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Blog | North American Epic Blog Icon_16x16_light_rss RSS

We did it!





3 months, 8,000 km and sensory overload beyond belief... The tour arrived to Saint John’s early Monday afternoon. The ferry ride to Newfoundland was quite a production. The tour first left camp, travelled through the quaint town of Baddeck, Nova Scotia and met at the oddly named “Lick-a-chick” fried chicken shack for a last meal in Nova Scotia. The tour vans arrived several hours early for ferry loading and as riders showed up, riders showered up and some hit the bar. We even had a genuine Newfie band playing outside the ferry terminal to get people in the mood for what was to come. Everyone settled into their overnight berths and soon enough, we were in Newfoundland!

Off the ferry, the cloudy skies and foreign lands gave the perfect atmosphere for the end of our tour. It really did feel like we’ve travelled to the end of the earth. To some, the rocky shores seemed like the Scottish highlands and as we travelled inland, the terrain seemed like Alaska. With hardly any traffic in the morning and as the skies opened up, it was one of the best morning rides we’ve had all tour.

In the afternoon, riders arrived to one last camp and a cooler full of Jocky Club and Black Horse beer. Most unfortunately, we also had one last amazing Chef Jon meal. We were served bouillabaisse, corn, and of course a couple of pies for dessert. Big props to Jon for the most amazing food anyone could ask for while on the road. All riders would undoubtedly agree that Jon’s cooking was one of the best aspects of the tour. Bribes were offered to kidnap Jon and make him a personal chef.

Riders also received commemorative tour jerseys the night before Saint John’s for our convoy. This tour we sported a light blue and orange color way. The states and provinces listed on the sleeve remind us all of the hard work and experiences from the past three months.

Our hotel was located halfway up the famous Signal Hill with an amazing view overlooking Saint John’s harbor. Here we had Prosecco, hors d’oeuvres and a little James Brown playing when everyone arrived! A local reporter was there as well and the tour was featured in the following day’s newspaper with a great photo of the father and son duo, Jim and Craig Pearce.

On behalf of everyone, I would like to express a big thank you to Paul McManus for confidently directing the tour through each day of the tour. Most of all, thank you to each and every rider, both full and sectional individuals that made the tour what it was. We had a great group of people throughout the entire journey and we all benefited greatly with everyone’s presence. As Canadian rider Walli Pagniello said, “I just put one pedal in front of the other.” With a little motivation, a great group of people and that kind of positive attitude, crossing a continent by bicycle is possible. Thank you!

Posted August 30, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Nick’s Tuna Tuesday Delight




Tuna salad is an easy and healthy food option when travelling on the road. With a few simple ingredients, tuna can go from boring to super tasty, Tuna Tuesday Delight a-la Nick.

The story behind my recipe’s name originates from other weekly specials that occur in no particularly regular sequence. For example: Hot dog Wednesday and Freaky Friday (which is sometimes grilled cheese sandwiches, sometimes BLT’s).

This recipe is best enjoyed on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in Nova Scotia:

•    Canned albacore, solid white tuna in water
•    Mayo
•    Capers
•    Fine chopped artichoke hearts
•    Fine chopped roasted red peppers
•    1 apple, fine chopped
•    Fresh dill weed
•    Crushed black pepper
•    Lemon juice

Serve with sharp cheddar cheese and a couple of slices of fresh tomato on whole wheat bread.

Enjoy!


Posted August 26, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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North American Epic nears the finish




The lucky riders on the North American Epic Bicycle Expedition have spent their last rest day in Halifax and are heading to North Sydney, Nova Scotia to catch the ferry to Newfoundland.

They have been spending their days cycling old rail trails along the Atlantic and camping in beautiful surroundings each night...



...enjoying great food...



...watching the sun go down...



...and looking forward to the next day's ride.



Join us in 2013 for the next edition of the North  American Epic!

Posted August 24, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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This man is a Genius!

One of the first questions that many people have upon joining on of our expeditions is "How is the food?"



We have been incredibly fortunate to have hired some absolutely amazing chefs. Their life is not easy - sometimes venturing into markets in the middle of nowhere and continually feeding dozens of hungry cyclists with only the most basic resources. They truly are amazing and the riders always make note of this in their post-expedition surveys.

This summer the North American Epic was lucky to have Chef Jon Shepheard along to make their meals. Jon had previously worked on our trips in Europe and Africa.



Using just a couple burners...



...and a small space in the support vehicle...



...Jon was able to produce some absolutely spectacular meals, almost out of thin air.

Dinner







And breakfast.



So if you are thinking or signing up for a ride with us, you will not have to worry about the food!

Jon (pictured below in Arizona) encourages you to try out his recipies that follow...but you may want to start in the comfort of your own kitchen.  Bon Appetit!





BBQ beef ribs with baked lentils- for 4-6 people

2 ( racks) beef ribs
200 g. dry lentils
Bbq sauce
Celery, onion, carrot, whole garlic
Bay leaves
Sage
2 pieces bacon
2 L beef stock
Salt and black pepper

Cut ribs along bones and sear ( in pan or roast in oven) until brown.  Boil with with celery, onion, carrot and garlic in beef stock ( add water to cover) until beef is tender but not quite falling off the bone. Allow to cool completely in broth, strain( reserve beef stock to cook lentils the following day) and marinate in bbq sauce overnight. Grill or roast in hot oven ( 450 F) to reheat.
Soak lentils in water overnight. Simmer in beef broth with vegetables ( cut large to be, removed when donec cooking lentils), garlic, bacon and sage. Liquid should reduce and thicken while cooking. Transfer to baking dish and cover with grated sharp cheddar. Bake until brown.


Braised lamb with pinto beans – for 4 people

2 lbs. lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1 inch cubes
½ lb. dried pinto beans, soaked in water overnight
2 small onions, 1 carrot, 2 celery stalks, all diced
4 cloves garlic, grated
1.5 tsp. each dried rosemary, mint, ground coriander seed
1 cup tomato paste
2 cups red wine
4 cups beef stock
Salt and black pepper

Season lamb with salt and pepper. Sear in heavy pot in vegetable oil until well browned. Reduce heat, add onions, celery and carrot and continue to brown vegetables. Add garlic, herbs and tomato paste and continue to brown, letting tomato paste caramelize. Add red wine, beef stock and beans and bring to low simmer. Cover and let cook 2 hours or until lamb and beans are tender, season with salt at the end. Serve with fresh bread and buttered vegetables.

Coq au vin – for four people

1 whole chicken
1.5 L red wine
4 ribs of celery
2 large onions
2 carrots
1 bulb of garlic
100 g. bacon
200 g. mushrooms
1 small bunch of thyme
4 branches of rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste
Cut chicken into 8 pieces, cut vegetables large dice, cut garlic in half horizontally, quarter mushrooms.
Season everything, roast in oven at 400 F until well browned.
In pot render bacon, add wine and herbs and bring to simmer. Add chicken and vegetables and simmer until tender ( about 90 minutes). Let cool overnight. Reheat and serve with buttered egg noodles.

Fresh mozzarella tomato pesto salad

4 ripe tomatoes
1 container ( ball ) of fresh mozzarella or mozzarella di bufala
1 cup of artichoke hearts
½ cup of pitted Kalamata olives
3 tbsp. basil pesto
100 g. arugula
Salt and black pepper

Slice and season tomatoes and place on plate. Toss together in a bowl artichokes, arugula, olives and half of the pesto, arrangeon top of tomatoes. Sice mozzarella, place on top of salad, season, and garnish with remaining pesto.


Guacamole

6 ripe avacados
Juice of 2-3 limes
3 green onions, green part removed and white part finely diced
Olive oil
Jalapeno pepper, diced
Salt
½  cup of chopped cilantro

Making guacamole is really just a matter of balancing the salt and acidity of the lime juice. You could process it in a food processor if you like it more smooth, or mix it in a bowl with a spoon like I would. Start by dicing the avacados, adding half the lime juice, salt, and continue to add both until the two are balanced but not overpowering the avocado too much. After that is done add the cilantro, green onion, a bit of olive oil, and jalapeno.

Roast rockfish with orange and lime marinade

For 4 people
4- 6 oz. filets of rockfish or other white fish
For marinade-
Juice and zest of 8 oranges and 6 limes
1 tsp toasted cumin
1 clove grated garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onion
Salt and black pepper

Sear fish on one side in a pan until golden brown. Flip over and add marinade cover, shut off heat and let finish cooking in warm pan ( 5 minutes). Add chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve (with some of the marinade) over rice, quinoa, couscous, or salad with avocado.

Posted August 18, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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The Good Life and the Saint John River

The North American Epic has passed into New Brunswick and a majority of the southbound journey has been along the Saint John River.

In Woodstock, our camp was at the edge of the river, providing an amazing backdrop to a relaxing campground. Chef Jon whipped up some amazing quinoa and stir fry for everyone that night. Life is good! See what we mean!

Amidst the quiet countryside of New Brunswick we came across a few quirky landmarks. Here is the world’s longest covered bridge (381 meters) in Hartland:



We also saw the world’s largest axe, which is proudly displayed in Nackawic. Pictured below are Deb and Josh to give some perspective to the ridiculously large axe that not even the hotdog yielding Paul Bunyan (we saw him earlier on tour in Atlanta, IL) would have been able to handle:


Posted August 17, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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From Ontario to Quebec; Enjoying Urban Pleasures




Since leaving Toronto we have cycled through a few major Canadian cities: Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. It has been an enjoyable ride and refreshing to share the road with a noticeably larger population of bike tourists this side of the Canadian-American border. On our way in to Canada’s capital city, the group had lunch with our Ottawa’s Trips for Kids friends. Upon arrival to the University of Ottawa, where the group stayed, we were greeted by Paul Tomlinson. Paul was a sectional rider earlier on the NAE tour. It was nice to see a familiar face and to join him again on his home turf.

Quebec is quite a unique Provence, most noticeably the whole French-speaking aspect of life. It’s a bit strange to travel through small Canadian towns and have local Dépanneur (convenience store) owners have no idea what you’re saying to them. After more than two months on tour in North America and constantly being in new places, I had to remind myself several times that I did not, in fact, take a wrong turn and end up in France somehow.



 The NAE group have enjoyed quite a bit of cycling on Quebec’s extensive Route Verte bike-path network. Many of the trails were converted from unused railroad tracks. We set up rider’s lunch along these old tracks and near historical markers that proudly memorialized the trains and people that helped establish the area. Quebec’s cycling network is well documented and a must-visit for new and veteran cycle tourists alike. The Route Verte even received National Geographic’s number one spot on their “Top 10 Cycle Routes” list (http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/cycle-routes/).

Posted August 10, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Farewell Toronto



It only took sixty kilometers to feel like we were out of Toronto this morning. A blur of concrete and bulbous clouds surrounded our troupe as we passed between the easy shores of Lake Ontario and the grizzly congestion of highway 401.


The CN Tower faded into memory as we made for the environs of this sprawling epicenter of modern Canada. We have heard the rumors of Toronto’s fight for bike lanes ...


With so many panniers and racing cleats it was difficult to tell cyclists were struggling for representation.


As the city fell away behind us another lush green byway of Canada opened ahead.

With our wheels pointed to Kingston, we look to another epic day in North America.

Cheers from the good life!

Posted August 02, 2011 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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