WW7 and last few days

Hello from Dryden, Ont. This our 16th day of wandering at our leisure. The weather has changed from the first 12 days which were, wet windy and cool, about 1-7 degrees. This trip was planned to take advantage of the prevailing westerly winds across Canada. We havw been blessed by daily easterly winds allowing us to cycle longer and harder to go the same distance. Could there be too much of a good thing?
Yesterday Tom and I saw a bear crossing the road and he ran quickly when I growled at him, Aso saw numerous deer and a brown owl, quite large and within60 meters. All these sightings were on a secondary highway #44 from whitemouth to West Hawk Lake. we shared the road with deer flies and mosquitoes. They can attack at cycling speed. They do so with accuracy and precision, always targeting a volunerable area that is unreachable while underway, This road stretchs through some scrubb forest and has almost no sign of human inhabitation. One of the few places in Canada where you can be both unable to go to Tim's, and not guided by the Golden Arch. We stopped at Rennie and had a wonderful lunch at the Rennie Hotel, it was at its best about 75 years ago but hasn't needed a thing since. The owner entertained us with local lore. Rennie is ubdergoing a population explosion over the last 2 years from 79 to 102. And, and that doesn,t included the 32 cotyages on the lake and some of those people are there year round. His wife argues they can get medical help in 1 hour or so, which is certainly faster that in any metropolitian community in Canada.
I would like to share the stories and lives we are seeing but that wil take far more time and perhaps latter.
Currently we are into high volume cycling, spending 8-10 hours a day spinning so with rests about 12-14 hours a day. It is gret fun to see what is over the next hill or around the corner. However on the praries it takes about 15 km to reach the next grain elevator. Biking into the wind you put your head downm tuck into as aerodynamic a position as your body can hold and grind away. 20 minutes later you look again and the elevator hasn't changed, after a dozen times of doing this the rookies start to look good. Have to mention the prarie farmer who stopped to chat us up and give us some good advice. He was impressed with Tom's career but clearly thought lttle of mine. Believe me I didn't explore that.
Today back in Ontario after 14 days, and wil take that to cross the big blue province. Northern On has been a treat, warm to plane hot, 29 degrees and you guessed our prevaiing easterly winds at 15 kph. We both are thrilled to be back in the precambrian shield with roads that twist and turn, ups and downs, an d pavement that varies fron banna ceam to 2 day old porridge. The last days have been 222 km, 243 km, 260 km, 201, 202 km, and this seems sustainable with a little luck, Several flats and one worn out tire and lots of time cleaning sand and mud from the running gear, Tom has had his fall so we are both over that and looking forward to a dazzling display of skils. Nothing less dazzling than my decision to use the ring road in Winnipeg rather than cycle 10 km through the city. Good idea but the damn ring is about 100 km, we did half or so and it was 45 km, I was so angry with myself I had power to burn for hours.
Kenora is one of the places in Canada I could life happily. Dryden also scenic but hasn't tickled my fancy as much. We wil ikely go through another few days when internet services are less available. Hope to tell more about the sounds of Canada from the bicycle seat. Today birds were amazing, yesterdays owl made a tremendous racket taking of, the ducks and frogs. Little 5 year olds wondering what we are doing and then why we are. The sounds of morning coffee in all styles of shops, morning winding up and noon frying to a stop the last 2 days. Working on road construction in 29 degree sunsahine and spreading asphalt at 75 degrees celius is a job for the strong.
Special hello to the big 6 and the wiser 7. My favorite mind game when pedaling is to think of the people in my life and create great stories for them. Perhaps worth sharing but expect surprises, because this trip is all about my Mom's teaching. Work before play. Night all.