Creamed in Corner Brook

SNM Tour Day #68

The NFLD meteorologists prediction was for cool temperatures, wind and rain the entire day.  The NFLD meteorologists did not disappoint - they were deadly accurate. Apparently this is the way it is going to be for the next 5 days - oh well......

The run was wet but reasonable. The start of the cycle was wet but reasonable.  We met Joe on the highway at about 30 kms and things were still reasonable.  When we both got cycling, all hell broke loose, or perhaps it should be better described as the heavens broke loose.  We got gusty, swirling winds, we got heavy pounding rains - we got, we got.  All this weather was on top of a nice (now I'm being nice) hilly terrain.  NFLD did not disappoint.  We got what we were prepared for. We got it all and more!!

It is our third time to Newfoundland and each time the weather has been quite miserable.  It might make you wonder why we keep coming back. Well...... It's the great people and the spectacular landscape.  This is a great province that every Canadian should experience.  Unfortunately there are things called ferries and other things called rain and hurricanes amidst its interesting environmental milieu which probably scares off more than a few - their loss.

We've finally met Dave and Noreen and they are great.  How these wonderful folks can be related to Joe is hard to believe (just kidding Joe). 

So travelling on the Trans Canada Highway in NFLD - there were a few things that we have not seen until now, ie "only in NFLD" 

1. the use of T.C.H. universally for the Trans Canada Highway.  We have seen it used sporadically in other places, but on the rock it's the only way
2. Cassette tapes in the ditch. I have already seen 4 - didn't stop to pick any up.  We have seen scads of CD's, but seeing actual cassette tapes is an absolute novelty. If I see an 8 track tape, I will stop and pick it up
3. Beaver road kill - first one we've seen in a myriad of roadkill to date
4. No skunk roadkill - there are NO SKUNKS in NFLD!
5. No cricket sounds - there are NO CRICKETS in NFLD


Tour Day Sponsor is Canada Diagnostic Centres - thanks again!

Random Quotes of the day

To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best to make you just like everybody else means to fight the greatest battle there is to fight and to never stop fighting.

e e cummings

The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.

Mahatma Gandhi

Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself. 

John MacNaughton

 This picture was from yesterday - we didn't see any sun today
threw it in to make me feel better (as if we actually HAD seen some sun)

No passage last night, despite the fight. Ferry delay = ferry today.

Cell phone service is twitchy - one phone has no reception at all

So......if you don't see many photos tonight, you may have to wait until tomorrow for successful upload

SNM Tour Day #67

Where have all the good ferries gone?

Only ferry crossing last night was for commercial truckers. So despite our reservation, we were put into a line to wait until this am before we were able to board.  Apparently only 2 out of 3 ferries are functioning which has messed with everyone and everything coming and going to the island.

So while I am able to get some great reading in, we will be arriving in NFLD only in late afternoon.  This will mess with everything from the start!  

Oh by the way - we have now officially completed 9 out of 10 provinces!!!

Less than 1000 kms to go on the last province. A pile of talks to do in a lot of towns and cities - which is very, very good

Late posting

We finally made in to the rock after 4 pm.  Knowing that it would be dark in a few hours, I jumped on the bike and got in as much as possible.  Monique had only scheduled in very short mileage today - thinking we might not have a great sleep on the ferry / bad weather etc.  Is she psychic or what?  So as it turns out, I was able to get the scheduled mileage in and a few more kms to boot. I finished off in the dark (which probably was not the best idea), but all is done for the night - safe and sound ON THE ROCK!! 

The weather report is not looking good for the the rest of the week and beyond - much colder temperatures and rainrainrain. I can live with a bit cooler temps, I can live with rain, but I hope the winds aren't too nasty as this would make even the short mileage days into long arduous adventures.  

Joe Dort is joining us tomorrow - maybe he will bring a little good luck.  His brother Dave and sister-in-law Noreen live in Pasadena (NFLD that is) and Noreen has already been a whirlwind of organizing and promoting - WOW. The SAD no more Tour will absolutely rock on the rock because of all of her leg work which is already paying off! We've not even met as yet, but I must thank "the other Dorts" already for everything they've done.

FYI - I almost finished my book on the ship.  Daniel Levitin's "The World in Six Songs" is an absolutely fascinating, entertaining read.  I read his previous book "This is you Brain on Music" and both books are absolutely worth the read if you enjoy the premise that you really can mix science and art.  

Tour Day Sponsor is Robert Hobbs - thanks again.

Awareness Quotes of the Day  for Mental Illness Awareness Week

You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one.  Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own.  It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle

Paulo Coelho

No one can give you better advice than yourself

Cicero

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent

Eleanor Franklin

Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have

Doris Mortman

Ottawa-Halifax-Sydney-North Sydney-ferry-NEWtheFOUNDrockLAND

Pictures to be posted later

SNM Tour Day #66

A travel, get back on track kinda day.  Not very exciting, not very sexy, but no way around it. No road work today - just air and ocean miles ahead of us.  By tomorrow will be back on the road in Newfoundland finishing off the tour. 

Still processing the MIAW gala banquet from last night.  Some excellent speeches given and much to ponder.  I am a neophyte in the world of mental illness stigma and in the "movers and shakers" in the Canadian political system when it comes to mental health issues.  I listened, I have much to learn.

As an aside (if you need just a little bit of juicy news every now and then) - I got the opportunity to chat with and educate Justin Trudeau on SAD.  His wife Sophie was MC at the gala which gave me the opportunity for this unexpected exchange.  The potential future prime minister of Canada has unfortunately had much direct experience with mental illness.  Both  he and Sophie appear to have a genuine interest and investment in mental health and it was a pleasure meeting them. 

Tour Day Sponsor is Gwen Gover, thanks so much for our kindness, encouragement and support of this tour.

Awareness Quotes of the day for Mental Illness Awareness Week

Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The first step towards change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
Nathaniel Branden

Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around us in awareness
James Thurber

When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal iteself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless and intelligence cannot be applied. 

Herophilus

                  another photo from last night's Ottawa gala

O.M.G. - Off to Ottawa, Mingling at MIAW, Great to be Going to a Gala

SNM Tour Day #65

We were up early to fly back to Ottawa today.  Oct 4 - 11 is Mental Illness Awareness Week 2010.

(Apparently it is also Habitat for Humanity Day today, Personal Financial Planning Week and Breast Cancer Awareness Month!). If you have not done so, check out www.miaw.ca and see what this organization and its week is all about.  We have been thinking about this day since the start of the tour.  While we still have a few km to do in Newfoundland, this is a very important and pinnacle day of the entire SAD no more Tour. 

Byrnes Benoit from Spectra Productions in Winnipeg has been putting together a video of the tour and a version has been submitted to play at this gala. (By the way - got "the package" in Ottawa - thanks B+B, especially Barb on this one, for the final installment of Cosmic Cookies, I had just run out on Saturday!) In addition I have been asked to speak at tonight's gala, as one of the "Faces" of the 2010 campaign.  So what better use of a blog then to give you the written draft of the speech I will be delivering at this banquet.  Of course this is what is written down, what is actually said given the flow and context of the evening may be different, we'll see......

This is the draft of the speech I will be delivering.

"On August 1st my wife Monique and I set off from Victoria BC on the SAD no more Canadian Tour 2010.  The mission of this cross-Canada adventure, which is still ongoing, is to raise awareness of Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD and to inspire action to overcome it.  Over these past 2 months while running, cycling and speaking I have also been listening to people across this country.  What have I learned? - a lot!  Fortunately the organizers only gave me a few minutes or I'd be up here all night.

The first thing I learnt is that I love spandex.  This is the first time I've had a proper shirt and tie on for over 2 months!

Mental illness impacts us all directly.  Even when talking specifically about SAD, it was extremely rare to meet someone who didn't have a spouse, a close friend or co-worker that was affected, if they didn't suffer from depression themselves.

 

People are hungry for knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.  We live in an age where access to information has never been easier and people are actively searching for answers.  

Unfortunately the stigma and discrimination of mental illness is still alive and well.  All efforts to decrease it must be encouraged.  We live in a glut of awareness campaigns that span days, weeks or even months and we hear about countless fundraisers, walks and runs, all for important causes.  As our lives are more complicated and busy, we are getting increasingly desensitized to the messages we are bombarded with whether they are incidental or crucial.

To decrease the stigma of mental illness we need to talk openly about it.  The stories of everyday Canadians must be told and must be heard.  As mental health organizations and leaders, we must be dedicated and persistent, open and flexible, and as creative as possible.

A big thanks to all the sponsors and supporters of this campaign.

This year I came out of the mental illness closet and for me, it has been a very freeing experience. This Mental Illness Awareness Week campaign has been a huge impetus to me and to the SAD no more Tour.  

I stand in front of you and the nation stating that Recovery is Possible.  I believe it and I am living it! 

For the opportunity to be here this evening, Thank You"

This year's 5 faces on stage at the gala

Tour Day Sponsor is Brian Hunter, thanks again!!

Quotes of the Day 

All roads lead to stigma
Dr Paulette Tremblay

Go Forth & Be in North Syd-ney

SNM Tour Day #64

This was amongst the BEST road days of the tour.

The morning run was to the backdrop of a stunning sunrise. The temperature was a cool, breezeless 10 degrees, a.k.a perfect running weather. So as the sun rose to a cloudless sky, I ran the fastest 10 km of the tour and felt fantastic.  Although the temperature remained cool and there was a bit of a breeze, it remained sunny the entire day and similar to the run, it was a quick cycle over rolling to hilly terrain.  We climbed what they called a mountain, warned by signs of the elevation change and a sign at "the summit".  This was not a mountain, at least not by Albertan standard, maybe in Manitoba and Saskatchewan it also would have classified as such. Anyways, it was a good 7 km climb and we were rewarded with great views of Bras D'Or Lake.

Overall it was just a great day on the road and we all had a bit of lighthearted fun!

We were done the road work early despite a very reasonable day of mileage so got to enjoy North Sydney and more so the waterfront/marina, historic and downtown areas of Sydney.  There was a Tall ship in the harbour, "The Bounty" which Johhny Depp apparently romped around on in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

We fooled around with photo-ops and generally enjoyed the end of the afternoon knowing we have a few days off the road now with the Ottawa gala coming up tomorrow (more about this in tomorrow's blog).

Tour Day Sponsor is Boehringer Ingelheim once again, and once again a big thanks!

Random Quotes of the Day

The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is

Author Unknown

Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all

Bill Clinton

Careened and Bounced into Cape Breton as we Numbly Slopped thru Nova Scotia

SNM Tour Day #63

Just after we woke up it started to rain and that was a harbinger for a very moody Nova Scotia morning.  Both the run and the cycle were in the rain which kept on unceremoniously throughout the day.  The winds were quite strong and gusty at times, non-existent at other times.  The saving grace was that the temperature was quite reasonable, so it was wet without the cold.  The other positive was that the Sunshine Beast got a very good washing ala nature (one less thing to do).

It was a weird day of road kill, I try not to focus on this aspect BUT we passed by 8 dead raccoons spread over a 40 km span and then passed by 8 dead porcupines in the next 40 km thereafter.  Lots and lots of tires and car wreckage in the ditches, not sure what this means about Nova Scotia highways which seemed quite reasonable overall from a cycling perspective.

We made it from the ferry crossing at Caribou to just past Port Hastings Cape Breton.  When we were crossing the causeway to get to Cape Breton, on our right was beautiful blue sky, with a bit of sun in the distance. On our left was the ugliest grey sky you could imagine which appeared to be moving very quickly. 10 minutes later I was cycling in sheets of hard rain and as we had actually done our planned mileage (and I was trying to get in an extra few kms) we called it a day, turned back and drove to our campsite.

Tour Day Sponsor is Jeanette Mandrusiak (Eric's good friend from the University of Calgary) - thanks so very much for your kind and generous support!!  I spent some time with her when she was Security and I was the "official" medical doctor for the one and only Ozzy Osbourne (when he came to Calgary in 2008).  If you ever want to hear a real bizarre story, ask me about the "B-12 injection" some day. 

We are in our 9th province - so it must be time for another Canadiana Quiz

so..........

Match the province with the following three provincial features

A - British Columbia

B - Alberta

C- Saskatchewan

D - Manitoba

E- Ontario

F - Quebec

G- New Brunswick

H - PEI

I- Nova Scotia

For me, the provincial mineral (or distinct mineral if they don't have one)

for Monique - the Provincial Flower

and for Eric, the provincial motto

1. Nickle / Prairie Crocus / Glorious and free

2. Jade / Pacific Dogwood / Splendour without diminishment

3. Petrified Wood / Wildrose / Strong and free

4. Potash / Western Red Lilly / From many peoples, strength

5. Indium / Purple Violet / Hope was restored

6. Iron Oxide / Mayflower / The small under the protection of the great

7. Amethyst / White Trillium / Loyal she began and loyal she remains

8. Roche / Blue Flag Iris / I remember

9. Stilbite / Lady's Slipper / One defends and the other conquers

First answer with the correct pairings takes 1st prize - this is the easiest quiz of the Tour (honest), so go for it

Random Quotes of the Day

Courage is tiny pieces of fear all glued together

Irisa Hail

You can live to be a hundred if you give up all things that make you want to live to be a hundred

Woody Allen

N.imbly S.lipped into N.ova S.cotia, our N.inth S.traight province

SNM TOUR Day #62

It's OCTOBER 1st, August 1st seems like a lifetime ago

8 provinces down, 2 to go - WOW. 

We spent the day cleaning up and re-organizing (why does this sound so familiar and repetitve?) for the last leg of our tour.  It was another glorious day on the island, warm and very breezy.  Thanks to Margaret for the hospitality and thanks to Craig who we never did meet in person for saying "yes" to the arrangements.

It was a day off the road as we had done all the mileage right up to the border (ferry crossing) yesterday.  We got a quick peek at the wonderful Dunes Gallery which we absolutely adore, and then dropped off Leanne at the airport and picked up Eric.  Leanne was flying out to Ottawa and Eric was flying in from Calgary via Toronto. As it turns out Eric's plane became Leanne's plane - truly a seamless SAD no more transition.  Before she leaves back to Dayton Ohio, we will see Leanne again.  We will all be attending the MIAW gala in Ottawa in a few days.  It is very special to have family being an integral part of this tour!

So goodbye to Leanne for now, so long to the always picturesque little PEI and a big hello to Nova Scotia.

Tour Day Sponsor is Canada diagnostic Centres, thanks again for your support.

MIAW (Mental Illness Awareness Week) 2010 is days away.  If you live in Canada, I sincerely hope their National media campaign will reach you in one form or another.  Please do not hesitate to leave a note in the "comments" section if you spot any media in the upcoming week (newspaper, radio, television, magazine, bookmarks, internet,  billboards, planes flying with banners, sky writing, fireworks displays, subliminal messages in movies, smoke signals...... ) Sorry, I have not exercised enough today and there is a bit too much energy kicking around.

Random Quotes of the Day (too much time to search)

In order to succeed you must fail, so that you know what not to do the next time
Anthony D'Angelo

Be kind to unkind people, they need it the most
Ashleigh Brilliant

The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities
Sophocles

It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else
Erma Bombeck

You're only given a little spark of madness.  You mustn't lose it.
Robin Williams