Day 38 - Rabbit Blanket to Pancake Bay

The good news when we woke up - there was NO RAIN.

The bad news - there were slugs on my tent (ICK ICK ICK!!!!) and it was COLD!!!!!!

I dressed in four layers AGAIN!!!! It was very cold riding - the temperature when we started was SEVEN DEGREES!!!!!   So much for that heat wave that I was expecting when we crossed Ontario, HOWEVER - I am NOT complaining. I am happy that it is "cooler", but a few degrees warmer would be quite nice!!!!

It was hard to tell if there was rain or whether we were just riding through the mist. But it was WET again.

We rode along Lake Superior all day which was beautiful, but didn't get to see too much as we didn't have the best shoulder on the road so we had to focus on the darn road AGAIN!!!!!

I do have to say that most people have given us a wide berth. The big cattle trucks are the WORST. And it seems that if two vehicles need to pass - they pass right BESIDE one of us. I don't know why that happens, but it drives me crazy. One of those motorists could slow slightly to prevent them passing us at the same time. But no one would give an inch for a mere cyclist!!!   And yes the shoulder was crappy for part of the day. I just take my time and ride. I am NOT going to be intimidated by a stupid driver - OK - so I lose if something happens, but I am NOT going to be intimidated into NOT riding. Sometimes the trucks in particular come close, but for some reason it doesn't bother me, but HEIGHTS - well I am terrified of heights!!!

We stopped at the Visitor Center in one of the Lake Superior parks. It was a great place to warm up - they had tea and coffee from the Keurig machine AND they also gave us access to WiFi. Oh - it was so nice to be in contact with the real world again!!!!!   Can you imagine doing something like this and having NO CONTACT with the real world for a couple of weeks??????   I guess we are just too used to being connected!

I am definitely finding the mental part of the trip way more challenging than the physical part. It seems so easy to just put your butt on the seat and ride. The legs are OK with that - but the brain - well sometimes it asks too many questions. Fortunately there is no brain in my butt - it just gets on the bike and rides!!!!    I try to massage my legs each night before going to bed and that seems to help, but I guess I should be doing a bit more stretching as well.

I sometimes get a few tweaks in my butt or my legs or the knees, but for the most part, everything is working just the way it should. And the Brooks saddle - well there is NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING like a Brooks saddle for long distances. I haven't had to use any Chamois cream and I have had no problems. My butt is quite happy. A few people are still having trouble with their bike seats - I can't imagine!  And I know what it is like to have issues with too tight muscles or other issues. It happened on the Arctic trip and it wasn't pleasant. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

As we got closer to camp, we saw signs announcing a store where one could buy groceries and crafts. Then a few K along the road, there was another sign. Then another. Well - this must be a happening spot and it better NOT be closed.

One of the things we noticed as we rode across Norther Ontario - there is a lot of desolation and isolation. Many motels or restaurants are closed or run down. The funniest was the sign that we passed announcing the REOPENING SOON of a motel. Sounds like a perfect place to stop for lunch. However when we arrived at said motel - it was a burned out shell. Hmmmmm - opening soon??????  Well we got quite a chuckle out of that one.

Anyway - the other place with all the signs was TWO K past the camp site. But we went ahead and found a HUGE tourist place. Groceries, crafts (tons of different crafts) AND ICE CREAM. It was a neat place and I am glad we stopped. I would have bought something if I would have had room.

As we were sitting there enjoying the ice cream - well Neil, Danny and Jacques were enjoying their ice cream a miracle happened. YES - the SUN CAME OUT!!!!!  I forgot to mention that earlier in the day - I actually saw my shadow for a few seconds. Darn near scared me off my bike!!!!  We arrived in camp to a warm sunny rest of the afternoon. It was glorious!!!!!     Managed to get all my wet gear dried - stuff that had been wet for a day or two. What a great feeling.

Some of the bags had been sitting outside earlier in the day and were not covered by a tarp and they got wet. So some of that had to be dried as well. I also took all of Bob and Irene's stuff (it was still on the truck) and got that dried out so when the family picked it up - it wouldn't be disgusting.

We had a wonderful dinner again - yep - not losing much weight!!!!   But that is OK. The campsite was awesome and there was a beautiful beach on Lake Superior and the cell service on the beach was the best we have had for days.

Oh yes forgot to mention this, but on the days when we have rain, my head is like a cork. I zip up my big rain jacket and hunker down so that my chin and head form a cork in the top of the jacket. Hey - no laughing - it works - I don't get wet inside that jacket!!!!   Even in the pouring rain.

Once that sun went down - well it got cold real quick. Back to the stinky tent. I need an air freshener or something to perk it up a bit!!!!  But it is slug free and dry and so I can deal with the smell.


It was great to hear from everyone on Facebook and hopefully the communications will be a bit better the closer we get to civilization!!!!!

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



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