Day 5 – Earle Rowe PP to Kawartha Lakes

Day 4/5

I’m combining the blogs for days 4 and 5. Hopefully you don’t mind……. We just finished day 5…..

I’m gonna give you the good, the bad and the ugly from the last two days. But first… In reverse chronological order – here’s how the last two days have gone.

Downhill, uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, UPHILL, DOWNHILL, UPHILL, DOWNHILL, UPHILL, DOWNHILL, UPHILL…..UPHILL….. UPHILL.

And the caps on the uphill a and downhills are not representative of the size of the hills. I just didn’t realize how to do caps while typing. They were basically all UPHILL AND DOWNHILL.

Day 4 started out in Owen sound with an amazing breakfast at the service Ontario location (thanks again Francessca and company!!). Then we started the trek south and east back across southwestern Ontario….. Perhaps the term trek should be replaced with accent/decent.

The good:
– cycling can be a lonely sport. Many times it’s just you and your bike battling your body and your mind. This week I’ve learned how it can also be more of a team sport than any other. When you’re cracking on a hill and you tell yourself it’s okay for the others to leave you behind, all it takes is one word (pace) and they slow for you to catch up. And should you choose not to say it, guaranteed someone will look back and notice and wait for you at the top, Amazing.

– Ontario – yours to Discover. Whoever came up with that tag line really did get it right. I think one of the things I’m most proud of on this trip is that I will have seen as much of the province as I have. Seeing how the scenery has changed all during these last 5 days is ……….. I can’t even think of a word to describe it. (I know there’s more to the province than southwestern/central Ontario – but considering I try to stay south of bloor as much as I can, cut me some slack)

– the company. This trip is essentially a grown up camping trip with 20 people with a health mix of daily activity. I didn’t know most of them coming in other than they all work in the ops. Each and every person is interesting, funny, smart and caring. Its makes me feel proud to work in the Ontario Public Service.

– the support we’ve gotten from
Friends and family. From tweets, to posts and comments, to food delivery in provincial parks or in car parks – the support is extremely appreciated.

The bad:
– the topographical report we get from one of our WB4UW reporters. Each night we have a team meeting and go over the map, weather, wind, hill profile and break/lunch spots. All but one of the reporters nails their forecast every time. “Little bumps for 10k, then it’s flat turns into 1200 m of climbing. *sigh*.

– I feel like I have Charlie- horses on both thighs. Im very curious to see how sore they’ll be on Saturday, 2 days after the rides done. My bottom on the other hand feels pretty good. K

The ugly:
…….. Someone mentioned the term “briefing note” today. •shivers*

Tomorrow will be the longest day! 160 k south east – I’ve been told it’ll be flat and we’ll have the winds at or backs…… I’ll let you know how that worked out, tomorrow.

Wish us luck!

– Corwin Troje