Interview on Daytime Ottawa August 3, 2012

Sunday August 12th. The eagle has landed..... I left Sackville at 6.30 this morning. The weather was grey and overcast with a Light fog. I was excited a about my last day in the saddle but not the 214 kms ahead of me. However, I persevered and as the hours passed the kms got shorter. I narrowly avoided several showers but never really got wet. My wife Mary met me at several locations along the way and provided me with nourishment as well as moral support. I finally crossed the McDonald bridge into Halifax at 5.30 PM. I dipped my foot and the bike into Halifax harbour and felt relieved to have this gargantuan journey behind me. It's also nice that I can give this a big X off my bucket list.

I would like to thank all the people for their moral support and also their financial support for Child Haven.

I would especially like to thank my family and my Long Suffering Wife for their patience and support during this arduous journey and futile attempt at self-destruction......

Sean

Saturday August 11th. Just about there..... 1 more day in the saddle... Cycled to Sackville 201 kms with a little bit of headwind. It was raining lightly in the morning when I left and it cleared after about an hour but the skies were heavy and overcast for most of the day. However, except for a few light mists, I luckily escaped rain for the rest of the day. The roads and shoulders in New Brunswick have been excellent. Almost in Nova Scotia. I am determined to reach Halifax tomorrow by hook or by crook to end this 6 week odyssey on the saddle.

Friday August 10th. I started off the day with my second flat tire of the whole trip just 5 kms out the road and it was just starting to rain. This set me back 2 hours. However, despite the rain which cleared up after a few hours I made it to Fredericton which is 210 kms by 5.30 in the evening.

I will be crossing into Nova Scotia tomorrow, hoping to reach Sackville and then Halifax late Sunday evening to dip my bicycle and feet into the Atlantic Ocean.

Thursday August 9th. Rivieres-Du-Loup to Grand Falls New Brunswick today. 191 kms. It was another good day for cycling with a nice tailwind. However there were lots of hills also and the promise of more tomorrow as I head for Fredericton. Beautiful pastoral countryside with gently rolling hills. Great roads in NB with wide smooth cycling shoulders. These past 2 days the cycling has been made easy for me with the assistance from my wife Mary to carry my panniers and take care of my nutrition needs and also for her moral support in assisting the completion of this cross Canada bicycle odyssey.

Wednesday August 8th. Left Quebec city today heading for Rivieres du Loup. Caught the ferry across the St Lawrence to the South Shore. There was a beautiful view of the Chateau Frontenac from the ferry. By the time we got across it was late morning and Rivière du Loup was 190 kms away. Some beautiful cycle paths out of the city that got us onto route 132 East. It was a great day riding as we had a tail wind to our backs. We stopped at Montmagny for lunch and this is where I said goodbye to my friend Peter from Laval whom I have been riding with for the past few days. It was a beautiful countryside to ride through along the South shore of the St Lawrence. Finally arrived at 7 pm after another long day on the road.

Tuesday August 7. It was a good day for riding.  I did 125 km.  Beautiful views along the St Lawrence. Pleasant biking today, fairly flat and a few rolling hills.

Made it to Quebec City and will meet my wife Mary tonight.  She is flying in to support me for the last leg of the journey to Halifax.  She will carry my bags and drive a car along side of me through the Maritimes.

Still cycling with the Frenchman I met.  We don't have a lot of words between us as he doesn't speak English and I don't speak French, but it is great to share the road with him. 

Monday August 6th. Sean was able to recover on Sunday from his gruelling Saturday ride from Ottawa that took 11 hours in high heat, humidity and with a strong headwind. After supper and a shower, he rallied Saturday evening to enjoy meeting Mary, Nancy Graham and Nancy Schmidt, Paul & Susan and Susan Czarnocki and Lois. He was very grateful for the maps provided by John Schmidt and the good advice of Paul and Susan as he planned his route across Montreal Island and on to Trois Rivières. 

Sean and Paul Sullivan

He decided to remain here for Sunday, which was a rainy day in Montreal, but we went to the service at the Unitarian Church of Montreal in the morning and he met many people who know and support Child Haven, and another avid cyclist too! We also toured the city - so he could see some of its many attractions before cycling out of town. 

Lunch was poutine in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, and supper was in a pub in Pointe Claire Village - all of which he enjoyed and devoured! Paul Sullivan arrived at 6:15 am. today and accompanied Sean through the bike paths to the Old Port. I have a photo of them ready to leave.

Sean phoned me this evening to say he arrived safely and in good shape in Trois Rivières, biking 185kms. He had another cycling partner too - a man who is cycling from Montreal to Rimouski. They were challenged in that Sean doesn't speak French and the other man doesn't speak English, but they were happy to ride together and are even staying in the same motel tonight. Bikes are their common language!

Sheila

Saturday August 4th.
Speaking with Sean by phone Saturday evening ...Sean biked 11hr in very hot weather, fighting strong headwinds making it to his destination, Pointe-Claire Montreal around 6 p.m.

He's in great spirits.

Sean, Fred, Beth and Kerry at Maxville

We sure enjoyed Sean's company at our home the past few days. He's a great guy!

Taking a well deserved rest day on Sunday, Sean will be heading off for Trois-Rivières Monday.

Kerry

Saturday August 04. It's early morning and I'm leaving Ottawa, off to Montreal. It's going be a hot one, 35 celcius

Thursday, Friday August 2 & 3 Thursday morning I headed out to Maxville to meet Fred Cappuccino at his home.

I met a few of the office staff and had an interview for the Glengarry Newspaper. In the evening I met a group of Child Haven supporters who plan the Ottawa dinners. We had a lovely Pot Luck dinner and lots of time to socialize. Friday morning I was interviewed on Rogers Cable 22, a local TV station. Then Kerry and I went downtown and toured the Parliament Buildings and the Chateau Laurier Hotel. I also had my first smoke meat sandwich at Nate's, a famous local restaurant in Ottawa.

House of Commons Official Opposition Sean Collins

Chateau Laurier Hotel

After a 2 day "rest", I am anxious to be on the road again, to complete the last 1/3 of the trip. I will be meeting folks in Montreal that are Child Haven supporters and staying with Sheila overnight.

Wednesday August 1st. Biked from Cobden to Ottawa 125kms. Had to take Old Highway 17 at Arnprior as cycling is not allowed on the 417 which is partially a gravel road:-( I went through a town called Carp where I lost my bearings. Fortunately I met another cyclist, Dena, who helped me get back on track by using Google Maps. A short time later I was at the outskirts of Ottawa. Arrived at Beth and Kerry's home in Ottawa early in the afternoon where I was welcomed, made feel at home, and treated royally. After supper we did the tourist thing driving around downtown Ottawa, sight seeing. We saw the Parliment buildings, Prime Ministers residence, Rideau Canal and many other places of interest. Tomorrow I will be going to Fred and Bonnie Cappuccino's home, founders of Child Haven International, near Maxville.

Tuesday July 31:  Went form Mattawa to Cobden today 182 kms.  There were lots of hill in the first part of the day and lots of rain in the second part! I passed through Chalk River, Petawawa. I met an American cyclist going the opposite direction.  He said he was heading to Denver.  Pulled into Cobden thoroughly soaked and I managed to get the last hotel room in the city. (There is just one hotel)  On to Ottawa tomorrow for a few days rest and to meet Fred Cappuccino.  Bonnie is in India for now so I won't be able to meet with her.