Yep, you read right. We’re here! But the travels are far from over.

Last you heard, we had a relaxing rest day in Regina, Saskatchewan. The next morning we hit the freeway bright and early to weave our way out of the urban sprawl of strip-malls and onto the open road. Just as we joined said open-road, we found ourselves joined by an unexpected companion- Another cyclist!

Through a series of bicycle-style small talk (talk for a bit, move up or back to the other person, move up when you want a break, switch switch switch) we discovered that our fellow biker-Duncan- had not only been on the road as long as we had, but from the same start as us. He lived about a block away from Benn’s apartment in Vancouver. Talk about a small world.

Duncan was a more than amicable person and adept cyclist, and thus we became a trio-pelaton against a most unpleasant cross breeze. We stopped for the night, a bit earlier than expected but completely exhausted from the wind, and split a campground. Though Benn and I had been working together remarkably well, we were both ecstatic to be traveling with someone new- that is, in my opinion, one of the best things about traveling in the first place. And so the next few days proceeded with a new energy and excitement. Our travels moved along with great efficiency and enjoyment, due to favourable winds and good company.

Benn and Duncan in Manitoba!!!!

We were going strong, a mere days’ ride from Winnipeg, when unfortunately, moments after a late afternoon’s pitstop, we hit an unexpected patch of gravel. We had heard rumours of Manitoba’s lack of road shoulder, but up to that point had thought it myth. Suddenly, the road changed imperceivably from pavement to very deep gravel. Taken by surprise (read: panic), I tried to control my bike and get it back onto the road, not knowing that this is the exact thing you’re not supposed to do. Benn was yelling to just slow down but I was beyond hearing. Like a startled deer I lept into the headlights instead of away- and bit dirt, almost literally. While things certainly could have been worse, the gravel got away with a good bite out of my left knee, leaving it very swollen and resembling uncooked hamburger. We walked (hobbled) the 500 metres or so back to the motel we had just left to apply the necessary First Aid and get a room for the night. Unfortunately they were out of rooms, but did generously allow us to set up camp on their front lawn. We decided to play the next day by ear.

The next day we got up at the usual time. Cautiously I got on my bike and had a little test ride in the parking lot, and decided I could push it that last 150 km to Winnipeg. The truth is, my knee seemed to feel better the more I moved it- any pause and stiffness would set in. We made it to the perhiphery of Winnipeg it fairly good time, but still had to make it downtown- a longer feat than the three of us anticipated. Finally, after navigating the traffic-strewn sprawl, we made it to a very impressive Hosteling International compound and toasted our achievement over a pitcher of the local brew. Duncan had a friend in town and so our travels together were over. But on the bright side, he’s in the neighbourhood at home!

Benn and I agreed to take the next morning off before cycling south the the US border, with the intention of meeting his parents in Minnesota. You see, the annual Scher Family beach gathering was to take place the next week in North Carolina, and we realized there was just no way we could cycle to Michigan and leave in time. But as the morning wore on, our fatigue was not wearing off and we realized we needed the rest day in Winnipeg. Time for Plan B.

After trying out a few different combinations on the Greyhound website, we found there was a fairly cheap bus the next morning to Grand Forks, North Dakota, a little over 100 km West (70 mi) of where we originally planned to meet his folks. With a call home, we got the O.K., and went out to the Winnipeg airport to the Greyhound station (conveniently this was only a 20 minute bus ride from the downtown).

Tickets successfully booked, we spent the afternoon in the Forks, a public market situated at the meeting of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. It reminded me strongly of Granville Island in Vancouver, except it had much better parking and a free bus from downtown to access it. After a sleepy, touristy afternoon we headed back to the hostel where we cooked the rest of our traveling food, an epic Mac-Quinoa and Cheese (and red pepper and broccoli, yum), only a little sad that it was truly the last night of such pasta indulgence. There wasn’t going to be any more 160-km days. The bike trip was over.

I remember feeling a little disappointed that we broke from our original plan of traversing half of Ontario and arriving at Benn’s childhood home via Sault St. Marie. It was a cycling trip, goshdarnit, not a cycling-bussing-driving trip. But I have since realized that the 2,500 km we did cycle is nothing to shrug at, and we are both very pleased with our accomplishment.

Anyway, we arrived at the Greyhound station bright an early in order to pack up our bikes for our 9 am departure. We got it together pretty quickly and deposited the bike boxes next to the bus, as instructed. After a security check, we boarded the bus, excited to be heading to America. The border customs went smoothly, and we arrived in Grand Forks around noon, thinking we would kill some time in town in wait for Benn’s parents. To our surprise they were already there waiting for us! Through an amazing journey from their home in Rochester Hills, MI, they had driven all the previous day only to find that their expected stop for the night was completely out of vacancy, due to an unfortunate congruence of dog and air conventions on the same weekend. Driving through the night, they finally stopped at a Wal-Mart, which, as it turns out, is a great place to park your car overnight in order to get some sleep (hey, it’s open 24hrs and has public washrooms, what more could one need?).

Indeed sorry that they had had such a rough night, but certainly happy to be on the road home, I grabbed our panniers as they were unloaded from the bus. The driver asked, “Is that all?” as he was anxious to get the current stop loaded and moving on.
I replied yes, indeed, the two bikes were ours.
“What bikes? I didn’t load any bikes.”
Uuhhhh….

As it turns out, our bicycles did not make it onto the bus. Though assured by a Greyhound shipper that morning that he would “take care of them,” it seems what we should have done was prompt the driver himself to load them. Not the case. Our bikes were still in Winnipeg.

A cold finger of dread prodded at my heart at the thought of losing our trusty steeds, but in his magnanimous and ever-positive way, Benn reassured me and we went straight to the bus office, where we called Winnipeg and arranged for the bikes to be sent directly to the Detroit station. Assuaged but still wary of bus-beauraucracy, we piled in an set out East.

Paul Bunyan holds our hands through Bemidji, MN.

As it turns out, being confined to a car-sized space with your partner’s parents is actually a very pleasant and comfortable way to get to know them. Its just the driving for 17 hours that really gets you (double that for Benn’s parents!). But finally, finally, finally we arrived safe and sound at the Purcell family home in Rochester Hills, MI.

Thus far things have been very relaxed. Benn and I took trips to Salvation Army, where we aquired full summer wardrobes for our trip to North Carolina and stay in Michigan. We’ve enjoyed wonderful home-cooked meals by Benn’s parents, Dena and Dean, watched stages of the Tour de France here, baseball there, and have even started a running regime. Benn’s brother Noah has just arrived from Beijing, and all the necessary bags are being loaded into the car for the day and a half drive to Wrightsville Beach tomorrow. Did I mention our bikes arrived safe and sound to the Detroit bus station and now are camping out in the Purcell garage? Whew. Now its time to relax and enjoy the beach!

Love,

Emma and Benn
(ps- now that I have some computer time, there are lots of new photos up on my Flickr. Go see our trip!)

If someone tells you that Saskatchewan is flat, they are lying. 

We unfortunately discovered this the second we crossed the AB/SK border. One minute we were happy as clams, soaring in the tailwinds of the Alberta plains, the next minute we were chugging up and down over these rolling hills. It didn’t make any sense. It went against everything we have been taught to believe about the middle of Canada. While the hills weren’t difficult, per se, they just never stopped. To make matters worse we were tiring fast, having just endured one of our first accidents.
Some time before the border we were cruising in the SW wind, when Benn, some ways up ahead of me suddenly went over the edge of the road’s shoulder and slid into the ditch. In a second’s distraction, he had veered too far to the right and the pavement turned to gravel which did not support his bike. He jumped up fairly road rashed and shaken, but luckily we weren’t too far from the town of Irvine, AB, where we procured some First Aid. Trooper that he is, he held it together for the last 60 or so kilometers until we made it to the first town in Saskatchewan, Maple Creek. (He is now healing up very well.) 

Since then, our days in Saskatchewan have not been easy. Between the never-ending hills, the draining heat, and the eerie emptiness of the land had taken its toll. Not to mention we’d pushed out about 500km in the last 3 days. Finally, passsing Moose Jaw, the landscape began to take on its mythical flatness (though I will maintain it has a distinct upward incline) and against a stubborn Northern wind, we stumbled into Regina totally exhausted and happy for a bed. 

All things considered, we are far from miserable. Tired and sore, definitely, but spirits are still high. During our stay in the tiny campsite of Chaplin, SK, we met a father with his two pre-teen sons also on a bike trip, though they are going all the way to St. John’s.  Such effort, as well as other stories we’ve heard of all the cyclists out there right now, working their way across the country despite the time and energy it takes, is really inspiring. Despite the hard times (and probably because of them) we have reflected on this trip as an amazing, life-shaping experience. 

That said we are still happy for the rest day. We have been taking Regina at a very low-key pace (NO BIKING!) and it has unfolded itself to be a pretty cool city. A stroll around the funky “Cathedral Area” (think Commercial Drive or Kensington Market) and picnic in Wascana park have really refreshed our spirits. 

We should be recharged by tomorrow to tackle 3 hard days of cycling (winds permitting, as one cheeky old lady in Maple Creek said: “The wind is usually good, Alberta blows and Manitoba sucks!” I am reserving judgement) and make it into Winnipeg for another update. Until then, enjoy some more photos I have updated to my Flickr!   

Love, 

Emma and Benn

Greetings friends, family, and onlookers!

WE’RE IN ALBERTA.

When I last wrote, Benn and I were taking a very relaxing rest day in Nelson, where we cruised the town, lounged about, and ate some good food. I find Nelson interesting in that it seems to be a strangely preserved slice of city amidst a long winding road of not much more than truck stops and convenience stores.  To me it felt like a genuine refuge of old hippies and artists, masked by a veneer of “authenticity” tourism, very different from what you see in other tourist spots of BC, say Osoyoos or Kelowna. But maybe I’m just thinking into it. Perhaps most unsettling is an undercurrent of homelessness or substance abuse, that one wouldn’t expect to find in a small place. Overall my impression is of a place so relaxed and idyllic that it is all too easy to get stuck.

Before I forget, I want to give a plug to the only other cyclists we’ve really mingled with thus far, the boys from Qualicum BC embarking to Ottawa on their project Pedal for Parkinson’s. We first met these guys whilst hauling up through Manning Park, and were impressed by their physique, fancy bikes, and support vehicle, not to mention they were doing it all for a great cause- all the money they raise will go to BC Parkinson’s research. We ran into them again in Rock Creek (east of Osoyoos- and only by the sheer luck that they rested there did we catch up to them- they are fast) where we found out that one of the team members has onset Parkinson’s, and finds cycling a really therapeutic treatment. Amazing! I doubt we’ll run into them again- they’re probably in Ottawa by now!- But it was great to meet other cyclists with a cause.

Anyway, back to our trail. After Nelson we took the Kootenay Bay ferry, thereby skipping the Kootenay Pass and riding on the world’s longest free ferry! Boo-yah!

The next few days were spent winding around the East Kootenays, through Creston, Yahk, Cranbrook, and Fernie. Though the maps we had foretold a fairly smooth road, I remained wary, as any previous day we had told ourselves would be “easy” was not. But really, the hills didn’t come. The ride from Creston to Crowsnest, over the course of three days, was extremely pleasant (aside from a freak hailstorm outside of Cranbrook. One minute, dry. Next minute, MONSOON!). So pleasant I wrote a country-folk ballad about the town called Yahk.

Energy was running well and though there were a few nights we didn’t quite make our planned campsite (or planned campsite was full due to Canada Day…) we still stayed right on schedule, crossing Crowsnest Pass and into Alberta without any problem! Quite a relief after all the climbing we did in the first half.

And so suddenly we were in the Rocky Mountains. Man, they are majestic. The hype is not for nothing! Very rocky. Some of the cliffs reminded me a lot of the formations I’ve seen down in Arizona, except the ones here are grey, not red.

We camped right at the pass at the foot of one of these said monuments. It was very rewarding to finally be in the Rockies/Alberta, except when Benn accidentally dumped some just-boiled tea on his own head. Do not fear, he’s okay!

The next morning, with forecasts of high SW winds, we set to the highway and were practically blown the entire 160km from the border to Lethbridge. I have to admit some serious anxiety despite our good time- the clouds ahead of us were all swirly and ominous-looking. I nearly had a panic attack when we stopped for lunch because I was convinced we were running straight into a tornado. However, Benn, who is more versed in such signs, assured me we had nothing to worry about (I still think it was a sky worthy of pouring hell-spawn down to earth, but I calmed down).

Overall, it was very fast, flat day- except for the last 15km, where the road turned and what was once a nice tailwind became a very confusing and tiring cross-wind. We arrived in Lethbridge quite tired and ready for a break.

Tomorrow we hit the road again towards Medicine Hat, another 160km. We may make it the whole way, depending on the wind, but regardless we will be in Saskatchewan within the next three days! I can’t believe how fast we’re flying, compared to our time in BC. But as a nice lady in Coleman, AB said, “You’re on the prairies now.”

Now that we’ve had some time here in the lovely Lethbridge Pulbic Library, Benn has put together a GoogleMap of our route through Canada. Check it out if you’re interested, especially if you have any trips coming up! Enjoy!

View Larger Map

If you’re observant you will see there are some photos in this blog! Yes indeed, the disposable camera I entrusted to Benn has been developed and uploaded to the net. I have a digital with me, but for one reason or another, it doesn’t like to connect to these public computers. I will keep trying. But for now, enjoy Benn’s view of BC! Here is the “BIKE BIKE BIKE!” set in my flickr account, where you are more than welcome to peruse the uploads we make over the course of the trip.
Also, if you like reading and want to get updates, but down want to keep checking every day (though you could do that too as it will boost my traffic ratings), please feel free to subscribe, where you will get a nice little email telling you of a new post. I’m not sure when we’ll update next, perhaps somewhere in Saskatchewan, perhaps in Winnipeg!

Thanks for reading!

love,
Emma & Benn

Hello and welcome to the sporadic chronicle of Emma and Benn’s summer adventure! We are bicycling across the true North, strong and free from Vancouver, BC, Canada, to end up in Benn’s hometown of Rochester Hills, Michigan (just north of Detroit). Updates will be whenever we can find internet, so apologies for a very late start. Also pictures will come… when they come. Thanks for your patience!!!

The adventure thus far:

June 13th-18th: We began with a pre-tour gear test up to my cabin on Hornby Island and back via Nanaimo. We had done this trip last year and so knew the route and the skill involved (not much- good thing too, as we both started under-shape). We made the 100km or so up to Hornby easily, which was very reassuring. We met up with Natalie in Buckley Bay (unfortunately missing a rendezvous with Erica :( ) and managed to pile our bikes on to and already-overflowing pickup to get across Denman Island to the Hornby Ferry.
We spent the next few days relaxing on Hornby before heading back to Vancouver. We sent two good days at Our Community Bikes doing last minute changes the gear test had revealed- namely, I changed my handlebars and Benn shortened his stem. Much more ergonomic for the both of us.

June 18th-20th: The trip truly began with our cycle out to Abbotsford where Benn and I participated in a Buddhist empowerment- a teaching and ritual where we received blessings from the Buddha of Compassion Avalokiteshvara. Not being so familiar with the tradition, it was a very moving and thought provoking experience for me. Afterwards we headed for our first night of camping at Cultus Lake Provincial Park.

June 21st-29th: Up and up and up and up…

Over the next few days we met our first challenging climb in Manning Park, and though tired we felt surprisingly good. We spent the next day resting in Manning and choosing our plan of attack. We thought we were in for a few easy days until and the infamous climb out of Osoyoos. Little did we know we were wrong. Immediately upon descending from Manning park, we started climbing inexplicably towards what we thought was just Princeton but turned out to be Sunday Summit. After about an 80 km day of lots of climbs we retired about 30km east of Princeton at Stemwinder Provincial Park. The next day we planned to stop in Keremeos for breakfast before heading to Osoyoos. While the ride to Keremeos through the Silkameen River Valley was totally breathtaking, we found- you guessed it- more unexpected climbs  between Keremeos and Osoyoos. The weather by this time was burning hot, and we finally made it into Osoyoos a little shell-shocked. All was well after a dip in the lake and some dinner, and we readied ourselves for the expected climb out of Osoyoos the next morning. We started bright and early and were out of it in a few hours- but very worn down from the procession of days. The real push at this point was our goal to get to Nelson within a few days so that we could take a day off- but we were getting tired. Leaving the next day from a provincial park near Greenwood, we stopped in Grand Forks where I (finally) called my parents to receive so very sad news: our beloved family dog, Uma, was going to be put down later that day due to worsening lung cancer. It was quite a shock and as you can imagine not the best condition to bike under. But I had to steel myself: We were fast approaching our final big climb before Nelson, a 40km battle up the Blueberry/Paulson Summit just before Castlegar. It took us close to 5 hours to get over the summit and to a campground part-ways down the descent, but as exhausted/saddened as we were we made it. The next day was a slow 60km into Nelson where we collapsed into a hostel, washed everything and enjoyed a meal that wasn’t boiled on our tiny stove. Despite the heat it was been a very relaxing few days and I am feeling excited to get going again across Kootney Lake and down to Creston.

As you’ve read, the journey thus far, albeit only the beginning, has been emotional, exciting, and rewarding. Despite complaints of sore legs and sunburns we’ve made our destination goals every day- and if things continue as they have, we should be Crowsnest pass and the Alberta border about 4 days from now- and a considerably straighter road from there on out. I have to say that cycling through BC has been extremely fulfilling, however, as I finally get to see my own province, and I can’t wait to have time to explore more. Just in this short time I’ve been through a land that becomes a completely different country every day, ferocious and magnificent and beautiful.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for updates, which should be around this time next week, if I have anything to say about it ;)

Hearts/Minds,

Emma & Benn

PS: In loving memory: