Left Medicine Hat well rested with our stomachs full. Quickly learned to drive as fast as everyone else.

Some 700 km’s later we arrived in Sicamous, BC. Stayed with Cheryl’s High school friend Trina and her husband Mark. They were so nice to us and showed around the area.

Monday mid afternoon we got to Vancouver, after stopping in Abbotsford to see the bike shop that is a part of Harv Bergens life. Staying the night at Paul and Adele in Vancouver.

Tomorrow we make our way to the island and start cycling on Wednesday.

Highlights from our first day on the road heading to Vancouver Island.

Saw a cyclist who was loaded down and was pulling a trailer with a dog. We stopped and wanted to hear his story. But he had no time for us and kept going.

Got to 37 degrees today. A very good day to be sitting in a cool van and not cycling.

We are thankful for a safe day of driving. Days Inn provided us a bed and Montana’s the meal. Medicine Hat is our stop for night.

We have moved into the third R of the “ride, rest, reflect” triad of alliteration.

Quote of the weekend: “Touring by bicycle can be a metaphor for life. Each day comes with highs, lows and there are always struggles that need to be overcome…

OK, it sounded better in my head…” Gerald (after ordering food and before a nap)

Why interviews? Well, CTV news never got back to us and we had things we wanted to say! Also, Amelia thought it would be fun, (until she had to type up everything that was said…).

Amelia interviews Gerald:

A: How did this trip compare to other tours that you’ve done? (What was the same/different?)

G: Cycling is such a unique way to travel because the pace is so different. Cycling really causes you to slow down. All tours (for me) come with the struggle of sleeping and eating properly. There is the unknown of where you’re going to sleep and the importance of refuelling often. I find I need to fill my tank fully with regular meals. Food is interesting. I’ve learned over time what the right foods are for me to have as snacks along a ride (example: ice cream is a no, no while cycling). 

A big difference between this trip and others was that I was completing it with another person. On top of that, you have never done this before. I found there was a different lead up in that I needed to do my due diligence to ensure you were prepared. At the same time, I had a strong desire to care for you as my daughter. On the trip, I recognized the need to listen to one another without judgement before honouring the other persons needs. It helps to have the same mindset and build a relationship of respect with the other person.

A: What surprised you about cycling with me?

G: I was surprised by your endurance and your willingness to do more. I was not expecting to bike all the way to Kenora, because the end is usually the end, so 5 stars to you! I was also surprised by your flexibility and how well you adapted to unknown conditions. For example, on our second day when the forecast was calling for rain and thunderstorms you weren’t worried! But I was feeling protective and paternal, so that was interesting. Lastly, it was fun to recognize how similar we are when we are hungry. We had an idea of how to relate to each other (what to say and what NOT to say) when the other was in need of food.

A: What was the most challenging part of this trip?

G: The challenging part of any cycling trip is that there are so many unknowns. There are unknowns in regards to sleeping location and physical energy levels, as well as variables beyond your control such as wind direction and speed. This trip had the added challenge of maintaining cleanliness, which was not planned!

A: What comments do you have about the places we slept for night on this trip?

G: Sleeping in different places wasn’t really all that new for me. Although, I have never experienced going into a building unauthorized before! I find it helpful to have an idea of places to set up the tent in mind. What matters most to me is that I feel safe.

A: Would you ever go on another cycling trip with me?

G: I would love to! I would love to do another cycling trip with anyone (especially family), but we would have to have an agreed upon style. 

A: What are you planning for your next cycling trip?

G: Tip, to tip, to tip—a tour of Vancouver Island— a trip that almost occurred this summer with Cheryl until you interjected. (A: I was more serious when I first expressed interest in going across Manitoba then was originally understood. To summarize: plans changed!)

A: What other thoughts do you want to share?

G: This trip was a rare opportunity. I am glad that we were able to do this together. We were actually able to do it. And we had so much fun! I feel proud and fulfilled. 

A: I learned a lot from you on this trip—the importance of having cash when travelling and criteria for night lodging being just a few examples. You made this trip memorable and I feel so blessed that we did this together. For you, I would pick out all the corn nuts from the snack mix so you would be more willing to eat it. Thank you for your planning and then for allowing all the plans to change as we turned a trek across Manitoba into an adventure.

*We want to extend a huge thank you to YOU! It was so fun to write for an audience. Each of your comments and thoughts meant so much to us and we are so grateful for your support and prayers over the blessedly sunny past two weeks. 

Your support has far exceeded our expectations. To date, we have raised $8155 to support MCC’s work in the Ukraine! Thank you!!

Our donation page will remain open for another month, so you can still share our fundraising efforts with others. (And while you’re sharing, you may as well pass on a link to this blog!)*

Rested, reflected and (now) retired, 

Gerald and Amelia

The bike wheels are idle. Helmets dangle from handlebars and the bike chains threaten to grease anything that gets too close. We sit, not on the saddles, but within the comfortable confines of bucket seats within the Grand Caravan. We’re going home. 

Cheryl (graciously) came to pick us up. She joined in our final adventures in Kenora and listened to our stories (many of which she had already read on this blog). 

Today, Amelia went shopping with her Mom while Gerald found the “Man’s bench” or hoovered by the door and attempted to sleep standing up. We ate ice cream, enjoyed a beach and got lost, found and lost again on a hike. (In the end we completed a portion of three different trails and managed to find our way back to the entrance relatively unscathed.) 

For dinner, we revisited the Nite Hawk Cafe in West Hawk Lake (our lunch spot on day 11). Satisfied and sleepy, we are now on our way home. After cycling for 10 days, this trip with take only 2.5 hours. 

Due to the sleepy state of these writers, the interview with Gerald will be posted tomorrow.

Looking forward to sleeping in our own beds tonight,

Gerald and Amelia

After cycling 983 kms over the past 11 days, we exercised our walking legs today by exploring stores around Kenora. We ended the day with a tour on the M.S. Kenora—an informative tour and scenic cruise rolled into one.

____________________________________

When you’re writing a daily blog documenting a cycling trip, having a day when you’re not cycling appears problematic. When we first decided to take a day off, we also discussed what we would share for that day’s blog. Amelia came up with the idea of interviewing one another. Surprisingly, enough happened on our day off (see Day 8) that we never shared our interviews of one another with you. Now that we have completed the trip we were documenting and sharing on this blog, we will take time to share our interviews. Today will feature Amelia’s answers to Gerald’s questions.

Gerald interviewing Amelia:

*These questions were asked and answered on day 8 of our travels. At that point we were about 2/3 of the way through our trip.*

G: In preparing for this trip, I suggested that it was just as important to be mentally prepared as it is to be physically prepared. Having travelled well over 600 kms now, what are your thoughts on this statement?

A: I agree that there needs to be a balance between physical and mental preparation. Mental preparation involves developing an open mindset, which allows for acceptance of whatever may come each day. Motivation and perseverance are required for long distance riding and both can be developed through mental preparation. I think it is also important to do some physical training and that one needs to make time before a trip to do so. 

G: Can you name something about cycling with me that surprised you (good or bad)?

A: Observing a laid back attitude towards time and hearing the words, “it doesn’t matter, take your time.” This was something I did not expect and it took some getting used to, especially after consistently being told to “hurry up” as a teen. 

G: What has been the hardest thing you have had to deal with on this trip?

A: Bugs. Especially ants, flies and mosquitoes. 

G: We have slept in some interesting places. What are your thoughts regarding how a sleeping place is chosen?

A: When travelling by bike it seems we didn’t chose the sleeping place so much as it chose us… I learned that it’s important to explore all your options and not to leave any unlocked doors closed. 

G: If given the opportunity, would you go on another cycling trip with me?

A: If circumstances allow for it, definitely!

____________________________________

Living in comfort at the Comfort Inn,

Gerald and Amelia

“This is going to be a good day!” Gerald’s joyful exclamation (made just about every morning) was met by a soft groan as Amelia turned over in her sleeping bag. Gerald’s statement has been true everyday, but today was to be exceptional—we were going to ride the final kilometres to complete our journey across Manitoba.

Today was full of special little moments. The sun was warm and welcoming when we set off, but the road was not yet bustling with traffic. We found wild blueberries at our breaks and split muffins at our breakfast.

We geared up and down through the many hills of the Whitshell—chasing after one another as we did so. Just after West Hawk Lake we took a path marked “No Thru Road,” because Gerald had seen it on Google Maps and knew that it would lead us to the #1. We had a chuckle, upon emerging next to the highway, at signs claiming that “Google is wrong!”

Staying true to traditions established early on this trip, we went through every construction zone today. Because why start using detours now?!

On August 1st we left Togo, Saskatchewan with the goal of biking across Manitoba. Almost 1000 kms later (we may have enjoyed a few extra trails), we have reached the border between Manitoba and Ontario. Now our original plan was to arrive at this spot on August 14 and have Cheryl (Gerald’s wife) pick us up at the border. Seeing as we’re a few days ahead of schedule and this entire adventure has been more about the journey than the destination, we decided to change the destination. Plans changed. Again.

We are now sitting in a hotel room in Kenora. Surprise! Seeing as we spent the first part of our trip travelling through Saskatchewan, Amelia petitioned that it was only fair if we spent an equal amount of time in Ontario. To celebrate the completion of our trip across Manitoba, we first cycled an extra 50 kms out of Manitoba and then checked into a hotel.

In order to guarantee a place tonight, we changed our ways and reserved a room. Just as monotony was causing Amelia to second guess why we had booked a place, a pair of pliers were required to get us into our assigned room (which hadn’t been cleaned) and the adventure continued!

We are now indulging in a few luxuries: separate queen sized beds, electricity and the ability to shower (or bathe!) frequently! 

It feels surreal to have successfully completed the main league of this trip, but it is invigorating to think of what tomorrow will hold. 

*There will still be a blog post tomorrow. Come back to find out what it’s about!*

Clean and luxuriously spread out,

Gerald and Amelia

The music bellows through the breeze as we descend one hill and then pant up the next one. The words of Ellie Holcomb shift over and around us as both a reminder of God’s love and our need to care for one another. 

“Up and over the mountains

Valley deep as the ocean

When you can’t keep going

I will shoulder your burdens”

We chose I Will Carry You as our theme song because it resonates with our faith values and our purpose for this trip. Sometimes we need to carry others and other times we need to allow ourselves to be carried.

As evidenced by the drinking water sign provided just moments after we finished our dinner and emptied all but a scant few drops of water, God does provide. During this adventure it has also been made clear that God’s provision doesn’t always appear as we think it should (or want it to…).

We have been blessed by fantastic weather this entire trip, but given the bugs we experience nightly, we are grateful to have fabric that secures to poles and pegs to bubble around us. Our tent shelter is a rectangle that leaves little else to be described. In a rough measurement provided by Gerald’s shoe, we concluded that our sleeping space measures about 3.5 feet by 6 feet inside. There are two of us that sleep in this small space and Gerald is a tall human! 

With God’s grace, we can get through anything. Especially if we are only in this tent for one more night! 

Today went something like this:

We…

-woke up

-biked to Drifter’s Inn for breakfast

-biked to Seven Sisters Falls 

-had lunch at Jennifer’s Picnic

-checked out Whitemouth Falls Provincial Park

-biked to the Whiteshell

-had supper somewhere (added water to a dry food bag)

-chatted and dreamed

-biked some more

-set up camp at Brereton Lake Campground

-(coming soon!) slept

A big highlight was playing with the drone in multiple locations. 

We travelled 102kms today and the end of our journey is in sight! 

Just a reminder:

“I will carry you

Through your darkest night

When you’re terrified

I will carry you

When the waters rise

When your hope runs dry

I will carry you”

Hear these words as God’s promise to you. Now if you want to experience this chorus the way we do, just imagine Gerald pumping his fist in the air and Amelia singing along.

From tight tent quarters, 

Gerald and Amelia

Quote of the day: “We are fully booked.” -Hotel Clerk

We had plans for the day, but they changed. What actually happened is probably more interesting anyways…

We departed from our writing table (where we left you yesterday) to find Linda and John’s modest home on Gimli Road. We heard our names before we found them. 

Upon parking our bikes we implemented our “pull out tent, douse each other in bug spray, then set up tent as quickly as possible” regiment. (Which we are becoming quite good at!)

A decent bedtime allowed for an earlier start. We devoured scrambled eggs and toast—thanks to our lovely hosts—then visited the artesian well for one final souvenir from the area.

One rest-stop (in which Gerald learned the hard way that one should always try both washroom doors!) and about 43 kms later, we were in Selkirk. Arriving just in time for lunch, we became patrons at Roxi’s Uptown Cafe. There we discovered that chocolate peanut butter milkshakes are a cyclists dream and make us both very happy! It’s a good thing too—because we were still in a decent mood when we were informed that the hotel in which we had planned to spend the night (thus checking off another “first” as far as the location of our night lodging) had no vacancy. 

A few options presented themselves, but the one chosen was to take advantage of the weather and ride on. Plus Amelia’s newly purchased riding gloves were eager to escape their confines and be put to use. 

While cycling, it is both intriguing and downright disgusting to discover how much litter and other items can be found along the side of the road. Today we saw: a padlock, a garden glove, a pair of high heels (not Amelia’s style), a pair of sunglasses and a motorcycle licence plate (which Gerald picked up because his wife will use it in her garden), amongst other things. Amelia has attributed these items as belonging to the “Highway Shoulder Thrift Store.” Imagining the stories behind these items provides stimulating conversation during breaks. 

We cycled 124 kms today—a day that was supposed to include a pool, hot showers and a tv—making it our longest cycling day yet! We only have 110kms to go before we reach our projected total. Although. given the way things have gone so far, we are well aware that things could change! 

As the moon blossomed from a ghostly stamp to a glooming sphere, we toured Lac du Bonnet, in search of a place to spend the night. 

The search took longer than expected and at one point Gerald surprised Amelia by actually considering staying in a cheap hotel in the town. We settled for freshly mown grass behind a local business near the entrance to the town. Far from the hotel we were going to stay at in Selkirk, our current lodging is still a place where we can rest our bodies and Gerald can snore. 

The planners and the plan changers,

Gerald and Amelia

*Read to the end to find a free recipe!

We woke up to the smell of bacon and the sound of a blender mixing crepe batter. Simple luxuries we do not take for granted!

Breakfast was prepared and beautifully presented by Amelia’s friends. Katelyn and Daniel recently moved into a house just south of Gimli and generously stepped away from their work renovating, to host us last night. This morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and then went for a canoe ride on the windy waters of Lake Winnipeg in a tippy canoe. Gerald insisted on steering, so he was left to do much of the work while Amelia took frequent breaks to documente the experience.

Daniel and Katelyn live busy lives and we are incredibly grateful for their hospitality. We left these new home owners anticipating a return when their Airbnb is ready and we can properly compensate them for a stay. 

5 km later we were at the beach. Winnipeg beach—a blend of sand, sun, and (thankfully) shade. We populated a secluded picnic table for much of the afternoon, abandoning it only briefly to grab food from the grocery store.

Amelia pretended she was sweating back in Indonesia in order to fully submerge herself in the water. Once her body was semi-numb, she enjoyed using different muscles while people watching from the buoys (and eventually swimming around). 

Gerald caught up on the news for the first time since we left last week, thanks to a newspaper given to him by Katelyn. Napping was his main pursuit of the afternoon, though it was made difficult because his arm didn’t want to stay on the narrow bench.

Gerald would have settled for a burger and fries for dinner, but Amelia was tired of greasy food. Amelia’s ability to find a current menus online proved inferior to her choice of a place booked solid for the next month. Her expensive palette (and guilt about spending money) were both satisfied due to a few cancellations (and the fact that Gerald just walked up and asked if he could sit down on the patio). Soothing “feel good” music serenaded us under the lush vines as we sat at a granite table and wrangled these words. 

That is where we sit still.

Respectfully relaxed,

Gerald and Amelia

Recipe for a Day Off:

Ingredients:

• Cycle as little as possible
• Relax as much as possible 
• Eat what you want
• Go where you want 
• Do what you want
• Have many meaningful conversations with a person near and dear to you

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in whatever amounts work best for you on that day. Enjoy.

Gerald was surprised by the sight before his eyes. Tombstones stretched before him as he exited the tent at 4 in the morning to find a bush. Gerald recovered quickly from his shock by recalling that today he would receive watermelon—a worthy remedy for many ailments, especially “surprise! You decided to sleep in a cemetery” morning shock. 

We survived the graveyard and then set a record for earliest departure thus far: 8:09am! (Amelia was proud as this was less than 10 minutes past the original goal, and therefore still acceptable by her own tardiness standards.)

Poplarfield to Arborg was an amicable 29 kms filled with pleasant conversation and brisk winds that propelled us along. 

Upon arrival in Arborg around 10:30am, we situated ourselves in a Subway and got to work devouring sandwiches and putting the finishing touches on yesterday’s post. 

The journey from Arborg to the junction was fairly uneventful, apart from one break. We accidentally parked our bikes against a rock, and on top of an ant hill—which, apparently, ants do not appreciate. These were not your typical black worker ants. They were half red and determined to get to our ankles. Imagine how Amelia felt when it appeared ants were coming out of her shoes! (Amelia will now be keeping a close eye out for ants at rest stops as well.)

After the junction travel was against wind and painfully slow. Gerald was in contact with his wife Cheryl (aka Mom), who would be meeting us in Gimli just 30 kms away. 

Half way to our destination, Cheryl met us (unexpectedly) at a stop sign. A beautiful vision of white and blue, she graciously took our bags after we exchanged hugs and (for some) kisses. We could then ride the final length unloaded, thereby travelling significantly faster. 

Once in Gimli the three of us explored shops, walked the streets and had a delicious dinner at the Lakeview Restaurant. Oh, and Gerald got his watermelon. 

We are now staying the night at Amelia’s friend’s place just south of Gimli. 

Total kms travelled today = 90. 

Significant development: Gerald is now clean. 

With yawns and smiles,

Gerald and Amelia