Days two and three!
My apologies for failing to keep you updated these last two days - battery exhaustion + lack of instructions for my solar charger meant no access to the iPhone.
Day one started with the sound of a detuned radio amidst a sea of wet tents: CityTV’s ‘Breakfast Television’ had sent roving reporter Jennifer Valentine to cover our departure from Port Hope.
It’s great to see the ride get great exposure, but a challenge with live TV is that you end up spending quite a bit of time standing about waiting for the ads to end and the on-air personality to wave everyone ad they depart. It as good, though, especially, I’m sure for those at home in Toronto.
While the views can be almost cinematic am- cruising past seemingly endless fields of corn or wild flowers set against the edge of the lake (lake Ontario, that is), two of the most wonderful things about the ride involve passing people.
Our route quite intentionally takes us through many of the small towns, villages, and hamlets along the way to Montreal. In almost every one we’ve had kind words of encouragement from locals while waiting at a traffic light and in many come across a single house bedecked in streamers, signs, and a group of well-wishers whooping and cheering to keep our spirits and energy up.
The second group of passees that brighten our days are our road safety volunteers. Paired in vans, these are the people seen driving by making sure everyone is ok while blasting some of the campest music available on their car stereos. At particularly hazardous points (ugly railway tracks, sharp hard-to-spot turns, or crossing the highway) they stand, noisemakers in hand, cheering at the top of their voices - often in fantastical costume. The road safety highlight so far has without doubt been riding along and suddenly seeing a volunteer fully dolled-up in make-up and glamorous dress rollerblading in the opposite direction waving streamers attached to the ends of ski poles. Absolutely fabulous!
Another key group of volunteers are the wellness crew, our team of medics, massage therapists, chiropractors, and acupuncturists. Following advice from experienced riders I signed up for my first massage at lunch on day two, some 85km into the ride. Given the choice between waiting 40 minutes for a massage or 4 for massage + chiropractic treatment, I figured it was as good a time as any to see what those were like. Ten minutes and an upper- and lower-back ‘release’ later I indeed felt quite a bit less stiff and was able to happily ride into the United Empire Loyalist campsite by Adolphustown - our stop for the night.
More swimming in the lake followed by a couple of hours sitting and chatting with friends old and new rounded out a terrific day.
Day three was a nice easy ride - or so I was told. Only 50km into Kingston! All hope of a relaxed, casual, and, most importantly, slow ride fell by the wayside as our camping group of five (Greg, Jed, Mark, Wade, and myself - pictures to follow) departed together and rode as a line for much of the way. At an average speed of 30km/h.
But by golly it was fantastic! Nipping into break we spotted some cyclists who we had passed earlier eagerly continuing on. Within 30 minutes of departing, there they were, again being passed by our group! Our speed barely dipped an tenth of a km/h as we zoomed up hills, all rotating in to take turns pulling (or leading and breaking the wind, enabling the rest to draft behind and conserve energy). We were fast.
Kingston consisted of doing laundry, sitting on a patio with beer in hand, and dinner followed by a long and much-desired sleep in a real bed. Bliss.
Averages for day two are long-forgotten except for the high temperature: 38C!
Everything about day four to follow tonight (iPhone is charged) and I know how to use the solar thingie now, so days five and six will see posts, too!
We’re half-way to Montreal and I couldn’t be more excited!
