September 7th, 2002 Day 1
Trip = 39.06km ATD = 39km

I'm not sure what time it is nor do I really care. I have this lump in my throat and tears keep surging but I'm fighting them off. Foreign sounds like highway traffic and coyotes howling are a constant reminder that I am plumetting into the unknown. All I crave is the touch of the girl I love but instead I am embraced by the deep, chilling touch of Mother Nature. In this moment I am frightened.

Everyone will leave something, whether it be a faint memory or an epic legacy, to be remembered by. The goal of this trip is not to create a legend nor to become a great man. The mission is more simple; my mission is to give myself the opportunity to see the world with more understanding and, in turn, grow into a more complete man. I say "give myself the opportunity" because I may blow every chance I get, therefore getting a false perception of heightened awareness. Who knows?

Today was another emotional rollercoaster. Saying good-bye to my "dream girl" was devastating. Ian looked like he handled his good-byes to his family very well but I know he must have been a little messy inside. After spending two hours doing our final preparations and alterations to our bikes, we finally headed out from River Valley Cycle (infinite thank yous to Mark and Vince) at about 2:30p.m. We had a little back route planned so that we wouldn't have to deal with so much traffic. Only problem is, Ian decided to pull out the HERO card and go the wrong way. Clay and Sandra who were with me dialled up Darcy and Alice (who were trying to get Ian on the right track) and everything sorted itself out in the end. During this fiasco I had the first wipeout when I didn't click out of my pedal fast enough and fell over while at a complete standstill. It would have never happened if Ian had followed me (the navigator).

Anyways, we didn't make it far today because of Ian's incredible lack of fitness. We'll laugh about it in eight weeks when he starts outbiking me.

It should be noted that my buddy Clay is sorely missed. Your tagteam partner will be back!

September 8th, 2002 Day 2
Trip = 32km ATD = 70km

For those of you who know me, try and wipe that smirk off your face and for those of you who don't, please and try to understand...I had to swallow my pride today. There aren't any good excuses. Ian and I knew that going into a 26,000km bike trip with the bare minimum of training was at the very least, stupid. Today we had to stop after only two hours of biking because the pain in my knees was excruciating. I pride myself in too many things but one thing that I have deserved to hold pride in was my threshold for pain (or so I thought). I was weak and my self-esteem was at an all time low. As I was setting up camp (at 1:30p.m.) self-doubt started creeping in and as I hobbled around, frustration was at the forefront of my thoughts. This trip has been based on the fact that we have failed before we succeeded. My worry was that the failure of my knees was unsurmountable. this combined with the fact that it would be so simple to go back to the comforts of home, to Christie and Clay, my family, to all of my incredible friends, and now my pain is even harder to overcome.

The reasons to remain on this trip are even greater. The girl I love loves me because of the man I am, not for the man I would have pretended to be. As my friends know, I demand a certain amount of respect but I always try to earn it. If I give up I have done the opposite of earning...I will have destroyed their faith. Ian is willing to battle...my partner...you don't let your partner down, you pick him up.

My knees feel much better tonight and although I will still be in pain for a couple of days, I will push on. It's not as though I'm climbing fuckin' Everest! I will go until I drop and can't get up because it's the kind of person that I want to be, if for no other reason.

An advantage of not making it very far on the first two days is the wonderful room service. Sandra brought us a wonderful breakfast and treats and Ian's mom brought us an excellent supper and treats. Thank you both for your amazing generosity and unconditional caring. Peace out!

September 9th, 2002 Day 3
Trip = 75km ATD = 145km

September 10th, 2002 Day 4

Did you know...that the Alberta wind in September blows directly North without reprieve?...that the entire Albertan countryside smells like manouer?...that two knees at the brink of collapse can be rejuvenated by the simple application of a tensor bandage? Amazing little tidbits from the two dumbasses that embarked on this arduous journey.

Today was amazing. Have I mentioned that this trip has been a tumultuous rollercoaster? We left our camping spot (about 70km outside of Red Deer) with Red Deer as our goal...nearly double the distance we've done in any of the past two days. About halfway to our destination my knees started their little song and dance about how if I took one more pedal stroke they were going to lock up, I wouldn't be able to click out of my pedal clips, and I was going to wipeout in a big, useless heap. I took one more stroke...end of story. Being in the same predicament as yesterday was very disconcerting and Ian and I both knew that this was becoming precariously close to the end of our very brief trip. Their was only one answer to this very defining moment...a siesta. We napped for an hour (a warm, dead sleep during which we got sunburnt) about fifteen feet off the highway. When we arose from our fruitful slumber we again headed towards Red Deer. There was only one difference.

I finally decided to suck it up and wore the tensor that Ian's mom gave us. What a world of difference! I cycled the rest of the way with no problems. Ian had some problems on the second half in which...nevermind, I'm sure he'll tell you about them.

The elation we felt when we entered Red Deer is inexplicable. Think of it this way...I was speechless.

September 11th, 2002 Day 5
Trip = 47.96km ATD = 192km

Slowly but surely we limp our way towards Calgary. Actually, today was an amazing day for me, again. My knees are adapting to the stress they have to endure and I am ready to travel larger distances at greater speeds. Ian had a lot of difficulty today and was finally overwhelmed with pain and frustration. It seems he is having similar knee problems that I was having which is really good news considering the fact that it may take just a little rest and support for him to be back and running at full throttle again.

I have to get my thank yous in before I forget. Sandra came and visited us in Red Deer and was once again stupendous, carting our gibbled asses around Red Deer. Her friend Jackie was very kind and let us use her washer and computer. THANK YOU! Without these kinds of people are trip would be less than fantastic and definitely more rank.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Allana, one of my dearest friends in the whole world...though she probably won't admit it. Because I am a person who often lacks perspective (better yet, I try to confuse perspectives of others) and because Allana's always in search of a solid, end all and be all perspective, we make a wonderful team...again, I doubt she'll admit that. Anyways, in the rare instance that we see eye to eye, it becomes a very special moment. In Allana's e-mail she reminded me of why she is one of the most inspirational characters in my life's story. She reminded me that although you may seek adventure and excitiemnt in exotic lands and far-off destinations, your heart belongs to your family and friends. They are the ones that have nurtured your soul and molded your being so that you would try to experience the world. With that being said, here's a warm shout out to my family and friends (especially Allana) because I love you all from my core.

September 12th, 2002 Day 6
Trip = 52km ATD = 244km

I am giddy tonight. Actually giddy sounds a little tongue-ringish so I'm just going to say that I am in fine spirits this fine evening. I got the opportunity to talk to three of my favorite friends today: Jeanette, Clay, and Christie. I'm going to see Jeanette tomorrow to party hard and to seek solace from my often cold tent. Jeanette is truly uplifting to talk to and her laugh is absolutely contagious. Clay is my best buddy and should be on this trip with Ian and I so that there would be three morons who have no clue. I told him to do something for me today, him being my agent and all, but my money's on him forgetting. He has a good heart, just not the bright. I'm just kidding, BUDDY! Christie has captured my heart...she is amazing and beautiful. It hurts almost as much as it fuels my soul to talk to her because I miss her so much. These three people deserve a better man to talk to but they politely listen to me and my inane responses and reactions to my small world.

Today was another hard day on the road. Our first section was awesome. In one hour we did nearly half of today's totals. Ian is a hurtin' Albertan, his knee is in rough shape. In the next five hours we choppily accomplished 30km with rests every 20 minutes or so. It hurts me to see Ian in so much pain and it frustrates me that we are so close to Calgary but yet so far away. It is a very weird feeling because over every hill I think I'll see Calgary and every time I look behind me I expect to see Edmonton.

Other than our lack of cycling distance everything has been beautiful. The weather has been hot and after 6-8 hours in the sun everyday I am getting super tanned. We just caught our first sight of the mountains to the west today. The night's have been fairly cold but I don't mind. The sky has been clear and the number of stars in the sky give you some kind of reverse quasi-vertigo. It's brilliant!

September 13th, 2002 Day 7
Trip = 50km ATD = 294km

Jeanette and Charla's three S's - Suck it up, Sort it out, Shake it off

September 14th, 2002 Day 8

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTIE!!!!

September 15th, 2002 Day 9

We've had an awesome weekend in Calgary. We partied at Molly's and The Ship and Anchor (hey, Stu!) on Friday and Saturday night respectively. We stayed with my great friend Jeanette and her family (they are called the Davison's, super fantastic!). They've been absolutely incredible and their hospitality has been more than we could ever have hoped for. Our bike trip into Calgary was awesome. We did 50km in under 2 hours because we finally had some wind at our backs and it was all basically downhill. I'm tired, I'll talk to you later...

September 16th, 2002 Day 10
Trip = 82km ATD = 376km

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN!!!!!

September 17th, 2002 Day 11

Yesterday was incredible. As per usual, Ian and I took off from the Davison household a little late (2:00p.m.). We tried to take the Bow River bike trails south but were stymied on every option because of construction and just the plain end of the path. We finally opted to hit the insanely busy Deerfoot Trail again and were on our way out of Calgary. Calgary was awesome and has always been one of my favorite cities. Other than it's sports teams, it rules.

We did our biggest day to date, 82km. From the middle of Calgary to High River. Because it was Ian's birthday yesterday and his knees were starting to really act up again, he decided to treat us to a hotel in High River. I don't know if the next step was a good idea or not but since the weather was supposed to be shoddy, we decided to stay an extra day and head out on Wednesday. We're still kinda shaky if that's a good decision or not. Anyways, we're going to sit, bored out of our tree's in High River. Luckily our hotel has an awesome whirlpool and waterslide!

September 18th, 2002 Day 12
Trip = 87.54km ATD = 463km

Quick nerd not: So as I said, Ian and I were fairly bored in the hotel room and Ian get's this idea to create a number that will show us our efficiency as bikers on the road. It has to be relative to our distance travelled, the time it takes us to bike it, and our speed while doing the trip. After about half an hour we came up with an equation that satisfied all the requirements. We call it an index number for now until we figure out a better name: Index = (distance travelled x average speed)/60. The units of "index" are km squared per minute which seems a little weird but oh well, we're good with it.

Today's biking was very good and it shows that we're constantly improving. We still can and need to get better but Ian is cycling better everyday. Although my impatience sometimes gets the best of me, I must say that I am very proud of Ian and he has surprised me with his resilience.

I lost my batteries to my MP3 player before Red Deer, so for quite a while I have been musicless for this trip, the majority as a matter of fact. When there is just the sound of your tires droning over the pavement, the constant faint clicking of your chain, and the occassional painful squeal of your partner as he pushes too hard, you begin to think of a myriad of things. I, of course, think about Christie. I will hold on tightly until she decides she has had enough and then I will reluctantly let go. I think about if I'll be loved when I come back home by my friends I cherish. I think of what I'll do when I get home, although not too much because my goals and aspirations may change over this next year and a half. I wonder where I'll call home. I guess on who will visit me and what type of people I will befriend. I get excited to see the e-mails I will get and who signed the guestbook on the website. I think of math equations like how long it takes to do a kilometer at different speeds and mundane things of that nature. Tomorrow we'll be in Lethbridge to see Clay's mom and sister and George. I am excited and a little anxious. These are the last people I will recognize or be able to visit in a long while. Oh well, tomorrow's another day, maybe I should just concentrate on making it there.

September 19th, 2002 Day 13
Trip = 73.01km ATD = 536km

September 20th, 2002 Day 14

Yesterday was the most trying day mentally for me so far. We headed out of Granum campsite and started to fly down Route 519. The wind was blowing approximately 50km/h consistently out of the west. With the wind at our backs we flew and I averaged 38km/h for 32km. Believe me when I say, I couldn't do this without the aid of the wind on my best day after many months of training. Sometimes the wind was gusting up to 80km/h (so the weather channel said after our day's journey). I knew the wind would be a problem as we changed our course and headed straight south onto Highway 23. It turned out to be a larger problem than I anticipated. On Ian's first attempt to ride against the overpowering side-wind he was blown onto the highway. That was enough for him and without trying again or trying to learn how to counter the wind, he started walking his bike. He walked his bike for approximately 2km, DOWN a hill while I was left to stew over which emotion was right for the situation. You see, I went through every emotion because 1) I had time and 2) I didn't know how I was supposed to react. Was I supposed to inspire Ian to bike on or was I supposed to leave him to battle his pride on his own? There was something inside of me that was very frustrated and angry yet there was another part of me that wanted to be sympathetic to his internal plight. The last thing he needed was a lecture from me so I maintained a silent indifference while the wind whipped around us. We stopped at the bottom of the hill for an hour while Ian waited for the wind to die down. It did not. Finally, Ian gave me a chance to challenge his pride. He suggested that we hitch into Lethbridge to which I replied, "Well, I'll help you hitch and then I'll meet you in town after I bike in." The problem was solved rather quickly after that and Ian hopped on his bike and started to battle the wind. Needless to say, we got to Lethbridge in one piece with the wind ending up being at our backs most of the way in.

I set a new maximum speed on my bike heading into Lethbride on a huge downhill... 75.7km/h! It was a true rush of adrenaline which happens to be my favorite drug. It makes me wonder if I should get into racing when I get back.

Clay's family has been the ultimate hosts. Their smiles are warm and their generosity is equalled only by our own families and the Davison's. In a cynical world (with myself being a fairly cynical person), it is truly refreshing to know that trust, integrity, and a belief in the human spirit not only exists but flourishes under countless roofs in the world. We can't thank everybody enough who has helped us along the way. The days in Lethbridge have been spent relaxing, as usual, playing on the internet, buying necessities and non-necessities, recharging my new MP3 batteries (yes, I got more to lose), and getting ready to head to the border.

September 22nd, 2002 Day 16
Trip = 87.42km ATD = 610km

Sadly it was time for Ian and I to say a reluctant farewell to our temporary foster family in Lethbridge. Wilma, Dalyce, and George were amazing. I really can't reiterate that enough.

Today's ride was smooth and easy. The wind was at our backs the whole way. We rode 87km in less than three hours. We are 20km away from the CAN/US border and Ian and I are eager to cross into Montana. I think we both consider it some kind of milestone.

It's frickin' freezing outside so Ian and I decided to stay in Southgate Inn in Milk River. Now, I don't really have anything bad to say about Milk River but it's a ghost town. I didn't see one person other than the hotel clerk/bartender/waitress/maid.

My knees got a little sore today because we've been taking too many days off. I'll be fine, I just thought if I was going to mention Ian's knee pain all the time I should mention mine.

September 23rd, 2002 Day 17
Trip = 80.19km ATD = 691km

It only took us 17 days to get south of the border! We're finally in Montana and in suitable fashion we celebrated by staying in another hotel. The Comfort Inn of Shelby, Montana is much nicer than the Southgate Inn of Milk River. In all honesty, it's too bad that we're staying in hotels but it's truly gross outside.

Today's ride was really tough. We had constant wind of approximately 20km/h against us but Ian and I battled hard and reached our goal for the day.

The border crossing was surprisingly easy and went very smoothly. Luckily for us, Ian decided to keep his big, fat, smart-assish mouth shut during our immigration procedure. As we all know, I would never say anything to jeopardize such a crucial point in our trip. Mack, our immigration officer, was very friendly and treated us with the utmost respect. They didn't even make us unpack our bags which saved us a lot of time.

I just saw the weather channel forecast for tomorrow and it's going to be cold, again. Unfortunately, as we plan our route into Denver and then east towards Florida, we may run into time troubles. We're supposed to meet one of Ian's friends (Joe) around New Year's and I have to be in Orlando by January 3rd to pick up my friend (Tara). Oh well, I'm sure I'm worrying about nothing and everything will work out as everything has thus far. Ian and I agreed that if there are any time issues we could take a bus to meet anyone that has so kindly takin' time off to come see us somewhere. Hell, it's the least we could do!

Well, it's time for me to go to sleep...

By the way, I know wind of 20km/h against us sounds minor but compare it to this...imagine Jonesy and pj are drunk and they start picking on Clay...it's over-bearing and unfair, completely uncalled for, and becomes annoying to everyone...but Jonesy and pj don't care and probably don't notice...Jonesy's and pj's barrage is the wind (relentless, unforgiving, and useless) and Clay's annoyance and whining is Ian's directed at the "wind gods"...I'm not sure where I fit in during this analogy but I do know that in either situation I'm ordering another drink...CHEERS!!!

September 25th, 2002 Day 19
Trip = 137.45km ATD = 828km

Well, we set a goal and we actually made it! We travelled 50km further than we have any other day and we're frickin' exhausted. Ian and I, when motivated by the right stimulus, are very goal-oriented and hard workers. For example, today's trip. We knew we had 138km (82mi) to the next hotel and voila, just like that we were magically able to bike that far. Truly, we are equally ecstatic and fatigued, our muscles are already sore and we can't even carry out a ledgible conversation. Yeehaw!

As we have crossed the border into the United States of America there have been some noticeable differences that have caught my eye. Now, before I go any further, I must create a pre-emptive disclaimer. I have met many Americans so far and they have been nothing but hospitable and very friendly. Nowhere in this journal do I want to offend anyone, outright or subliminally, through stereotypes or racial slander.

Keeping that in mind and the fact that we have not visited any large, bustling metropolis', I have noticed the distinct multitudes of trucks. Now that's saying something, coming from Alberta and all. I have also noticed that casinos in the USA are akin to liquor stores in Alberta...they're on every corner!

The characteristic I notice most about where we have been so far is not the plentitude but the perceptible lack of people our age. As I said, I don't have much research on the subject but in our searches for people or on our shopping sprees in public places such as malls or when we eat out(often) there is a very small population that exists between the ages of 20-30 years old. What's even more interesting is when I do see someone of our generation, they are the least approachable, being either in a relationship situation or involved in a mentality of clique-ville. My theory to this phenomenon is that when people turn 18 years of age they have a genuine craving or yearning for the "big city" or the "world of the unknown" and therefore flee rural life. In my observations, this situation does not apply only to the States, it actually makes me wonder if my "clique" is the same way...completely impenetrable. I don't think so but my opinion is not objective.

Then again, I could be wrong, I often am...

Peace out!

September 26th, 2002 Day 20

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEPH!!!

Just a little side note on birthdays...if I miss your birthday it is your fault. I am totally in the right on this one even though it sounds a little callous. The fact of the matter is, if you know me then you know that I don't remember dates no matter how many times I am reminded which may be insensitive but in reality, is just a fact of life. Many of you who know me also know that if it is your birthday then I am very excited and always the first person that is ready to party so please try to remind me. From your ignorant and loving friend...pj.

This has nothing to with Steph who has never given me shit about anything in her whole entire life.

September 29th, 2002 Day 24
Trip = 97.03km ATD = 937km

September 30th, 2002 Day 25
Trip = 75.41km ATD = 1014km

Today and yesterday have been very easy rides. Other than the rolling hills that seem to occassionally stump Ian, there has been wind at our backs and beautiful scenery. We seem to be riding at the eastern edge of the Rockies, catching some panoramic vistas without having to scale any mountains.

Our major concern is the temperature. There is snow in the forecast for central Montana with highs only topping 5-6 degrees Celsius. Today was about 12 degrees with high winds and that felt quite chilly.

We stopped in Lewiston which is actually quite an aesthetically pleasing town. The people seem to take pride in the buildings and environment and, of course, everyone has been super friendly. A lady named Terri, who is in charge of PR or the Yogo Inn, greeted us superbly and gave us some helpful hints onto how to get publicity for our ride.

The night before we stayed in Stanford, Montana at the Sundown Inn. It was quaint and we enjoyed our stay. Christ, maybe we should start impersonating hotel reviewers instead of bikers...we could probably pull it off. I'm beginning to think that as people follow us they will not believe the tenacity it takes to do this trip. Every night we are exhausted and our goals keep on consistently jumping to higher echelons. The hotel thing is just because of the temperature...HONEST!!!

Well, time to go check out Lewiston in more detail. I'll let you know if it's a hotspot or not...yeah, well cool-looking or not, everything still closes at five o'clock in a small town so we were not able to take it all in. Oh well, we tried!

My next query involves Ian. Anyone that knows Ian, I am begging for help. Does anyone know how long it will take before the complaining about the weather will not factor into his everyday meanderings? If it's not, "Oh my God, it's frickin' freezing!" while he piles on or sheds layers (sometimes he's too hot), then it's his constant confusion at his strategy to battle the wind. Actually, I don't need to know the answer...my mornings are actually hilarious. Watching Ian try every item of clothing on only to change outfits three times compiles into a lot of ammo for our future verbal banterings. The funniest episodes always come when he attempts to foil the almighty wind. The laughter physically explodes as he tries to fold a towel or sheet or his tent. If you saw what I saw every morning, you would see a ranting lumatic (sometimes shaking his fist at the sky) chasing a windswept fluttering item in vane. It causes us to leave later than planned but it's entertainment value is immeasurable.

We head to Billings. It's hopefully a two day ride and it's more south so we pray we get into a warmer temperature. Do you know it's 13 degrees below average temperature right now? It's frustrating but there's nothing that we can do about it so do you know what I'm going to do about it? Nothing...just watch Ian's sideshow.

NO MORE SEPTEMBER BUT OCTOBER HAS BEGUN SO CHECK IT OUT!!!! MORE RANTS AND RAVES ON THE WAY!!!

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