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Day 9 - July 27

The day starts with the best of intentions - ride a grueling stretch to Nipigon and decide at that time just how much further to go. The hills live up to their legend with some rain and wind thrown in for good measure. A 6 am departure gets into Nipigon only 30 miles away at 10:30. I wander into a very busy Tim Horton's wet and expectant as I line up for the day's first cup of coffee. The restaurant is warm and dry so coffee stretches into a 90 minute rest. I still have not settled on a final destination but there are 3 campgrounds between Nipigon and Thunder Bay. The furthest is  Mirror Lake which has the best reputation but is 62 miles total trip for the day. At Nipigon the road turns south and flattens out to an astounding speed (it's all relative folks). In no time I'm past Mirror Lake and on the way to Thunder Bay for a total day's ride of 100 miles.

At the Pass Lake Husky service area I run into the characters of the day. Albert is a trucker that makes his living on The Trana Canada highway. Albert is supervising Don Martel while he struggles to reinflate a repaired tire. Albert has the gift for gab and regales us with Hwy 17 stories collected during a lifetime on these roads. Don asks if I think the tire is hard enough  and I answer by sharing my pressure gauge. At 34 psi the answer is"no."

While Don continues to work on his tire, Albert and I learn that he is riding for The Windsor Essex Alzheimer's Society. Windsor is just across the Detroit Border. We are astounded to find out that Don is about 3.000 miles into a 2 1/2 month trek totaling 4,200 miles. He started at the northernmost road in Canada - Tuktoyaktuk in The Northwest Territories - and is biking to Point Pelee, the southernmost point in Canada. Don began on June 1st and will ride into a Windsor homecoming on August 17th with a final celebration ride to Lake Erie in August 18th. Now that is some scheduling pressure. He is also wearing an Alzheimer's patient bracelet from one of his sponsors, TRiLoc, that is following his every move and is connected to the CEO of the company by voice.

Ready to move on, I bid goodbye to my latest encounters. A milestone is in sight and I ask Albert how far to Lakeshore Drive, where I will leave the Trans Canada Hwy FOREVER!  Albert informs me that it's about 6 1/2 klicks (4 miles). Albert looks wounded by my palpable excitement at abandoning the highway that he lives his life on. In the end he agrees that not all truckers are happy to share the road with bikes. In particular the pulpwood haulers are a nasty lot which gets a nod of agreement from Don. I assure Albert that the scenery was stunning and I am glad for the experience.  20 minutes later I leave Hwy 17 and don't see another vehicle for 5 miles. Ahhhhhhh.

27 miles on Lakeshore Drive and I ride triumphantly into Thunder Bay.  My first "century" day on a bike.  Across from my motel is an " all you can eat" sushi bar. I nearly bankrupt them.




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