we headed to Manitoba. About 10kms out of Yorkton I finally figured out that I was going so slow because of a flat tire. Phil did a great patch job and we were on our way again. We biked 60 kms of totally flat straight road and then reached the Manitoba border. Down to Lake of the Prairie and then back uphill (we had to walk half of it) and on to Roblin. Stopped at the Station Café in the old railway station and had to stay for supper – great Austrian food. At the campground we met a couple from Alberta who owned a 25.5’ Okanagan that Phil had designed eight years ago. They invited us in for hot chocolate and muffins. They really like the design and stability of their fifth wheel.

June 6, 2005
Short day of 54 kms to Russell. We plan our days around campsites and the next one is over 80 kms away so we stopped at Russell. It was nice to stop early, set up camp and wander around town. The sun even came out in the late afternoon. The campground filled up with people heading to Alaska – 3 couples in RV’s and 3 motorcyclists. The local ladies were in the campground planting flowers and the mayor and his wife came past on bikes to visit with the tourists.

June 7, 2005
The wind blew all night. We got all packed up and the rain started with the winds from the east – it was not a day for biking. We sat in the picnic shelter for an hour with bikes all packed and raingear on trying to make a decision. We decided to unpack and set up the tent in the picnic shelter. We walked to a nearby coffee shop to wait out the rain – it was still raining in the afternoon. Phil had a nap and I went to the public library to check internet messages. Public libraries are great for free internet but some of the smaller places have limited open hours.The rain finally quit late in the afternoon.

June 8, 2005
The wind is still from the east but it was time to get moving. It took us two hours to get 20 kms to Angusville the wind was right in our faces and when we headed slightly south it tried to blow us off the road. Stopped at Currnies Café for borscht. It started raining while we were eating but there was nothing we could but keep going. At 33 kms and three in the afternoon we stopped at Waywayseecappo Inn for something warm to eat again. I asked for the rate at the front desk - $65. We sat in the restaurant for
a while and the front desk clerk came back and offered the room at $50. The thought of a hot shower and warm bed was too much - we’re here for the night and it’s still raining. The weather channel says that it’s raining everwhere – Alberta has flood warnings. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

June 9, 2005
Erickson Manitoba. Had a great day – no rain and the winds behind us. Covered 90 kms to Erickson. Had breakfast at the Ceildh Café in Rossburn– when they heard what we were doing they sent us off with a care package of cookies and treats. Stopped in Sandy Lake for lunch. There are some Ukranian Heritage sites there but nothing opens untill July – probably a very busy place in the summer. Stopped at Erickson to decide if we should stay here or continue. Donna at the Municipal office found out that the
campground was closed to vehicles because of the rains but we could stay there. Bought some supplies and headed to the campground – set up inside the picnic shelter – only place dry. After supper headed back downtown– someone rolled up the streets – but we found the Nordic Inn. Had a few beer and met some of the locals. The sun has come out and the wind has died. We had to bring out the Deep Woods Off for the first time. There are trade offs.

June 10, 2005
Most of the highways in Manitoba don’t have bike shoulders. Highway 10 from Erickson south has no shoulders, is very busy and is not in very good condition. The locals we met last night suggested Mountain Road – what a nice quiet, scenic road. We followed it east about 40 kms where it ended with a very long downhill to Highway 5. The 15kms to Neepawa was straight into a 25km wind. A long slow 15 kms. We stopped for lunch and searched for a bike shop with no luck. We decided to head on to Gladstone – 37 kms east. Without the wind in our faces we arrived there within 2 hours. While we were stopped at the grocery store a local mentioned that there was a benefit dinner for a fellow who had been hurt. It was put on by the community in the curling rink right across from the campground. For a donation we had a barbeque pork dinner with all the trimmings. We have company in the campground – a couple who have biked from Winnipeg and a fellow who has biked from Vancouver. The wind has died, the temperature has risen and so have the MOSQUITOES. We are now hiding in the tent. The wine almost makes it bearable.

June 11, 2005
Woke up to sunshine and warm weather. Bike shorts and a t-shirt – about time. Biked 65 kms into Portage – it is totally flat all the way. Took Phil’s bike in for repars again!! Mike’s Bike Repairs replaced some more of the spokes. Headed east 10 kms to the camp ground with showers and laundry– clean clothes. The camp ground is half flooded because of the rains – it has started raining again tonight. Hope we can wade our way out of here tomorrow.

June 12, 2005
It rained all night. Woke up in a campground fullof water and mosquitoes. It stopped raining as we were packing up and the sun even came out a bit during the day. We headed up to Highway 26 – a back road to Winnipeg with very little traffic. Through a couple of little towns – it was 55 kms before we found a restaurant in St Francios Xavier. It is built in an old Catholic school and Nunnery, the benches are all old pews. Kind of cool. From there it was only 20 kms to the outskirts of Winnipeg. We found
Mountain Equipment Co-op and exchanged our stove and bought more supplies. We had bought the stove a year ago and they exchanged it – no problem. Phil was in the store for quite a while – I was left outside guarding the bikes and talking the other bikers. We visted The Forks – reminded me of Granville Island in Vancouver. We’re now at Tanya’s (Phil’s niece) for a warm sleep.

Hope you all are in good health, remember - keep those pedals churning.
Phil & Mo

Hi all,
Greetings from Kingston Ont. No, I"m not in the jail---what a nasty thing for you to think.

June 13, 14, 2005
Spent some time in Winnipeg visiting Tanya and Richard and the 3 munchkins– neat kids. Sent off some emails – it is really nice to hear from people back home.

June 15, 2005
Due to the time constraints and there being no biking shoulder on the only highway between Winnipeg and Toronto we decided to take the train. A 23 hour train ride between Winnipeg and Sudbury Junction covered about 1500 kms or 3 weeks worth of riding. We arrived in Sudbury Junction in early afternoon and headed back west towards Espanola. We had to bike some on Highway 17, the main route through Ontario. The shoulders are either non-existant or 12 inches wide, with numerous trucks and cars right beside you doing 120 kms/hr. – very scary. Fortunately we found a back road with less traffic and found a campground part way to Espanola – about 40 kms along. Don’t feed the animals – we met Kujo the chipmunk from hell – he was so used to being fed that he was trying to get into everything. Both of us were trying to chase him away but hekept coming back. The weather has improved – it is not really sunny but it is not as cold and rainy.

June 16, 2005
The plan for today was to get to Espanola avoiding the main highway as much as possible. From the campground we headed west on Highway 55 – it led us back to the main highway. After about 2 kms on that we found a road to the north and a person in the gas station told us that it would get us to Nairn following Highway 4. We followed the road and at an intersection continued north on Highway 4. We kept heading north and uphill – this was not the way we wanted to go. We rechecked our map and decided that we were on the wrong road and turned around to head back down. We waved down the first car that came by to confirm where we were and it was the rural mail delivery lady. She confirmed that we were on the wrong road and gave us good directions. We eventually arrived in Nairn and found a restaurant – it is amazing how much we can eat. For the next section the only choice was the highway with a 12 inch shoulder for biking. We did arrive safely in Espanola and picked up supplies. I stopped in at CAA and got a camping guide – should have brought my BCAA card. Found a really nice campground beside a little lake. The weather is so much nicer now that it does feel like summer – even if it did rain just as we were eating supper.

June 17, 2005
Happy birthday, Bryan. We didn’t do too many kms today – 58 – but they were hilly ones. We biked south from Espanola to Manitoulin Island. The road is continuous up and down and the locals kept telling us how hilly it would be. We managed to bike all the hills – no walking. We are in much better shape than a month ago. Most of the way had limited 6” bike shoulders and there was a lot of traffic until Birch Island. Then we had a great bike shoulder again – what a treat. The bridge over to the island is ancient and only one lane with a walking path. Look straight ahead and just keep going – don’t look down. Just waiting for the laundry to be done – amazing how smelly biking clothes can get.

June 18, 2005
The day started out with a long hill as usual but the rest of the way to South BayMouth was basically downhill. We arrived for the ferry 3 hours early and toured South Baymouth – that took 30 minutes. The ferry ride was one hour and forty-five minutes – these lakes are huge. There are so many islands and places to explore – we need to come back with our kayaks.

June 19, 2005
Happy Father’s Day. There is only one highway south from Tobermory, fortunately it wasn’t too busy this morning. After 30 kms we found a nice quiet side road. We had stopped at the side of the road for a break. Phil was looking in his bike bag for his lighter and cigar – he still smokes. I’m looking across the road and from the bushes about six feet from the other side of the road, a
big black head appears. I shriek “Oh shit!!!” rather loudly. The bear jumps and turns tail and runs. Phil jumps and all he sees are the bushes waving. That was a very short break – we were back on our bikes and down the road. We camped at Wiarton and met some fellow bikers. They had driven up and were camped at Wiarton and doing day trips. Dave, a retired school teacher, had spent last winter biking through Mexico and is headed to Dawson Creek next month to bike to Alaska. He had a map of better roads and trails for biking – a necessity for biking in Ontario. We know have to find a bike store that sells the maps.

June 20, 2005
A lot of towns and cities are in valleys. Nice rides down into them and big hills back out. There is a bypass around Owen Sound but we were on the hunt for a bike shop and maps. We get all the way down the hill to town and discover that the only bike shop is closed on Mondays. Back up the hill– we had to walk this one. Dave had told us about an back road to Meaford. Other than one driver that tried to run us off the road it was a great ride. At Meaford, a neat little town on the edge of the lake, we found the Georgian Trail. Thirty-two kms of pathway on old rail bed – what a treat. It is through some forested area and some developed area. We travelled 23 kms on the trail to Craigleith, an Ontario Provincial Campground. The prices are higher here - $25.50/night in a provincial park. It is right on the lake. The lakes are huge here, you can’t see to the other side. Nice sunsets.

June 21, 2005
Rest day. We unhooked the trailers and went back in to Thornbury on the trail to see the town. Not much to the town. We went for lunch at Piper’s Restaurant – they advertised Tuesday jam nights and I expected piper’s to show up. The waitress told us that it was guitarists etc. that showed up for the jam nights so no reason to go back. The weather started out good today but there were a couple of good rain showers when we were in town and fortunately under shelter.

June 22, 2005
We didn’t travel far today – only 50 kms but it was a busy day. In Collingwood we found Kamikaze Cycle. They had one of the maps that we needed and they gave us a bag of power bars to help us on the road. Wasaga Beach is a tourist meca. They have miles of sandy beach and have split the area up. Two of the beaches are for families with playgrounds. The main beach has pubs, fast food places and gift shops. We stopped at the Nancy Island Museum and learned some history. It was really well done. We had planned to go further but hadn’s decided which route to take so we found a campground at Wasaga. Phil is busy chasing the seagulls away. They are almost as bad as the crows at the Broken Group.

June 23, 2005
We left Wasaga Beach and followed the back roads until we came to the North Simcoe Rail Trail. It headed south towards Barrie and we followed it for a time. Some of it had some fairly loose gravel so it was hard to bike on and we ended up on the back roads again. Ontario seems mostly flat but they have bigger gullies than the prairie provinces. The road we followed into Barrie was up and down hill constantly – we had to walk one hill. Lunch was at Wimpy’s Diner – Tim would have appreciated the size of the burger. From Barrie to Orillia we followed firstly the Barrie lakeshore trail and then a rail trail. What a treat - away from cars again. The rail trails only have a grade of 2-4% so there are never any steep hills. The trails lead through the woods and you seem to be in the middle of nowhere, then there’s another road and 2 or 3 houses. Found a campground near Orillia and had showers and did laundry. At lease now laundry is only shorts and t-shirts, instead of all the fleece we own. Had the sun screen on again today.

June 24, 2005
Another long day - 84 kms. Rode south to Lindsay with the wind in our faces and hills up and down all day. Summer has arrived – we heard that it would be in the high 80’s today. We drank about 8 litres of fluids between us. We followed the back roads which is great for avoiding traffic but there are not many places to stop. We did see the Kirkfield lock in action. It was neat to watch the boat come down in the lift and drive away. Summer has arrived in Ontario. It is Friday night and the campground is full of partiers and there is a dance for teens in the recreation room. We were so used to empty campgrounds up to now.

June 25, 2005
Today did not start out good. We biked 15 kms around Lindsay looking for the Victoria Rail Trail. We had 10 different sets of directions of how to get to Bethany. We finally headed out of town to a cross road that we thought that the trail should intersect. We found the trail. It is much like the trail in parts of BC. The 4 wheelers and dirt bikes have chewed up the surface so badly that it is very difficult for biking. We did one section and headed back to side roads. Up and down hills again in 90 degree heat. It seems that we were just complaining about the cold – now it’s the heat. We were headed for a campground at Bewdley on Rice Lake and the last section was a great down hill. After 77 kms we arrived at Bewdley only to be told that we had to go back up the hill to the highway, then up 2 more hills and back down to the lake to the campground. I was ready to just jump in the lake and set up the tent in the middle of town. Then Bill Goodwin came to ask us some questions about our travels and our bike trailers. The next thing we know he has invited us to his house for the night. He gave us directions and said that he would see us there in 5 Minutes. He greeted us at his driveway with a cold beer. He and his wife Judy opened their home to us. We had showers, a great meal and an enjoyable evening with them. A great end to a long hot day.

June 26, 2005
Waking up with a slight hangover, we decided to slow down the pace. We headed south 15 kms to Port Hope on Lake Ontario. We had breakfast and a leisurely bike through town. We looked for the “Waterfront Trail”. The trail is actually a bike lane on Highway 2 which is 2-4 kms from the lake. I don’t know who named this one. We were looking for the East Coberg Campground which is actually 2 towns east of Coburg in Grafton – but it is a nice campground with good shower, laundry and a pool.

June 27, 2005
Another hot day. We had planned to take it easy but we covered 78 kms to Wellington. Our travels today were the northern shore of Lake Ontario. We followed the Waterfront Trail again and actually did make it to the waterfront in some areas. It was really nice biking today – usually a bike lane and there weren’t so many hills. We stopped in Consecon looking for lunch and were directed to the pub. The cold beer looked so good that it was tempting to just stay there. But we had iced tea and burgers and continued on our way.

Take care, Keep thos wheels rollin.
Phil & Mo

Bonjour mes amis.
We are in Quebec, cool place. As you will read we have been riding some of the wonderful bike trails. Some even have 4 way stops where the trail crosses the road.

June 28, 2005
Got up early because we wanted to make it to Kingston – 80 kms. The highway had a bike path all the way and relatively flat. Short ferry ride just past Picton – like the Fauqier ferry. Nice view of the lake at times. Good hot fudge sundaes at Bath. The campground in Kingston is really close to town– walked to the nearby pub for supper and beers. There were some other bikers in the campground. An American going from Maine to Washington – don’t know how he ended up in Kingston. Some Ontarians going a 5 day trip.

June 29, 2005
Tourist day. Went up to Fort Henry – our tour guide was a young piper from Ottawa. The fort was built after the war of 1812 and was never attacked. Toured downtown. Phil had some more spokes replaced at a bike shop.

June 30, 2005
Kingston to Gananoque had a bike lane which was nice. From Gananoque to Mallorytown there is an actual paved bike path which parallels the road– what a treat. Great views of the 1000 islands. It would be great to paddle here sometime. It seems that every island is occupied – some with castles and some with one room cabins. We ended up in a KOA campground on Thursday of a long weekend. The going rate for a camping spot with no hookups is $34.00 – this is the most we have paid so far. The campground is designed for holidayers – not transients like us. It has a pool, hot tub, video games, pool table, laundry etc. And millions of mosquitoes. I started this journal outside and had to escape into the tent.

July 1, 2005
Canada day! Short day to Prescott. We stopped in town and were invited to a free barbeque. It was hosted by Dr Steven King a chiropractor – I’m not sure why he was hosting it but we had a hamburger and a drink. We arrived at the campground and were put in the overflow section. The campground was right on the St Lawrence and it was full of campers. This is the first time that we have seen that many tents. We met some fellow bikers – they were on an 8 day trip from Quebec – I think. They were trying very hard to communicate in English – I’m not sure how our French will be in Quebec.

July 2, 2005
Got up early and headed north to Ottawa. Fortunately the weather has cooled down a little and there was a breeze. The first section was uphill – no real hills just a slow steady climb. The last section was along the Rideau Canal. Some of the houses here are monstrous – one was a B&B. It was an old brick mansion with a 500 metre driveway with white lions at the gate. We stopped in Manitock for a late lunch at a pub. We were only a few kms from the campground so we decided that we could have a beer. I don’t know whether it was the beer or sitting so long, but the old legs sure didn’t want to start biking again. The Quebecers from last night had given us a brochure about camping at the locks on the Ridaeau canal. The camping is meant for boaters but I guess they can’t discriminate against bikers. There are no showers but the fee is $8.00 per night. We biked about 80 kms and are almost in Ottawa.

July 3, 2005
Happy birthday, Keith! Short 25 kms into Ottawa. When we got close to town we found a bike trail– about 15 kms of trail on the Rideau Canal. It was quite busy because it was Sunday morning – what a nice trail. We found the Hostel in the old jail. Our room is at the top on the 9th level which is about the 4th floor. We checked out the 8th level which has old jail cells. There are jail tour but I’m not sure if we will have a chance to take one. The hostel is right downtown so we walked over to the Parliament buildings and took some pictures. We caught a bus out to MEC to restock some supplies. Dinner at the Keg.

July 4, 2005
Tourist day. We took the Grey Line doubledecker bus tour over to Gatineau to the Museum of Civilization. It is ranked one of the best in the world. We were there for 4 hours and could have stayed for another day – there is so much to see. We watched the IMAX film Mysteries of the Nile – white water rafting in Africa. There was an exhibit there from Pompeii which was fascinating. We quickly looked at the First Nations and Canadian history exhibits but we had to catch the bus again. We caught the Grey Line bus and toured the city for one and a half hours. There is so much to see here. The bus dropped us off near the Parliament Buildings. We went over and booked a tour. A tour leaves every 10 minutes and has about 20 people per tour. We had to wait over an hour – it is amazing how many tourists are in the city. The inside of the Parliament buildings is amazing – the details and design. The house of commons is off for the summer but the senate is still sitting. We went in and heard some of the arguments after the second reading of the bill for same sex marriages. There are 105 senators but there were only about 25 of them there listening to the arguments. I don’t know when the vote will be but I guess they will all be there for that. Time for laundry and reorganizing – tomorrow we leave for Quebec.

July 5, 2005
Back to Parliament Buildings to see the changing of the guards. The band consists of a brass section, a drum section and 6 pipers. They were playing Bar’s favorite – Pibroch – as they came past. I was amazed at how many people were there to watch – they have the ceremony every morning at 10:00. Back to the Hostel to haul the bikes up 2 floors through the office and down to the street – their bike storage is not the most accessable. We headed across the river into Quebec and went to Tourist Info. They gave us a map of the bike routes so we could stay off the roads as much as possible. There is an amazing amount of green space in both Ottawa and Gatineau. We only biked 27 kms today but with the late start it was enough. The roads so far have had bike lanes, which is nice, but the hills are a little steeper than in Ontario. We are headed north through the Gatineau Hills towards the Laurentians so the next few days will be hillier.

July 6, 2005
The Trans Canada Trail goes from Gatineau to Wakefield to Low, but there is no camping in the area which is why we ended up in Cantley last night. We started the trail at Wakefield on gravel back roads. It was scenic and nice to be away from traffic but it is slower. We headed back on to the highway half way to Low. At the Tourist Info in Low we discovered that some tourist infos have camping and that the trail from Low to Maniwaki is on rail bed and has been surfaced with limestone for bikes. We got on the trail just north of Low and followed it all the way to Gracefield. It was a great ride. We did 90 kms today, most of it uphill, but on the rail bed it doesn’t seem so bad. We are in a nice little campground for $16 with a pool and good showers.

July 7, 2005
Back on the rail bed trail again for another 33 kms. The trails here are great with rest stops, complete with picnic table, outhouse and sometimes a covered shelter, every 5 kms about. We had to get off the trail about 9 kms before Maniwaki – the trail goes through a reserve and it gets quite rough with quads and dirt bikes using it. At the grocery store we met Cathy Hanson from Lumby – they are travelling in a 5th wheel for 2-3 months. What a small world sometimes. At the tourist info in Maniwaki they told us that the tourist info in Amound had camping. We headed north about 15 kms and found a great place to camp. Free showers and a campground all to ourselves for $15.00.

July 8, 2005
We had heard that biking into the Laurentians to Mont-Laurier would be really tough – so we got up early prepared for a really bad day of walking up hills. It wan’t bad at all. We only had to walk up 2 small hills – one because it was on a corner with a rough road. We were close to Mont-Laurier by noon. Tourist information has been no help. We phoned from 10 miles north of Mont Laurier near a campground to find out if there was a campground in town. Over the 1-800 phone line they said that there was one right in town – I had explained that we were biking. When we got into town to tourist info the campground was 10 kms the other direction – up and down more hills. But there was one on the trail 14 kms at Val-Barette. When we gor to Val-Barette the campground was 15 kms off the trail – up and down more hills. We are now in a B&B at Lac-Saguay. The trail is fantastic– paved rail bed. The country side is really nice, but there is a lot of standing water which means a lot of flies and mosquitoes. It’s not bad when you are biking but if you stop they attack.

July 9, 2005
A whole day on a paved rail bed – wonderful. Yesterday we biked more than planned so today we took it easier today – 57 kms. We stopped at a few rest stops and restored train stations. The facilities on the trail are great and there are a lot of people who are out enjoying the trail – either biking or rollerblading. A couple passed us roller blading and their unison looked so great. We met some Anglo road bikers from Montreal who bought us ice cream and wanted to come join us. It is a weekend and we have one of the last spots at a camp ground in Labelle. There may be some parties here tonight.

July 10, 2005
The rail bed is not paved for this section but it is still great. We stopped in Mont Tremblant – bike repairs again. It is a very rich touristy area – much like Whistler. Yesterday most people on the trail said “Hello”– today very few. A different attitude in this area. The trail was mostly uphill today until the last 8 kms. We met a local 70 year old man who biked with us for about ½ hour – he was very interesting - telling us some of the history of the area. We are camped at Lac Lausanne (you could probably walk around the lake in 20 minutes and at it’s deepest it is maybe 4 ft.) which is full of holidaying families.

July 11, 2005
We had a great thunder and lightening storm last night. Phil had put the tarp up so we were okay but the tarp and bags were really soaked so it took us longer to get going. We finished the last 60 kms of the Petite Train Du Nord. It was mostly downhill but the temperature is in the 90’s again so it was a hot day. The campground is about 3 kms from the trail, through the city, which is even hotter. We are in another huge holiday campground with a small lake. We had to bike one km from the office to find our spot but it has a new shower room at this end. It will be nice to have a cool shower. There is supposed to be wireless internet hookup here but it doesn’t reach our campsite. Maybe we will walk to the restarurant and have a beer later and try the internet there.

Take care, and remember
Never, ever stop pedaling - the road may catch up.
Pic attached - the place where hot air is born.

Miss ya all,
Phil & Mo

Greetings from Woodstock New Brunswick.
I'm tempted to say "far out man" but it really isn't that woodstock.

July 12, 2005
What a long day! We left Ste Jerome at 8:00 this morning and arrived at the campground at 9:30 tonight. Ste Jerome was still in the mountains – we started out in forests. Towards Laval it became farm land and then into city. Ste Jerome through Laval was all bike trail – we missed some because we got lost, but picked it up later. We crossed the river into Montreal and picked up the bike trail right away. The trail in Montreal is amazing. It was so well marked and well used that you couldn’t get lost. It went past the 76 Olympic village, past some new condo develoments, and then into some old residential areas. The streets are one way with parking both sides and a 2 way bike trail on one side. I have never seen so many bikers. By the time we got downtown it was rush hour – bikers everywhere, but it seemed to flow so well. We went through old Montreal and across to an island. The Formula One race had been there recently and Phil really wanted to get out and race with the road bikers doing the circuit. He thought he could take them even pulling the trailer. We crossed the second bridge to Longuveille, our camping book showed a small campground there. We were told no tents because there were no washrooms – it was basically a parking lot. The manager told us that the nearest campground was at St Phillip – out Highway 15. We headed out not realizing Highway 15 is the freeway to New York.
Here we are on a Freeway at dusk trying to find a campground. We survived and finally found the spot as it turned dark. Had showers and huddled in the tent eating takeout sandwiches and drinking wine. Manitoba does not have the monopoly on mosquitoes.

July 13, 2005
Wanted to have a short day today. Ste Phillipe is a long way from the trail. We had to go back about 20 kms on the roads. Quebec has great trails but biking on the roads is as bad as Ontario. Phil thinks that is not as bad because the drivers are more used to bikers here, but to me they seem rather close whizzing by us at 90 kms/hr. We got back to Chambly an