July 30 London to Brantford, Ontario

This was pretty much a perfect day as we breezed along the country roads of very rural Ontario.  This was a short day — only 68 miles — so we slept late and departed at 8:30 (or 08:30 as Cap’n Blythe would say).  We then tooled along roads that seemed more like country lanes than major thoroughfares.  With only one SAG stop along the way, many of our riders finished by early afternoon.

Local farmers are selling a variety of fruits and vegetables from road side stands.  We’ve stopped to buy fresh cherries and blueberries.  We also like the home made pies we find along the way.  A few days ago in Michigan, my friend and former colleague, Vicki Griffith, came to visit me and brought a bagful of presents from Michigan.  (Vicki is a big Michigan booster).  What surprised me most was the Michigan wine — it’s on par with most Sonoma wines though maybe not yet up to Napa standards.  It disappeared quickly. Though the wine was good, even better were the dried cherries and blueberries.  They seem like perfect food for a long bike trip and I eat a few handsful every morning. I’m on the lookout for more in Ontario.

So now we’re in Brantford, nicknamed The Telephone City.  It was here in 1876 that Alexander Graham Bell — then a resident of the town — made the first “long distance” phone call to another city.  The call went all the way to Paris — Ontario, not France.  This is also the hometown of Wayne Gretzky, who became famous by marrying the actress Janet Jones.  Of more international importance, however, Brantford is the hometown of Jay Silverheels — better known as Tonto in the Lone Ranger TV series.  All of which reminds me of my favorite Lone Ranger joke:

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are camped under the stars one night.

Lone Ranger: “Tonto, isn’t it beautiful to see the stars and the moon above us?”
Tonto: “Mmmmm…. do you know what this means kemosabe?
LR: “No, Tonto, what does it mean?”
Tonto: “Someone stole the tent.”

Day’s distance: 68.4 miles (110.1 km)
Average speed: 17.4 mph (28.0 kph)
Day’s climb: 1250 feet (381 meters)
Total distance: 3,097.7 miles (4,985.3km)

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1 Response to July 30 London to Brantford, Ontario

  1. Anne Petrie says:

    On July 29, when you were in London, Ontario, I was in the other London. While reading the London Evening Standard and walking past Imperial College, University of London, I glanced across at the labs. I was reading a front page report on “Treatment Hope for MS sufferers”, stating that scientists from Imperial College are to use cells grown from patients’ own bone marrow to treat and hopefully reverse effects of MS. The trial involving 150 patients across Europe is due to start this year. This is being funded by the MS Society. I understand that the trials will take 3 years and then the large scale phase 3 trials will start. Hopefully, this level of reporting will raise public consciousness even further here and engender further support for your cause.

    Just a few more days! And then the celebration!

    Best. Anne

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