197km..This ones for Jack.

Today started pretty early and the family and I enjoyed another awesome breakfast. I headed out of town with my mom and was dropped off when the highway began. I think the spa made me forget about how hard this trip really is. I was hit by a stiff head wind and my legs didnt feel super. The pain is like a seperate emotion. Its almost always there in various degrees but I have trained myself to welcome and accept it. If this trip has taught me one thing its how to suffer and still be an efficient cyclist. I was grinding along at 25km/h and finally started to get used to the unrelenting winds. After 2 hours the family met up

with me and Michael tried out my day job. Turns out the shoulder disappeared and we had to ride right on the highway. I sent Michael back to the car pretty quick haha he has zero road riding experience and it wasn't safe. I risk my lfe again on the roads for this ride and rode without a shoulder for 25km. I think there should be a law because it is actually really dangerous. The problem is that it costs the gov so much money. These road projects cost millions. Anyways Dad met up with me after lunch and I just rode easy behind him. We were making really good time and Michael wanted to join in. We pedaled together for a while and then we hit Ontario. I have biked all the way to Ontario. That is a huge accomplishment for me and I don't say that often. Its not the distance but its how I did it. I rode 2554km in 16 days. Before I left on this ride over the last 3 years I have ridden maybe 2000km in total. I think almost everyone can ride their bike across Canada. Very few could do it in 30 days. We took some photos in front of the sign and I tried to lift my bike over my head but failed. I ended up doing a handstand for 10 seconds haha (you had to be there) After the sign we set off again but this time I felt horrible. I just thought I was tired but when I was lying in a parking lot with 30km to go feeling like I had mono and was intoxicated I realized that I had taken no electro lytes all day. Essentially I 'bonked'..my energy stores were completely depleated. I downed a bunch of gaterade and a couple jells to try to reboot the system. It took sometime but eventually I was ready to smash through the highway once more. I pushed myself just trying to finish the ride and finally arrived with Michael and dad to our motel. Back to the grind as one would say. Tomorrow will be just as hard but probably worse. I am used to this though and tomorrow is just another day. Michael told me my calfs look like they have been carved with the finest marble. Rock crusher and Thunder punch are just trying to survive. I am really enjoying Northern Ontario so far and am loving the hills. Till tomorrow..

goodnight

Kenora ON