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| Day 47 - August 13 - Canoe Lake to Ottawa 126km |
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| I leave just before 8:00 with Glenn because I've been enjoying the fast pace that he rides. I am hoping that my legs won't be sluggish after yesterday's sprint into camp. I really should take it easy today, but for some reason I feel like riding hard again. It's an excellent workout for my legs and I'm having so much fun with it. |
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| Just 10km into the ride we go through Westport where there is a very steep hill to climb on the way out of town. Rumour has it that Signal Hill in Newfoundland (on top of which the Tour ends) is much like this one but a bit longer. It takes a good burst of energy to get up this one. I stand up in the lowest gear of my middle chainring as I rock the bike from side to side to get a rhythm going. I feel my legs flooding with lactic acid, resulting in that all too familiar burning sensation. |
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| I get to the top where Glenn is waiting and he says "So?". "I stayed in my middle ring!", I say proudly. He congratulates me on conquering the only major hill of the day. I think back to how much harder that would have been for me in June. |
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| From then on, it is mostly flat with a few rolling hills. I can keep up with Glenn most of the time, although he can power up a hill faster than anyone I've ever seen. He is an amazing cyclist. I can learn a lot from Glenn. |
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| We get to Ottawa at 12:30 and find our way to Carleton University. We can't check in until 3:00 so we head upstairs to the cafeteria to get an all-you-can-eat meal. We're there eating for an hour and a half and discussing bikes. What a great way to end the ride. |
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| The evening meal is pizza in the lounge while we crowd around to watch The Simpsons. We all feel somewhat out of touch with the outside world, even though we encounter a different section of it each day. It will be nice to sleep in a bed tonight. I look forward to it. |
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