So the adventure continues. We are in the last week and the girls are already feeling like the time has flown by. They are in truly great form, as is Levi. The few aches, pains and unpleasantries that we experienced early in the trip have dissappeared and we have settled into a routine - not the routine I had expected, but a routine none the less.
The typical day has me up between 5 and 6 am. I will either journal or wander the area depending on the temperature. Cold weather means I`m walking, warm weather gets me seated at the picnic table catching up with my writing. Either way my priority is to start the coffee pot. The handy, dandy stove we bought for the trip is so loud that I usually find a vacant campsite to setup in so that I`m not bothering the kids or other neighboring campers. The coffee is always better with cream but that has turned out to be a rare occassion with no way to keep it cool.
Lana wakes up next and shares a cup of coffee before we begin in earnest. We have found that "quiet time" doesn`t really exist on a trip like this. However, the time on the bike is pretty relaxing and can be considered meditative and relaxing in a way. The caveat here is that it has to be an open road with a broad shoulder and/or a bike path. City streets and sections of highway with a poor shoulder are in no way relaxing.
Next is breakfast and a combination of packing and playing. Where I had anticipated an early start to the day with a push to get in a bunch of early riding with an early arrival at any given destination, we`ve fallen into a routine much the opposite. The packing is so involved and time consuming that this is the perfect time for the kids to hang-out and explore while we deal with all the stuff. What quickly becomes a maelstrom of gear from the preceding evening`s setup has to be sorted, stashed and compressed into lots of nooks and crannies. Breakfast often ìsn`t ready until nearly 10am. We make it a priority to eat a great breakfast. Today for example Colby will be preparing Monte Cristo sandwiches; which she learned to make in her cooking class. With eggs and two types of meat this is the perfect breakfast for bike touring. I`ll likely spread mine with peanut butter and/or maple butter just for the added touring benefits :)
After breakfast playtime continues. If the campsite has a pool the kids will find it. Many of the sites we`ve found have excellent playgrounds that keep the kids busy. Levi says, "Bonjour" to pretty much anyone he meets now and can make friends with the help of his sisters` translation skills. The challenge here has been the Quebecois accent. The girls are used to hearing an anglo french, where the inntonation and coloquialisms here are a challenge. The current campsite we are at has the most amazing playground with long ziplines. Levi came home with a bleeding nose last night after being "zipped" off his feet by his big sister.
Depending on the play and packing mix we are on the road anywhere from 10am to 3pm. Yes this seems crazy but it`s just what works. We`ve had comments that people are surprised at how relaxed we are, that other people who tour tend to be much more militant. I started out trying to alter out schedule to a more conventional cycle touring timeline - but simply had to resign myself to this "family model".
When the waterbottles are refreshed and each pannier sealed we hit the road. If we are in the city trying to navigate I will lead the pack. On the open road Lana will lead and I`ll hang back slightly off the rear. We will put in 10km before our first break and lunch at 20 or 25km depending on what we have available for rest stops. There have been so few hot days that we have become quite happy with the cloud cover and rain to keep us cool. On the hot days I will douse the girls with water as we ride to keep them cool and content.
Lunch rarely happens before 3 o`clock. With lots of fresh vegetable stands and a more tourist oriented area, we have become more choosie about what we eat. We will often use this stop to inquire about a local campsite. The established guides have so few campites listed that fall directly on our route that we have become used to asking as we go.
Depending on the proximity of the next campsite our day can end anywhere from 5 to 8pm. The girls are often giddy upon our arrival. Not so much out of exhaustion as it is relief that we`ve found a cool place to stay. If we are in a populated area we`ll try to make a grocery stop before or after we setup camp. Lana will start diner and I`ll take care of the tent before it gets too dark. It has often been the case that Quinn is half asleep waiting for her meal. There has yet to be an evening where we are struggling to get the kids to sleep!
That`s it - we are in bed at the same time as the kids and have slept really well every night where there haven`t been Racoons trying to get into our food - but that`s another story.
Greg
