Well here I am again. We are thoroughly enjoying the day off. Peter and I went to Niagara on the Lake and spent the night in a motel. What a treat and the privacy is kind of nice too. We are spending the day at our daughter and son-in-law in St. Anne's today. Nice to see family again. Our oldest son and daughter-in-law with their 3 kids were unable to make it today. We were all together on Friday for Jane Ann's birthday. It was great to get together with everybody. I will paste my diary of the last number of days in today's blog along with some more pictures.
Aug. 18, Mon.
Left from Calvin in beautiful weather. Sunny and bright as we left Calvin, cool but nice for riding. Had a great weekend away. It was nice to have some time to ourselves and now I'm ready to ride. Woke up with a sore hip and felt it as we left Calvin College. It did get somewhat better after taking aspirin and I stopped at the nurse's sag along way to get some achey muscle rub. My body is reminding me of my age I think!! Keeps me humble I guess. Peter and Joe started sagging today (that is) support and gear vehicle (not what you may have understood it to mean). Kind of neat to have them come along and serve us as we came to their stop. It was an awesome ride - just over 100 kms. with tail winds pushing us all the way. A nice way for the 'newbies', as the 60 newcomers are called, to get their cycling legs ready for the next two weeks. We have 3 newbies in our small group. It's a good way for them to feel like part of the group. When we got into camp - another State Park, I went for a swim in a small lake with my cycling clothes on since Joe and the trailer had not arrived at camp yet. It was sooo refreshing. Had a great sleep. I'm starting to remember more names all the time. Still don't know everybody from when I started in Denver but certainly recognize those who have been on the tour since I started. I met Gord Buys today (a newbie) and he works (part time now) with World Missions and knows Graemer and Case Van Wyk.
Also met Joanne Korvemaker's niece from the Clinton area. Small world!!
Aug.19 Tues.
A more difficult day today as we had 12-14 km./hr. head winds today and it was a 155 km. day today. It did get better in the afternoon. We started out early and made it in around 5:00 or so I think. Ended up not as bad as I would have thought. Well tomorrow we arrive in Ontario. Unbelievable how fast the time goes. We had a very interesting speaker at Pelaton meeting tonight. The wife of a minister who passed away in Feb. from Detroit spoke today about how her husband had a real ministry to the disadvantaged of the world. He was planning on riding the tour also but died of a heart attack at 41 I believe. Left a wife and a six year child. A member of his congregation also spoke and he talked about how he was encouraged by this Pastor to sign up for the tour. Very moving speaches, particularly by his wife. She encouraged us to do our part in ending the cycle of poverty whether that be cycling or some other form of action on behalf of the poor. Well I will now join the crowd that has gathered outside the trailer enjoying some fellowship and "refreshments". Looking so forward to seeing our family again and all the friends and familiar faces as we go into Ontario....get to sleep in my own bed in two nights. Yeahhhhh!!
A more difficult day today as we had 12-14 km./hr. head winds today and it was a 155 km. day today. It did get better in the afternoon. We started out early and made it in around 5:00 or so I think. Ended up not as bad as I would have thought. Well tomorrow we arrive in Ontario. Unbelievable how fast the time goes. We had a very interesting speaker at Pelaton meeting tonight. The wife of a minister who passed away in Feb. from Detroit spoke today about how her husband had a real ministry to the disadvantaged of the world. He was planning on riding the tour also but died of a heart attack at 41 I believe. Left a wife and a six year child. A member of his congregation also spoke and he talked about how he was encouraged by this Pastor to sign up for the tour. Very moving speaches, particularly by his wife. She encouraged us to do our part in ending the cycle of poverty whether that be cycling or some other form of action on behalf of the poor. Well I will now join the crowd that has gathered outside the trailer enjoying some fellowship and "refreshments". Looking so forward to seeing our family again and all the friends and familiar faces as we go into Ontario....get to sleep in my own bed in two nights. Yeahhhhh!!
Aug. 20 Wed.
Left Richmond around 7:30 or so. It was a short ride to the boarder. A very pretty town where we had time to enjoy a coffee and huge cinnamon bun. I shared mine with Dora. It was a meal in itself. We swamped the restaurant with sea to sea riders. The service was excellent considering how many of us were in there. Another beautiful day once again. We have been blessed with awesome weather. It was quite a site to see all the riders gathered at the edge of the water waiting for the ferry. We went over in three groups and the boarder crossing went very smoothly, without a hitch. What a hub of excitement at the other side in Sombra. There were so many people to greet us on the other side. We were warmly welcomed with clapping and shouts of encouragement. It was pretty thrilling for us, especially for those of us who were Canadian. I've never been so excited about crossing the boarder before!! Even Tim Horton's coffee and cupcakes were there to make us feel at home. Each cupcake had a Canadian flag on it. The rest of the ride into Chatham was nice and flat although we had East winds of all things. While training I don't remember having Easterly winds. What's with that. I thought we were riding West to east because of the prevailing winds!! We were well received and encouraged along the way to Chatham alongside the route as well as when we arrived into Chatham. People opened up their homes so we could enjoy their pool. There were three pools within walking distance. I took advantage of that and had a nice swim and shower at the Janssen (not sure of proper spelling). We are sure being pampered on this tour. We were served an excellent meal by the Chatham churches with more food than we could consume, and that's quite a bit when you're cycling all day.
Left Richmond around 7:30 or so. It was a short ride to the boarder. A very pretty town where we had time to enjoy a coffee and huge cinnamon bun. I shared mine with Dora. It was a meal in itself. We swamped the restaurant with sea to sea riders. The service was excellent considering how many of us were in there. Another beautiful day once again. We have been blessed with awesome weather. It was quite a site to see all the riders gathered at the edge of the water waiting for the ferry. We went over in three groups and the boarder crossing went very smoothly, without a hitch. What a hub of excitement at the other side in Sombra. There were so many people to greet us on the other side. We were warmly welcomed with clapping and shouts of encouragement. It was pretty thrilling for us, especially for those of us who were Canadian. I've never been so excited about crossing the boarder before!! Even Tim Horton's coffee and cupcakes were there to make us feel at home. Each cupcake had a Canadian flag on it. The rest of the ride into Chatham was nice and flat although we had East winds of all things. While training I don't remember having Easterly winds. What's with that. I thought we were riding West to east because of the prevailing winds!! We were well received and encouraged along the way to Chatham alongside the route as well as when we arrived into Chatham. People opened up their homes so we could enjoy their pool. There were three pools within walking distance. I took advantage of that and had a nice swim and shower at the Janssen (not sure of proper spelling). We are sure being pampered on this tour. We were served an excellent meal by the Chatham churches with more food than we could consume, and that's quite a bit when you're cycling all day.
Aug. 21 Thur
Today I get to cycle home. What a wonderful feeling to be in familiar territory again. It's been almost 4 weeks since I've left my comfortable bed and home. It seemed like a long ride today but I think it was more the excitement of going home and seeing friends and family that made it seem long because we only did 121 today. We did experience head winds though which made it tiring. East winds once again. Today was the flattest roads we've been on since I started in Denver. Along the way once again people were at the end of their driveways cheering us on. The support is so encouraging!! We stopped at one spot where some kids were fixing fence where sheep were grazing. We stopped to talk to them about our trip and gave them some wrist bands we had taken along to give out. The oldest boy went to the house and came back with a donation for us. Several other cyclists have had this experience along the way as you may have read on other sea to sea blogs. As soon as we arrived near in London at Springbank Dr. I met someone I knew. Then at the fork of the Thames some more familiar faces. It was good to get to the highschool where I knew my family would be waiting for me. Many of my close friends were there also. On route to the highschool were Peter, Amanda, Andrew and Ryan as well as Emma whom Amanda babysits. Andrew who is 2&1/2 kind of gave me this funny look. I guess I didn't look much like Grandma with my helmet and sunglasses on. It didn't take long though and he gave me his winning smile. Tim arrived later at the highschool. Andrew thought I should share my supper with him, especially the corn-on-the cob which he loves. Marg and Willie were there as well to greet me. You realize how precious friends and family are when you've been away for a while. I was sooo looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. We invited several other c2c riders to stay at our house. Peter had all the beds clean and even did laundry for us the day before. I need to go on a bike trip more often I think!! I thought it would be more difficult to leave our home the next morning but knowing it's only one week and I'll be done the tour helps I guess. Of course it helps that my husband Peter is riding along the last two weeks as "sag" driver (support and gear).
Aug. 22 - Fri.
Started out around 7:15 from the highschool in London. Our local paper in Dorchester, the Signpost met us at 8:00 to take some pictures of us coming up the bridge before turning on Hamilton Rd. Jake Pasma, Kevin Pasma, Alida Spoelstra and myself would have o ur moment of fame in our local weekly newspaper. We had several stops along the way to Hamilton. The first was a coffee and muffin stop in Ingersoll. Another one along the way to Woodstock where "boter Koek" was served and then in Woodstock where we had lunch. Also had a stop in Brantford and well wishers along the sides of the streets. So much support. It's so neat!! Jane Ann's birthday today. I am looking forward to seeing the rest of our children today. We plan on celebrating her birthday together in Hamilton tonight. I wasn't sure who would be at Redeemer to greet me but there they were, Peter, Jane Ann, Karen & her 4 girls, Jessica, April, Bethany and Lydia, Char, Ken & little Caitlin, Vince, Randa and Peter, Mya and Leah. I really was surprised to see them all there!! Had a nice supper with them all that evening. The ride was great today. Winds from the South East I think.
Aug.23-Sat.
A short day today, only 80 kms. or so. It's always more on the odometer on my bike than the route tells me it is so I always need to add about 5 kms. or so. Today should have been a short day but we had so many stops today since Hamilton, Beamsville, Grimsby and St. Catharines are all very close together and we also stopped at Shalom Manor - a senior's complex in Grimsby. I grazed all day long, eating every 10 kms. or so I think. So neat to meet so many people and experience the incredible support along the way. I may come home 10 lbs. heavier at this rate!! Peter and I are staying in a motel tonight and going out for a nice quiet supper. We ended up in Niagara on the Lake since all the motels in St. Catharines were pretty full. We had made reservations at one motel and then realized there was a room next to us with several party people. Felt we wouldn't get any sleep that night so moved on to Niagara on the Lake where we did find a room available. Tomorrow, Sunday a day off. God knows we need that day of rest to be inspired and refreshed spiritually again for the week ahead. Looking forward to spending the morning with my family and having them join us at the celebration service in St. Catharines.
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