Van Morrison - "And it Stoned Me"

Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain came pourin' down
Me and Billy standin' there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of a fishin' rod
And the tackle on our backs
We just stood there gettin' wet
With our backs against the fence

Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it don't rain all day

- Van Morrison - "And it Stoned Me"

Taylors Cove – Quetico Provincial Park
154 kms / 95 miles

Because we got in late last night this morning was a bit of a write-off for several reasons – my wet clothes were still scattered around the campground from the previous evening, I was absolutely exhausted because we were out ‘late’, and woke up super early as many people were getting an early start because the day ahead was a 157km day which is on the long side so an early start is the best way to get a headstart on the day.

I did manage to pull out of camp relatively early at around 7:15am (action plan for mosquito avoidance) and we were immediately into the hills. We had previewed some of the route by truck the previous evening when Cullen had driven us to the Pow Wow so I knew what to expect which was nice. It did make the morning go by a bit more quickly so it was a relatively fast 30kms into Mine Centre where we were told to stock up on food and water as this would be the last opportunity for ‘services’ for the next 60kms...! Yikes..! Fortunately the Mine Centre grocery store / gas station was well stocked with butter tarts, fresh coffee and plenty of chocolate bars and water as we all fueled up for the coming long morning ahead. Man, did I ever need that coffee - I was feeling very sluggish and tired.

The terrain was similar to the end of the previous day which I had cycled in the rain coming out of Fort Frances – relatively hilly with pine trees on either side of the road and then every 10kms or so, a view of a stunning, picturesque lake which reflected the blue sky and fluffy white clouds. I am getting used to the hills and am using the strategy similar to my ‘wind’ strategy – the less you think about the hills, the easier it gets. This way you are not daunted by the sight of yet another hill after you’ve just finished climbing one – they are never ending and broken up by bends in the road which zig zags around the lakes. It’s clear that there has been an abundance of rain over the past few weeks as all of the ‘put out your fires’ signs indicate there is a low risk of forest fires and the vegetation is very, very lush. The mosquitoes also seem to be on stereroids thanks to the perfect conditions the moisture provides for their breeding grounds. That morning they were pretty insane and I think I burned about 1000 calories in the first hour that I was up I was swatting them so furiously and frequently.

I cycled out of Mine Centre on my own for the first time this trip. I really enjoy biking with Brendan, Andrew and Ian (my usual partners in crime) but today we all got separated and it was hard to stay together because of the hills. Sometimes it’s nice to go at your own pace and get through it. I made it through the 60kms without too many problems and ate 3 peanut butter sandwiches and 2 chocolate bars in the process. It was actually quite a relaxing and enjoyable 60kms in spite of the slightly challenging terrain.

Just outside of a small town called Atikokan I stopped at a ‘Tourist Information Booth’ to escape from some rain drops which were dropping far too heavily from an overhanging cloud that didn't seem to disappear. The stop was meant to be a short one but soon the fine art of procrastination began. I had a Pepsi and then started to read the brochures about Quetico Provincial Park and then some of the French Connection showed up…I decided to do my nails, apply some lipgloss, reapply sunscreen… and during this time the clouds got darker and darker and thicker and thicker… and they started to surround Atikokan and the tourist booth. I thought I was playing my cards pretty cleverly by leaving about 1.5 hours later (I can’t believe I spent so much time at the rest stop trying to avoid the rain..!!) and sure enough, I hadn’t made it more than about 500 meters away from the rest area when suddenly the heavens opened and the torrential downpour began. It was the same game as the previous day – I got absolutely, completely and utterly soaked to the point where my shoes were sloshing. I just handled it a bit better this time (if you don’t count the 1.5 hour wait to avoid the rain). The only benefit to rain is that when it rains, the wind eases off which does make life a bit more bearable.

I thought I was going to arrive into camp hours after everyone but surprisingly everyone had been caught out in the rain and were running late. The campsite was a bit chaotic with people running half naked to and from the washing machines and dryers, the rich scent of Deet / Muskol in the air, tents set up in the mud, the Galley Crew busy setting up their stoves. The final 3 kilometers into Quetico Provincial Park (to where our campsite was) was actually meant to be a gravel road (by now it was mud!) so many people were also busy cleaning their bikes.

The park campground is nice – lots of pine trees and 4 relatively large grassy sites where we have all distributed our tents. It’s a huge campground so whilst we’re near to the lake I can hardly see it but it was too rainy to venture out there anyway. Even now as I sit in my tent I can hear the moisture dripping off of the trees and onto the shell. I can also hear loud snoring which makes me think that tent placement will have to be a bit more strategic in the future. The good news is that most people on the plot we’re sharing are not uber early risers so hopefully I will get a full nights rest. The exciting news is that we’re staying in dorm rooms tomorrow evening in Thunder Bay which means BEDS!!! I can get dressed vertically rather than horizontally..!! So exciting..!

It’s amazing how small things are such pleasures at the moment – I have become so easy to please…! Just as long as I can avoid the rain ;-)