Ron and I were discussing the meaning of intolerance, which I believe to be the one characteristic that is totally damning and unacceptable, and the cause of all dissention and wars.
*** Ron pointed out to me that the opposite of intolerance is not tolerance, but acceptance.
What a perfect world this would be if acceptance were the norm.
Being at Ron's was the perfect end of the pre-trip part of this adventure. We philosophized, we read, we had wine and a dinner cooked by him at 6pm each evening in the livingroom with an art film playing for our evening's recreation. AwwwwPerfect!
Ron loves his wild daisies, and scatters the seeds each year. He also leaves a big patch of lawn unmowed so that they thrive there. This is my one person, mesh-covered tent with the tarp thrown back so you can see it. Very small.
It hailed yesterday, and then poured rain all day until late afternoon so I'll try again tomorrow am to start more of the trail.
Enjoy the day, the week and the summer. Love, K/Mom
Called a bike shop today & they said 2 weeks to get my bike put back together.
Called another, Klondyke Cycles. They said come right on over. And I did.
L'il bro followed the taxi van with me & the bike box, & we went to a Japanese rest. while they fixed bike. I rode it home. Feels so good to be cycling again after a 2 week hiatus. Cycled around north Edmonton - very flat in this area, very residential, quiet, shaded. Weather is hot, windless and sunny. Good sign.
Josie mentioned that I should use my marker which I'm carrying with me and wind a length of duct tape around the end instead of carrying a whole roll, thus lessening the weight-load. I've used that marker to put my blog address on every panier, and also on my bike in various places.
Am re-organizing my panniers today - so much stuff but I keep trying to eliminate things. That's the hardest part of the trip so far, I think. When I get back from Calgary on Sat., I am going to do the Edmonton trail first which the TCT shares - a total of 28 km. - and come back here at night. Since Ron's house is near the west end of the Edm. trail. I will go west to Sherwood Park Science Centre and back, and then start the TCTrail in earnest on Mon. or Tues.
Ron's friend, Harley, wants to join me cycling the TransCanada trail, along with his pal, Joey. I hope we can all cycle without too much talking. I don't enjoy talking while hiking and biking - takes up too much of my energy, and I get distracted. Also, I would miss many photo ops.
(Nov. 14: Inventer of the idea of 'Harley' for my protection against any stalker made this comment earlier on: 'Are the boys keeeping their lips zipped K? Miss ya, Jo.')
Murray Snider in Red Deer (aka Harley - crazyguyonabike.com)
'Harley' - Murray - met me at the Red Deer bus terminal last Friday and treated me to lunch in this lovely restaurant with a waterfall. 'Joey' was left at home for this meeting. You can see in his face and eyes what a dear-heart this person certainly is. I am more than honoured to be considered his friend now. I look forward to hours on the trail with him, in spirit if not in person, and especially when I get my first flat tire! Murray drove me west 100 km. to Rocky Mtn. House and back between buses, so I got to see the Foothills again. Probably the most beautiful area in Canada. We saw 3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds just walking along the highway heading toward Rocky Mountain House, same as us. We had thought maybe Tanagers but Uncle Tom had The Book of Birds so I checked.
Murray suggested that I get a camelpack to carry water instead of packing bottles of water, and to be sure to drink often. Camelpacks come with a tube so it's easy just to reach up to your shoulder to grab the tube and suck a bit of water instead of having to stop cycling to open a bottle (trails being too stoney/bumpy to do that while riding - half the water down the throat and 1/2 all over your face). For me, I do stop often anyway to take pics, but I usually forget to drink. Perhaps if I set the alarm on my cellphone for every hour to remind myself to take a good drink of water immediately, I won't forget. I can then text message where I am or how far I've gone at the same time and/or read incoming messages.
Murray couldn't find his extra camelpack but did give me an inner tube and different kinds of patches, and a whistle which was definitely on my list but forgotten, before he drove me back to Red Deer where I continued on to Calgary on Greyhound.
Viewer Comment: 'Great water consumption ideas between you two. I am so happy for you & proud of you K. You're living out one of your dreams....you go girl. Love Jo' Wow K, Harley looks like a keeper. Happy Trails to you. Love ya,
Jo July 17, 2008.
He is, indeed, Jo, and I'm sure she's going to keep him (he's taken)
It's the 1st day of the Calgary Stampede. Visited my uncle and saw a re-run of the parade on TV.
Uncle Tommy put this old photo of a young Ida up into a wall picture in the livingroom. She hadn't liked it so it had been tucked away until recently. Tom is 91 now. His Bday is one day after Terri's. He misses Ida terribly.
When I got back to the bus station in Edmonton last night, there was a homeless man sleeping on the grass between the avenue, and a parking lot. Young, and very good looking. Well, this trip will give me a good idea of what it's like to be homeless, and the struggles and challenges involved. Unlike many of the homeless, I can quit any time I want, rent a car, or buy a bus/train ticket and go home.
Finally. First day on TransCanadaTrail done. Woke at 3:30 am; couldn't get back to sleep so packed my suitcase to send home on train.
At 7:45 I left Ron's on my bike and headed west along 143rd for the start of the Edmonton river (ravine) trail, which is shared with the TransCanadaTrail.
Hundreds of people use it; people walking/running with and without dogs and people on bikes. One fellow had a child on an attached bike behind him along with a baby trailer attached behind that, and was actually speeding UP a long hill. Most of the hills are long and steep. People were friendly, calling out greetings, and one man said what a great bike I had. The guys at the Klondyke Bike store thought the pedals were amazing. Murray has a new bicycle seat that is without the horn which prevents chaffing on long trips. Strange looking seat but great idea. I didn't suffer chafing as I wore my capri insideout, and I don't 'push' it.
My running shoes hurt my feet as they catch just under the shin bone. Although they were on sale, they were $160.00 regular so I'm upset about that. The river ravine is about 200 ft. high and the trail is up and down long steep hills of the ravine the whole time...up 100 ft., down 50, up 150, down 160, and so on the whole time. My muscles are aching beyond belief. I loved the coasting down parts, but often had to walk the bike and me up the steep inclines. I had only one panier on, too. Next time, I'll have four plus tent equipment. I will start at Rundle Park, where I finished today. Ron got me a good map of the Iron Horse Trail.
The city has several footbridges, train bridges, and ones for cars. The foot bridge I was able to cross easily as it doesn't vibrate like The 2nd Narrows Bridge in Vanc. does. I tried several times to walk across that one, and would just freeze up 100 ft. out. There is also a heritage train and train bridge (CP) that takes tourists across the mighty North Sask. 200 ft. up, leaving the old rail station on the north side, crossing, and then disappearing into a tunnel that goes under the 'hill' and then under an apt. bldg. on the south side. Actually, there's a railway tunnel under the houses on the hill beside the 2nd Narrows Bridge in Vancouver, too.
Took my bike into the Victoria Park bathroom until I found the perfect spot outside the panier on the back of the bike for the heavy Kryptonite u-lock. Few bathrooms available on the 24 km. of river valley trail that I covered.
Early morning on the Edm.Trail looking towards the sun, sadly. Edm. skyline. There are many bridges off to the right crossing the North Sask. River.
North Sask. looking west just east of Devon. The dirt path you see here, of which there are hundreds, are used by the homeless. At the spot where I started the valley trail, a homeless man was stretched out on his stomach on the mowed area of lawn adjacent the trail. People simply walk, jog, run and/or cycle by ignoring him/them.
Ainsworth Dyer Footbridge, named in memory of Cpl. A Dyer, killed by 'friendly' fire in Afganistan April 17, 2002, along with his comrades: Sgt. Marc Leger, Pte. Richard Green and Pte. Nathan Smith, all from 'A' company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Eight others soldiers were wounded. 'Ains' proposed to his beloved fiancee, Jocelyn Van Sloten, on this bridge, playfully threatening to throw her in the river if she didn't say 'yes'.
Comment from Edmonton Viewer: 'Huh. I live right by this bridge, and had no idea what it is called or why. As for the homeless folks that people just walk by ignoring... what else do you do? You don't say hi to everyone you pass right? I help whenever I'm asked, but otherwise we all just live our lives. It's not a life I'd want for sure, but as you said, there are hundreds (actually well over a thousand), homeless in Edmonton (and given the rising cost of rents, it's bound to just keep going up). What's one person to do? I've given blankets, dinners, groceries, and bought a bike off of one fellow down there. It's overwhelming to people I think. Cool that you're biking across Canada. Hope it goes well. Cheers, Melissa'
Please don't think I was dissing Edmontonians, Melissa. I drove a homeless man, Don Shurman, from Brandon, MB to Toronto on my way back from Vancouver years ago, and he told me all about being homeless - at that time there were only approximately 15,000 in Toronto. He suffered from epilipsy, and had been on a CBC radio interview. Every spring he hitch-hiked out to BC to plant trees, and hitch-hiked back. One time he was picked up but 3 fellows in a panel truck in northern Ontario. He was left naked and for dead in the woods, beaten very badly. He said to me "They even took my shoes to boot" and, of course, I had laughed - because of his use of words. A mom with 5 kids in the car spotted him, picked him up, and took him to the priest in Fort Frances, who kept him for a week until he was strong again. I learned so much from him.
I decided to return to Ron's by using the city streets, mostly residential. Got lost temporarily 3 times. It was 111 streets over, and many avenues so I zigzagged much of it and it took 4 hours. Rundle Park is way east in Strathcona area.
Cars, trucks and buses stop for you if you want to cross even a 4-lane - just like in Picton but on a greater scale.
Only 3 bathrooms did I find open on a 28 km. trail! That was a hardship.
Now I have done Edmonton's TCTrail, and can start my 'real' trip soon.
Ron and I watch a movie every night with supper so I'll sure miss that.
Well, I'm just about ready to set out on the rest of the Edmonton to Saskatchewan-border part of the TCTrail. We weighed the four paniers, filled to overflowing, and they average out at 8 lbs. each. (I think his scale lies). My tent weighs only 4 lbs max., the sleeping mat n tarp next to nothing, so add my weight with my waist belt with the bear spray holder (got to keep those bears looking their best) and the camera and cell phone through the loop, and I doubt it's not much over 200 lbs. I wish! Found out differently next morning. I've already lost 4 lbs...couldn't find them anywhere. I'll leave them for Ron to find.
Am trying to cut out unnecessary bike weight, other than myself.
I had intended on leaving much of the food behind but Murray advised against that. In all his travels on his bike, he's come across only 2 bears and they caused no trouble. So I won't have leave it behind and eat out every day at restaurants.
I'll wear my sandals after all, and bring the runners along for the walkingupthehills times.
The Via is carrying my excess luggage home now so Wilma can expect her suitcases by the 12th, and, as recommended, I will carry only 3 changes of clothing. Josie suggested changing into next day's clothes at the end of each day, and sleeping in them, because, even though you may not notice it at the end of the day, the clothes you were wearing will have some dampness in them. Dampness will make you cold. Or you could sleep bare as my daughter, Veronica, told me is the warmest way to sleep in a sleeping bag. Bare is best for the bears, too. Picking cotton out of their teeth is really hard for them, so I understand.
Rundle Park is where we'll meet and start the trip from. (Harley, Joey, & me). A taxi would be great as it's about 30 km. from here, and I hate to have to do those hundred plus streets again, (flat but so many traffic lights). I figure it would probably cost over $100.00 by cab.
Big decision? Nope! Probably most Old Age Pension people pinch pennies so I'd better get used to it. Now I've joined the crowd. It's lots of fun being a senior, though, but No cab.
Just before I left The County on this trip, I wanted to cycle a part of the Millenium Trail that I hadn't yet done. I cycled on Highway 33 to Hillier, and then rode up a sideroad to join the trail. As I've said and shown b4, that trail is stony, rough and rugged. cycling is slow but it's woodsy and quiet, and, of course, no one else is usually on it. This day is different. Further down the trail, I spotted two people walking. That in itself was odd because the area was quite far from the main road. I slowed, and looked when I could, until I was close enough to see that one of them was carrying a thick black stick. I went closer, and the second person reached down at the side of the trail and picked up a large stick from the grasses. Now I was really worried. I realized that as I would ride by, they could wack me over the back of the head, so I stopped and got off my bike. I walked forward a bit, and saw that they were both seniors. I kept walking until the woman signed for me to go past as by now they were both standing sideways to the trail at the edge. Believe me, I was very careful as I passed, but they were being, too, I guess. We did exchange brief greetings, though - nice day, isn't it? Yes, indeed!!!
When I told this story later at home, Lucas left a while later, coming back home with a pair of light-weight binocs for me. I'll keep them around my neck. If a bear or something is up ahead, I want time to catch it on video camera as it chases me down the trail. On a scarcely used trail, one is doubly cautious than in a big city trail as I on was yesterday. No one seemed nervous on the Edmonton city trail.
What Mr. T is up to while Gramma K is away...
