May 14 - Although our official start date is tomorrow,
we biked into Victoria today from Sannichton, where we are staying, as a test run and to go to 'Mile 0' and then to touch
the Pacific Ocean with our bikes. We did well on the way there, then experienced our first of many flats on the way
back. We're going to need to buy some more inner tubes................
May 15 - Up early and a pancake breakfast. The
bikes are loaded and ready to go and so are we. We left for the ferry at Schwartz Bay to take us to the mainland.
Kate, Nana, Rich and Vony, Andy and Jill were to meet us there to say goodbye but with so much traffic it didn't happen. We
were suprised to see Nana and Kate on board the ferry as they ran on at the last minute as foot passengers to spend the
trip with us. We had a good day and spent the night at Cultis Lake, 20 km east of Chilliwack. We had 2 flat
tires to change en route. Camping was $22 and the showers were $1 for 5 minutes and we managed to all shower for a dollar!
As we don't have towels we had to air dry under the hand dryer. We biked 123.47 km today.. We also got a $20 donation
from a man at the grocery store in Chilliwack.
May 16 - Despite warnings otherwise, we decided to go
up the Coquihalla as it would save us so much time. They let us through without charge at the toll booth. It has
a bike lane but the riding is mostly unhill and the downhills are just as huge. No flats today. We rode 114.69
km in 5 hours and 10 min. Max speed was 67.8 km/hr today. We collapsed for the night 20 km up the Coquihalla when
we pulled over to a treed spot and set up the tent on the top of a cliff.
May 17 - Good riding today but hot. We got to Merrit
and stayed in an RV park for free. We had to buy a new spoke wrench as ours wasn't very good. The guys camping
across from us worked with BC Hydro and let us watch the Calgary hockey game with them on their satellite TV in their
RV. Erik had 2 front flats from staples on the road. We biked 92 km in 5 hours and 2 min's.
May 18 - Happy Birthday Mom and Uncle Andy from Mike.
Ryan had a front flat today. We climbed a huge long hill at the end of the 5A and rode with a strong head wind all day.
We stayed in an RV park again tonight with showers. They only charged us $10 camping fee. We got to 15 kms
past Kamloops today. 117 kms today in 5 hours and 42 min. We had a radio interview over the phone tonight for
local broadcast and it will be broad cast tomorrow.
May 19 - Happy 20th birthday Ryan and Erik. We
had a TV crew come to our campsite this morning to do an interview. There were 3 flats to change today due to debris
on the road. We spent an hour in Salmon Arm looking for more inner tubes. Wish we could get them delivered!
Onward to spend the night in Sicamous. 123 km in 5 hrs and 41min. Hot Hot Hot today.
May 20 - Lots of wind today. Hot too. Finally
finished up our cream of wheat. You can only eat so much of that stuff. No flats today. 115.79 km in 6 hrs
and 17 min. Tonight we stayed in a closed picnic area 11 km west of Rogers Pass. The tent was 100 feet from a
huge waterfall and river. We took pictures. The usual Pasta supper with cut up chicken and sausages cooked over an open
fire.
May 21 - As we were packing up we were visited by a Conservation
Officer who wasn't too pleased that we stayed over in the Picnic Area but didn't do much about it as we were just leaving.
It started to rain about mid-day and didn't let up all day. We ate lunch in a highway salt shack - wet and freezing.
103 kms today in 5 hours. We holed up in a hotel tonight in Golden and cooked supper in our room on our little cook
stove. Dumb and Dumberer was on the TV and we watched it while we ate and hung everything up to dry.. We'll see
what the weather is like in the morning before deciding to take off again. Almost through our first province.
May 22 - Rain - Huge head wind (the worst yet) and snow
in the evening. No flats. Giant hills from Golden to Banff. 142 kms in 7 hours and 34 mins of riding.
When we got to Banff we had to find a hotel again as we were wet and frozen. Of course it's the long weekend and there
were No Vacancy signs on everywhere. We finally found the last room in town and he gave it to us for $60 dollars.
Good thing he didn't charge for hot water. After we showered, we did our laundry in the tub.
May 23 - Bad, ridiculous weather today. Head
winds til Dead Mans Flats after Canmore. Major snow storm - white out conditions - hail - snow and rain all the way
to Calgary - but we're having fun !! No flats thank goodness. For lunch today we ate a loaf of bread and a jar
of peanut butter on the side of the highway during a snow storm. 97 kms in 4 hours and 10 min of riding and arrived
at Mike's Uncle Gregg and Michelles house near Cochrane. We'll be here tomorrow and won't leave til Tuesday morning.
May 24 - Rest for the Boys and the Bikes.
Visited with a fellow student from Queen's that lives in Calgary
May 25 - What an awesome day. We had perfect weather,
not too hot, not too cold. We also had the first tail wind we have had on this adventure. We hit speeds up to
40 km/hr. We are in Bossano, Alberta in a campground beside the highway tonight. An incredible 170 km today
in 6hrs and 3 min. We are heading for Medicine Hat tomorrow and will be in Swift Current midday Friday. Thanks
for your continued support and good wishes through the email address.
May 26 - Good tail winds again today. But we have
to say riding in the prairies as opposed to the mountains is very boring. No offense to the prairie lovers. We
made it to Medicine Hat in 5.5 hrs of riding time. Then we had to back track about 3 kms to find a campground.
We were given the site for free which was a nice suprise. Ryan took a spill today on some gravel going around the
corner into the campground . He's okay though mom - didn't even need to break out the first aid kit.
Our mileage today was 168.72 km with an average speed of 30.7 kph. We have heard from Ryan and Erik's mom that we received
a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society on our behalf in the amount of $2000.00 from the Taboo Resort in Gravenhurst Ontario.
Ryan and Erik have worked there in the past and we are extremely grateful for their support. Check out their website
www.tabooresort.com .We will be in Swift Current by noon on Friday and will spend the day and night with Mike's family who are coming from Kindersley
and then off to Regina with an ETA of Sunday night.
