Being on 2 wheels for one week gave me a sense of freedom and empowerment not felt before. I empowered my legs...my body.

I went with a tour organized by "Cycle Canada". They are good. I would do it all over again. I liked the group very much.

Physical strenght is not enough when riding 80-110 km per day; mental visualization is key as well.

...What would I have done differently? I would start the rides as early as 6:00 a.m. to avoid the afternoon "canicule". I would have done one additional week.

Day 1: 92K (Kilometers)

Toronto-Bowmanville. Flat, easy. I rode slowly to make sure that I would make it to the end of the day. We departed from the Old City Hall building in downtown Toronto.

Day 2: 98K Bowmanville-Brighton; not difficult. Beautiful scenery.

We stayed at a beautiful gorgeous Bed and Breakfast on Brighton (Butler Creek on 202 County Road 30). They served a nutritious, delicious, but more importantly a healthy breakfast. The two owners of the BandB had two beautiful vintage cars from the 40's (like those taken out of a movie set) and they drove us downtown Brighton for dinner.

me? I am wearing the not-so-sexy "bubble shorts" and colourful maillot! and of course, my legs are two coloured.

Day 3: 125 K Brighton-Kingston - Rode on the Glenora Ferry. We stayed at the St. Lawrence College residences.

Day 4: This is our day off. However, the night before I took the train back to TO for a job interview. I returned on the same day to continue with day 4.

Day 5: 115K - Kingston to Prescott Awesome. We rode by the St. Lawrence river. Unbelievably gorgeous scenery. Not difficult, rather flat. We had a very hot afternoon sun.
All in all I was still in good shape.

Could a cyclist ask for more? I was enjoying an almost-free painless "derriere". I was developing calluses on my sitting bones/muscles/ cartilages and that was wonderful if one keeps in mind that I did not use any cushioned-camel pant that protect your buttocks.

It was like "nothing comes between me and my uncushioned-cycling shorts" -just like the Calvin Klein add of the 80's which showed Brooke Shields in a Calvin Klein jeans saying "Nothing comes between me and my jeans". ...there you go...and she has two baby girls now!

DAY 6: Prescott-Lanscaster; 116 K
The afternoon was soooooo hot, I wasn't sure I was going to make it. Unlike the previous days, today I stopped to take a break from the burning sun. Robert and I were the first ones to arrive to the motel. I promissed myself that I would start at 6:45 a.m. the next day when we will be doing Lancaster-Montreal. Other than the heat, the ride was not difficult.

DAY 7: 116K - Lancaster-Montreal

...and now the end is near...yeah, and now I was nearing the end of the ride. A wonderful feeling of anticipation...the entrance to Montreal was great. There were many other cyclists on the city's bike paths. Montreal is really a cyclists' haven...oohhh Toronto, I wish you had all the bike lanes that Montreal has...

I wonder what kind of work Montrealers have done to get all these beautiful bike lanes. They even have street lights for cyclists. Is it because they speak French? Should we start all speaking French in Toronto? Could someone explain me why Montrealers have the most developed bicycle paths in Canada? I just don't get it. I am jelous and envious.