A taste of the Trans Canada highway

This was our second day on the road to Vancouver. We planned 3 training sessions during the commute to the West coast and today was to be the first. As we were driving along yesterday and today, I must say the paved shoulder looked like nothing more than a thin white line and the trucks were speeding along at 100 K/hr. Where was I supposed to ride? When we found a good pull-over location to unload my bike, I saw first hand from the side of the road how fast the trucks were moving and how much air they push ahead of them. Again I wondered how I could actually ride on the Trans Canada.


A stretch of the Trans Canada highway, courtesy of cbc.ca

For the first 30 or 40 minutes of the ride I was almost rigid, and when I heard that first truck coming up behind me, I hung on tight and just kept pedalling. Actually the impact was not too bad. The driver had moved all the way over into the oncoming lane to give me as much room as possible. Over and over this happened not only with the trucks but also the vehicles. Coming from the GTA where there is little allowance for the riders by the drivers, I was surprised and relieved, and became more comfortable very quickly. After a couple of hours my wife Carol and daughter Lindsay caught up in the support vehicle and to top off a great ride, Lindsay joined me for almost an hour for her inaugural ride on the Trans-Canada.

Later we repacked the bikes and continued our drive to Thunder Bay. It was a great day!

Practice runs

With temperatures in the mid teens last weekend, I just had to get out on the road. So I headed out on my bike for the first ride of the season - only about 26 km but it sure felt great. We need a lot more of that kind of weather. I was also down at the Bike Show checking out the latest gear. Based on the crowds I can only assume that the cycling community is strong and growing. Got a good deal on bike tubes - figure I'll be needing quite a few for The Ride. Two of the kids have reached out on Facebook to 514 friends who will hopefully connect with their own network of friends. Not having experience with Facebook I don't know where it will lead, however I do know that we have instantly raised awareness about mental health with a large group of people. And that's our goal - Awareness Works!

73 days to go!

There are just 73 days ‘til we hit the road in Vancouver. Our team has been amazing. Just look at this website! Many thanks to Paul Ironstone who has worked countless hours to construct it. The Local Event Organizing Committees are in place and the event plans are underway. Be sure to check the website for details as they unfold.

I am feeling fit and ready. My physical check-up went well this well, and winter training has been, well it’s been winter training. I have been working on building core strength, leg power and have worked on flexibility. Weights, a few spin classes and lots of stretching are the norm for my workouts. I can’t wait to get out on the road with my new bike thanks to the sponsorship of Cam Ubell at Bay Street Document Systems.