Day 5
October 5th, 2001
Toronto, Canada
I got up, showered and relaxed in the motel lobby, reading the paper, watching
TV. I have learned in my travels Continental Breakfast means donuts,
juice, and cereal.
I engage in conversation with a young French couple at the table next to me,
they tell me about their recent trip to Florida.
I saw Amy working the front desk, and stopped to chat. I confess to being
a incurable flirt, but I am harmless. I think it is in the DNA make up of
firefighters.
I walked out to check the weather. Raining, cold, and dark. Good
thing we are not riding far. We are doing a short ride up to Mark and
Carrie's cottage at Campblleford. Mark is riding in to escort us.
The smoke detector in room 117(our room) begins to beep intermittently,
signaling it needs a battery. I use that as excuse to go back to the front
desk.
We get our bikes loaded and Rob arrives. Mark is on the scene riding his
ST. Such loyal friends to ride with us on a day such as this. Rob
gives me a Canadian MIA pin. I will wear it on my Roadcrafter the rest of
trip. My way of honoring a good friend who is no longer able to ride long
distance. I also wear it to honor all MIAs.
I go back inside and get Amy to loan me a towel to wipe my seat off. We
head out of Toronto with Mark in the lead.
The rain is slow but steady, as we make our way out of the city on this Friday
morning. Riding in the rain in a big city requires extra concentration. I
give everyone plenty of distance, and look well ahead of traffic.
I fail to note any route numbers on this day. I just follow Mark and
Phil. It feels good not to be distracted by looking for route signs.
We leave the city and stop in the Toronto suburb of Oshawa for gas at a large
convenience store/gas station. Students from the local high school are
everywhere. Catholic School girls wear some shooooort skirts to school in
Oshawa. School officials don't say anything? I guess they are
wearing the official uniform as required, but the rules don't say anything about
the length.
In the countryside we settle in for a nice ride. The rain is still coming
down, and I see long rooster tails spurting from the rear tires of Mark and
Phil. The color is still spectacular. Lots of yellows and reds
lining the road. I see people busily going about their business in the villages
we pass through. I notice cattle hugging the trees to avoid the rain in
the pastures we ride past. The dark gray skies bring more definition to
the great foliage.
The quiet rural roads are void of traffic. I stop and take a few pictures.
Canada is a beautiful country and I glad I decided to make this trip. The
weather does not dampen my enthusiasm for the ride. My thick, rainproof
winter gloves are working impressively. I am warm and dry.
A cold, wet ride to Campblleford
I have no idea where we are in relation to Toronto. I am riding and seeing
things for the first time, that is all that matters.
We have to be getting close to the cottage, because I'm noticing water. I
see lake shoreline, in the misty distance. We pass a some kind of seed
store, and I see a clerk helping a farmer load a big burlap sack in the back of
his pick up.
We follow Mark down a few turns and we slide to the shoulder for a
briefing. My toes are starting to get cold, causing the rest of my body to
shiver. My wet boots have had enough.
"If we go this way, we can save about 6 miles, but it means a gravel
road"
"do it I am getting cold" I say.
A short ride later we are idling up the driveway to the cottage. The
cottage is nicely tucked away in the woods. I spot a red ST out front when
we land. Jerry is here from Ottawa!
The rain is still coming down as Jerry and Carrie come out to greet us. I
am wet and chilled as I go in a strip off the Roadcrafter. Carrie has a
HOT fire going, and I place my boots and gloves in front of it to dry them out.
I take a hot shower to knock the chill off, finished with that I come down and
eat a BIG ham sandwich.
It continues to rain all afternoon and into the night. We pass the time in
great conversation and relaxing. Mark and Carrie have a really nice place.
Neat, quaint and very comfortable. We watch a endless stream of birds
gathering on the feeders out front.
We rode 100 miles this morning. It is good to have a couple of low mileage
days after consecutive 8-9 hour days in the saddle.
Just before dark I see Mark struggling with a ladder on the deck. I asked
Carrie-
"so what's Mark fixin to do?"
"use the phone"
"on the roof?"
"yeah"
"so how come y'all have the phone on the roof?"
"nooooo its the best place to get a cell signal"
"ohhhhhhhhhh"
I am disappointed when Mark comes down and informs us a massive traffic jam will
prevent the rest of the Toronto gang from coming out.
Supper is some great rib eyes. Phil fixes cornbread and beans and I feel
like I am back home in Alabama. Phil brought Martha White all the way from
Tennessee, to be sure to have all the ingredients.
I try to get Jerry to tell me more about his government job, but he can't. Such
are the times we live in.
Mark and Carrie give me some great departing gifts. Ontario stick pin,
maple syrup, and a Canadian flag, and Toronto Fire Service T shirt, signed by my
Canadian Firefighter brothers. Very thoughtful. I am most
appreciative. My gifts are very special to me.
I am toasty warm in the cottage now, and by early evening I am growing tired and
slide upstairs and get in bed.
Phil comes to bed and jars me out of deep sleep a few hours later "sawing
logs". When it comes to snoring the man is in a league by
himself. I bring my pillow downstairs and get on the love seat. Mark
beat me to the couch.
Phil quiets down a few hours later and I make it back to bed, and slept like a
tired old hound dog.
Tomorrow we are off to Ottawa.
