My wallet was gone and I had accepted it. What I was finding harder and harder to accept was the fact that there was a possibility that I would be refused a plane ride back home for lack of identification. That kept me unsettled for some time.
Downey and I had set out south from Timmins on highway 144 and made our way down to the epically named town of Gogama. The towns name made you think of a super villain you would find in Lord of the Rings, but in reality is was nothing more than a small little railroad community. It was a nice place however when we arrived there was nothing open and no one around. The tavern and restaurants were closed and we unfortunately did not find any place where we could refill our depleted water bottles. That being the case, we countinued south on the 144 until we found an open motel/restaurant.
We walked inside the restaurant and asked to fill our bottles. It always piques peoples interest when two outsiders bike into a community, so in no time Downey and i were being questioned by the proprietor of the restaurant along with half of the clientel.
"So are you guys biking during the nigbt?" someone asked
"Probably just a few kilometers south of here" answered Downey.
"This is the last motel for a while, where are you going to sleep?"
"Outside some place" Said I.
"Its bear country out here, are you sure you want to do that?" Said another customer.
"You guys got a free room here and a free breakfast if you stay, I have had a friend pass away from Lou Gherrigs disease." said the proprietor.
And with that Downey and I had another warm room and dry bed to stay at. Our sincerest thanks to the staff and management at the stardust motel.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
July 26: Timmins
I used the first part of the day in Timmins to call the media and found myself in luck because a reporter with the Timmins paper was more than willing to come out that afternoon and meet Downey and I.
With the media portion of our duties out of the way for a little while, we proceeded to take care of our kit. Our sleeping bags needed to be washed and dried because they smelled quite rank and were becoming terrible to sleep in. There was also enough time to relax and explore the town, which certainly did not disappoint. Timmins was welcoming, warm and clean. It was worth the journey North and my wallet-less spirit managed to find happiness in this nice place.
In the afternoon we met with the reporter from the Timmins tribune and did our best to explain what it is we were doing and what we hoped to accomplish. We were in our biking clothes which had become the usual for media events and had a number of pictures taken. In an hour we were done. We thanked the reporter and were once again free to venture out and to enjoy the town.
With the media portion of our duties out of the way for a little while, we proceeded to take care of our kit. Our sleeping bags needed to be washed and dried because they smelled quite rank and were becoming terrible to sleep in. There was also enough time to relax and explore the town, which certainly did not disappoint. Timmins was welcoming, warm and clean. It was worth the journey North and my wallet-less spirit managed to find happiness in this nice place.
In the afternoon we met with the reporter from the Timmins tribune and did our best to explain what it is we were doing and what we hoped to accomplish. We were in our biking clothes which had become the usual for media events and had a number of pictures taken. In an hour we were done. We thanked the reporter and were once again free to venture out and to enjoy the town.
Timmins
Michael and I woke up to the great pleasure of our own beds in a warm cottage. We had many kilometres to catch up on. We set off bright and early as we had a large task ahead of us. The road was long and empty, as was the usual for these Ontario roads. But we made great progress for the first part of the day. Things became progressively harder as the sun rose in the sky.
Our progress was impeded by the intense heat, but we struggled through. I prepared lunch by the side of the road while Michael took a breather as heat exhaustion was a frightening thought for the both of us. We were back on the road in no time but it was not long before the heat was getting to us again. We cycled to the next restaurant to take shelter in a cool air conditioned room and enjoy a couple iced teas.
As we pulled into the parking lot, Michael ran in to the restaurant to place our order. My heart rate rose to a speeding panic as I reached my hand into my bag to grab my wallet, and only come up empty. I searched all my pockets but was equally disappointed with each one. My wallet was lost. That along with all my fun money, about 150$ for food and all my identification. Michael still had some money so he offered to pay for me.
Our iced teas and sandwiches tasted bland for the only thoughts occupying my mind were regarding the wallet that was no longer in my possession. After a hurried meal i returned to my bicycle to search my kit once again. When all my bags lay open and all my kit was scattered among the ground, almost on cue, the sky came crashing down in a torrential downpour of rain. The rain helped to wash away some of the dirt from my face and hands, but it could not wash away the feelings of disappointment and resentment i had towards myself for losing such an irreplaceable piece of kit.
Downey helped me gather my kit and move it under the nearby restaurant roof where we sat waiting for the rain to let up. After an hour of waiting in the wet air it became clear to us that the rain would be here to stay for a while, therefore we chose to just get showered on for the next 50 kms knowing we'd be well received in Timmins. Downey did his best to console me, but my mood was bad and the weather only made it worse.
We finally arrived at the Comfort Inn in Timmins around 1am. We had a room reserved for us thanks to the manager Don Paley who heard about what we were doing. Don had suffered directly at the hands of ALS when a family member of his passed away from it years ago and this was a way for him to repay us for our efforts.
Back at the hotel i took a long hot shower, then watched some television and was off to sleep in no time.
Our progress was impeded by the intense heat, but we struggled through. I prepared lunch by the side of the road while Michael took a breather as heat exhaustion was a frightening thought for the both of us. We were back on the road in no time but it was not long before the heat was getting to us again. We cycled to the next restaurant to take shelter in a cool air conditioned room and enjoy a couple iced teas.
As we pulled into the parking lot, Michael ran in to the restaurant to place our order. My heart rate rose to a speeding panic as I reached my hand into my bag to grab my wallet, and only come up empty. I searched all my pockets but was equally disappointed with each one. My wallet was lost. That along with all my fun money, about 150$ for food and all my identification. Michael still had some money so he offered to pay for me.
Our iced teas and sandwiches tasted bland for the only thoughts occupying my mind were regarding the wallet that was no longer in my possession. After a hurried meal i returned to my bicycle to search my kit once again. When all my bags lay open and all my kit was scattered among the ground, almost on cue, the sky came crashing down in a torrential downpour of rain. The rain helped to wash away some of the dirt from my face and hands, but it could not wash away the feelings of disappointment and resentment i had towards myself for losing such an irreplaceable piece of kit.
Downey helped me gather my kit and move it under the nearby restaurant roof where we sat waiting for the rain to let up. After an hour of waiting in the wet air it became clear to us that the rain would be here to stay for a while, therefore we chose to just get showered on for the next 50 kms knowing we'd be well received in Timmins. Downey did his best to console me, but my mood was bad and the weather only made it worse.
We finally arrived at the Comfort Inn in Timmins around 1am. We had a room reserved for us thanks to the manager Don Paley who heard about what we were doing. Don had suffered directly at the hands of ALS when a family member of his passed away from it years ago and this was a way for him to repay us for our efforts.
Back at the hotel i took a long hot shower, then watched some television and was off to sleep in no time.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Nowhere to just outside of Timmins
Up early at the side of the road, we headed east towards Timmins. Our spirits were a little low this morning. Not because we hadn't slept well, somehow we had managed that, but rather because we had to ration our food out for the day. Our problem was that there where no convenience stores anywhere on the highway. There was no easy way to replenish our stores. For that reason it wad PB and J sandwiches for a while.
The other factor that turnued up the level of suck is that the rain started again. It would rain just long enough for you to want to put your rain jacket on, and the stop as soon as you had it on.
Our food supplies were near Zero when we came across a cabin outfitters service called The Cute Couples Cabins, or something like that. Downey and I ventured inside to see if they sold food there as well.
"Do you guys sell any food here?" Downey asked.
"No sorry" nice lady
"How much for a room?" Joel
"for you guys.., 50$"
" Do you mind if we take some time to talk about it?"
Downey and I went outside to decide whether or not we could afford to pay the fifty dollars. the food budget was already low, but we still had 150$ donated to us by the Calgary ALS Society office that we hadn't touched.
"Do you boys have no food at all?"
it turns out the lady who owned the outfitters office heard us talkinbg about our situation and upon hearing what we were discussing decided not only to give us a cabin for the night for free, but also some of her own food to eat. It was very kind and generous of her.
That night we slept in nice warm beds, a far cry from the hard cold roads we were starting to get used to.
The other factor that turnued up the level of suck is that the rain started again. It would rain just long enough for you to want to put your rain jacket on, and the stop as soon as you had it on.
Our food supplies were near Zero when we came across a cabin outfitters service called The Cute Couples Cabins, or something like that. Downey and I ventured inside to see if they sold food there as well.
"Do you guys sell any food here?" Downey asked.
"No sorry" nice lady
"How much for a room?" Joel
"for you guys.., 50$"
" Do you mind if we take some time to talk about it?"
Downey and I went outside to decide whether or not we could afford to pay the fifty dollars. the food budget was already low, but we still had 150$ donated to us by the Calgary ALS Society office that we hadn't touched.
"Do you boys have no food at all?"
it turns out the lady who owned the outfitters office heard us talkinbg about our situation and upon hearing what we were discussing decided not only to give us a cabin for the night for free, but also some of her own food to eat. It was very kind and generous of her.
That night we slept in nice warm beds, a far cry from the hard cold roads we were starting to get used to.
Nowhere to Nowhere (timmins journey)
I hate alarm clocks. I find them extremely irritating. Hate everything about them. However I do have to admit that I would rather wake up to my alarm than the way I was woken up on this day.
My deep slumber and my marvelous dreams were broken apart by an oncoming transport who, when seeing Downey and I camping just off the road, laid on his horn as he passed right next to us. Needless to say we were up and surprisingly ready to go.
The day was a boring one. Very few small towns on the road, a couple of rest spots that were nice and some wildlife along the way (a lot of moose).
The main problem with this part of the bike ride was not the heat (although that was very uncomfortable) but rather it was boredom. Downey and I could not cycle next to each other due to the small shoulders and heavy traffic, nor would we have anything to say to each other if we could. Nothing against Downey, I love the guy, just know him too well.
Once again we found ourselves crashing just off the highway really late. No nice campsite anywhere near. It truly felt like sleeping in the middle of nowhere. The stars were brighter than I'd ever seen in my life and I felt strangely comfortable outdoors. In a life where the only constant is change, a starry sky is like sleeping under your roof.
My deep slumber and my marvelous dreams were broken apart by an oncoming transport who, when seeing Downey and I camping just off the road, laid on his horn as he passed right next to us. Needless to say we were up and surprisingly ready to go.
The day was a boring one. Very few small towns on the road, a couple of rest spots that were nice and some wildlife along the way (a lot of moose).
The main problem with this part of the bike ride was not the heat (although that was very uncomfortable) but rather it was boredom. Downey and I could not cycle next to each other due to the small shoulders and heavy traffic, nor would we have anything to say to each other if we could. Nothing against Downey, I love the guy, just know him too well.
Once again we found ourselves crashing just off the highway really late. No nice campsite anywhere near. It truly felt like sleeping in the middle of nowhere. The stars were brighter than I'd ever seen in my life and I felt strangely comfortable outdoors. In a life where the only constant is change, a starry sky is like sleeping under your roof.
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