why the heck are you going across canada?
well, it's a vacation. i suppose it's not exactly what other people might consider a vacation so i'll give you a bit more background. really, it's the culmination of a lot of different things: my love of cycling... my desire for independance... my simple need for something new. i expect i'll also get a chance to do a lot of meditation that i rarely do. one thing i should also state is that i'm somewhat associating this trip across canada to my all time favourite summer (1988). that summer when i was 13, my dad told me he didn't want me to work and that i should just appreciate my days off and simply enjoy my summer as the last of its kind for a long time. he was right of course and literally, all i did was take a blanket, some lemonade, some sunglasses and a good pillow and just lie outside on the lawn, looking up at clouds for hours. i would just think about all sorts of things... only thing i can really compare it too is sort of feeling like you're truly pioneering your own thought. tough to explain... suffice to say i'm looking forward to another summer of freedom, meditation, and... well... a lot of cycling. ok, i guess that's the long story but you get the idea. so ya, i'm not going across canada to raise money or do something philanthropic or anything... it's simply what i want to do.
what roads are you taking?
i have yet to finalize this but i expect most of my trip will involve taking the transcanada highway. i've got a detailed map of canada and a travellers guide (as well as a compass) that i'm taking with me so i'll probably be fine playing it by ear.
what are you bringing exactly?
this gets complicated... but fun! seriously, i find it pretty cool thinking about all the things that i'll need to bring. when i walk into bike shops or camping stores, i'm sizing up everything a little differently... is it small? is it light? do i *really* need it? good times... ok, so i think i'll break this up into two sections:
when will you start and when will you finish?
i'm flying out to halifax with my bike, trailer, and "the goods" on the 19th of may. from there, i plan to be in quebec city to hang out and stay for a good friend's wedding from the 6th to 9th of june. after that, i'll simply start trekking my way westward (hopefully without a whole lot of headwind) and hopefully make it into calgary by the 18th of august at the latest. the ironman race is on the 25th of august so if i'm not back in time, i might not be adequately rested. after the ironman, i plan to keep riding west to victoria and vancouver, but at that point, i might be more inclined to add a few rest days in... :)
any specific plans along the way?
not really... i do have a vague plan of camping and staying in hostels for most of my trip, but nothing overly specific. i'm reminded of a quote that goes something like this... when you go looking for something specific, the chances of finding it are slim. but if you go looking for anything, that's when you can find everything.