Day 3: Oshawa to Cobourg

What happened at the start of the day?

We started the ride in the rain. 

Did you meet anyone new today?

Yes, and I saw Ian who played Grossery Gang with me. 

(We met Ian on the ride a number of years ago and he has been an enormous supporter of our adventures, and he's just an all round great guy.  He rode Andrew and Max into Cobourg, made a very generous donation, and joined us for a Max's Big Beer back at our accommodation. Most memorable for Max was that he takes the time to play with him - totally awesome). 

What was the most interesting thing you saw today?

We saw some huge and beautiful houses on the lake. I chose my house, and mummy chose hers, and we are going to build underground tunnels and elevators in them and make a way that we can visit each other's houses for secret meetings. 

If you had a farm and wanted to plant only your favourite foods, what would you plant?

Olive trees, if I wanted pickles of course I'd have to plant cucumbers, and peaches, plums and nectarines.  

Day 2: Toronto to Oshawa

Where did you start the ride today?

In Toronto.  

What happened at the start of the day?

I was on TV! It was fun because I got to ride around the road while I was getting filmed.  

Did you meet anyone new today?

Yes, but I forget his name... oh Chris! 

(Chris is from Whitby and does a ride with his son every year - 'Ride James Ride - Adventures in Autism'.  He kindly met up with Andrew and Max to ride them into Oshawa). 

What was the most interesting thing you saw today?

We saw two deer on the track, as well as two trains. And of course an ice cream shop! 

What do you like to eat and drink on the bike? 

I like to eat energy bars, and I like to drink sports drinks. I need them because I get tired. 

And some questions from Max's class: 

How many kms did you ride today? 

26 km.

(It was actually about 70 km).

What did you see in Oshawa? 

We saw an old spy school from WW2 and finished the day at a park.

What kind of ice cream do you like to eat?

Chocolate! 

(Although today he had an ice cream sandwich and loved it).

How do you get lunch?

Today we got it from Mum but sometimes we also get it from Grandma + Grandpa or a shop. 

Day 1: Hamilton to Toronto

Where did you start the ride today?

Hamilton City Hall, in front of the big Hamilton thing to play on. 

Who was there with you at the start of the day?

Sammy, my friend, and my dad, my mum, Isla, Sammy's mum, and of course the Hamilton City Counsellor who got a picture with me. 

(Also present were Max's grandparents, and Paul - a cycling enthusiast from Cobourg who is joining us for the first three days of the ride this year). 

Where was your first stop?

The first stop was to get some pictures taken with the photographer from the newspaper. It was a woman and to get me to smile for the photos dad had to get me some Oreos. I was feeling a bit grumpy, but I was probably just hungry. 

Did you meet anyone new today?

Yes! The Mayor of Burlington, Rick Goldring! He was really nice - he asked me questions about Max's Big Ride. 

What was the most interesting thing you saw today?

Ummmmmmm I don't know, I saw lots of cool stuff, like there was some birds circling on the air. 

And some questions from Max's classmates: 

How long will it take to drive home from Ottawa once you get there? 

Max: I don't know.

(If traffic is good, it will only take about 5-6 hours.)

How do you get the bike back if you take a car home? 

In the van.

(We rent a big van each year to take on the ride. It has to be long enough to hold our bike - which is pretty big.)

How does Max's dad catch his breathe on that long journey?

Max:  I don't know.

(He trained in the gym to get ready for the ride but the hills are still very hard!)

Where does Max and his family sleep at night? 

Max:  At hotels. My favourite hotels are the ones with pools.

Max's Big Blog

Max is now seven and three quarters and he very much has his own stories to tell these days, so we figured it was time to change things up and get Max to talk about the ride from his perspective. We've gone with a Q&A format to keep things simple. We hope you enjoy hearing the musings of Max as he takes a big bike ride all the way from Ottawa to Hamilton!