Fellow riders,

It was pretty dang cool for a bike ride, and with all the rain the previous day, the back roads were sure to be nice and muddy. What a great way to start a ride. Fortunately, most of the planned route was on paved roads so mud wasn't expected to be much of a problem.
We left the Neebing Roadhouse at about 10:45 with only 7 riders all told - a significant drop from last year's total of about 15. We zipped down High. 61 post haste to warm up the bones and soon got to our first stop - Thunder Bay Farm Co-op just off the highway on 608. This is mostly a general store type of facility that sells seed, fertilizer and other farm- related products on a non-profit basis to the co-op members. We were mostly interested in the free coffee and doughnuts.
Next stop - a dairy farm just down the highway a few kilometers. We got the grand tour and learned a few things about our bovine friends. For instance, did you know that milk comes from cows? No freebies at this establishment so we beat it outta there and headed up 608 and 595 to Pallisades Rd. where we toured Dreamfields horse stables. After checking out the beautiful horses, we made our way to the barbeque and pounded down hotdogs, cookies and pumpkin pie. Yummy.
Next stop - a sheep farm on 595 across from Green Acres store. After petting the precious young lambs and taking a few pictures, we proceeded to eat their siblings in the form of lamb stew and mutton sausages. Mmmmm. Delicious. No weak stomachs here! Did you know that an adult sheep yields about 4 lbs. of wool? That's enough to make a duvet for a queen size bed I was told, or spin a thread of yarn that would stretch from Thunder Bay to Nakina and back to Nolalu and twice around the Doghouse Tavern. The things you learn on a 'Farm' tour!
The last stop was at a cattle ranch on Barrie Drive. We got there a bit late so the food and drinks were free. Unfortunately, all the food was gone, but a gratis soft drink hit the spot. A few more pictures were taken and away we went once again down Barrie Rd. with a beautiful tailwind to compensate for the hills and headwind of the morning.
We ended the ride at the Neebing Roadhouse and a very pleasant post-ride social was enjoyed by all. The Rickards Red never tasted better. We all agreed that it had been a much more demanding day than we had planned. The ride covered a total of about 85 km. and with the wind, hills and the added weight of our mountain bikes, we were glad that we didn't take our 'clunker' bikes as previously planned. Despite the morning cold, strong headwinds, hills and distance involved, we still all agreed that the day had been well-spent. As they say 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.
With the cooler weather upon us, the autumn colours should be at their finest in the next week or two. Make an attempt to come out to our last few rides of the season, as these are sometimes the most scenic and memorable of all. Besides, it'll give you something to talk about besides hockey at the office water cooler Monday morning.
Hope to see you next week.

Fabio

Hello fellow riders,

It didn't look like a good day awaited us. The sky was cloudy and overcast. The weatherman was calling for 60% chance of rain. And it was cool. No, actually it was ?!!#$% cold. Just ask Alfredo - the man in the short sleeves. Did these bad omens and portents of anguish and suffering stop us from riding, you ask in a fixed stare? Nay, nay - a thousand times nay! They merely encouraged us onward into the face of adversity - we refused to be intimidated by the less-than-ideal conditions. Actually, we couldn't wait to get going to warm up!
After a few kilometers along Riverdale Rd. we actually got fairly comfortable. The rain of the previous day had messed up the gravel road a bit and it wasn't easy to stay clean, but that didn't bother us one bit. Even Dave Curtis, the original Mr. Clean, got his bike nice and muddy, but he managed to keep his composure none-the-less.
We huffed up Candy Mt. road, slogged through Oliver Creek Rd. and blasted down the awesome hill on McCluskey Rd. to the start of the access trail where our hike started. We peddled up the trail a bit, until gravity dictated we dismount and walk. The trail got steeper and steeper until we were faced with the last vertical pitch - fortunately some one left ropes in place there to facilitate the climb. A few more minutes and there we were - at the top of Candy Mountain. It was a beautiful panaroma of the Slate R. valley that spread out in from of us. Too bad for the fog and low-lying clouds that obscured the view somewhat, however it was still a beautiful spot. We paused for lunch and a brief photography session and a game of Trivial Pursuit. Guy Latimer shocked everyone by answering the most questions right. Go figure. And he's a teacher, yet! I guess wonders never cease. Some of the other teachers in the group fared considerably worse, however, no names will be mentioned. He claimed his prize gladly and didn't gloat over his superior intellectual powers too much.
By now we were cooling off, so it was time to descend. Surprise, surprise - we came down a lot quicker than going up and it wasn't long before we were back on our bikes. A quick detour took us to Gammondale's pumpkin festival and we snapped a few pictures in the pumpkin patch. We then biked the 6th concession road, Hacquoil Rd. and the 10th concession leading to Candy Mt. road, Riverdale Rd. and back to our vehicles at the Riverdale store.
Inside the newly-renovated restaurant we enjoyed a nice meal of soup and sandwiches, coffee and pie. We were a contented bunch and all agreed that despite the humble beginnings of the day, everything turned out great. Those who missed the ride today, missed out on some great Fall scenery, fresh air and invigorating excercise.
Before the really cold weather arrives, make a point to take in a ride or two. In short, "try it - you'll like it!"

Fabio Zorzes
MBT Director

Hello fellow riders,

How does one improve on perfection? Just when you think last week's ride can't be topped, along comes another humdinger when everything just seems to go the way you expect a near perfect ride to go. Sure it was a little cool first thing in the morning, but c'est la vie, n'est-ce pas? We had a chance to warm up while we waited for Laurie to return home to pick up her forgotten helmet anyway. We won't be too hard on her though - we've all done it before, right?
It wasn't cool for long as Moose hill got everyone warmed up in short order. The countryside along High. 608 was beautiful as usual, however there was very little evidence of the fall colours yet. Perhaps the trees know something we don't and another month of fantastic weather is around the corner. Wouldn't that be nice?
Once we regrouped at the 608 - 595 intersection, we had a nice wind assist which took some of the bite out of the hills as we rolled southward on 595. Part way along that road, a large dog ran out of a farmer's driveway and made threatening overtures to our group. As we sped along to get out of harm's way, we looked back to see what all the commotion was about only to see the beast running back home with Graham in hot pursuit. We may have to put a leash on him on the next ride to protect any dogs we might encounter! Anyway, we proceeded without further incident to Olsen's store where a snack and drink put everybody back in high gear.
It wasn't long before we were back on 608 with a beautiful tailwind to speed things along. We blasted down Moose hill to Hwy. 61 and back to Blake Hall in record time. It seemed that we were just one step ahead of rain most of the day and a light sprinkle caught up to us as we turned into the parking lot. Perfect timing! No big deal as Dave had thoughtfully brought a box of refreshment to be shared once the ride ended. We were a happy bunch. The weather had been perfect for cycling, the scenery as usual was terrific, and the comraderie was wonderful. Of course, the Call of the Neebing was overpowering so we meekly heeded this call from above and headed in that direction. Who are we as mere, insignificant mortals after all to question the will of the higher powers? If Providence dictates that we were preordained to drink beer on this day, so be it. Amen. And so we did. All except Edan, however who had to attend to other matters. It's not often you hear of an Irishman passing up a pint or two, eh?
Back at the Neebs, we met up with Dave and Audrey Oja, along with their friends, Peter and Elizabeth who were passing through Thunder Bay enroute to Alaska. A splendid afternoon soiree ensued and everyone left feeling very good about the world. The beer may have played a part in this euphoria, but it was great none-the-less.
I would urge all riders not to wait for that elusive 'perfect day' to come along before you come out and ride. Regretfully, the perfect day never comes. Once the weather starts to cool off, you never know what the weekend will be like, so make the most of each precious opportunity to ride. Remember, you only go around once in life - grab all the gusto you can get!
See you out there.

Fabio Zorzes
Mt. Touring Director

Fellow Cyclists,

It was a beautiful day in Northwestern Ontario. One of those rare days when all seems right in the world. One of those rare days when the sun is shining, the birds singing and the stars align in exactly the right configuration. One of those rare days when even a myopic proctologist can't help but have a cheerfull outlook on the world. This was the scenario as 14 riders showed up at Sturgeon Bay Rd. Sunday morning for the Mink Mountain bike and hike. After welcoming 2 new riders, Stacey and Laura into our midst and reacquainting ourselves with our good friend and former TBCC president John Victor, we set out toward Mink Mountain in high spirits.
The initial downhills were great as the machinery got warmed up and it wasn't long before jackets and sweaters gave way to cooler, more comfortable wear. A few km. down the road, the group stopped and a card was distributed to each rider to begin assembling a poker hand. We grinded up the long hills and blasted down the other side to the next designated spot where another card was distributed. It was a good thing traffic was light because each passing vehicle covered us in a layer of road dust. Oh well, at least it wasn't anthrax powder!
We arrived at the trailhead none the worst for wear and after stashing our bikes and unecessary items, we began our hike up Mink Mountain. It was steep at first and we huffed and puffed like the little engine that could for a while. Soon the fantastic panorama of Mink and Sturgeon Bay revealed itself, and we stopped on the rocks for a welcome lunch break. After the requisite pictures were taken and the lunch eaten, the card game resumed as the last of the cards were dealt. The tension was incredible in this high stakes game, however Ted Chamut came up with an unbeatable royal flush to win the much sought-after prize: the Little Beaver can opener by Starfrit. That really made his day. (No jokes please!)
We were all having such a great time we didn't want to leave that beautiful spot. Sadly, it came time to go and resume the hike around the top of the mountain and back down to the trailhead. This was also a very scenic route, especially if you have an eye for mushrooms like Gene has. Arriving back to our secret hide-away, we were grateful no human or animal had absconded with our bicycles as it would have been a long walk back to the cars.
The return ride was hilly and in some cases quite steep but it takes more than that to break the spirit of a hearty northern cyclist, right? Right! Anyway, we all made it back to the start in one piece and John Victor provided the perfect end to the ride by breaking out a 30-pack of Burger beer. Yes you read correctly - Burger beer. Get this - $5.99 for a 30-pack, with a further $.10/can rebate. That makes $2.99 for a 30-pack of pretty decent American beer. You gotta love those Yankees! We then proceeded to the Neebing to round out the day with nachos (what else) and Rickards beer (what else?).
With the beautiful weather, fantastic scenery and all-around friendship and good humour, it was a great day. As Martha would say ".... and that's a good thing".

Fabio Zorzes
Mt. Touring Director

Fellow Cyclists,

Only one other vehicle greeted us as we pulled into the Lakeview Lodge parking lot Sunday morning, so it soon became evident that this was not going to be a well attended outing. After a few minutes another vehicle pulled in with two more riders - that makes six. Shortly afterwards Lud rolled in and then there were seven. Given the large turnouts from most of our previous rides, this seemed a disproportionately small number. Oh well, que sera, sera. Could it be everyone was still feeling the effects of the Thunder Country Ramble the previous day? Now that's what you call a headwind! Anyway, off we went into a brisk headwind under sunny skies ready to tackle the ugly hills of Highway 527. Two more riders had already started, having parked at or near the MTO weigh scale, so we now had nine riders on the road. The 50 km ride to Orr's store was generally uneventfull, just the usual grind up one hill, then over the next hill, then over the next hill .... ad nauseum. The group splintered off only to meet up again at the turnaround point where a pop and chocolate bar provided a welcome energy boost. We all looked forward to the downhill road back with a strong tailwind to propel us homeward. Needless to say, we were once again disappointed.
Although the way back is generally downhill, there is still plenty of climbing here and there, and of course, the favourable tailwind mysteriously disappeared. We all persevered however, and made it back as fast as our parched palates would allow. Some went home directly after the ride while the rest sought refuge at the Lakeview Lodge where excellent hamburgers, french fries and several pitchers of Rickards Red were enjoyed with great gusto. These burgers (8 oz.) in my opinion, rival the legendary Stanley Burger which is held in such high esteem by those who truly appreciate and understand the subtleties of fine cuisine. The french fries also deserve honourable mention as they were very crisp and delicious. The spring rolls were another story though - ask Madeline.
All said and told however, it was a pretty decent, although tough ride. Still better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick! Hats off to the Youngs who completed the whole ride despite being told by Graham that it was only 80 km at the most. Good thing Graham didn't show up because I'm sure they would have been very pleased to have him drawn and quartered at about the 90 km mark! Oh well - c'est la vie!
Well, that's it for now. Remember - a bad day on the bike is still better than a good day at work.
See ya' soon - Fabio

U.S. riders love a good Ramble

Greetings Cyclists,

The morning of Aug. 10 produced light winds and cloudy skies - perfect weather for a brisk distance ride. Only three riders showed up at the Blake Hall for the commencement of this double century ride, but we didn't let that bother us as we knew some cyclists were starting from their homes, while others were to meet us at the border.
It wasn't long before we hooked up with Ken and Gene along the highway so that brought the total to five. With Ken and Len Tukhanen leading the way, we sped along merrily in a nice cohesive group. We got beeped by several cars along the way - it was the rest of the riders driving to our rendez-vous at Rydens store. After about an hour of great peddling, we met up with everyone at Rydens parking lot and after a brief respite and snack, we left en masse to Grand Marais. With Jim Restall, Heidi Strobl, Laurie Leslie and Frank Hodder in our midst, we now numbered nine. Needless to say as we climbed Mt. Josephine and blazed down the other side, the group splintered, however the excellent new pavement on the American side afforded everyone a very good, comfortable ride and a good pace was maintained by all. Kudos to the excellent American roadbuilders!
About half way to Grand Marais, we caught up to Peter and Sophie Young who had parked near Grand Portage to eliminate the arduous climb of Mt. Josephine in both directions. Now we had a more respectable number of eleven riders - we started looking like a real club! With everyone's energy level holding well, we made short work of the remaining kilometers to Grand Marais and pulled into "My Sister's Place" - a restaurant off the highway where we are well known. After assurances that there would be no recurrances of last year's debaucle involving one Mr. Dave Anderson and his ferocious temper, we were allowed to enter and order our lunches. Judging by the prompt service and excellent food, all past indiscretions must have been forgotten. I think we were actually welcome there. I guess it pays to weed out trouble-making miscreants giving our club a bad name with our neighbours to the south.
After an excellent lunch of burgers (try the Twin Sisters) and sandwiches, and with replenished water bottles, we set out on the return journey. A bit of a tailwind developed and again with wonderfully smooth pavement, the ride back was most enjoyable and nary a complaint was heard. The only negative aspect of the ride was the rain which caught us unaware as we slogged up Mt. Josephine. We all got pretty well soaked, except for the Youngs who managed to reach their strategically placed van just before the rain started. We took refuge under Ryden's eaves while we waited out the downpour. Pictures were taken, snacks were eaten and Peter Young, may the good Lord bless him forever, produced a box of beer which was lapped up greedily by the parched group in record time. Thanks Pete!
After a while, the rain thankfully stopped and this was our cue to leave if we hoped to finish the long ride in a relatively dry state. While the short riders loaded their bikes, Graham, Len, Gene and myself headed off homeward at a good clip. With the advantage of a pleasant tailwind, we kept a nice, tight formation for the most part and the kilometers melted away quickly. By the time we reached the 200 km. mark at the Blake Hall, the sun was shining and everyone was in great spirits - even Gene, who by virtue of his departure from home, was showing 216 km. on his cyclometer. The other rider from home, Ken Magleo cramped up at the border on the return trip and opted for a ride back, but he still racked up a solid 200 km. - his longest ride ever. Way to go Ken! All said and told, it was just a great day of cycling. After the traditional high-fives and backslapping, it was incumbent on us, in keeping with tradition, to repair back to the friendly, and familiar confines of the Neebing Roadhouse for libations and to tell ourselves what a great bunch of guys we were. Yessiree Bob - the older we get, the better we used to be!
After a few pitchers, amid much mirth and merriment, the time to leave drew nigh and so we parted ways, ending an almost perfect day. Those who didn't do this ride today, probably missed the best double century in recent memory. And that's all I gotta say about that.
For anyone who would like to participate in a longer ride, be it a century or even a double century - go for it! Don't let preconceived notions of impending doom and inevitable failure stop you from trying. It may not be as tough as you think. When you're with a group, the kilometers and hours seem to pass quicker - you'll amaze yourself what you can do in cycling if you put your mind and legs into it. Remember -'tempus fugit' (time flies) as the ancient Romans were fond of saying. Don't just think about it - try it. You'll be glad you did.
See you on the road. Fabio

Fellow Cyclists,

It was a fine day to be alive as 16 enthusiastic riders showed up for our second century ride of the season. Due to road construction, our original route had to be scrapped and a new route proposed which would take us to the Kakabeka, Stanley, Hymers, Nolalu and Kaministiquia areas. The first portion of the ride was to be common to both the long and short riders culminating with lunch at the Kakabeka Hotel before having to commit to either the long or short route. The concept looked good on paper, but as we got rolling, the main group splintered into several smaller groups which followed their own agendas - some even riding the proposed Thunder Country Ramble route. Somehow, we all ended up at the Kakabeka Hotel for lunch (except for Ted and Bob who opted for a quick bite at the Odena grocery). Those who lingered were faced with the awful decision - go long as planned, in the brutal heat or go short and get home early. This decision was much too difficult to make with a parched pallet and after several pitchers of the amber fluid, it was decided - some would take the long route but eliminate the Stanley-Hymers loop, and others led by the intrepid and ever-thirsty Dave Oja would follow a modified short course which co-incidentally would take them past the Murillo Hotel and Pam Dawes' house as well. Pure co-incidence I'm sure. At any rate, these long and short riders arrived back at the McIntyre Community Centre at approximately the same time, however while the long riders were dry and beat, the short riders were fresh, smiling and jovial. Could it be that shorter distances, frequent stops and more beer are the real secrets to cycling excellence?
All-in-all, it was a tiring day as the temperature soared and the hills loomed large and long. To compound matters, the distances given were way out-of-whack as the long riders logged over 180 km. and the short ride went about 130 km, instead of 160 and 100 km. respectively. Oh well - if it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger, right? Who's the rocket scientist who came up with that one, eh? As an aside, a couple of riders, upon arriving back at the McIntyre centre realed that they had logged only 142 km. so, after a brief respite and a few fortifying libations, continued on for another 18 km. to complete their century rides. Way to go!
In summary, I guess the best way to describe the ride would be 'tiring yet strangely satisfying'. At least it was better than the last century in the cold and pouring rain. By the way, would the miscreant who messed with Bob's truck please come forth?

- Fabio

Fellow Cyclists,

It was a cool, overcast morning as 21 enthusiastic riders assembled at the Pass Lake truck stop eager for yet another great ride to Silver Islet and back. At the crack of 10:00 o'clock (Mexican time) the group departed and were soon speeding merrily along thanks to the initial downhills of Highway 587 - too bad we had to climb them on the return trip! Some riders started at Pass Lake and Joeboy Lake parking lot so they missed out on the blazing downhill runs. After about 1 1/2 hr. of delightful riding, the sun came out and heated things up in a big way. By this time we were at the Silver Islet General Store and the staff had been pre-warned to open up the coffee shop early as the riders would be ravenous by noon. And so we were. The noon repast was consumed eagerly and soon some of the earlier-arriving cyclists were ready to depart. Those who lingered a bit got a tour of the new Coast Guard vessel which was berthed at the General Store dock. A lucky few (the Curtis's) even got to go to sea for a tour of the area (no sea-sickness reported!).

The return trip was a hot and sweaty affair like 2 camels in heat but we were inspired by Miriam and Ron's invitation to their camp at Bass Lake afterwards for a sauna, swim, snacks and yes, even a libation or two. Those who attended were not disappointed. A great time was had by all and even the thunder and rain later on didn't dampen the general enthusiasm as we simply moved the party indoors. We were entertained by Miriam and Ron's account of their year in Trinidad and also by party games in which all participated. All too soon it was time to depart and another memorable ride and post-ride soiree' came to an end. Many thanks to our gracious hosts Ron and Miriam - they couldn't do enough for us. Great having you back in the fold.

All-in-all, it was a wonderful day of cycling, comraderie and entertainment - hopefully just one of many more to come.

Fellow Cyclists,

"Who'd a thunk it?" What was forecast to be a very crummy day turned out to be a winner. With the exception of a few cold hollows due to the great air conditioner they call "Gitche Gumee" and a strong head wind on the return leg, it was a fine ride. The weather cooperated but the ride almost didn't get started due to an overzealous border guard's reaction to an Irish accent from one of our riders. I'm not aware of one of our riders with an accent from the Emerald Isle, are you? Maybe our resident psychiatrists should have a session with said border guard to analyze this xenophobic reaction.

The newly paved roads from the border on down made for smooth and carefree riding for the 28 of us hungry riders. The buffet at the Naniboujou was fabulous as usual. The consensus was that the bread pudding and the spinach-artichoke quiche were the highlights. According to Ritva, the quiche was worth the long wait for the second batch which was held up by a broken convection oven. The end soiree at the cars in the Ryden's parking lot was enjoyed by all.

I assume everyone had an uneventful ride home to partake in dinner and a nice relaxing evening. Everyone. that is, except the Youngs, who arrived home to 6 or 7 police cars in their driveway. It seems that a bear wandered into their garage and managed to shut the door behind itself, thus becoming trapped inside. After failed attempts at eradication by police and animal control personnel, a tranquilizing dart from an MNR marksman found its target. The bear eventually went to beddy- bye and was taken away to blunder into someone else's garage another day. Good thing pro-bear hunt activists didn't get wind of this story. So, let's hear it for the Youngs . . . never a dull moment at their household.

See you for Ride #15 on July 14th, since I and 14 others from the club are off to GRABAAWR and will miss Rides #13 and #14. These rides are in the very capable hands of Graham Stewart, so I know they will be superbly run. Keep on cycling . . .
Guy

Fellow Cyclists,

A great day was had by all! It's so nice to be able to say that, especially after the foul weather associated with the century rides last weekend. Ride 11: start to finish in the 20s, sunny, and a wicked tail wind for the final stretch along Hwy 590 into Kakabeka.. Everything was copacetic!

Hey, wait a minute. I forgot about the lunch stop. I called ahead to warn them that we were coming, but obviously to no avail. One by one order preparation with 20+ waiting just didn't cut it. Oh well! The service and beer at the Kakeabeka Hotel for the apres ride more than made up for it.

I think everyone had a memorable ride, but the rides of the day had to be turned in by the Youngs :o). They completed the long route of 90k which was a personal best effort and at a very credible pace. In fact, on the return trip, we didn't even catch them until the Hymer's cut off. Kudos to Sophie & Peter for a great effort. :o( Our condolences go out to Edan Corcoran who arrived at the start minus a very important piece of equipment: his helmet. He had to return to town to retrieve it and catch up with us at lunch. His bad day doesn't end there, however. Spain beat Ireland on penalty kicks at the World Cup. Such a bad day and on Father's Day no less. Hopefully, Cian and Niamh had something special for Daddy on his return home to cheer him up. See you next week. Keep on cycling!!
Guy

Fellow Cyclists,

Twenty seven cyclists showed up for the 1st. century ride of the season under grey foreboding skies. We got moving as soon as possible anticipating the worst, hoping that what loomed above would at least give us an hour or two leeway, maybe more. Surprisingly, we warmed up quite quickly even though we were all getting chilled standing around at the start.
It didn't take long for the whole group to splinter into several smaller groups that had different routes planned out by the inclement weather. The rain had started a little over an hour into the ride. Some of the riders were lucky enough to only get a bit wet, while other riders on the bottom section of the South Gilles loop received the full brunt of the system passing through the area. Luckily myself and Fabio were at the Green Acres Variety at that time, wondering how everyone else was fairing and where they might be.
With the rain subsiding a bit we quietly continued on our way down Hwy 595 until about 2 km from Hwy 590 where Fabio was almost broadsided by two full sized deer blasting out from one of the side roads. This was a near miss by about 15 feet. Had Fabio been going any faster ....well I hate to think how bad it might have been. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone on a bicycle being freight trained by a deer yet.
By the time we reached Hwy 590, we could see three riders off in the distance on their way to Nolalu; we hadn't even reached KB yet. As we pulled into the Kakabeka Hotel parking lot we noticed one bike outside, meaning someone was still there. Sue was just pulling up in her van to pick up Paul and Graham, the only two people left there. They told us five brave riders(three of which we saw) headed out to complete the intended tour. These brave souls were Robert Boileau, Bob Law, Laura Smith, Doug Pantry and Bob Josephi. Unbeknownst to everyone, Ted Chamut was still out there, ahead of the five making there way through the wind and rain.
After wringing out our wet clothes we made our way inside and sat down for a good hot meal. After a half an hour or so the rain subsided and skies started to brighten up. Upon finishing a welcome meal and hot beverages we stuck our noses outside and decided to continue on with the days planned event. It wouldn't make much difference if it started to rain again as we couldn't get much wetter than we were already.
Before long the roads dried up and we had a great ride to Nolalu. Turning left we then headed into the oncoming wind... not a welcoming inspiration after 120km. The rest of our ride was uneventful, except for the rain that greeted us again with 15 or 16 km left to go. Finally we arrived back at Thunder Bay Mall around 6pm, more than glad that the ride was over. This wasn't our worst century ride, but it sure wasn't our best either.

Gene

Another day, another memorable ride. Eight riders showed for this annual favourite - not bad considering we were competing with Frank Pollari's annual Mini-Go ride. The weather was fair and spirits high as we headed out from Chippewa, over the Brule Bay causeway, past Squaw Bay and eventually onto the Carp R. road. The fantastic scenery - towering cliffs and lake panorama, inspired us all - many of hom had never ridden these parts before. Although the road was rocky and wet in spots, nary a complaint was heard - at least we didn't have the army worm infestation of previous years! The short hiking portion to the shore of L. Superior again was wet and swampy in spots but all took this in stride and every one's good spirits were maintained. What a great bunch.
After a brief stay at Carp River, and a short photo session, the bugs found us and this was our cue to leave. Once we remounted our bikes however, the spectre of ill-fortune reared it's ugly head. Connie's chain snapped! Mon Dieu - quelle disastre! We hunted valiantly for the broken links on the grass and gravel, and just when we were about to abandon the effort, they were found - more or less intact. What fortune! Field repairs were attempted, however even with the benefit of Fabio's multi-tool, and the combined efforts of several of the world's foremost authorities on bicycle repair, the endeavour proved fruitless as the links could not be made to fit together, despite our most fervent supplications to the Almighty. At this juncture we realized that repairs were not to be and without a miracle, Connie would have no alternative but to walk her bike the 8 km. back to the road where she could be rescued by car. It was then, as everyone's spirits sagged collectively that the invisible hand of Providence intervened when Gene asked if anyone had a QUICK-LINK. A bona fide epiphany occurred on the shores of Lake Superior that night my friends as Guy suddenly mentioned, "HEY, I think I have one of those in my saddle bag. I forgot I even had it." The corpus delecti was located and installed on Connies ailing chain post haste, and we were homeward bound in record time.
Connie was smiling from ear-to-ear all the way back to the vehicles realizing she had just been spared the cruel fate of a long, lonely, treacherous hike in the failing light, amid the buzzing, biting insects, hungry wolves, marauding bears, snakes, and ever-present circling vultures of Carp River. To say Connie owes her very life to that $2.99 Quik Link would not be a great understatement.
The only other mishap occurred when Gene flatted out later on, but as the saying goes 'Who gives a rat's ---?"
Once back at our vehicles, the camp was divided as to where to enjoy the post-ride activities - some opted for the familiar surroundings of the Neebing Roadhouse, while others preferred the quiet ambience of the Boston Pizza Restaurant.
All-in-all, it was a memorable ride and a wonderful way to end the work week/start the weekend. Make it a point to try the next ride and see what makes these events so special. Every one agrees - they're time well-wasted, and an excellent source of beer.

See ya' out there.
Fabio Zorzes, MBT Director

Fellow Cyclists,
What did I tell ya! Hell of a ride! And let me tell ya another thing! Hey, wait a minute; I sound like Don Cherry?! Perhaps that's because I just saw Coach's Corner (I'm writing this while watching Game 1 of the S.C.). Bigger than life exclamations of which D.C. is famous can certainly be used to describe Tour of Lakes. I didn't get a chance to confer with everyone who rode, but the ones I have spoken to glowed in praise. The course and food were topnotch as usual: fruit galore, ice cream floats, corn on the cob, waffles, and the other regulars like bagels and cookies and candy bars. The weather was breathtaking, especially for us spring starved T.Bayers. Obviously, the Brainerd area is ahead of us (i.e. spring wise) judging by the leafed out quality of their trees and blooming lilacs. However, they are definitely delayed as well due to the omnipresence of trillium which I don't remember from previous years. Although these are extraordinary components of the weekend, the most amazing have to be the Brainerd people. The ones we affectionately refer to as the "Brain Dead" (Bob, Jeanne, Deb, Ray, Greg, Jean) are legendary in their friendliness, helpfulness, etc., but every other person is special too. It's just a damn good affair, and that's why it has grown from the original 4 T.Bay attendees to 50+ and will continue to grow, I'm sure. Some of the Brainerd area "Brain Dead" are planning on attending our "Roadway Ramble" in August, so we can reciprocate our hospitality. Let's show them the same love that they have shown us.
Keep on cycling,
Guy

P.S. Remember the Century Ride this weekend starts at 9:00 a.m. (Both Metric and Imperial).

Dear TBCC Cyclists,
Well, that's more like it!! Our 9th ride and finally a day where you could legitimately wear shorts. Tights were the majority choice at the start (except for Susan K., of course, who has cycled at least 3 club rides so far this year in shorts, if you can believe it!?), but by the time we hit Tarmola, the group pulled over and shed tights, jackets, long sleeve shirts, etc. The rest of the ride was beautiful with a high temp. near 20 degrees C. and a tail wind to die for which blew us down Dawson Rd and home.
Some of you, especially those who didn't complete this ride, are probably wondering about my earlier reference to Tarmola. The TBCC could call this ride Thunder Bay's Tour de Suomi. The 63 km long ride passed through many of the original Finnish homestead communities of The T. Bay area. In succession, we passed through Tarmola and Lappe, by Toimela, through Kivikoski, and finally by Tapiola on our way back to County Fair to finish. If you were very quiet, (which we so rarely are), you could hear the sizzle of the water as it hit the hot rocks of those early homestead saunas. How do I know there were saunas? Because no self-respecting Finlander would be without one and, in fact, the sauna was characteristically built before the actual homestead cabin. Little remains of these homesteads now, except the secondary succession returning the landscape from cleared field to mature Black Spruce forest. These remnants coupled with the many lakes (i.e. Pike Lake, Lottit, Barnum, Cummins, Warnica, Howcum, Surprise . . ) make this one of the most picturesque rides of the touring calendar. It is also one of the most challenging rides with many steep hills and an increase in elevation from ~260 m at the start to ~560 m near Cummins Lake (i.e. higher than Mount McKay). The 63 km belies the difficulty, and many riders exclaimed that it needn't be longer to be truly challenging. Many thought that we should do this ride again in the season, but looking carefully at the touring schedule, we will cover sections of this route in upcoming rides (i.e. Ride #15, July 14th goes to Hawkeye Lake and the Latimer's mountain bike blowout at Hazelwood Lake some time in Sept.).
Two more sleeps before Tour de Lakes. See you all there. We'll have a ball! We always do.

Guy

Hey Riders!
Well, it certainly wasn't the most pleasant May long weekend, weather-wise that is. However, hardy TBCC members managed to do the following: mountain bike Harstone Road on Friday evening (~ 15 mountain bikers); race the Hymer's Classic on Saturday (13 racers); tour the short and long courses of the Thunder Country Ramble - Kam River Round-a-bout on Sunday (29 hardy tourists); provide pace for the 415 runners of the 69th annual 10 Mile Road Race (6 pacers, as well as half a dozen club members who ran). Now that's a pretty impressive list of accomplishments for one weekend, considering that the weather was quite brutal, except for the 10 Mile. Frequent mention was made of the weather and whether or not weather (English is a fun language, eh?!) was the worst ever experienced on the May-long wknd. We all had to agree and remove our toques (hats would have been out of the question) to our fishing fanatic brethren sitting in cold aluminum boats on wind swept/snow-flurried lakes searching for the wily walleye (sorry, but pickerel didn't fit the alliteration).
In spite of the weather, an enjoyable time was experienced by the riders at the events that I attended. I am continually impressed by our members' ability to make the best out of any situation. I doubt that all of us have read or even know who Viktor Frankl was, but we intuitively adopt his philosophy. To paraphrase Frankl, a Holocaust survivor: "It is not the events in our lives that determine who we become, but the meaning we choose to place on those events." So, good on you! Keep up the positive attitude and keep on cycling!
If, sometime throughout the weekend you were wishing you had accompanied the group to Hayward, "Forget-about-it!" I just received a call from Graham describing the weather they experienced and it wasn't any better! Even worse, they slept in tents, dined outside, and had to huddle around the fire to stay warm. In spite of this, Graham reports that they had great mountain bike riding, great ribs at Famous Dave's, and great Swiss Burgers at the Seeley Tavern (I always like to hear Graham's cuisine reports).
Incidentally, my last ride report (i.e. Cheese Farm Ride) contained a serious error. I reported how G.G. had inadvertently started her ride at the Founder's Museum, mistaking it for the Paipoonge Museum. This was false. In fact, she actually parked at the Cheese Farm. So, her ride consisted entirely of a hill climb (~ 1 k up, 1 k down). I guess next year we will have to rename the ride "The Cheese Farm/G.G. Hill Climb."
Thanks to the staff at the Kakabeka Motor Hotel for great food and great service. We were treated like royalty and I hope our tips reflected it. See you Sunday, May 26th, 10:00 a.m., County Fair Plaza for Ride #9.
Keep on cycling!

Guy

Greetings to all mountain bike tour enthusiasts and welcome to another season of off-pavement cycling. Our first official tour of the season got underway last Friday evening as 14 enthusiastic cyclists eagerly met at the Stanley Hotel. Despite the low temperature and cool breeze, morale was high and after brief instructions and introductions, the ride commenced amid much banter and comraderie. The relaxed pace of the tour afforded the riders a chance to converse with each other and catch up on the latest happenings as we meandered through the picturesque countryside.
After a few kilometres, and a few mild hills, jackets and sweaters were removed and we were comfortable for the rest of the ride.
It was gratifying to see the frontrunners wait at every major intersection for the slower riders to catch up, and then proceed en masse. That was a definite "thumbs-up" feature - perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here for future rides.
A steep, winding downhill and a nice level stretch finished our ride off nicely and we pulled into the Stanley parking lot just as the weather was cooling down.
Inside the friendly environs of the tavern, the details of the ride were rehashed amid much mirth and merriment as pitcher after succulent pitcher of our favourite post-ride rehydration tonic met its timely demise. Stanley burgers, chicken wings and onion rings soon graced the tables as the juke box belted out our selected tunes.
To top off the evening, a bona fide Pantry sighting was confirmed as DP deigned to grace us with his presence later on. We're still unsure how this phenomenon transpired, but Doug insisted he happened to be in the area and just dropped in to say hello.
All-in-all, it was a great evening and hopefully it's just the first of many more to come this season.
To any and all new riders who may be reluctant to come out on an evening mountain bike tour, let me personally extend an invitation to come out see for yourselves what you've been missing. Anything can happen - and usually does!
See ya' out there
- Fabio

Fellow Cyclists,
It’s time for an episode of “Amazing Cycling Facts.” Did you know that:

1. TBCC has been riding to the Thunder Oaks Cheese Farm on the Sat. preceding Mother’s Day for 7 years in a row (1995-2002), as long as the Farm has been open. In fact, we were the first group to visit the farm and are the only group to have attended annually since.

2. The Cheese Farm has been nominated for a prestigious award to be presented in Toronto. Our best wishes go with Margaret Schep and, of course, they should win given the fact that busloads of “cheese heads” from Wisconsin make the trip to their farm to buy cheese.

3. In excess of 50 riders are signed up to attend the 13th Annual Tour de Lakes cycling tour on June 1st. Like the Cheese Farm Ride, TBCC has quite a history with this tour as well. We have had a presence for all but one (1990, the first) of these annual rides, twelve in all. Our presence has grown considerably from the 4 originals (Margaret and Dave Curtis, Laurie Leslie and Graham Stewart) to the 50+ of the last few years. Be sure to wear the TBCC colours and you will experience the impact our club has had on the ride first hand. Many thanks to Graham and Laurie for initiating both the cheese ride and Tour de Lakes when they were the tour directors.

Last Saturday’s Cheese Farm Ride was memorable as well for attendance (44 riders) and weather (sunny, 15 degrees C.) It was one of those picture perfect days where we were able to sit outside at the cheese farm and enjoy the sunshine. The ride itself was without incident except for a rider whose initials are G.G. This well-known real estate broker managed to confuse the Paipoonge Museum on Hwy 130 with the Founders Museum on Hwy 61, thus shortening the short ride considerably. Now, I ask you, “Could this have been the inadvertent mistake of someone who knows every street, avenue, crescent, even cul de sac in the T.Bay area?” I think not! I submit that it was done by design, not misfortune. The only way G.G. can redeem herself is to complete the whole distance at Tour de Lakes - no shortening of the course to go shopping as in year’s past.

Finally, I must apologize for the choice of venue for the apres ride. Too much smoke, crummy nachos, less than awe inspiring ambiance. What can I say? I’m afraid the establishment is far from its “glory days.” It certainly is not the way that I remember it from the previous time we were in attendance. At least the beer and chicken wings passed muster. I’m always open to suggestions as to venues for apres ride, so get those thinking caps on. This Sunday, May 19, we’ll try the Kakabeka Hotel for the first time. Oh! That reminds me: Sunday’s Devon Road Ride has been changed to a ride in the Kakabeka Falls area due to highway construction on Devon Road. Park at the Kakabeka Falls Motor Hotel parking lot and remember it’s a 10:00 a.m. start. See you on Sunday. Keep on cycling!

Guy

Fellow Cyclists,
It's a miserable, rainy, cold Thursday morning as I write this. It's hard to believe that it is May 9th, but it could be worse . . .we could live in Calgary or Winnipeg or . . .? In spite of what has been a brutal spring so far; no ride has been cancelled and the attendance has been phenomenal. Some statistics thus far (6 rides): Total distance (long routes) . . . 345 k; Total number of riders who have signed in . . . 164; average riders per ride . . .27.3; Number of riders who have completed all 6 rides . . . 2 (Laurie Leslie & me); . . . 5 rides . . . 4 people; 4 rides . . . 6 people. As you can see. some amazing stats. An average of 27.3 for the first 6 rides sounds like it might be a record, but there's no way to know because we haven't kept track until now. In fact, if we delete Ride 2 & 5 (both rides were preceded by snow the night before which may have caused lower attendance), the average jumps to 33.25. Gene has informed me that attendance at races is substantial as well and that we are approaching 100 paid up members in the club for 2002. Seems like an auspicious start to a rather dismal spring.
Ride #6 along Lakeshore Dr. was fairly uneventful except for a flat tire due to an unavoidable pot hole. Perhaps J.L. has to learn to not aim her wheel where the finger of the leading rider is pointing, but to avoid pointed at objects (only kidding, of course!). We all wish M.M. would get those booties operational so that the weather would finally warm up.
The nachos, coffee, beer . . . etc., at Rattlers was consumed with much gusto, comraderie, and laughter. Denys did a fine job of waitressing (even though the first jugs of beer were slow). However, the other waitress was quite ugly and received no tips (right D.O.?) They still don't have pitchers/jugs of Cornona. As R.B. exclaims, "Where would they put the limes?!"
Keep on cycling,

Guy

Fellow Cyclists,
Five scheduled rides completed. . . 5 out of 5. . .. Batting 1000! Last year at this time, I believe we were closer to batting 500. Sunday's ride, starting at the North McIntyre Centre, was not particularly warm and had a strong north east wind, but all in all turned out to be "choice." The mood was a bit somber due to the untimely death of Richard Suttie the Friday before. At Laurie Leslie's suggestion, the ride was dedicated to the memory of Richard. The course, after some modification, was considered to be one of our best and certainly will be repeated next year. However, we sure got the distance of the long ride wrong. Instead of 50k, our cyclometers were registering approximately 70k at the end. I guess we're still not as bad as the organizers of one of the early Tour de Lakes. In that instance, what was supposed to be a 100 mile ride ended up being 126 miles. There was so much colourful language and thoughts of the best torture techniques to use on Ray Griffith and the organizing committee in those final 26 miles. I hope we avoided this scenario by coming clean with the mistake prior to the ride, but "who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of cyclists," or something like that. The post ride soiree at Rattler's was another chance to toast the life of Richard and much reminiscing transpired. See you next week at Boulevard, our last 11:00 a.m. start. Carpe diem!
Guy

Dear Fellow Cyclists!
Four weeks into the touring season, four successful rides, a wondrous start. Compared to last season, a veritable miracle. By this time last season, if memory serves, we had cancelled at least 2 of the 4 rides, and the others were marginal at best. That is not to say that the weather has been perfect this year. This past Sunday, for example, was not terribly warm (- 3 C. to plus 3 C.); was windy (headwind on the return trip); and there were frozen appendages galore (purchase those booties, Margaret M.). However, the 33 riders who took part unanimously agreed that it was another great ride. For those of you still waiting for the "perfect day" (Connie, are your reading this?!), remember that it is quite often better weather than you anticipate from within the confines of your house. . . "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." See you next week, Sunday, April 28th at the N. McIntyre Centre on Government Road - 11:00 a.m. sharp! Start.
(NB! You late comers from last week.)
Guy

Fellow Cyclists!
Thirty-seven riders today, 26 at the post ride party at the Neebing, WOW! A very successful ride! Was it due to the weather (Sunny, high of 14 C.) or the fact that the ride was on a Saturday? Who knows? Only time will tell. We started out a little late due to announcements, pictures . . etc. (next ride I will endeavor to get everyone moving promptly at 11:00 a.m.) About half way into the ride we hit a fairly substantial headwind and battled it all the way to the Cloud Bay Trading Post, thinking all the while what a great return trip it was going to be. And it was until we hit the lake effect crosswind which lasted until the final turn to blow us into the Neebing. Oh well, "If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger," or something like that.
Thanks to "M.B." Bob and the "girls" for coming to the aid of Roger K. The tire was patched and everyone was on their way in no time.
My most memorable happening during the ride would have to be the ringing cell phone. I couldn't believe my ears until Larry E. nonchalantly reaches down to his second water bottle cage, answers his cell phone, and carries on a conversation as we pedal along at 30 kph. I was greatly impressed! Of course, I would have been even more flabbergasted had he said, "Buy Enron, sell Nortel, or . . .?" New Rule: If you bring a cell phone on your bike and make a profit while riding with the club, you buy the beer at the pub afterward. All in favour . . .
See you next week, 11:00 a.m., Sunday, April 21st at the Stanley Tavern.
Guy

Fellow Cyclists! Muckihya!:
If you would have asked me on Sat. about the possibility of a ride on Sunday, I would have said, "No Way Jose!" A forecast of 15 cm of the white stuff (i.e.. Winter storm warning) with substantial winds - "I don't think so." Ride # 1 and # 2 both experiencing snow. Maybe we start our season too early?? Hey, wait a minute! The first ride was great (even with the snow squall), and so was the second. Twelve riders (3 new) showed up in the parking lot of the Neebing and off we went: Highway 61 to 130 to 11-17 to 588 to Barrie Rd. (past the Stanley, no jugs, boo, hoo!) to 130 to 61 to the Neebing Tavern (60 K). There were no break-a-ways; everyone stayed together; much camaraderie; a great ride! The consensus at the Tavern after was that it was a truly memorable ride because of the cohesiveness of the group. In addition, this was a test ride of the proposed route for the 3rd Annual Thunder Country Ramble, which passed with flying colours: a scenic loop, somewhat challenging, rolling hills and very little traffic. Could we ask for more from a course? So, next time you're debating whether or not to ride due to weather, give it a try. Maybe you'll like it. NB! Next week's ride is on Sat. (Apr. 13), starting at the Neebing. Here's something to mull over for next season (2003). How about an equal number of Saturday and Sunday rides to better accommodate some of our riders who can't make Sundays? The original reason of Saturday as shopping day seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur… so maybe it's time to revisit the whole idea? Let me know your thoughts.
See you next Saturday,

Guy

Muckihya! fellow cyclists,
The 2002 Touring Season got off to an auspicious start with our first ride the Annual Out & Back along Arthur Street. Twenty-eight riders, ten of whom were new members to the club, braved less than ideal conditions to log approximately 1350 k (total, of course!). Actually, the strong head wind (~ 25 kph) on the out bound journey coupled with the equally strong tail wind on the inbound journey turned out to be a godsend and was toasted frequently by the twenty or so who attended the apres ride at Boston Pizza. The weather (4 degrees C. high, cloudy with sunny periods) really wasn't that bad with some riders even over heating and having to shed some clothes. No bare knees or elbows were evident, but, of course, Margaret Curtis was not in attendance. The sudden blinding snowstorm at Kakabeka Falls was a bit much to endure, but was greeted with howls of laughter and was, thankfully, short-lived. Worse than the weather was the "pull over" of a group of cyclists (incl. Paul Kajmowicz, our resident OPP) by the OPP who proceeded to "read the riot act" about rules of the road to our members. Graham Stewart would have none of this and began "to take the young officer to school" by quoting the Highway Safety Act verbatim. The officer was so taken aback that he left post haste, only to return at another point on our journey with photocopied pages of the H.S.A. which corroborated Graham's rant. To his credit, the officer changed his tack and became our ally, offering to pull over any irate driver who hassles us if we an provide the license plate number. Kudos to Graham for a fine "teachable moment." Cell phones at the ready, license numbers noted, we can educate the motoring public. Remember, we must lead by example; be sure you know and follow the rules of the road every time you ride, individually and/or in a group, especially when wearing the TBCC colours. It seems as if it's an unending teaching/learning battle with the public, but be patient, maintain a friendly albeit persistent attitude and "we shall overcome." The public has to realize that we are not going to be intimidated into "going away" and quit cycling on "their" roads. So remember: "Stay calm; be brave; look for the signs." This is the first ride summary and, hopefully, I'll have the energy to do this for most rides that I attend. Or, perhaps, I'll ask for volunteers to do a particular ride, especially the ones I don't/can't attend. As for attendance, every ride is memorable, even those in adverse conditions (usually these turn out to be the most memorable), but they can't be memorable to non-attendees. There is an exponential relationship between the number of riders and memories accumulated. So get out there for the rides; the club needs you; you need the club. Perhaps, we'll give out an "attendance award" at the awards banquet. See you next week, if not before,
Guy