Hi,
Just part one, as I haven't written stuff yet. but, for fun, and to keep things interesting, i am uploading a video. more on the great day later. i dont know if i'll have access to internet later, but who knows. it might be slow to load. i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i enjoyed creating it. i also hope it meets the standards you guys expect from this little web site thingy.
cheers.
(officially my first century of the year, nice. but, few more kms to do to find a spot to sleep. dang.)
i hope you are all doing well.
p2
Salut,
100.5 km. Parksville to Duncan.
Sunny, noon = 18 degres, but windy (slightly cool)
Another nice day.
Parksville is nice. Scenic town on the side of the ocean (East side of the Island). Lots of hotels, lots. So far, excluding Tofino, I'd return there for a longer stay.
Funny story that stayed in my head today. I asked someone if I was heading towards Nanoose Bay (10 km out of town). The guy said I was heading in the right direction, then added “but it's far from here”. I should of asked him where Newfoundland was. “It's far from here” kept repeating in my head all day. It put a smile on my face.
Highway 1, the Trans-Canada, starts in Nanaimo. It's a nice road, big shoulders, not much glass (normal amount of rocks). The traffic flows fairly fast and consistant – it creates a wind current that makes riding up those 2-3 gradual uphills at fast speeds (25-30 km). After that, you coast for a few minutes at 50-60 k/h. Fast day.
Nanaimo is nice. The North part of town, I ventured in the suburbs. Nice quaint homes, but the landscaping is what amazed me. Variety of plants of all sizes, pruned to perfection, and an array of colours. I hope the pics show the details. Besides that, I ventured to the Harbour downtown. Nothing much to see there. A paved path from the North part to downtown, called the E & T, is a great option.
Just outside of Nanaimo, I went to WildPlay – A bungy/zip line/giant swing/etc playground. I jumped. I dont remember how high it was, but it took me a while (both times) to jump. The first time, I started turtling, but it all turned out well. I thought my second jump would be easier, but it still took me a bit to finally let go of my fears and jump. Like I say, try everything twice, right? Oh, I guess that I haven't meantioned that I am a bit scared of heights and falling.
About trying everything twice. It reminds me of a joke. This instructor at Suicide Bombing School calls all his pupils around him, ready to demonstrate a technique. “Come here, I'm only going to show you this once”. Hey, I haven't said a joke in a long time, be happy.
After the jump, I treated myself to a nice Sirloin burger, sauteed oignons and mushrooms, and a beer (Kokanee is all they had). The beer is better than in Ottawa, if that is possible. Good meal. Heavy.
Do you know McDonalds has a Angus burger now? I guess I'll have to try it. I wonder if I can sort-of re-inact Super Size Me, but bike instead of being inactive. Eat McD*cks everyday and bike – I wonder what that would do to my GI system. Let's not find out.
Biking after the Sirloin burger was a bit tougher. Was it because of the meal? The beer? The fact that my heart raced +++ and I was shaking quite a bit for an hour before?
I also checked out the little town of Chemainus, which is full of murals. Nice stuff. Gives Midland (ON) a run for it's money, but Chemainus still wins.
After that, Duncan. It's not only a town full of totem poles, but the birthplace of Beckie. I might get to meet the creator, Kurt, tomorrow morning. I'll post a picture of her when she's in Ottawa.
For days, I saw a few Dairy Queens, and craved a blizzard. I got my wish today. Supper at DQ, Flamethrower Chicken, and a Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard. Fine cuisine indeed. Side note – do people ever drink floats anymore? What about graveyards?
I am staying at a campground. Started a little camp fire (using mainly leaves) so I could just relax a bit, took a shower, and then start writing the blog entry for today.
Tomorrow, off to Victoria, visit the city a bit, and then head 32k North to catch the ferry to the mainland. I might get to see some orcas, and the sunset too. Fun, I hope.
Well, a few more things to catch up on tonight, then it's dodo time.
Oh, 5 countries are following this journey: Canada, Estonia, Czech Republic, Romania, and Belgium. So, hi to the newcommers. I feel a bit special. It was also great to hear from a few folks I haven't heard in a while (including the one who indirectly inspired me to take a trip at the end of the year – I wanted to hit Tokyo after seeing her favorite movie). So, nice to hear from the few people I haven't heard in a while.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Ciao,
p2
Introduction
Allo, hello, tere,
Some old lines/puns: Pierre qui roule, rock and roll, the rolling stone (gathers no dust).
Who: Pierre, Ottawa (ON)
What: Cross Canada travel.
When: After a few days rest in Tofino, British Columbia at the beginning of May, 2008, hit the road around the 4th. The 1st time-based goal is to arrive in Ottawa in mid June, race in a 24-hour mountain bike competition, and head back on the road a few days later. Finish the trip in St. John's, Newfoundland, at the end of July, 2008, before returning home to Ottawa to start being an adult again.
Where: Canada, West to East, via Toronto, Ontario. Detours: Val Gagné and Manitoulin Island (ON), Gaspé region (QC), and Cape Breton (NS).
Why: Visit this beautiful (and fairly big) nation of ours. See family and friends. Taste the cuisine of different parts of the country and enjoy the various beers and wine along the way. Experience anything the villages and cities along the way have to showcase. Lose 50 pounds and be buff.
How: By bicycle (her nickname: Dzie, pronounced D-Zie).
Extras: According to mapquest, a drive from tip to tip (via Toronto) would be 7710 km (85 hours of driving, 2 ferries). A flight would only be 5400 km (9 hours flight time, with switching planes 2 times).
* I do occasionally feel I am following the footsteps of a few great ones (whom I've also had the honour of riding with), who have done this trip in the past - Al, and especially Tanya. I do hope that I can bring in some new pics, new stories, and not rehash stuff that those amazing folks have done before me.
** I imagine I'll be a bit lonely at times throughout the trip, where I highly request and encourage comments from you guys. It'll be my way of having some conversations with you. I'll try to update the blog every few days.
Disclaimer: Most of you guys know me. In my posts, there will probably be a mixture of bizarre stories, silly jokes (like the weight-losing bit a few instances before), some references to music lyrics and movie lines. I will do my best to entertain, but sometimes, I might miss the mark on being funny or entertaining (hopefully not though).
Posting messages: Readers with a gmail/blogger account - you know what to do. Readers who do not: post a comment as anonymous (but put your name at the bottom of the comment please). The occasional personal messages can be sent to pierre.l.perron@gmail.com
Ciao,
p2
Some old lines/puns: Pierre qui roule, rock and roll, the rolling stone (gathers no dust).
Who: Pierre, Ottawa (ON)
What: Cross Canada travel.
When: After a few days rest in Tofino, British Columbia at the beginning of May, 2008, hit the road around the 4th. The 1st time-based goal is to arrive in Ottawa in mid June, race in a 24-hour mountain bike competition, and head back on the road a few days later. Finish the trip in St. John's, Newfoundland, at the end of July, 2008, before returning home to Ottawa to start being an adult again.
Where: Canada, West to East, via Toronto, Ontario. Detours: Val Gagné and Manitoulin Island (ON), Gaspé region (QC), and Cape Breton (NS).
Why: Visit this beautiful (and fairly big) nation of ours. See family and friends. Taste the cuisine of different parts of the country and enjoy the various beers and wine along the way. Experience anything the villages and cities along the way have to showcase. Lose 50 pounds and be buff.
How: By bicycle (her nickname: Dzie, pronounced D-Zie).
Extras: According to mapquest, a drive from tip to tip (via Toronto) would be 7710 km (85 hours of driving, 2 ferries). A flight would only be 5400 km (9 hours flight time, with switching planes 2 times).
* I do occasionally feel I am following the footsteps of a few great ones (whom I've also had the honour of riding with), who have done this trip in the past - Al, and especially Tanya. I do hope that I can bring in some new pics, new stories, and not rehash stuff that those amazing folks have done before me.
** I imagine I'll be a bit lonely at times throughout the trip, where I highly request and encourage comments from you guys. It'll be my way of having some conversations with you. I'll try to update the blog every few days.
Disclaimer: Most of you guys know me. In my posts, there will probably be a mixture of bizarre stories, silly jokes (like the weight-losing bit a few instances before), some references to music lyrics and movie lines. I will do my best to entertain, but sometimes, I might miss the mark on being funny or entertaining (hopefully not though).
Posting messages: Readers with a gmail/blogger account - you know what to do. Readers who do not: post a comment as anonymous (but put your name at the bottom of the comment please). The occasional personal messages can be sent to pierre.l.perron@gmail.com
Ciao,
p2
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8 comments:
Tere hommikust Pierre,
Apppppi, seda ma tõesti ei osanud oodata!
Kalli-musi
Hmmm, „Hai hui” its an expression in Romanian language, (I hardly can remember when I have used it last time about myself), that includes in it the spirit of being free to go, not for the need to reach any destination but for the joy of going, for all the beauty of exploring and being awake in direct connection with all those things belonging to the magic microcosm, where like Alice in the wonder world, we become able to see the ants in the grass and the complicated design of some wild flower, to smell the sun in the air and simply go with the wind, dreaming on.
Your adventure made me feel nostalgic, made me remember about going „hai hui” when I was just a little girl, spending hours and hours only by myself, walking in the big garden of my childhood. Sure, you may have a completely different concept for „hai hui” and for certain you are a „professional rider” with precise objectives, but it was easy for me to feel from your stories the joy and the beauty coming with the ride.
I will keep reading your stories and thinking of you, GO GO GO!!!
Nicole Preda, Romania – The Vampire Nation (as Andrew says)
Pierre, c'est Alexandre! Je viens de me mettre à jour dans tes aventures. Niiiiice. Motherfucker, tu as fait du bungee!! T'as eu un boner?
J'espère que tes pieds sont secs!
C'est cool aussi d'avoir lu tes critiques de bières et de resto.
Vendredi, on a été à une soirée électro-dégustation de chocolat, c'était vraiment bien.
Samedi c'était l'enterrement de vie de garçon d'un bon ami, on a fait la tournée des micro-brasseries de Montréal.
Je passe 2 entrevues cette semaine, dont une dans une clinique privée (fuck off).
Je t'aime et oublie pas de mettre ton casque.
Alex
:0
Jebus! What's next? SkyDiving!
I've said it before and I'll say it again... you one crazy mofo!
Cheers,
MT
Nice!!!!
awesome.!
MJ
Fuck, if you did bungee jumping, I gotta do it too! (I'll bring you along so you can give me a good push-off ;-) It probably would take me hours to jump off. Sky diving is a way different thing though! I hope you take the time to give it a try!!
Egypt and Mt Kilimanjaro climb might be in my future agenda soon...
Later Gator! xo
Fackkkk I just kept wwatching the movie over and over and over again...and it just kept cracking me up. You're one creazy biker. Keep on riding and keep on posting those movies of your crazy actions.
Now you're talkin! Thanks for keeping your blog exciting!! I am sending you good vibes for your big adventure :-)
Josée
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