Jason and Kylie Bike Across Canada for AIDS - 2006

To those of you who have emailed me and haven't heard back, my deepest apologies... am completely swamped with messages right now and have only been responding to trip-related emails, like accomodations and scheduling. I will hopefully will get a chance to go through the inbox in a few days and respond to everyone by this weekend. Thanks for your patience!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

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Posted by Jason on August 28, 2006 10:59 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

This morning it started raining as we started out, but it was probably one of the best rainy rides we've had to date because we actually anticipated it and had all our gear already prepared. The ride from Fredericton to Moncton was pretty uneventful, with absolutely nothing in the last 80 km. No gas stations. No rest stops. Except for a single ice cream place that served "home made" ice cream and charged $4.50 a cone. I must confess that we were so weary and tired that we actually paid that much for it.

I have a confession. I felt like I was going crazy today from the silence while biking. During the 80 km without any interesting scenery, I started singing in a high-pitched voice a song I once heard on the show, "Clone High", "Flap, flap, flapping my albatross wings. Flap, flap flapping my albatross wings." From there, I proceeded to sing the Spice Girls and... well, it went downhill from there.

We're in Moncton right now and then off to Sackville tomorrow, where we'll be staying at Mount Allison University! 9 days left until St. John's!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

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Posted by Jason on August 28, 2006 10:47 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Well, it seems like I'm the only one to seems to have bike troubles on this trip and I suspect it's because of the weight I'm carrying combined with my style of riding, which is "I'm blasting through the gravel and potholes... yahhhh". About 5 km out of Edmundston, I broke a spoke which caused my wheel to rub against the frame. Thankfully, a couple of the employees at the sports store there stayed 15 minutes past closing to fix my wheel and they also cleaned my cassette for me, which was much appreciated.

About 60 km out from Fredericton, after stopping for lunch, my back wheel started spinning all funny and I just stared at it in disbelief. I'm getting to be quite good at changing tubes now.

In other news, can anyone tell me why it is so cold? When we start off in the mornings, it's about 6 C and we are absolutely frigid right up until noon. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and thunderstorm the day after on our route. I'm hoping and praying that through some miracle, the clouds will avoid us, because rain is generally okay, but with these temperatures, I imagine it'll be... not pleasant. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Oh yeah, we're at just under 6,500 km. I've been meaning to post a long reflection after we hit 5000 km in Kingston, but haven't had time to put it up yet... it's a long, sappy and emotional piece... the last part of the journey feels surreal because I've wanted to do this cross-Canada bike ride for so long and I can't quite believe that it's almost done... will write more about all that later.

Bedtime for me.

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

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Posted by Jason on August 28, 2006 3:25 AM |1 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Another live cellphone picture uploaded by Kylie and Jason as they bike across Canada!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 27, 2006 9:40 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Apparently, there's a Ha Ha Cemetery, but I didn't see it.

Another live cellphone picture uploaded by Kylie and Jason as they bike across Canada!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 27, 2006 9:39 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Dear Jenny,

I've been thinking about you a lot lately. As we push our way eastward, our days grow longer and we often don't get into our destination until the early evening. I've had the opportunity to see many more sunsets on the rivers that wind their way next to the roads. And it's been during those startlingly beautiful moments that I wish that you were right here with me to experience it.

Today's our anniversary. And I suppose I was feeling a bit down today as I cycled the hills of New Brunswick, because I wish I could properly celebrate the occasion with you. At the end of each day, it means a lot to hear your voice on the phone, even if it's just a voice mail message. Thank you for always being there and supporting me in all my crazy adventures. The last year has been simply incredible and I can't imagine how it could have been any better. I love the time we spend together and it makes my heart smile to think of what lies ahead.

So here's to you, the girl of my dreams. Consider this an IOU on our anniversary, I'll make you dinner when I get back. :) 14 more days and I'll be in your arms.

I love you and miss you,
-- Jason

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

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Posted by Jason on August 27, 2006 9:22 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Another live cellphone picture uploaded by Kylie and Jason as they bike across Canada!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 25, 2006 4:40 PM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Today was just a little bit insane. When we arrived at the hostel in Rivière-du-Loup, someone asked us where we had biked from and upon hearing that we had started in Quebec City today, they looked at us with utter astonishment. The distance between the two cities is just under 200 km. Yeah, we can't quite believe it either. At the beginning of the trip, we were limited by our strength. In the middle, we were limited by our endurance. Now that we're approaching the end, we're limited by the number of hours the sun is in the sky.

Every single minute counts because we had to zip from Quebec City to Rivière-du-Loup. We started at about 8 in the morning and didn't get in until 7:15 in the evening. The day was a race against the sun-- while most people regard the setting sun as a thing of beauty, today it was simply an ominous occasion. Once the sun sets, especially in areas with no streetlights, it gets very unsafe to bike, not so much because cars can't see you (I have a blinking light that I attach to my back when it gets darker) but because I can't see where I'm going. Fortunately, we made it to the hostel with about half an hour to spare.

After hitting the 160 km mark today, the last 35 km were really tough. Everything just becomes very focused. I don't think about anything but the goal of where I have to be. Just keep the legs moving up and down. Ignore the pain. Ignore the tiredness. Grit your teeth, hold the handlebars just a bit tighter and keep on pushing.

We've been doing 150+ km a day for the the last few days and today I just had to push through the shooting pains that seems to be settling in my left knee. It goes away, but keeps on coming back sporadically. Am going to take it easy tomorrow and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will disappear. Am absolutely exhausted. Can't believe we're nearly done. Am writing in sentence fragments now. So tired. Sleep.

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 24, 2006 10:49 PM |1 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Another live cellphone picture uploaded by Kylie and Jason as they bike across Canada!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 24, 2006 8:30 AM |1 comments so far, click here to add yours!

Another live cellphone picture uploaded by Kylie and Jason as they bike across Canada!

$1,794 of $50,000 raised! You can help us reach our goal! Click here to donate

Having trouble hearing audio or viewing video? View the original entry at www.bikeacrosscanada.ca for the full experience.

Posted by Jason on August 24, 2006 8:21 AM |0 comments so far, click here to add yours!