My father and I are bicycling across Canada this summer. We hope to raise some money and awareness for Amnesty International (AI).
AI is a worldwide movement dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights. AI takes action to stop grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination. We campaign to free prisoners of conscience, protect refugees, abolish the death penalty, and end political killings, "disappearances" and torture. AI seeks to expose human rights abuses accurately and quickly. We systematically and independently research the facts of individual cases and pattens of human rights abuses. These findings are publicized, and members, supporters and staff then mobilize persistent public pressure on governments, armed political groups, companies and others to prevent and stop these violations.
An ancient Japanese legend states that anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted a wish. This legend was popularized by Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who contracted leukemia as a direct result from the atomic bombing at Hiroshima. She died after folding 600 cranes. Today, tens of millions of cranes are folded in that country and others every year. These symbols have come to represent hope for a better world. I have folded 1,000 cranes and we will give these out in exchange for donations.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Northern Ontario, Still

Ever since our last post in Sault Ste. Marie we've begun to encounter what I call "the real Ontario". For the last five days we've been hopping from provincial park to provincial park. Our first day of biking along Lake Superior supplied us with some amazing lookouts from the top of Northern Ontario's mountains. Pictures will be coming eventually but we're having a hard time finding computers that will do what you want, nothing new there. The biggest suprise to us came when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was somewhere around 6 degrees. Very chilly when you wake up at 6:30 in the morning. To our dismay the temperature remained quite low for the next few days, despite the suns best efforts. Our spirits were lifted when we arrived at Obatanga Provincial Park, the first park after Wawa, and we met the Gauthiers who invited us to their campsite to chat and ended up feeding us an enormously delicious feed of rice, chicken stir fry, shrimp, and to my dad's delight, cold beer. We were (and still are) greatful for not having to a fallback meal of beans. Today when we woke up though, our luck with weather had run out. Above were gray skies. And rain. And fog. And cold. And wind. After a few hours of biking and losing the feeling in fingers and toes we called it quites at Schreiber and are now following the forecast to continue.
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    Hey our missed buds, not the same without you guys in the summer! Glad to hear you escaped the beastly bear, and the lasting smelly skunks!! Sorry to hear about the mechanical issues, however, you are right, their are angels among us on earth, glad to hear you are meeting them on your trip.
    Take care and miss you enthusiasm on the soccer field Tucker,
    Momma Max, Blake, Sullee, Pooh Bear, Tigger and Toby XO

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  2. Brian and LeeJuly 16, 2009 at 10:41 PM

    I've been waiting for the right moment. This seems as good a time as any - I've made a small donation and now sending this note to hopefully help keep your spirits up through the dreaded slog of northern Ontario. I'm with on thoroughly enjoying the views of L Superior every once in a while on that road. And I like your comment about the signs registering distance in minutes. Lee and I really enjoyed your visit with us in Ottawa and we're both wishing you well through the wilds of N Ontario. Do you know Wade Hemsworth's Black Fly song? It features N Ont prominently. It's been cold back here in Ottawa too - but today was forecast in rain and ended up the warmest sunniest day in awhile. Anyway - all the best to you both!
    Brian and Lee

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  3. AnonymousJuly 17, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    Hi again We been thinking of you...I can`t imagine biking through the Superior area as it took me days to drive from Ottawa to theManitoba boundary...I was so tired of seeing the hyw 17 sign, but the scenery is awesome Konnor and the soccer team say hi...How about a fund raiser party when you get home ? I make a keen hot dog and I promise no beans.... the Russells and Granthams...

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  4. TayyylooorrrJuly 17, 2009 at 1:52 PM

    you guys need some nice gloves and the like for your fingers. and i sure hope you're not STILL going on in those flip flops- honestly ! , and you call yourselves bikers. :P hahaha


    ps;
    this stupid secruity pin thing i have to type in the box to sign has been my worst enemy all summer thus far. how am i to know if that's a k or a lc? arrgghhhh.
    (pps; this one is raingbog- not sure if that's a good sign for your weather woes.)

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