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August 27, 2005
We made it!!!
110 days and 8,200 kms later, we arrive home! Courtenay, BC.
Read on for the final two days.....
And keep logging on - we have a lot more stuff going on through to
November!! Thanks to all our friends and supporters for all the
Blog messgaes - keep them coming!
After all the press at Mile Zero, we were welcomed at the home of
Jean and Ramsay in Deep Cove for a wonderful chicken papaya meal,
and our first glass of wine in weeks!
Our last night on the road in Parksville, the owners of the
Skylite Motel, Hugh and Juliann Sinnoff, gave us a lovely big room
for free! What wonderful people. If any of our followers are ever
in this area, please support them!
Photo shows Maxine with their son Steve.
Maxine's friend Nat meets us on the road just before we reached
Courtenay.
An hour earlier Nat, and we would have bought you lunch with us!
Here we are at Courtenay, where we were met by the local press,
The Courtenay Echo, for photo and interview - read all about us!
We were also interviewed by phone for the local radio, Magic FM!
Posted by Dave at 08:09 PM | Comments ()
August 24, 2005
Photo gallery No.8 - Mile Zero No. 2!
Almost home! After leaving the mountains behind us, we stopped off in Alderbrook for lunch at the White Spot, where Colin, the owner, graciously paid for a wonderful lunch. Later that afternoon we arrived at Mike and Marnie's home in Tswwassen. We stayed overnight with them and their daughter Lauren and son Aidan who had just returned from the PNE full of his day's excitment. We were fed a great BBQ - just what we needed after another day of more than 100kms cycling! Next morning off to the ferry, and then to Mile Zero in Victoria where we were met by Corri, TV, Press and Radio - plus a busload of foreign tourists all of whom wanted their photo taken with us! Now see the photos.....
Here we are about to ascend the second part of the Coquihalla -
another day of over a 1000 metres elevation gain!
Young Aidan leads the way via his shortcut to Tswwassen
(Marnie, his Mom, came along so she could also see the "shortcut")
Mile Zero! Only about 8,000 kms and 15 weeks since we were at Mile Zero
in Newfoundland! Maxine's favourite eldest son Corri, was there to meet us.
Just a small section of the 5th Estate interviewing us!
Posted by Dave at 04:14 PM | Comments ()
August 21, 2005
Clearwater, great B&B
We lucked out at a great B&B in Clearwater where they were so interested in what we were doing they arranged for the local paper to come and interview us at breakfast the next morning. Wow, and was breakfast good. The best so far with a lot of the secret ingredient. A couple from Isreal were also staying and gave a donation. We would have liked to stay and chat with them more. Very interesting couple. So after a photo session with our cheery reporter and a goodbye to our special hosts, we rode off with a tailwind to Kamloops.
While having dinner on the street at a Greek restaurant we were given 2 more donations from people who had passed us on the road. After eating we went to a B&B not meant for cyclists. Up a hill posted 15% grade! I wanted to have a tantrum but that is hard on a bike, (she used the "f" word .... Dave) so up we went. The next morning we bought a couple of sandwiches for the road and set off for Coquihalla, part one. Check out the photo gallery no.7 for this one. We seemed to climb forever (total elevation gained over 50kms was 1245 Metres!). It was fun at the summit taking pictures and getting honks from cars and our silent supporters, the truck drivers.
The ride down to Merritt was great fun. We are certainly gaining interest from passers-by from our flags, and I really enjoy when the young ones come up and ask about where we have been and where we are going. It's fun to see the exprestions on their faces.
Right now the Merritt library has given their support by opening up a special room for us to blog on. Another show of kindness that we always seem to find.
Breakfast and press interview Wyndhaven Place B&B. Best breakfast ever. :)
Stay tuned for Coquihalla part 2. peace ..... Maxine
Posted by Dave at 10:15 AM | Comments ()
August 20, 2005
Time Flies....
I can't believe we are coming close to the end of our journey. After leaving Hinton we saw a doe and her two bambis, and later a black bear ran across the road as well. Not long enough to take a picture but you will have to take our word on this one - like the timber wolves in Ontario.
We had a great lunch at the Overlanders Restaurantand and then continued on to Jasper - in the rain of course! Arrived at a destination B&B soaking wet, and next morning as we set off there was no wind and we climbed to 1066 M. We just missed a bad accident so it put a bit of a sad slant on the ride. It took forever for help to pass us on its way to the scene. Then away we flew, downhill to Mt. Robson and on to Valemount where we spent the night. It was raining hard so we spent the night in a cheap motel, very clean, by the railway tracks and apparently there are trains in the night every 1/2 hour that need to blow their whistles about 4 times each to make sure we know they are there! The whole room shook as they went by.
We met Alan from Wisconsin riding from Skagway to Montana. See picture in the gallery. Of course like most of the riders we met, he is young!! That night was Blue River - mountain bike crazy place! A must for those who want a challenge. The food was fantastic as well. Good to be back in BC.
While stopping on the side of the road in Avola for a quick drink and a story of my Hyundai in the ditch while on road with my boys, (many moons ago), we met a couple from Courtenay. They had read about us in the local paper and were thrilled to see us on the road. We were happy to see them as well. Nice to see folks from home.
After stopping for lunch at Hole in the Wall, we enjoyed the hint of a tailwind into Clearwater.
More Clearwater to come - cheers, Maxine.
Posted by Dave at 06:04 PM | Comments ()
August 19, 2005
Photo Gallery No. 7 - Through the Rockies
Quite some new scenery after the Prairies!
Yellowhead Lake in the Rockies on another cloudy day.
A bad weather day in the mountains!
We meet Alan west of Jasper cycling from Skagway to Montana
Mount Robson - highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.
More bad weather....
...and yet more bad weather!!
We rode uphill for 50kms to reach this summit on the Coquihalla Highway!
We really liked this sign!!
Look closely and you will see Maxine racing the truck downhill!
Posted by Dave at 02:56 PM | Comments ()
August 13, 2005
Photo Gallery No. 6 - West Alberta
Maxine down teenage memory lane in Evansburg AB (This used to be the pool hall)
Can you see the Rockies on the horizon?
Top of the Yellowhead Highway!
Maxine meets nephew Scott ........
..... and his Mom Sandy in Hinton, AB.
Posted by Dave at 08:30 PM | Comments ()
We see the Rockies!
We left Edmonton on a cold and windy morning after breakfast with Andrew before he went off to work (Work? What's that?!) It took a long time to clear Edmonton what with 40 kph headwinds and a very long train stopped at a crossing holding up all the traffic!
Kept going to a place called Stony Plain where we had lunch at Boston Pizza with Deb - a friend of Maxine's from way back. They had a lot to talk about!! It was a long lunch, but finally had to say goodbye, and off into the headwinds again. We kept going for 113 kms and saw 2 moose crossing a farmer's field - they simply stepped over the fence!
Two days and 190 kms later, we were in Hinton and en route, got our first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains on the horizon - they don't seem so big from here? Here in Hinton we are spending the night with Sandy - another friend of Maxine's and her son Scott who is Maxine's nephew and was visiting for the weekend. I will probably be asleep a long time before they finish catching up on each others' news!! Tomorrow we head for Jasper, into and eventually, across the Rockies.
Posted by Dave at 06:45 PM | Comments ()
August 10, 2005
Photo Gallery No. 5 - Prairies Part 2
- Saskatchewan and Alberta
Steve meets us 200 kms east of Saskatoon. (He took us back to this same spot after our visit!)
A visit to Saskatchewan wouldn't be complete without a wooden grain elevator
So who said Saskatchewan is flat?!
This storm literally blew us into Saskatoon!
Saskatchewan River valley breaks up the flat prairie.
We thought this Alberta town was very quaint - Kitscoty.
Here we are at the world's biggest Easter Egg in Vegreville, Alberta.
Maxine enjoys seeing her family - Uncle Mike ....
... and cousin Norman in Vegreville ....
... and favourite youngest son Andrew in Edmonton .....
... and brother Harold in Calgary.
Posted by Dave at 05:10 PM | Comments ()
Catching up in Edmonton
We arrived in Vegreville on Saturday and were picked up by Norman (Maxine's cousin) at the Pysanka (world's largest Easter egg). Norman dropped us off at Maxine's Uncle Mike's farm for a very much appreciated home cooked meal of BBQ ribs, fresh garden peas and banana potatoes followed by home made Saskatoon pie! We were in food heaven. Then out to the garden to pick peas and carrots for the next day's ride munchies.
Norman came back after dinner and we stayed the night on his farm. It was wonderful to to catch up and see everyone again. I hope they take us up on coming out to the Island. In the morning Terry, (Norman's wife) made us real oatmeal and after a good breakfast and a warm visit we were dropped off back at the Pysanka to head off again, against the wind. We stopped at the Ukranian village for lunch and pushed on to Edmonton. We were eager to get to favorite youngest son's house where we stayed for three days. During that time we caught up with Maxine's family. It was a priority and was good to see them and hopefully we will do it more often.
Thursday morning we will be on our way out of town and hope to make it to Evansburg. It has been a long time since Maxine has been there as she grew up there through her teen years. She is looking forward to the flash visit to see the changes!
Thanks for the numbers, Aub. Not sure I will have time to phone but will try.
Can't wait to see Laura and Shanna when I get back and see my puppies and fat cat. Work will be nice but interesting as usual. Those of you who know, know why. Always new staff. Keeps life interesting.
Until next time, this is Maxine blogging out...stay tuned ....:}
Posted by Dave at 10:23 AM | Comments ()
August 04, 2005
Last two days sucked!!!
We had a great time in Saskatoon with Steve and we headed out on Tuesday and ran straight into a head wind. Hmm... well we soldiered on and did 75 k before calling it a day.
That day we met a guy named Greg, who was going the right way to Halifax, and had dinner with him. We camped and the next morning on the way to breakfast I had a flat tire. By the time the flat was fixed and the tire was changed the wind was 50 k in our faces and we said forget this and got a room and rested our weary bones.
We will be late into Edmonton but hopefully we will get another day of glory.
Keeping it real...Maxine
Posted by Dave at 02:09 PM | Comments ()