Day 30 – Calliper Lakes to Taylors Cove Via Minnesota USA - 82 miles

Dawn broke to the sound of Mosquitoes and swearing cyclists trying to avoid them. Breakfast and pre ride preparation was cut to the absolute minimum. I was up dressed semi fed and ready to go in 20 minutes, that’s all I could cope with, and in that time I must have been bitten a hundred times, so much for nuclear powered Deet!

We were on the road at 6.45 and because Randy was on meal duty I started the day with Simo (from Australia) and Tom. We had a steady start and then after a couple of photos Simo and I had to get motoring as Tom had put the hammer down and off into the distance. We had to work quite hard doing 400m swaps for about 5km and then just as we got close to him we had to stop for another photo and he got away again.

After the photos we get back to work, well Simo got back to work and I just tried to hang on; We took about 10km to catch him but catch him we did, despite his obvious efforts to evade us. I was just grateful of a chance to rest; these boys are just a little too strong for my legs.

A short distance later we pulled into the only shop we had seen at about 50km and had a drink and then it was on a  further 7km to Emo for breakfast.

After Emo we had gathered up a few other early starters and so we headed off towards Fort Francis with the intention of crossing into the Use for a beer.

We soon started off a pace line, which turned out to be the fastest pace line I have been in, we covered 40km in a little over 20 mins and at times were flying along at 46km/h(30mph). It was fantastic fun and we smoked passed a number of other riders as if they were stood still. It was a bit of a pity when we hit town and had to stop but the good thing was that as we entered town I finally got a mobile signal for the first time in 2 days so I pulled into McDonalds and grabbed a drink (free refills!) and caught up briefly with Zoe and my text messages.

Then we headed to the USA border, cycled across the bridge and into the now familiar bombastic US Immigration process. It took me 45 mins to get a visa, mainly because I had been to Egypt and Turkey and they didn’t seem to appreciate that we only intended to stay an hour in their wonderful country.

So after all the questions and a charge of $9US we cycled into International Falls, Minnesota had a glass of Bud Light and a Men’s Meat Pizza and then cycled back into Canada. God bless America.

Once back on Canadian soil we get into another pace line, slightly slower due to the Pizza and Beer and completed the final 40km or so arriving in camp at about 3pm.

Today’s camp is a world away from yesterday, a beautiful lakeside location, minimal bugs and a deck to jump off into the lake. It was still sunny and warm and there were no washing facilities so it was into the lake with the cycling gear on and then dry out on the deck watching the world drift by, very relaxing. A quick shower and then we all sat about talking waiting for dinner.

Dinner tonight was Chilli and Salad with rice crispier squares, a nice end to a pleasant day of cycling.

Tomorrow is a 95mile day with a very remote camp site at the end I hope the Mosquitoes aren’t going to feature again.

Onwards and Upwards!