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Trip
Notes
Monday, October 7th, 2002
Managed
108 km. today at a 21.9 average. Made great time with a nice
steady 30 km./hr. southerly tailwind for the first 50 km., but as
we rounded the North Point that all changed and pretty well the
rest of the day was directly into the same wind that had been so
benevolent earlier.
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Electric
Windmills |
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If
you were going to set up a multi million-dollar electric windmill
farm, where would you put it? Right! The place where there's the
most wind, and this is it! The windmills are huge and awesome, so
is the wind! We stopped at a local convenience store and I jokingly
asked the owner, who seemed like a wizened old sailor, if the wind
ever stops around here. He said "oh yeah, for a day or
so every couple of years…" He then made me a hot chocolate
and spent 15 min. chatting, even though the store does not sell hot
chocolate. |
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can see the giant wind turbines from a number of km. away, gracefully
spinning in the wind. The blades on the wind turbines are so huge
they seem to be turning slowly. Each one drives it's own electric
generator atop it's tower. The noise the blades make is a surprising
quiet but eerie whooshing sound. It is said these generators make
3% of the island's power. There was also a compound that appeared
to be run by the university, that was chock full of smaller
experimental wind generators. Assuming you have the wind, this has
to be the most environmentally friendly way to make electricity!
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Gettin'
Hungry Part III
Cycle
touring food is in a class by itself. First of all, it's important
not to lose too much weight along the way. You must also eat tons
of carbohydrates to keep from "bonking." Bonking is when
your body runs out of fuel and you get so tired that you can't go
on. That is when even the best of professional riders will "sit
up" and pull over to the side of the road exhausted.
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PEI
Coastline |
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friends know that I am not a big pasta eater. Pasta is THE thing
to eat for dinner when you're doing a tour. Around here, there is
every imaginable seafood/pasta dish. I'm also not big on seafood.
Breakfast is meuseli, yogurt, a banana, and juice. I like bananas.
During the day it's energy bars that are mostly like flavoured cardboard;
though "Clif" makes some that are palatable; as well as
energy drinks which are not really enjoyable to drink either. |
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If
I'm really lucky I get a hot chocolate mid day. At the end
of the day's ride I get a bottle of Dr. Pepper, which I inhale,
and a Mars bar, which is like heaven. My friends also know
I almost never drink pop or hot chcolate! For dinner, two large tankards
of draft, or three bottles - no more. It is really is funny how your
whole perception of things changes when you get into another head
space like this. Anyway, somewhere out there is a BIG steak and
a bottle of wine with my name on it. |
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More
Than Just a Mascot...
Skipper
has taken on a special job on the tour. Cheryl rides a bit ahead
to spot dogs that might be problematic, and stops the truck in front
of their house. With one of the windows partially down, Skipper
barks frantically at the dog, distracting it.
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Official
Dave's Ride Mascots |
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then whiz by on the opposite side of the truck, neatly "dodging
the dog." Skip has also saved me from a number of horses. Today
I raced the fastest Rottwieler alive. He was in amazing shape
and could have easily had me but for the truck running interference.
Skipper was going berserk! |
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| To
finish the Tour de P.E.I. tormorrow, I would have to ride about 150
km. In light of the wind forecast, that is unlikely, so the
ride will likely finish some time on Wednesday. There is champagne
in our future |
