216 results for author: Colin Harris

Day 210-213 – 204.9 km (total – 5138.6 km)

“It’s the job of parents to sometimes embarrass their kids”. This is the line my dad uttered an hour ago in a restaurant just west of the Manitoba border.  It wasn’t uttered sitting at the table with me… no… it was uttered out loud in front of the whole restaurant. Today  was a special day.  I have spent a long time in Ontario – over 4 months  now.  Granted, that wasn’t all running time.  Weeks were spent in  Ottawa, Peterborough, Toronto and Haliburton along with other  communities as we chatted with about 35 schools.  But with my route, I  have run approximately 2500 km through Ontario to get to the border ...

Day 206-208 – 94.7 km (total – 4933.7 km)

It’s  pretty common for songs or parts of songs to infiltrate our minds and  without realizing it, we’re humming some tune – good or bad!  A few  months ago, I tried listening to music while running, but in 17 years of  running, I have always just enjoyed the sounds around me.  In the last  couple of months, I have resumed that absence of earphones.  Having said  this, tunes get in my head while I’m running and they’re hard to shake.   I likely shouldn’t admit this, but topping the list these days are  songs from Pink and Eminem!  What can I say… they’re catchy tunes!  A  couple of weeks ago I made a video about my ...

Day 201-205 – 241.6 km (total – 4839 km)

We have arrived in Ignace, ON and are about 300 km to the Manitoba border!  I asked my father to write a blog and he obliged, so here it is… thanks dad! Each of us likely has a favourite place along the Trans-Canada Highway. One of mine has, for many years, been the Terry Fox Monument. If nothing else it offers a majestic view of Lake Superior and the Thunder Bay harbour. But it’s the story of Terry Fox that grips the imagination when you stand there and look at the magnificent sculpture of Terry. When my wife, Cathie, and I moved from St John’s back to Winnipeg five years ago, we made a final visit to the small park below Signal Hill which ...

Day 198-200 – 142.6 km (total – 4597.4 km)

Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, figuratively that is, can be difficult.  I experienced that yesterday as I ran the last stretch of highway that Terry Fox was able to run before having to stop and be taken to the hospital.  He had strong determination.  He had unyielding perseverance.  He was a fighter.  And yet part of me couldn’t help but wonder if he had those moments of doubt.  And maybe not even doubt, but at least question marks.  What is the point of doing this?  Can I actually do this?  What good will come of this?  I have little desire to draw too many comparisons, but being out on the TCH for 5-6 hours every day, I can ...

Day 189-197 – 141.6 (total – 4454.8 km)

The quick rundown… I finished running east of Nipigon on Friday and proceeded to drive into Thunder Bay to take the weekend off and pick up my dad from the bus station.  He is joining me for the next couple of weeks for the stretch to Winnipeg.  As I was driving in on Friday, the RV started having a burning smell and the front of the RV started smoking… in the driver area.  Long story short, I had to nurse the RV into TBay.  I’m not exactly sure what was wrong, but it certainly didn’t feel safe having smoke up front.  The issues with the RV have been many and although I have grown attached to it and wanted it to make it to the west ...

Lake Superior – Video Blog

Day 185-188 – 142.8 km (total – 4313.2 km)

Everyone  has a story.  I have learned that in abundance over the last 6 months  and it has particularly hit home in the last few days.  A few nights ago  in White River, I was grabbing a bite of food when I overheard some  cyclists telling stories about their trips across Canada so far.  I  asked if I could join the conversation and it was nice to interact with  some people for the next couple of hours.  Erik, Annik and Corrine are  biking from Winnipeg to Newfoundland raising funds for cancer.  Sam is  from Kamloops and is cycling for women’s freedom in Nepal through an  organization called IWEN.  Nikki came into the restaurant ...

Day 177-184 – 269.1 km (total – 4170.4 km)

After  a full week without cell or internet coverage, I have found free wifi  at the A & W in White River!  It seems Bell does work in this  region, but not if you have a “smartphone” that works on a 3G signal,  which is what I have.  It has been both nice and extremely difficult to  not be “connected”.  I have enjoyed some good time away from my computer  and phone, yet have felt very disconnected from friends and family. This  stretch between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay is proving to be one  of the more challenging parts of this run.  Although it’s the TCH and  it’s summer, there is not a lot of traffic! ...

Cell Coverage

On Monday, July 18, Colin made it to Wawa. However, he doesn't have access to his cell phone services and has asked to forward this message to his friends and encouragers. Along the way, Colin has been able to enjoy nights at Pancake Bay and Lake Superior Provincial Park. Now he begins the long run towards Thunder Bay, which he hopes to reach by the end of July. Once there he will re-connect with his support team. His Mom and Dad would like to thank everyone connected with the Take Me Outside Project for your constant support and encouragement of Colin. It is deeply appreciated..

Day 176 – 46.1 km (total – 3901.3 km)

For  the first time in almost 3 weeks of hitchhiking and over 35 people  picking me up, the first female stopped to give me a ride.  Jean is  likely in her 70’s and she told me she passed by me the first time but  looped around to pick me up because I looked like a “clean-cut  gentleman”.  I’ll give credit to yesterday’s shower for that one.  She  drove me back to my start point in Desbarats, which I butchered as I  said it.  Apparently it’s just pronounced Deborah.   As I explained what I was doing, she made an observation that in her  opinion, it was tough to emit emotions through emailing and texting. How many ...