Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Taking a Gander in Gander

SNM Tour Day #73
Why is Gander ranked one of the top ten places to live in Canada? It was a MoneySense magazine article that is quoted on the town signs proclaiming this honour. Maybe there is hidden fortune here, maybe it isn't even hidden. We're here to investigate and find out! What gives in Gander?!


Had a CBC radio interview this morning and then a presentation in Grand Falls-Windsor. So quite a late start for the roadwork.  The run was warm and sunny for the first half, clouding over for the last half.  A quick lunch and then cycled to Gander under cloudy skies, it rained very briefly in the last ten kilometers. Once again we flirted with the weather systems and beat the odds, essentially picking the "sweet spot" for the roadwork portion of the day.

The landscape changed as we moved more inland, many more marshy areas.  Lots of brooks and creeks with very large rocks.  As the days are ending, the temperatures are distinctly dropping - it is definitely fall.  There is now less than 400 kms to St John's and less than a week left before we arrive at the most Easternly destination point of this tour.  As we see more and more signs for St John's we are repeatedly reminded that the end is definitely in sight.  The weather forecasts are predicting much colder temperatures in the next week.
This coupled with the much shorter daylight hours - make it a good thing that the mileage in the last few days of official running and cycling will be on the shorter side.


Tour Day Sponsor is Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada, thanks again for the support.

Random Quotes of the Day (while in Gander....)

Let me close as I did in Gander on September 11, 2002 when I went to that community to thank the people of Gander and the people of Canada for the overwhelming support and help that was given to us in the wake of those attacks on September 11, 2001.
Paul Cellucci


What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Marcus Terentius Varro 

Gander – "The World’s Biggest Airport"

Flight is the only truly new sensation than men have achieved in modern history.
James Dickey

More than anything else the sensation of flying is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceive of such a combination.   
Wilbur Wright
 

Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds.  The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own.  
Louis J. Helle, Jr.

If God had really intended men to fly, he'd make it easier to get to the airport. 
George Winters


Tomorrow I have a presentation and hopefully we can get some more media.  We'll be checking out the sights and the very famous airport - if the Beatles can hang out in Gander on there first trip to North America, I think it's definitely good enough for "dr j and his entourage". Speaking of our current road crew, Marc and Colette have been absolutely fantastic.  Marc has been a great driver and RV whisperer. Colette has been a great aid to Monique and is always there to help out, no questions asked.  

1 comment:

  1. Have a grand time in Gander, you four fearless travelers - you'll be keeping good company there, the Beatles notwithstanding. The place will be better for your presence! so you have to fill us in on Marc's act of motorhome heroism between the kms, media appearances and aviation alliterations.

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