Day 41 -- Drip, drip, drop, drop, a rainy day but a skip & a hop...

July 31, 2004

ROUTE: London to Brantford Ontario    
DISTANCE:  64 miles                 
WINDS: NW tailwinds

WEATHER: Rainy and warm                 
TERRAIN: Flat to mild rolling     
TOTAL CLIMBING: 1,250 feet

RIDE OVERVIEW:  We ate a late breakfast this morning, hoping to let the rain clear out, and considering we had only 64 miles to ride, we were in no hurry to get on the road.  Our rooms are normally not ready until about 2 p.m. anyway.  The breakfast this morning was one-time through the line at the motel.  We all had coupons for a pretty good breakfast, but Mike had warned us about the the woman who ran the show last year...someone whom Seinfeld would undoubtedly affectionately refer to as the "Breakfast Nazi."  Mike explained that if you didn't know the "rules," you could come out on the short end.  He told us that the BN must have been working there for years and years and that the breakfast line was her little empire.  Last year a couple of riders went through when she was out of pancakes so they sat down thinking they'd come back when the pancakes were ready... nooooooooooo, that's not the way it works.  When the BN says one trip through, that's what she means.  Guess those riders didn't entirely understand the term, "One time through."  This year, Mike told the riders that if the line was out of something they wanted not to sit down until the replacements came out...or they'd be out of luck.  Thanks to the warning, I think everyone got through this morning with all they wanted...but it may also have been because Bill G. checked and the BN no longer worked for the motel!  Riders were very careful nonetheless.  Coming between a hungry rider of his breakfast is a little like standing on the tracks in front of an approaching locomotive...with emphasis on the "loco" part.  

We loaded at 7:30 and riders set off on the right foot (left) in a drizzling rain that did not let up until they reached the Holiday Inn in Brantford at about noon . . . at which time the sun came out and smiled sweetly upon all, steaming things up considerably.  This series of photos concentrates on the socks and footwear for the day.

I set up the SS at mile 31 in a picnic shelter at Springford Town Park.  Here, Tall Paul's wife, Pam, and his sister-in-law and her children and his wife's parents met him in the wind and rain. The kids were impervious to the weather and frolicked on the playground in the rain and puddles (below left). Though this was our first day of steady rain, Mike said it reminded him of the crossing in '99 when the group had 21 days just like this. Yurg!  Glad this group has good karma or somesuch.  The main complaint from riders reaching the SS was not the rain but their inability to see through their wet, fogged up glasses and the fact that several of their computers had quit. The damp things!

Our route today was mostly out in the country on roads with no center line and smooth blacktop.  We popped out occasionally to a highway, but we were only on them long enough to get to the next easterly blacktop road.  If I hadn't had a route sheet that said we were in Canada, it would have been hard to tell that we weren't in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, or New York.  Yep, again today we passed field after field of corn, soybeans, and wheat blanketing the horizon.  We also came upon some crops we hadn't seen before today...ginseng, tobacco, lima beans, green beans, and more asparagus.  As an interesting side note, ginseng takes over four years to mature.  Below right, Tall Paul rides between soy bean fields and shaded fields of ginseng, both bordered with blue chicory and frilly roadside Queen Anne's Lace.

By 1 p.m. all the little drowned rats, er... riders, got in safely.  Since the sun was now shining, the first order of the day was to clean the bike and the second was to clean the ABB jersey for the ride back into the states tomorrow.  The line at the motel washer will not dwindle until after midnight, I'm sure.  Hope it is dry and pleasant in Niagara--Mike says it's our best rest day of the trip with much to see and do and the falls nearby.  I think everyone is looking forward to a day off, I know I am. 

But...it will be anything but a rest day for the staff because we have 14 people joining us for the eastern leg of this ride.  We'll give them their orientation, enter them on the Website, assemble their bikes, clean Red and White, organize Box, and prep for the last week.  The last week???  My how time flies when you're having fun!  But despite the upcoming "working rest day," the staff also have our fun staff dinner/ride evaluation to look forward to, and we'll get to meet some more interesting cyclists.  Next week will go fast...hang on and join us for our finish. 

Cyclist passing one of the shaded  ginseng fields

P.S.  A big Thank-You to Gerard's wife, Cathy, who supplied us with two boxes of delectable pastry "angel wings" for yesterday's SS.  We had some left over for today's SS, and I must admit to enjoying several of same with a cup of hot coffee whilst setting up. Thank you also, Cathy for the box of individually wrapped peanut packets for the SAG supply. Remember Dave O'Dell?  I think his wife, who is a caterer, is going to meet us somewhere around Rochester with cheese cakes...  Yesss!  Bring on more families concerned about rider nutrition!

HEARD ON THE ROAD TODAY: 

• "I've got a suggestion . . . how about we shoot these beds at the end of the trip?" [Lou on the roll-away beds we carry with us for triple rooms]   
• Tall  Paul's wife, Pam: "Hi, I've heard a lot about you."  Andrew G.:  "I deny all of it..."    
• "The start is what stops most people." [Yesterday on a church sign]

DUH! OF THE DAY:  Speaking of nutrition, Diane looked both ways and over her shoulder before slipping into Tim Hortons for a dynamite maple-frosted donut.  Didn't want anyone harping at her about proper rider nutrition.  Came face to face with Cov, our resident nutritionist . . . who was purchasing a diet coke and a muffin.  It's hard to get away with any covert activity in this large group!

PHOTOS OF THE DAY:

Today, in Otterville, Canada we passed the shortest rail line in
North America.  Passengers get on one end of the railcar, walk
the length of the aisle, and get off to greet their anxiously awaiting
relatives.  They haven't seen a train in these parts for a long time

His security thugs (background) had to laugh this morning when
Yassir Arafat (a.k.a., Louis) put the peace talks on hold and
donned a U.S. Postal team rain jacket to join ABB North
Across America riders on their leg from London to Brantford, Ontario.

Once upon a time there were three beers, a Mama Molson beer,
 a Papa Molson beer and a Baby Labatts beer. After drinking it,
Adrian decided that the Papa beer was too warm, so he drank the
Mama beer, but the Mama beer was too cold, so he drank the
baby beer. The Baby Beer was just right...hic! 
At least by that time, it didn't matter.

"Boy, I sure like these hands-free phones. . . . Pssst, that you, Doris, eh?  
Quick! Help me out here and call the cops, would ya?  There's a 
suspicious human aiming, some sort of contraption at me as I speak.  I'll keep an eye on him until the fuzz gets here."  
[This is one horny goat. What is that third horn, anyway? SSW]

Caution:  Canadian antitank course dead ahead.

Mike took photos of two different cemeteries today and both
had double rows of stones arranged on an L of concrete.
I would like to know more about the custom behind this style "burying ground."

Pam, Moi, and Paul 
Bill B. has been saying that we are like cattle grazing near a feed trough 
when we have buffets. So, to get into the spirit, Mary Jo and Pam provided 
ear id tags for everyone at dinner. When Mike came into the room, 
everyone started to moooo. 

Here Jim and Robert really get into character as they graze--
dig the size of the portions on their plates, also . . . and this is only the first plateful..