Day 29 - Kenora to Dryden

The morning started out dry, but cloudy. By the time people started to leave, it had started to rain. I grabbed my big rain coat and bungied it to my bike carrier. We had to make breakfast this morning, so we were the last to leave. By the time we left, I had put the BIG rain jacket on. It wasn't going to be a pleasant morning. Well - it isn't so bad if you are properly dressed and I was quite fine with the jacket and let's not forget my GREEN rain hat.

Jackie (who left us with knee issues in Banff) rejoined us in Kenora. However as we were getting ready to leave and loading the truck with all the tent bags, next thing I know - she is grabbing stuff off her shelf. I thought she needed something. NOPE - she was packing. She decided to leave the tour for good. It was a shame, but I think I would have been discouraged if I was in her position.  She was the last one to leave that morning (besides our cook crew - who are fairly strong riders - well I am the weakest rider) and it was pouring rain and she hadn't ridden in a couple of weeks. It wasn't meant to be for her. That is too bad, but this trip isn't really something that you can just sign on and do. It takes commitment and training - both mental and physical. Not saying that she didn't do the training, but I just got the feeling that she wasn't 100% committed. And TRUST ME - there are days when I think - what the heck am I doing?????   And I am committed - or maybe I NEED to be committed.

It rained for about 45 K. It wasn't all that bad. I prefer that it NOT rain as I am leaving. I don't mind if it starts to rain when I am out, but I really really hate to start out in the rain. There are VERY FEW places to stop along this lonely stretch of road, but at about the 45 K mark, there was a small hotel with a restaurant attached. We met up with some of the others and when we walked in, part of the place looked like a Chinese laundry. There were wet coats and jackets, gloves and helmets and various other bike apparel strung out in the shop to dry. We were not allowed to take out wet stuff into the restaurant. I had toast and tea and it was WONDERFUL.

When we left it had stopped raining. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was nice riding along Highway 17 (which is the TransCanada). Nice wide shoulders and fairly gentle hills. Although there is traffic on that highway, it really isn't a big deal because of the wide shoulders. I could ride that road a LOT.

At some point in the day we stopped at a gas station for some food. I got a half liter of milk and a bag of chips. Hey - why not!!!!   Well that was NOT a good idea. The milk and chips did NOT mix well and I wasn't feeling well for the rest of the ride. Nothing serious, but bad gas issues for the last 40 K. I know - not everything is rosy!!!!!  and that was probably more than you needed to know, but I did not have a good ride at the end of the day!

We took the scenic route to get to our campsite and for that last 40K we did NOT see rocks and trees. It was actually some nice farmland - grassland mostly.

A great dinner and got everything dried out from the day and the evening before (yes - we did have a bit of rain over night last night). No internet - but hey we are in Northern Ontario where there is NOTHING - nothing but rocks and trees for the most part. No cell service either. Very isolated.

When we went through Manitoba, some people had difficulty getting cell service, in particular those with Telus phones. For some reason, MTS and Telus do not like each other? Anyway, Clark (who is from Winnipeg and a MTS) customer was the ONLY one who was able to get service during this remote section of the trip. We had a good laugh over that. I remarked that perhaps he really didn't have service and was just pretending to talk. Of course, that did NOT bode well for image that I had made for myself of trusting no one.

It was a quiet evening at camp - I got a lot of reading done. Then off to bed.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!