2005

Flexibility is still key

July 11, 2005

Reporting my bike theft to the Toronto police is turning out to be difficult. Every time I call them, they claim to be ten hours behind and ask me to call the next day. I guess they are too busy out on the streets ticketing cyclists who are riding without a bell. Not that I…

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When one door closes… (when did I become such an optimist?)

July 10, 2005

Well, I checked out the Visa “Purchase Protection” insurance that covers my bike for theft for 90 days. I bought the damn thing 99 days ago. If it had to be stolen, why not in Hamilton, where I would have expected it, and where I would still be in the claim window? Oddly, I was…

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Never underestimate the value of a good bike lock

July 9, 2005

Toronto (Sightseeing). July 08: DAY: 25.35km. ODO: 4,232km. AVS: 18.7km/h. MXS: 37.5km/h. ATM: 1:20:59. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 09: DAY: 8.06km. ODO: 4,240km. AVS: 18.6km/h. MXS: 34.0km/h. ATM: 0:25:56. I should have left on Thursday. Last night, I went for dinner to Le Commensal, a vegetarian buffet off of Bloor. It’s a great place if you…

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More Toronto news

July 7, 2005

Toronto (Sightseeing). July 05: DAY: 25.17km. ODO: 4,147km. AVS: 22.4km/h. MXS: 46.0km/h. ATM: 1:07:25. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 06: DAY: 41.06km. ODO: 4,188km. AVS: 18.6km/h. MXS: 36.5km/h. ATM: 2:12:29. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 07: DAY: 18.9km. ODO: 4,207km. AVS: 16.3km/h. MXS: 42.5km/h. ATM: 1:09:20. Mostly I’m just hanging about town, reading, and wandering around the various neighbourhoods,…

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Yes, still in Cowtown. I mean Hogtown. Whatever.

July 4, 2005

Toronto (Sightseeing). June 30: DAY: 21.74km. ODO: 4,015km. AVS: 19.2km/h. MXS: 37.0km/h. ATM: 1:07:41. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 01: DAY: 35.80km. ODO: 4,051km. AVS: 15.5km/h. MXS: 33.0km/h. ATM: 2:18:05. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 02: DAY: 9.28km. ODO: 4,060km. AVS: 16.6km/h. MXS: 30.0km/h. ATM: 0:33:23. Toronto (Sightseeing). July 03: DAY: 26.70km. ODO: 4,087km. AVS: 23.1km/h. MXS: 43.0km/h. ATM:…

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Still in Toronto…

June 29, 2005

Toronto (Sightseeing). June 25: DAY: 0.00km. ODO: 3,993m. AVS: 0.0km/h. MXS: 0.0km/h. ATM: 0:00:00. Toronto (Sightseeing). June 26: DAY: 0.00km. ODO: 3,993m. AVS: 0.0km/h. MXS: 0.0km/h. ATM: 0:00:00. Toronto (Sightseeing). June 27: DAY: 0.00km. ODO: 3,993m. AVS: 0.0km/h. MXS: 0.0km/h. ATM: 0:00:00. Toronto (Sightseeing). June 28: DAY: 0.00km. ODO: 3,993m. AVS: 0.0km/h. MXS: 0.0km/h. ATM:…

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Why bulls don’t ride bicycles

June 24, 2005

Millgrove to Toronto. DAY: 99.79km. ODO: 3,993km. AVS: 23.7km/h. MXS: 57.0km/h. ATM: 4:12:21. As it is only about 75km to Toronto, I had a leisurely morning, and then departed at about 11am. What was I thinking? Thirty degrees and 1264% humidity, and I start cycling at midday. Naturally, rather than ride slowly and take regular…

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Heather, Hamilton, and an air-conditioner

June 23, 2005

Millgrove (Sightseeing). DAY: 35.06km. ODO: 3,894km. AVS: 24.4km/h. MXS: 57.5km/h. ATM: 1:26:02. The good thing about the Floridian in that he stays up late at night, and sleeps late in the morning, so I can generally count on some peace. I ate a leisurely breakfast of granola with fresh Ontario strawberries out in the sun,…

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“Where’s your Corvette, dude?”

June 22, 2005

Millgrove (Sightseeing). DAY: 36.94km. ODO: 3,859km. AVS: 21.2km/h. MXS: 51.5km/h. ATM: 1:44:49. I decided to ride into Hamilton, as it is less than 20km away, and take a look around, see if Shelia Copps is screaming at anyone. What I didn’t know is that I am camping not very far from the edge of the…

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My groove has returned

June 21, 2005

Walkerton to Millgrove. DAY: 173.55km. ODO: 3,822km. AVS: 23.5km/h. MXS: 60.0km/h. ATM: 7:22:28. Well, as it turns out, this was actually quite a nice night. As it was warm with no sign of rain, I left the fly off the tent so that I could drift off to sleep with full view of the moon,…

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The water is the least I have to worry about…

June 20, 2005

Sauble Falls to Walkerton. DAY: 89.47km. ODO: 3,648km. AVS: 20.5km/h. MXS: 58.0km/h. ATM: 4:21:05. As I was about to depart Sauble Falls (at my usual early hour of 11:45am), I met three local cyclists out riding the peninsula, Colleen, Dave, and the Other Dave. After a brief chat, Colleen and Dave invited me to camp…

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Southern Ontario

June 19, 2005

South Baymouth to Sauble Falls. DAY: 93.63km. ODO: 3,559km. AVS: 21.9km/h. MXS: 48.0km/h. ATM: 4:15:52. The ferry to the mainland, the MV Chi-Cheemaun, leaves South Baymouth at 11:10 and 15:50 every day, and I planned to catch the first one. I had breakfast and said goodbye to Noel (he was taking the afternoon ferry). It’s…

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Caucasian Givers?

June 18, 2005

Espinola to South Baymouth. DAY: 117.81km. ODO: 3,465km. AVS: 21.7km/h. MXS: 53.5km/h. ATM: 5:25:34. There was no alarm clock in my room, and I suppose I was tired for only having had an intermittent sleep on the train the night before, for I slept like a rock, right until 9:00. After doing a much needed…

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Take it Easy – Take the Train

June 17, 2005

Winnipeg to Sudbury (Pt. 2), and Sudbury to Espinola. DAY: 108.13km. ODO: 3,347km. AVS: 23.4km/h. MXS: 57.5km/h. ATM: 4:36:31. This train is clearly a union shop. I haven’t seen such a slothful lot of company representatives since the post office in the 70’s. The only exception is a young woman who is clearly new to…

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The Great Leap Forward

June 16, 2005

Winnipeg to Sudbury (Pt. 1). DAY: 0.00km. ODO: 3,239km. AVS: 0.00km/h. MXS: 0.00km/h. ATM: 0:00:00. Although the weather seems to be improving, I have decided to cheat and take the train the 1,500km or so to Sudbury, as I have heard nothing but negativity about the Trans-Canada highway above Lake Superior, and I’m not feeling…

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Winnipeg

June 11, 2005

Gladstone to Winnipeg. DAY: 159.12km. ODO: 3,239km. AVS: 23.1km/h. MXS: 38.5km/h. ATM: 6:51:35. [Text pending]

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West Nile Tour, 2005

June 10, 2005

Wasagaming to Gladstone. DAY: 128.58km. ODO: 3,080km. AVS: 21.4km/h. MXS: 47.0km/h. ATM: 6:00:04. Tired after a night of audible woodcutting, I set out once again. I travelled south to Minnedosa, passing through the valley of the Little Saskatchewan River (labelled on the CAA map as the “Minnedosa River”, for some reason). It was a tough…

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Bears!

June 9, 2005

Roblin to Wasagaming (Riding Mountain National Park). DAY: 173.17km. ODO: 2,951km. AVS: 22.7km/h. MXS: 51.5km/h. ATM: 7:37:42. When I woke up, I looked out the window, turned on the television weather station, and then packed and left (after a hearty breakfast!). It was overcast (mostly cloudy), and the wind was out of the south-west. This…

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