> Across Canada on a bike

17th May 2004

Bike....Done!
Helmet....Done!
Shoes....Done!
Visiting Stanley Park....Done!!
Exhaustion....Experiencing!!
The first day is almost to an end, and we have walked a lot and most importantly Jan has a
bike. We are almost ready. Our test run will be Vancouver Island on Tuesday.
The words to the wise: It's all about balance!

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18th May 2004

23 degrees and we took a 27 km trip today. We also did the ritual of dunking our bikes
(tires) into the Pacific Ocean - time will tell if we get to do the same in the Atlantic.
Right now we're getting our stuff together on the bikes, having at this point thrown out
over 5 kilos of bagage. Fingers crossed that it'll fit, 'cause we're heading out on the
morrow - at nine o'clock to let the morning traffic pass.

All the best from Jan and Kristen

Ps. Check out the new pictures.

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23rd May 2004

"Up the hill, down the hill! Up the hill, down the hill!" These are the words that get me
through the up hill moments. Sometimes I tack on "Rubber Duckie" to the end of it for
variation. But the best ending is "Up hill, down hill, hot shower." ;) The last few days
we have seen everyting from snow to a lot of rain. Yesterday it down poured all day, so the
hot shower was a bigger motivator. These days has been a great indictor of our limits and
that we are capable of overcoming those limits. Jan has been the hero going through Allison
Pass in Manning Provincial Park (for all of those who are following on a map) because he
took on the panniers and the trailer while on my bike. We are currently in Kelowna taking a
rest day. I am so happy that I don't have to put on bicycle shorts, nor get onthe bike for
one day. In short, our nightly stops have been in near Harrison Hotsprings (no we didn't
see any hotsprings), Manning Provincial Park Resort, Hedley, and now Kelowna. These stops
are following Hwy 3 and then Hwy 97. Looking towards the future, we see sunny skies
RevelStoke in a couple of days, where the real fun begins or so we are told. I think that
both of us are finding new muscles and the ones we had are strengthening quickly. We are
finding it easier each day we are out. So with positive thoughts we head into the "real"
Rockies.

Thank you so much to Uncle Rob, Aunt Barb, and Anika.

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31st May 2004

Hallo you guys

No photos today, as we're sitting in the Strathmore unemployment centre, stealing internet
time from needing unemployed people and the pcs doesn't seem to recognize our wonderful
little camera. Strathmore is about 35 km east of Calgary. Yes, it is now official: we have
left the rockies! So far we've done 1176 km and are a good stretch into the praire, though
the mountains still loom in the background.

Yesterday, coming out of the Rockies, we did 144 km (thanks west wind). We couldn't reach
Kristen's uncle in Calgary so we just desided to press on to a campsite just east of the
city. We were hoping to be in Calgary to witness the Stanley Cup's triumphant return to the
north, but these guys just can't close it in 4 games, huh?!? We are at this point getting
pretty tired of seing Flames flags, that seem to be mounted on every second vehicle.

We hope to get to a better computer soon so we can upload the following photos: [Jan and
Kristen at the BC/Alberta border], [A bare/bear campgound in Banff], [Sunshine and a six
pack at Strathmore Camp Ground], plus lots more - stay tuned to this web site!!!

Kristen and Jan

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4th June 2004

Here we are in Redcliff, Alberta uploading a few photos from the last week or so. The big
news from us is that we have done just over 300km (180 in one day) in the last two days, we
visited Dinosaur Provincial Park and later today we will be exiting Alberta. We hope that
the wind will be in our favour because it really hasn't been at our backs as much as we
would like it to be. We are both sporting very interesting tan lines. Jan's is the
best....the outline of his CamelBak is marked clearly on his back.
This is the extent of it for now. The next big stop for uploading will likely be in Regina.

I hope all of you are doing well and we send our greetings.

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9th June 2004

Hallo again

We have made it as far as Regina, Saskatchewan and have just rounded 2,000 km i.e. one third
of our trip. Yesterday we had our longest day so far as we came from a small town called
Morse to a campsite just east of Regina, totalling 198,36 km. So we were a little bushed
last night and a little stiff-legged this morning, but all in all we're doing great.

Today we've done 20 km with the wind against us, and are currently sitting at the library in
a town called Balgone with around 2 days of biking to the Manitoba border.

Check out the new photos and 'Keep on truckin'

Kristen and Jan

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15th June 2004

After many grueling days fighting the terrible weather of Sask. (only being able to do 75km
in one day against a 26km/hr east wind) we finally were blessed with a west wind. And in
celebration of this west wind we did 281 km in one day. It truely was an incredible day for
a number of reasons.
1) The distance covered.
2) Recovering the camera. We forgot the camera at the motel that we stayed at the night
before and the owner of the motel drove 45 mins to find us, to give us the camera.
Incredible!! So if any one is going through Whitewood, Sask. they really must stay at the
Quest Motel.
3) We found a Manitoba license plate 1 km before we finished for the day, which completes
Jan's collection for now.
We are currently in Winnipeg, enjoying the company of Scott and co-worker. Thank you Scott.
I can't say that we have really done anything all that touristic in Winnepeg. In fact, we
spent the morning watching the Denmark vs Italy game. Go Denmark!! Sorry to see the
results of Bulgaria, Nikolay. Tomorrow we will be leaving Winnipeg and with any luck will
be across the Ontario border in two days.

Until Ontario everyone,
Kristen and Jan

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22nd June 2004

Hallo again

This time we're writing to you from the lovely Thunder Bay - the term lovely used broadly
here i.e. also including run down old industrial town. We're enjoying a day of rest after
leaving Winnipeg six days ago and stopping at an odometer read of 3,276 km.

Northern Ontario has not been as we feared. First of all, the roads are, if not fully, then
at least partly shouldered - and paved shoulders as well. The mosquitos have not been that
bad yet, though we did encounter a full on attack the first night out of Winnipeg. Luckily
the nice people (who's backyard we were camping in) came out and invited us to sleep in
their guest room, under the excuse that there was a storm rolling our way (they just wanted
to talk, right? ;-)). No, they were really nice people and the fact that we actually had
some peole inviting us to stay with them gave our trip that extra little spice we've been
looking for.

Other than that the last week has been slow, with the weather still holding off on summer
temperatures. But we did see a moose, along with a lot of other wild animals, including
eagles, owl, deer, horse carcus on the side of the road etc. (which made the whole trip
through the desolate terrain of Ontario border to Thunder Bay worth while).

Tomorrow we're heading out again, as we're hoping to join Kristen's family for Canada Day
celebrations at the Bruce Peninsula.

All the best from your Uncle and Aunt Travelling Jan and Kristen (you know, from the
Fraggles (Uncle Travelling Mack!!)

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29th June 2004

The main news this week is the convergence of cyclists. We have been meeting up with a
number of fellow cyclists and accompanying some of them for parts. Noteably, Francois,
Evelyn, Tom and Bob. It has been great to hear other stories and gain a little advice from
those coming from the opposite dirrection. The best has been "If its not raining, I'm not
complaining." The weather has been in our favour the last week or so we press on with big
smiles on our face.

Greetings to all,
K and J

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10th July 2004

Hi Fellas!

We have now wheeled into Ottawa and are enjoying a couple of rest days in the company of
Scott, Julie and Nathalie. Our grand total has climbed to 5,128 km, the sun is out, it's 26
degrees, we're in clean and dry clothes and everything is just dandy!! The Atlantic ocean is
so close that we can almost feel the salt on our faces and the scent of boiling lobster
hanging in the air. But alas, there is still over a thousand ks to go.

The last week has been great and included a massive Elliott family reunion in Tobermory,
beer and beer with surferdudes (m/f) in lovely Barrie (thanks for letting us stay at your
house, guys), more sunshine than we've seen the previous 40 days and last but not least;
what will be some memorable days in the nation's capital.

Our plan from here on is to take some days off in Montreal and Quebec City, and otherwise
take it slow for the rest of the trip. We are flying back to Toronto from Halifax on the 3rd
of August, so we have a number of days to spare.

Enjoy the summer, from

Jan and Kristen

PS. Til danskerne. Jeg haaber I nyder den danske sommer paa trods af regnen og de overskyede
dage; jeg er sikker paa at vejret bliver godt saadan cirka omkring den 9. august hvor jeg
lander i Kastrup. Hej, hej!

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22nd July 2004

Dear all

As these computers are running a stupid old version of Windows, we are not able to upload
photos, but we promise to do our best to find a computer that will before long - if not
before, then in Halifax. Yes, that is right; we have crossed the francophone area and are
now closer to the Atlantic sea than ever before (hmmm!).

Yesterday we left Quebec and drove into New Brunswick, just as our odometer hit 6,000 km.
Apart from the language, Quebec was great, and we spent some amazing days in both Montreal
and Quebec City. Highlights being jazz concert and Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal
and Cirque Nouveau and `tiny bicycle` show in the streets of Quebec City. And then of course
cycling the banks of the St. Lawrence with more shoulder on the road and more beautiful
scenery than we have seen in a long time.

To have our goal so near is quite strange, but we are determined to enjoy our last days on
the road, especially with the fantastic weather we have had the last 14 days (that will
continue we are sure). We will probably arrive in Halifax in about a week from now, so
either wednesday og thursday night.

See you all very soon.

All the best from Kristen and Jan

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1st August 2004

Dearest All

And that is that! Thursday afternoon at around five we rolled down to the waterfront in
Halifax and, sorrounded by hundreds of people (that had come out for the Tall Ships 2004
Regatta, probably not to see us finish), we dipped our front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean.

It been one hell of a journey and we are still in a state of decompression today sunday.
Here are the most important statistics:

Numbers of kilometers: 6882
Numbers of flat tires (Jan): 2
Numbers of flat tires (trailer): 3
Numbers of flat tires (Kristen): 16
Numbers of ride days: 58
Kilos of peanut butter consumed: 1.7
Litres of ice tea consumed: more than 100
Sunburns: a lot
Number of times we answered the question 'How far are you going?: more than 100

We both look forward to seing you very soon

For the last time, Jan and Kristen

From His Majesty the West Wind:

"For they alas had knowledge I was missing

To write something I had never known

That I had never experienced the driving

Of western winds across the prairie blown."

Pauline Johnson, 1894