Cycling
I have entered, for the first time in my life, the Atlantic time zone, having arrived in Fredericton, New Brunswick on Wednesday morning. The trip was uneventful. I spent so much time and energy packing my bike in one box and my panniers in another – making sure that the weights and dimensions were not…
Read MoreAfter almost three weeks at Easton, I’m back on the road again. However, I’m not on the road as originally planned. The other day, I took a test ride to the local town of Greenwich (that the locals pronounce “GREEN-witch”), not a particularly hilly route, and I did it with no luggage. The round trip…
Read MoreI arrived at Easton Mountain on the afternoon on Saturday, July 28, after a very pleasant and scenic ride from Albany, northward up the Hudson River valley. Easton Mountain is an “intentional community”, of sorts with an integrated operation that serves to generate income for, and participation in, the community, as well as to promote…
Read MoreDay one of my trip, yesterday, brought me to the dumpy-but-sterile Howard Johnson’s in Jamaica, New York, chosen for the fact that it’s just a mile from Kennedy airport. Here’s the $125 view: Today, I cycled north through Queens toward the Bronx. On the way, the bumpy Queens streets (rural Saskatchewan backroads are smoother) broke…
Read MoreDespite being overly guarded about being seduced by cults, I have cast aside my principles and willingly signed up for what may be the biggest modern cult of them all: Facebook. I resisted for quite a while, but the number of friends and acquaintances who have opted to join have reached a critical mass of…
Read MoreReporting 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…
Read MoreWell, 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…
Read MoreToronto (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…
Read MoreToronto (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,…
Read MoreToronto (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:…
Read MoreToronto (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:…
Read MoreMillgrove 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…
Read MoreMillgrove (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,…
Read MoreSauble 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…
Read MoreSouth 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…
Read MoreEspinola 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…
Read MoreWinnipeg 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…
Read MoreWinnipeg 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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