Oh, Canada!

Back home at last.
And boy has it been a busy week. So I'll try my best to give some highlights of the past week. On Monday we left Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI (which I'm sorry to say was a disappointing weekend. I can't say I've been too impressed with the Christian colleges except for Dordt in Sioux Center, IA. But we'll get to more of that later) and headed for Sleepy Hollow State Park near Laingsburg, MI a little more than 100km (63mi) away. The ride again was similar to the sights and sounds of Southwestern Ontario. I started the day riding with Christeena, Dave Teitsma, and Brent DeVries and ended up with just Christeena for the last half as Dave was having some troubles with his back tire. Sleepy Hollow was quite a nice campground, with the man-made Lake Ovid, which had a nice beach.
The next day (day 51) from Sleep Hollow to Richmond, MI was my second last century of the tour (100+mi). Nothing too exciting on another routine day, although I was pretty excited about entering Canada the next day so I took a day to myself at my own pace. I did catch up with some people in Durand, MI and stopped for coffee with them, until a local told us that the best bike shop in Michigan was just 5mi off route in Swartz Creek (just outside Flint, MI). So, I thought about it a decided to go check it out and make the 153km day a 162km day. The store was called Assenmacher's and although they didn't have much to look at for clothing and bike accessories their shop was incredible. So I guess I just got my info for the local wrong as they are the best custom bike builders/repairmen in Michigan. So I went back and joined the group and had another routine day.
To Canada! I was excited. So I left camp and went as fast as I could to the border just to see Canada on the other side of the St. Clair River, and it was refreshing and confusing to see. Really the whole experience of the crossing was confusing: from the 200 some people greeting us, to the familiar roads and faces. Confusing in the way that the far away and distant had now before connected to the nearby and familiar. However it was still nice to be home for the night after some fries and swimming under the bridge.
The next day Christeena, Lou Haveman, Hans Doef, and myself set out from Sarnia for London. We took a pit stop at my Aunt Alice's house along the way and continued. We parted ways near Strathroy as they continued to London and I headed for Strathroy for the day to see Brittany. Another good day, and only 78km too.
The journey to Redeemer College in Ancaster was the next day. I had some catching up to do as my sweep team was on duty for the road clean up, meaning they were leaving last from camp. So I left Strathroy around 8:30 knowing they wouldn't until about 9:45 or so. This gave me a good start to catch them by Woodstock as I had an extra 45km by the end of the day giving me a 172km day. The third longest of the tour. In Woodstock I got to see my Grandparents and my Aunt Betty-Anne at the stop organized by Maranatha CRC. We finished off as much food as we could and left after an hour and a half. We stayed so long as to let the slower people we caught up with get ahead. We continued and before long caught up with a rider, so we stopped again to let him get a little farther. So we got to Redeemer around 6:30 and we were hungry so went to get supper that Redeemer was providing. Well, that's how it should have ended but Redeemer didn't provide, we (the sweep team) had to go out and buy supper because Redeemer didn't want to make anymore food for us. Which wasn't surprising after I overheard a cook complain about us being there and they weren't getting anything for the meal. I'm not saying we deserve it, and I'm not saying food it is owed to us. But this is Redeemer, one of the few Canadian stops and the only Canadian CRC college stop. A little hospitality would have been nice. So we got our own supper and came back to camp, it now being nearly 8:30. The rest of the night was ok, the sleep in the tent was alright as well. But we did half expect dorms perhaps? I guess not. I think maybe Dordt set high standards for the schools. But to end this rant I can't say the behaviour of both Redeemer or Calvin surprised me too much.
Anyway, yesterday's ride went well again. I visited a friend from school in Grimsby, Danielle Dekker. I stayed there for a few hours and lunch and was again on my way and well behind everyone at this point. I'm pretty sure everyone was in camp before I left Grimsby. Anyway, it didn't matter too much, I was there in little over an hour as I drafted a Roseman semi from Beamsville to St. Catharines, making it quicker than expected. Beacon Christian School has treated us very well. And I'm excited for the Celebration Rally this afternoon at Queenston Heights Park near Niagara Falls. Hopefully it doesn't rain.
Peace&GodBless
Matt

ps: If any comments about Calvin/Redeemer offended you, please remember this is the impression we got. I'm not the only rider disappointed in these schools.