Get Smart. Get Active. Tour 2008

Well today threw me for a loop. I woke up today and it was pouring down rain, and I do mean pouring. The rain was coming down in buckets, solid sheets that soaked everything and sent rivers flowing through the streets. So it was with a turtles crawl that I donned my riding gear and my sadly inadequate rain gear. The rain stayed, on and off, until around eleven o’clock and at times I seriously feared drowning. Surprisingly I was not the only rider to brave the downpour, and I exchanged knowing glances and grins with a huge number of other riders all morning.

Around lunch the rain quit but the riders didn’t. The bike paths were as busy as a highway as the day moved on and the weather got nicer and nicer. Everyone from hardcore road and tri riders to families out for a weekend ride were cruising along and enjoying the afternoon sun.

By early afternoon I was almost wishing for the rain again as the temperature gauge climbed past the thirty marks and the sweat flowed down my face at a comparable rate to the morning rain. The heat was passing over me in waves, even the breeze was warm and offered no reprieve. I know what you are thinking, won’t I ever be happy, all I do is complain. You misunderstand, I could not have been happier, the sun was shinning, the road was smooth and the terrain was beautiful. I met a number of very nice riders as I went along, although our conversations were hindered on two levels; first, the heat make you breath harder and therefore it is harder to talk and second, the further north I go the fewer people there are that speak English so the term “blind leading the blind” comes to mind.

I crossed the St. Laurence over the Pont de Québec, just south of Québec City. This is one of two major bridges that run right next to each other and the only one that allows cyclists. The bike path across the bridge consists of a sidewalk just wide enough for one bike to traverse safely; of course, this path is for bikers going both ways and pedestrians as well, so it makes for an interesting situation. Bikers pass each other with inches of clearance between handlebars and pedestrians cower against the side rails trying to make themselves as thin as possible. I am glad the sun had dried out the rain from the morning because I wouldn’t like to experience that steel surface slick with rain.

Once on the south shore I found myself in a world of garage sales, I can only describe as a village market that lasted for twenty km. Every other yard was packed with merchandise ranging from old records and broken furniture to home made jams and baking. Everyone had their own way of attracting customers, including one yard featuring a formal three-piece Irish dance troop. The streets were so packed with cars, people and bikes, it was one lane traffic and I had to keep two eyes out for people running and playing in the streets. Where the yards ended and the towns started, there were people sitting at one of a thousand patio restaurants and pubs enjoying the summer weather. Needless to day it was slow moving, but wonderful and interesting riding; everyone I passed had a smile and a wave to give to a passing road rider.

Activity Tip: Exercise can be a family affair. Take time to get out with your parents and your children and enjoy sport and activity together.

Sincerely,

Tyler

The second big day in a row, looking at my schedule I though I was done with the really hard days of endless road. I guess I was wrong. Following the bike paths has made the riding much nicer but it also adds a bit of distance, making my days a little longer.

The ride today was interesting to say the least. Unlike yesterday (which was hot, really hot) I stated off with a nice refreshing mist wetting down and keeping me cool and energized. Unfortunately the fine droplets of water that covered my glasses made them absolutely useless in all of thirty seconds and I was without eye protection for the rest of the morning.

I had a nice ambling journey though Trois Rivieres. It is wild being back in populated areas again after over a month of towns no bigger than 2000 people. Now I come across major centers three times a day and I have to get used to riding through cities again. The rain stopped just as I passed over the bridge leaving Trois Rivieres and was immediately replaced by a muggy dampness that was both cooling and hot all at the same time. Don’t ask me how that works; I don’t even know what I mean.

I stopped for lunch about sixty km in to the day. The only place my mom could find to pull over was the parking lot of a cemetery, which I am trying not to take as an omen. Although my mom did make the comment that it was a little tacky having a cemetery right next to a old folks home. Sorry, bad joke, but you can blame my mom and long, long hours in a van.

At this point in the day I was actually feeling pretty good; my legs only felt like they had been beaten on for a couple of days and they had adopted a comfortable numb felling that I was finding quite pleasant. All the stop and go of the city street meant that it had taken just over two hours to get to my planned lunch break and my day was shaping up to be a long on.

The afternoon riding was more of the same. I picked my way through small town after small town; the entire time feeling like I had somehow ended up in a different country. The region of Québec I am in is VERY French and I haven’t heard English for the last two days. It is also stunning though; biking along the St. Laurence is fantastic, at some points it is as wide as the horizon and you feel as if you are staring out at an ocean. I stopped a couple of times today to watch the big freighters travel along and I have passed a couple of the big hydro dams and marveled at the shear scale of power that is produced.

By the time I finished the days ride the comfortable numb feeling in my legs had been replaced by an overwhelming urge to submerse them in a bathtub filled with ice to quench the inferno that had engulfed my muscles. I used the last ounce of energy I had to wipe off the thin layer of bugs and dirt I had accumulated over the day and then collapsed into my chair to rest.

Activity tip: What every your excuse, be it time, work, or access. I can guarantee you can find an hour in your day. So save time it takes to make the excuse and get active!

Sincerely,

Tyler

The excitement never ends here on the Tournée je m´organise, je m´active (That’s the Get Smart, Get Active tour in French, that’s right, I’m learning, one smart cookie here!), I set off from Montréal this morning after a fantastic presentation at Saint John Bosco School in Ville Emard.

I am very grateful to the school for having me; they welcomed me with open arms. Their PE teacher and their principal both set a fine example for us all to follow with a true love for their jobs and an endless supplies of energy. The students also were very excited to see me and embodied what it is I hope to see in a happy, healthy group of students. The hospitality and generosity of every school I go to has made this trip the unbelievable success that it has been thus far, but the schools in Montréal have raised the bar!

Today was one of the longer days that I have had. Since there was no camping in the city on Montréal, it was an early morning to get to the school on time for the presentation. I clawed my way out of bed at 630 in the morning and we made our way in through the rush-hour traffic. Finding the school turned out to be much easier than we had though, and as I have already said the presentation went splendidly.

After the formal presentation was over the students were released to recess, and to my amazement and amusement, I got to spend the next few minutes signing autographs (I’m a small town boy no more). In all the excitement the PE teacher, Shelly, had forgotten about skipping club and was promptly reminded by a group of very excited young girls. So it was to the sounds of a full gym and an active playground that I took my leave of the school and started my ride for the day, what better start to the day could I ask!

My good day vibe lasted all through the morning as I made my way through the bike paths and parks of Montréal. After my initial concern over being able to find my way around the city, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to follow the bike paths. The paths offer a wonderful meandering scenic tour of the city, and I was able to follow them right from Saint Bosco all the way off the island. As I rode a wonderful old Frenchman who gave me a bit of a biking tour and wanted to hear all about what I was doing joined me. I didn’t get his actual age but he had to be in his late seventies at the youngest and he was still fit as a fiddle; I can only hope I will be as lucky!

Once I left the city my luck ran out. I was still trying to follow the bike path that goes all the way up to Québec but apparently I was having issues with my map reading today. Somehow (and I blame it on the road, it could not possibly have been my fault of course) I ended up nowhere near the bike path and completely turned around. I was so far go that even a very helpful gentleman who lived in the area, couldn’t get me back on track. To add insult to injury I hit a sewer grate at just the right angle for my tire to fall in the crack and give me a flat. OHHHH wait, the fun is not over, before I go on though let me set the scene for those of you just joining us.

Here I am, avid cyclist, experienced adventure, in the middle of nowhere (well that isn’t quite true I was actually in a very populated area, right across from a hospital) with a flat tire and no ideas were I was going next. Of course being the ever-prepared person I am, I had all the necessary tools to change my tire and get back on the road. In no time at all I had the new tube in and I was happily pumping away, only I didn’t seem to be getting any pressure. As I continued to pump (the term “flogging a dead horse” should be coming to mind) I came to the horrible realization that I had not thrown away the old tube from my last flat, and gotten a new one from my spare parts kit. This realization was soon followed by another, that I have been diligently transferring a flat tube between my jersey pockets for the last week, and finally came the realization that I should stop pumping and get comfortable; I wasn’t going anywhere.

In the end I was able to get a hold of my mom and she brought me a new tube and better maps. I was back on the road in no time at all and on my way again. All in all nothing hurt except my pride and minimal time lost. I continued on another 60 km to Louiseville were we found a campsite for the night. As I write this I am overlooking Lac St-Pierre, a swelling of the St. Laurence. I am just about as tired as I have ever been in my life and I think I will go to bed.

Activity tip: One of the great things about being regularly active is that it leads to better more restful sleeping patterns. A good nights rest is necessary to maintain good health and well being, so turn off the computer and get your eight hours!

Sincerely,

Tyler

I would like to start this post by thanking one more group in Ottawa for making my stay as comfortable as I could have ever dreamed. The Lord Elgin Hotel was kind enough to donate three nights for my mom and I to bask in the lap of luxury. The Lord Elgin is an incredibly nice hotel located right in the middle of everything. They are a five-minute walk from the parliament buildings and the national gallery and all the shopping, restaurants and bars you could want. Taking advantage of their hospitality got us out of the van and into comfortable beds and air conditioning for a couple of nights and helped me rejuvenate for the last month of my trip!

The last couple of days have been stationary for me while I wait for presentations in Montréal. It is an exciting time to be in the city though, as it is Grand Prix week and the city is decked out in all its glamour. Unfortunately there is no camping on the island of Montréal and it is difficult to get in and out of the city so we have not been able to spend as much time in the city as I would have liked.

I have been pleased to discover that Québec has a network of bike trails that will get me across the entire province. The Route Verte is over 4000 km of bike paths and shared streets that connect all the major regions of the province and run through all the cities and towns. I would say that Québec is setting an example for us all to follow!

I had my first presentation this morning at Leonardo da Vinci Elementary. I was greeted at the school by a group of students that rode their bikes in the morning and we went for a short ride around the neighborhood while the rest of the school came outside on to the playfield and got organized. One of the best parts of my day was learning that one of the young girls that came for a ride with me rode in specially for the event and not wanting her to ride alone her mom came along as well. I we are going to be successful in changing the health of our students we need great parents like that, who are willing to put in the effort for their children to be healthy.

LDV is a totally bilingual school with the students taking some classes in English and some in French. I was glad that I did not have to face one of my greatest regrets in life, that with all the traveling I have done I am about as fluent in French as I am in Martian. The third and forth graders were more than happy to translate for me though, so everything worked out in the end. I would also like to thank the students and teachers of LDV for their very generous contribution to my fundraising efforts. I have been doing this tour solely on a donation basis, so any contributions are a welcome surprise.

I have one more night in on the south shore just out side the city before heading back in for my second presentation tomorrow morning. Then it is off on the road again. I need to find out if there are any road closers for the Grand Prix because the bike path I want to take out of the city runs straight along the track, and I’m pretty fast on my bike but I don’t think I can keep up with those guys.

Activity tip: One of the main reasons that people quit new exercise routines is they start out to hard. Work into things slowly and take your time to get used to the new activity. You will have a much better chance of success.

Sincerely,

Tyler

PS I have finally been able to upload some photos so have a look!

After all the looking back and celebrating in Ottawa I had almost tricked myself into believing the trip was over, but then Sunday came and it was time to get back to reality. The endless struggle of trying to match my schedule with the schools I am presenting at has struck again though, so this leg was the definition of relaxed. With just over 200 km to go and three days to do it I was not in any kind of hurry to go anywhere.

All the extra time turned out to be a blessing though for two reasons. First, the roads between Ottawa and Montréal travel through some wonderful country, so it was nice to be able to set a leisurely pace and enjoy the sights. Second and more importantly, I got lost more times than I can count. The first day out of Ottawa wasn’t to bad; after picking up the van from the house we had left it at for the weekend (thanks again Angela! Hope the move is still going well), I only had to pick my way through a few city streets before finding my way onto the old highway.

From there it was a great day of riding. I had a nice tailwind and the rain held off until the afternoon. I pushed through until about 2 o’clock and found a nice park right on the river to stop in for lunch. During lunch the rain started, not hard, I could have easily kept on riding for the day, but considering how much time I had to get to Montréal I decided to take it easy and stay dry for the day.

As it turned out that was great decision because the skies cleared over night and I woke up to blue bird (that’s a cloudless sky to those of you not used to my laid back west coast slang) with a cool tail wind to push me along. I spent the entire morning riding with a grin the size of Canada on my face and by lunchtime I was still feeling as fresh as a spring day. The major trouble started after lunch when I took a wrong turn and ended up in country lane detour hell.

By this time I was only about 30 km outside of Montréal and expected to be there in no time with my wonderful tail wind pushing me along at 45 km/h, boy was I wrong. I ended up riding for another hour and a half before finally finding my way back to the highway I though I had been on the entire time and getting going in the right direction with only about 10 km left to go. At some point during this back road escapade I did cross into Québec; I don’t even know where I officially crossed I just started to see a whole lot more French signs and Québec license plates, if they ever do separate that will be one easy border to sneak across.

I am not expected at my next school until Wednesday, so we decided to stay outside of the city a bit and finish the ride in tomorrow. I am still trying to figure out why bikes are not allowed on the main highways. I got a glimpse the 417 and the 40 and they had some of the best shoulders I have seen yet, a road bikers dream come true. Even though I enjoyed traveling along the back roads and I got to see much more of the country, I would have like to jump on to the highway at points and it would make my trip in to the school on Wednesday much easier.

Activity tip: Having a specific goal to reach is a great way to keep motivated. A daily goal of just “going for a run” or “going to the gym” leaves to much room for interpretation. Also fitness programs should have overall goals that are easier to measure than “I want to lose weight.” Instead, set an amount and a time period so you can track your progress.

Sincerely,

Tyler

Good food and good people! My time in Ottawa was busy and fun. As I said before I arrived just in time for the CAHPERD AGM so everyone from CAHPERD was around. I could not have asked for a better reception, there is not a more dedicated group of people around and their excitement for what I am trying to do makes it all worth it. Organizations such as CAHPERD and Silken’s Active Kids are making a huge difference in the health of our children and it is a pleasure to be doing my part to help them.

The festivities started off with a slideshow to show the highlights of my tour. Looking back it is had to believe that I have come so far; I know it might be a little early to start looking back, but Ottawa was a pretty major landmark to I let myself get a little nostalgic. This is as good a time as any to send out a big hello to everyone at Prospect Lake, Frank Hobbs, and of course Sir James Douglas who have been following my right from the beginning. I hope that you are still tracking me on your map; I would love a picture of the finished product!

Friday brought the CAHPERD Phys ed. day on the hill, and it could not have gone better. In addition to the six schools we had out on the hill for the event, CAHPERD sent a national invitation for schools to participate, and they got a fantastic response. Over 500 schools and 130000 students participated in the event, making it one of the most successful phys ed. events of the year. One of the more exciting points of the day was having a number of MPs out to show their supports and present the awards to the schools. Also, one of the Phys ed teachers was given the teacher of the year award, providing us all with an example to live up to.

The rest of my time was spent walking around the city, sightseeing. This was my first time in Ottawa and I wanted to get as much out of it as I could. I have never been the best urban sightseer, but I got around non-the-less. My first stop was the public viewing gallery of the house. Of course there wasn’t much going on that day so I stayed all of five minutes and it was about as exciting as watching paint dry, but still good to say I went. Next in line was the national photography gallery which I was very excited to see, but unfortunately was closed for renovations. Not off to the best start.

From there it did get better as I walk along the river locks and the parliament grounds. We went to the national art gallery, which is an absolutely stunning building. I was amused by the fact that everyone in Ottawa is either wearing a uniform or an ID tag, displaying their place of work like a badge of honor.

Overall I was impressed with Ottawa and next to Vancouver and Victoria I would have to say it is my favorite so far. The city hosts a number of very pleasant neighborhoods, and lots of wonderful green space to play in. I got the impression that it is a very active city as well; Friday was a nice sunny day and everyone was out walking and enjoying the parks. Biking seems to be a popular means of transport, of course I doubt that is a year round thing.

Activity tip: Many people that are interested in taking part in an event such as a 10k, Marathon, Triathlon, ect… never do because they are to worried about not doing well and not having a good time. If you are interested in doing one of these events, know that just taking part is all that matters; if you want to set a time goal make it for yourself, don’t worry what others will think.

Sincerely,

Tyler

I made it; I have arrived in our nations capital in good shape and ready for the rest of my trip. My arrival marks the 4,660 km mark on my trip, which puts me a mere 2,895 km away from my goal. Under a month of ridding stands between me and dipping my tire in the Atlantic.

Before I can think about that though I must get across my exciting ride into Ottawa today. The day started with a presentation at the Nick Smith Center in Arnprior this morning. I would like to congratulate them on such a wonderful facility. The students that came out were a great crowd and had a lot of good questions for me.

There is an answer to one question that continues to worry me. When asked if they are active for an hour per day, most of the students I talk to across the country put up their hand and assure me that they are more than active enough. Only when I actually talk to them one on one and get them to describe their day to be do I discover the truth. Whether it is a lack of understanding, or a lack of proper instruction on what it means to be active, the many of the students I have met have badly distorted views. This only serves to strengthen the need for proper physical education programs.

Arnprior is making a valiant effort to bring in more youth programs. The Nick Smith Center has taken on a full time youth coordinator, and simply having people like me in to talk show their commitment to healthy children. They cannot do it on their own though; they, like everyone else trying to organize these programs, need the support of their major and town councils as well as their communities.

After the presentation it was off to Ottawa, home of CAHPERD. The ride was great, the sun was shining and the wind was blowing from the west. One of my first tail winds of the trip brought me into the capital at over 40 km per hour. I made only one mistake in not realizing that the highway into Ottawa is a no biking freeway. The local OPP was more than happy to steer my right though, in no time at all I had a new course and I was on my way again. The new path wasn’t quite as direct so I spent the next hour on a biking tour of the outskirts of Ottawa, stopping every once in a while to check my map.

I arrived at the CAHPERD office at just after one and spent the rest of the afternoon meeting everyone that has helped to make this trip possible, together with everyone from CAHPERD that are in town for the AGM. We have a get-together tonight and then the event on the hill tomorrow!

Anybody in Ottawa tomorrow, come on out to Parliament hill around 1:00pm and join in the festivities.

Activity tip: If you find yourself feeling tired during the day or always needing naps, try swapping out a nap for a bit of exercise. You may find that after a while you have more energy throughout the day and are able to get more out of your days.

Sincerely,

Tyler

In the last three days I have officially rode 419 km, and I am beat! Actually I lie, I cheated little and I drove about 30 km, but my overwhelming desire not to fall asleep on my bike and ride into the ditch overpowered my drive to ride the entire distance. As much as I tell myself that I am superhuman, there are times when I must admit my mortality.

As it is I think it was the simple drawing desire to reach Ottawa that kept me going as long as I did. Sometimes I don’t know what keeps me going, because every part of my being will be telling me to stop and yet my legs just don’t seem to stop. Part of the daily drive is the sense of accomplishment that comes at the top of every hill and the end of a long day. As I come into my final stop I get a smile across my face, throw my head back, take a big breath, and all the pains of the day just wash away.

We had our closest thing to a disaster yesterday, it wasn’t actually anything bad but it did cause a lot of worry. My mom and I had got our wires crossed on where we were meeting for lunch and missed her as I passed, so she didn’t know where I was. Then to complicate matters, when she drove ahead to see if I had passed her she didn’t go far enough to catch up with me. So, being a mother she pictured the worst and immediately rushed to the Police to see if they had any reports of bikers being run down by crazed truck drivers. Long-story-short, I ended up riding for three and a half hours straight, and there is now a Police report under my name, asking The OPP to keep their eyes out for me. Everything worked out fine though, and my mom found me sitting quite comfortably on the side of the road, waiting for her to catch up.

I guess the last thing of great importance to report its that we have finally hit the bugs! The great benefit to the cold weather was that the bugs have not been as big an issue as I thought they would be, but that has all changed as of yesterday. They still don’t bother me very much when I am biking; most of them blow by in the wind and I don’t even notice the couple that manage to latch on. They only become a big issue at night; we stopped in a park last night that was in dense forest, and I think there was actually a solid wall of bugs when we went outside. They seem to be attracted to my mom and the back of her neck is just on big bite at this point.

I have been having trouble posting my pictures that last little while, so I apologize for the lack of photo proof of my journey. I will try again today, so keep looking the pictures are coming (I hope!).

Activity tip: Talk to you boss. More and more businesses are recognizing the benefits of having an active staff and are offering exercise benefits. If your workplace is behind the times then point out some of the benefits to having a happier, more productive workforce.

Sincerely,

Tyler

After a lovely week pretending I’m on vacation it was time to get back to the trip. We woke up at 5 o’clock this morning to drive the two hours back to Sudbury for my morning presentation. We were worried that we wouldn’t make it in time due to a slight miscalculation of our gas supply and it being to early for gas stations to be open. Luckily, as the needle touched the E we came across a station that boasted an early bird staff and we were saved from an embarrassing phone call.

We made it safely into Sudbury and found our way Saint Benedict Catholic School. Being only the second high school on my tour I was a little nervous as to how my presentation was going to be received (especially since I wasn’t actually very happy with how I cam across at the last one), unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to find out. Due to a last minute problem at the school we had to cancel the presentation, but I did get a chance to tour the facilities and I was once again impressed with the Catholic School system.

St. Benedict’s is home to a fantastic gym, a very impressive weight room, and great playing fields with plans for expansion. I was given the grand tour by a couple of very impressive students, including their athletic association president who sounds like she has a promising future playing basketball and studying education at Laurentian University. I wish her the best of luck, and may I recommend specializing in Phys ed., I’m a little biased, but I think you’ll find it very rewarding.

After leaving the school it was time to start my big four-day push to Ottawa. I have one more presentation to get to on Thursday, with a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do it. My mom was obsessing over the map at lunch today, counting out the distance and I was just sitting wishing she would stop and I could remain blissfully in denial.

On the up side the weather turned in my favor today. As we were driving in to Sudbury, I was almost crying as the rain came down in sheets that threatened to washout the road. But buy the time we had left the school the sun was coming through the clouds and the road had dried. What remained was a hot, humid day that felt like heaven to my road weary body. We are hoping that we might be blessed with on of Ontario’s famous thunderstorms, although I am hoping that it stays true to form and only lasts the night!

I am always amazed how much better I feel once I get back on the bike after a couple of days off. At this point it is more of a mental game than anything and it takes a bit of self convincing to climb back on the saddle every morning, especially when it means getting up at five in the morning and leaving a beautiful cabin on the lake. By the time I am back on my bike and I have a couple of km under my wheels I always find my grove again, and pretty soon there is a smile on my face and everything feels great.

The big excitement today was finding out that I might actually be building up a bit of momentum and public interest. Since my presentation at the school was cancelled at the last minute, the CTV News crew that was supposed to cover the event ended up arriving right after I left. Unperturbed, the crew was determined to get the story, so it was much to my surprises when a CTV truck pulled up beside me 30 km out of Sudbury and a very nice reporter leaned out the window and asks “are you Tyler? Do you mind doing an interview?” So it was with the first sweat of the day poring down my face and the lactic acid burning in my legs that I pulled over to do my first (and hopefully not last) roadside interview of the tour! I’ll try not to let my new found fame go to my head!

Activity Tip: When exercising in hot and humid environments overheating can be a serious problem. In high humidity you’re ability of cool off though sweating is drastically reduced, and the onset of dehydration and heat stroke can be quite rapid. If you find yourself feeling feint, developing a headache, or getting overly hot and red; stop working, get to somewhere cool, and drink lots of water.

Sincerely,

Tyler

I have not felt so good for the entire trip. For the last two days I have had nothing to do but read, eat, and help out with a couple of chores around the cabin! All my other rest days I have always had things to do, whether it was cleaning my bike, restocking the van, or doing presentations, I have always had something to do with the tour on my mind. This weekend I have just been able to relax and not worry about anything.

My friends cabin is in a wonderful park in Georgian Bay, right on the water. The weather has been great, sun and warm temperatures both days, with just a hint of a breeze coming off the lake. Being the first few weeks of summer, we have spent the weekend cleaning up and doing a few chores that need to be done each year after the winter.

Of course one of the best parts is that one of our friends loves to cook, so we have been treated to fantastic meals every day. Overall though it has just been wonderful to get out of the van for a couple of days and not think about the tour; just take a break from every thing!

Tomorrow we head back up to Sudbury for an early morning presentation and then it is back on the road to Ottawa. The big event in the capital is ready to go and only five days away, so if you haven’t booked your tickets get on to it or you’ll miss out!

Activity Tip: Progression is the only way to improve your fitness. Steadily increasing the intensity of your workouts challenges your body to adapt, but don’t push to hard. Only increase one thing at a time, whether it is the intensity, frequency, or duration, and increase in small steps.

Sincerely,

Tyler