Leg 8 - Echo Bay to Kanata, ON (home) - July 21st to 26th

Leg 8 Total: 756.8 km
Grand Total: 4977.1 km

Leg 8 - Echo Bay to Kanata (Sault Ste Marie to Ottawa)

Thursday, July 26th

Distance and Time: 78.6 km at 3:46
Route:  Storyland theme park to home (Kanata) on county road 1, Kinburn Side Rd., Donald B. Munro Dr., Old Carp Rd., Huntmar Rd, Richardson Side Rd., Terry Fox Dr. and Kanata Ave.

Launching on cycling day 45 towards home

The day started out wet and drizzling, kind of matching my feelings about this phase being over.  I am glad to be home and take a rest for awhile, and there are many things to do....appointments, a book club meeting, choir practices, seeing friends and family, helping Sam buy a car....but I will certainly miss the days of simply cycling and discovering new territory, new vistas and new people.

It became dry as the morning progressed and although the sun never did peek through the clouds, the temps were warm and it was a very relaxing ride through familiar territory with little traffic.  Actually it was almost boring compared to the high adrenalin roads and views and traffic we've experienced, but I'm not complaining.  It's hard to believe that I've put in over 2000 km just in Ontario, and that the remainder of the trip to Sydney (Main-a-Dieu) is only about 1600 km from here.  It doesn't feel like I've been in Ontario forever, and realizing I have less distance to go now is sobering.  I kind of don't want it to end, and the idea of Newfoundland is playing at the edges of our minds.  It would only entail eight or nine extra days of cycling, but guess it will depend on what we are driving on the next leg.  If we stick with the RV it will be a little too pricey to take the ferry there and back. 

Coming home and getting used to the house was a bit odd.  It's been eleven weeks since we left; enough time for a middle aged brain to forget where things belong in one's own house! And of course there is a gaping emptiness here without Tessa's presence.

Adrienne is so artistic!!

Wednesday, July 25th

Distance and Time: 131.9km at 6:09
Route: Driftwood Provincial Park to "Storyland" theme park (near Renfrew), ON on hwy 17, 55, 51, 148 and county roads 40, 21 and 4

The day started out with a refreshing swim in the Ottawa River instead of a shower. Considering the beach was a three minute walk and the showers a twenty minute hike, it was an easy decision.

I was happy to leave hwy 17 (it's been a long haul from the Manitoba border other than the loop through Thunder Bay) and the traffic to cycle through Petawawa and Pembroke according to our eastern Ontario cycle map. Traffic was heavy in both spots but much slower so still way better than hwy 17. Petawawa actually had a cycle lane through town! Pembroke was a different story though. It took a long time to meander through town, albeit with an internet pit stop at McD's. I turned off on county road 21 once through town and it was much quieter as it wound it's way through Beachburg and lots of smelly farmland. Everything is extremely dry and yellow here. The corn crops look decimated and we heard wells are going dry in Renfrew. I cycled by lots of cows this afternoon but somehow they are not the same as those wonderful prairie bovine!

We are parked in an abandoned lot near the theme park of "Storyland" for the night. Shortly after pulling in we were visited by Betty, the former owner of Storyland, just curious about our intentions and concerned that we were aware of the extreme fire risk and ban. She told me that Storyland is closed this year and up for sale. Her son has been running it for the past five years but he is now too ill to keep it going. Hopefully they will find new owners and this Ottawa valley icon will re-open again next year. And thanks to Betty for giving us the green light to stay overnight and wishing us luck on the rest of the cycle.

I have been in touch with my CG buddy Mike Glew who is an amateur expert bike builder, about restoring my original handlebars with new shifters. This new set has worked very well but I'm reaching a little further and a little lower which is hard on the lower back. Anyway, Mike has graciously agreed to go at the re-building this weekend despite a busy schedule of two ball games, car repairs, cycling commitments and a flight to Halifax on Sunday. Wow! Mike has some cool ideas for the handlebars... stay tuned for the new look!




Tuesday, July 24


Distance and time: 135.1km at 6:18
Route: North Bay to Driftwood Provincial Park (near Stonecliffe), ON on hwy 17

Did I say yesterday that I missed the hills?  We had a fair share of them today, and they rivaled anything we had on the route around Superior.  Wayne again had the steepest climb on his way to meet me near Bissett Creek.  The roads were good in some parts and very poor in others.  The shoulders are generally paved on hills so there is some disadvantage on the flat sections.  I hit a long stretch of construction outside of Mattawa which included a very steep hill and cycling alongside brand new hot asphalt.  Even though the temps were quite a bit cooler today and it was breezy, the hill and new asphalt created some heat.  I swear my eyeballs were sweating!

Speaking of Mattawa, I spent a very enjoyable long weekend there when I was fifteen, with the Lahaie family (I was living in Falconbridge near Sudbury and dating Dan Lahaie).  It was the first time anyone had asked me how I liked my eggs and I had to ask Mr. Lahaie what he meant. Mattawa now looks a little run-down along the main drag with many closed businesses, as do so many other small Ontario towns along the route since entering the province.  We have seen countless motels, gas stations and restaurants closed and abandoned in the last couple of weeks, yet don’t recall the same in other provinces.

Shortly after Mattawa I glimpsed the Ottawa River for the first time.  That and a sign saying we had entered the District of Renfrew were sure indications of home.  Unfortunately the mileage signs disappeared after the Soo, so I won’t be able to gauge the 2000 km mark from Manitoba the border, although I think it must be somewhere close to Ottawa.

First glimpse of the Ottawa River!

I’ve been meaning to write more philosophically about the thoughts in my head as I spend many hours alone on the bike, instead of the usual stuff about road conditions, weather, wind and things I see. But you know, I’ve been getting quite caught up in the sights and sounds around me, such as boring stuff like the various types of cargo being carried on the tractor-trailers and how it is all secured, as well as classifying drivers according to their vehicles. I’ve also been using a fair amount of mental energy calculating Wayne's turnaround time and when I should meet up with him in terms of distance and time.  My other favourite activity is pulling tunes from the old memory and singing my lungs out when no one can hear me.  I

We are at Driftwood Provincial Park on the Ottawa River tonight – and have spotted a couple of loaded bikes beside a tent.  Hopefully we’ll meet the folks before they leave tomorrow or on the road later on.  It’s a clear cool night and the stars are simply out of this world!

Oh, I checked the audience stats on the blog the other night.  They are listed according to country, and now I'm curious about who is following me in Russia.  Maybe you can send me a comment!

Monday, July 23

Distance and Time: 134.6km at 6:13
Route: Sudbury to North Bay, ON on hwy 17


Today started out on a poor note, but ended on a very positive one.  We spent a very quiet night in the RV maze despite the number of trailers crammed in together around us.  Discovered a flat tire on my bike in morning, but the delay only meant I could dawdle longer while Wayne took care of it.

I finished cycling the bypass with fully paved shoulders and then my heart sank coming onto the regular hwy 17. The shoulders were gone, completely.  After a few km I had a crisis of confidence and fell to pieces for a bit because of the state of the road and traffic. I stopped to call Travel Ontario for info on road shoulders on other possible routes south on 69 and east on 522 to get to North Bay in lieu of 17.  The call was forwarded to the Ministry of Transportation, I got put on hold for a long while there, only to be disconnected and sent back to Travel Ontario who gave me the number for MOT again.  I called a second time and the person told me she had no idea of the state of the shoulders.  What a total waste of time and cell phone battery power!

Needless to say, I sucked it up and decided to carry on with Wayne behind me for awhile.  I calmed down and he returned to the RV.  Traffic eased up a bit and I continued on through the edges of a thunderstorm.  At our first stop of the day Wayne informed me that he had locked his keys in the RV.  Luckily I started carrying my own set of keys a few weeks ago, being almost anal that they were with me every morning, “just in case”.  They were kind of buried in the little fanny pack behind my seat, so there were a couple of moments of panic before we found them.

I made it to a little town named Verner through some thunder and lightning before a deluge of rain hit hard.  A very nice woman at Cambrian Insurance opened her door and called me in from the rain, bike and all.  Apparently this was their second storm of the day and the first had spawned a couple of small tornadoes which touched down near Sturgeon Falls to the east.  It was wild for a little while, and when the rain eased up and the sun came out I carried on again after calling Wayne to see if he was on his cycle and let him know the squall was coming.  He could see it, so ducked into a motel close by.

We continued on together to Sturgeon Falls where we parked for a couple of hours to ride out some more rain, cruise a grocery store, hit Tim Horton’s and log on briefly to the McDonald’s wifi. This area is populated mostly by Franco-Ontarians, and what a friendly bunch! While we were parked, a local couple stopped by to ask about the RV.  They want to buy one of a similar size next spring so we invited them in to have a look around and chat.  We now have potential buyers!  And just as I was getting ready to launch again, a truck pulled up to wave hello.  It was the lady from Cambrian Insurance!

Even though it was past 6:30 by that time, we decided to make a dash for North Bay.  It was a wise decision – the traffic had died down, the temperature was cooler, and my 12 to 18 inches of shoulder was smooth without big ruts and holes as experienced previously today.  I sailed along quickly on totally flat terrain with a tail wind, and caught up to Wayne and the RV before he had a chance to turn around on his bike.

On the way out of Sturgeon Falls, I took this picture for my old friend Bill (Dutrizac) just to see if he is following the blog :)

As I came into North Bay there were highway signs indicating bicycles are not allowed on the road, but this time I was able to quietly ignore them and continue on into town.  It helped that in Canada by Bicycle he mentioned the signs and that locals told him not to pay attention to them (but why didn’t he include that in the Sudbury section?).  An OPP cruiser passed me without notice so I guess the local advice is sound.  We parked for the night at the Visitor’s Centre, poised for a quick trip to LCBO in the morning and 500 m from the hwy 17 exit to Ottawa.  Wayne cooked up a terrific (albeit late) meal and I partook with gusto even though I don’t feel I worked too hard today (I honestly miss the hills). Home Depot is courteously providing free public wifi.
Here are a couple of photos from the Visitor’s Centre.

The original home of the Dionne quintuplets just south of North Bay

Nibiising - the Trail of the Whispering Giants (a tribute to the Ojibway Nation)

Sunday, July 22

Distance and Time: 138.9km at 6:10
Route: Serpent River to Sudbury, ON on hwy 17, 55 and 17 by-pass

It has been a challenging day in terms of traffic volume and the road condition. The morning was OK but traffic increased dramatically as we approached the junction to Espanola and Manitoulin Island. It didn't let up from there to Sudbury and it was kind of freaky with long lines of traffic whizzing by in both directions and very often without any shoulder or only a few inches of rough pavement on the edge. I know I said I would stop whining about ON highways but this was the worst we've seen on the entire trip. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time stopped over in the gravel. At one point on a ramp coming back onto the 17 from hwy 55, I came across a "no bicycles" sign and continued anyway on foot for over a km before meeting up with a good shoulder and Rob, a Sudbury cyclist who explained the sign was misleading and only referred to the four lane section which ended shortly after the sign.

It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings on 17 enroute to North Bay! If it is anything like today I may head south and then east to Ottawa on back roads. My original intention was to head over to the Manitoulin ferry and south on the Bruce Peninsula before I realized how much extra distance that entailed and how eager I was to get home and rest.

On a positive note today, I made a few micro-adjustments to my seat and handlebars and things feel better, most certainly my lower back. Because of the heat I tried the outdoor shower head on the RV at the rendezvous points, still fully clothed in cycling gear. Instant relief, easy to use and a totally cool feature! I don't know why I didn't try it before, but wish I had.

I must share the story of how Espanola got its name. The legend is that an Ojibwa tribe raided a village far to the south and returned with a white woman who spoke Spanish. She married a chief and taught her children to speak her language. When French Voyageurs came to the area they heard people speaking Spanish and remarked, "Espagnole". I like this story of a strong woman who adapted to make the most of her circumstances, and find it entirely believable after reading "The Heretic's Daughter" of the Salem witch trials. Many isolated farms were raided by nearby tribes and woman and children were often taken.

We are at an RV park tonight near the junction of hwys 17 and 69, sandwiched in amongst 135 other trailers with the sounds of hwy traffic in the bankground. Really feel like RV riff-raff now! At least there is a little beach and I'm off to rinse out my sweaty cycle clothes which I've been wearing for several days. Internet was part of the appeal to stay here but we can't get connected so I'm relying again on my daughters as I have for weeks now. Thanks Sam and Adrienne.

Saturday July 21

Distance and time: 137.7km at 5:50

Route: Echo Bay to Serpent River, ON on 17B, Government Rd, and hwy 17

I got off to a late start this morning due to some laziness on my part thinking for some reason that a weekend morning should be more relaxed. The campsite last night was originally well built but it looked like it hadn't been kept up over the years. There were lots of cigarette butts on the grounds of the site, garbage in the fire pits and the washrooms were not well cleaned. We thought with the number of campers and the fireworks at dusk that it might be a bit of a party place, so we were surprised that it was the most quiet site we've had for the entire trip! There were virtually no sounds all night and well into mid-morning when we left.

We followed the country road route out of town as suggested by the Velorution folks. It wasn't all paved and jogged around here and there but it was likely better than the four lane TCH out of town without any shoulder. When we joined the 17 we were 50km out of the city and it was back to a two lane hwy with a wee bit of paved shoulder. I know we should stop whining about this aspect of the road - it's just that I had expected better in ON, especially coming farther south. Anyway, today's route varied from virtually nothing to occasional full pavement going through some of the towns. I am getting used to managing my small part of the road, though. The weather was hotter than forecast (about 30 degrees) and winds were generally from behind. All in all a pretty good cycle day.

The following picture was taken from my phone while I was cycling. This is either Mennonite or Amish or Hudderite country and there were signs on the back roads and TCH indicating the horse and buggies could be on the road. It was strange to hear the clip, clop of the horses' hooves mixed with the truck traffic noise, and quite a surprise that they were going slower than I. A girl and a woman were in the buggy, both wearing the full black bonnet and long black clothing. The girl looked at me with mild curiosity and I'm not sure if she answered my hello. We also saw a few of their farms on the back road we took out of the city, with no power lines running from the road and guys plowing the fields with a horse. One house had a huge clothesline which used a bicycle wheel for a pulley. I started wondering about how folks like this are treated by Revenue Canada and municipalities in terms of paying taxes.

We came across the welcoming sound of centreline rumble strips for a couple hours this afternoon. Rumble strips on the side shoulders were on almost all the roads we took in BC, Alberta and Sask. along with centreline strips on a few of the major roads. So I've been surprised at the lack of any in ON so far other than only a few km west of Thunder Bay. I like the centreline strips since they give me an accurate indication of how far the approaching traffic is moving over for me.

Wayne made a casual remark at lunch today which planted a seed and is already sprouting roots in my imagination. He has been a little disappointed in his cycling mileage and envious of mine, so he said "I'll get my distance in next summer when you drive support for me". Yes!! Sounds like a great idea if we can find a smaller camper van I would be comfortable driving.

We are over-nighting on a road just off the hwy with a closed bridge and no connection to an adjoining road, so virtually a little dead-end.

just off the hwy for the night

So far two sets of visitors have come and gone (both of whom I thought were coming to boot us out). The first were several extended family members from the Soo, looking for an abandoned grave site of a two year old niece who drowned in the creek behind us in the spring of 1957. It was a poignant pilgrimage with flowers and plans to maintain the site in the future. We're not sure who the next visitors were as they arrived in separate vehicles, saw us here and quickly turned around!

Leg 7 - Kakabeka Falls to Echo Bay, ON - July 14 to 20

Leg 7 Total: 770.4 km
Grand Total: 4220.3 km

Leg 7 - Kakabeka Falls to Echo Bay (Thunder Bay to the Soo)

Friday, July 20th

Distance and Time: 107.2 km at 4:55
Route: Pancake Bay Provincial Park to Echo Bay (20km east of the Soo)

I started off today feeling sluggish and stiff in the lower back and knee. Maybe my body is telling me it needs a rest. Took a break at 45km and a wrap with peanut butter and banana did wonders. The next 30km into the Soo were much better, even with another couple of good hills - the last doozer there just to remind cyclists that they weren't finished with Lake Superior yet! The views were great again north of the Soo and I was sorry to say good-bye to the great lake. There are many sport I would like to return to explore.

The hwy north of the Soo was without much of a shoulder and quite rough - about the worst we have experienced in Ontario and that coupled with the pre-weekend cottage traffic made things a bit hairy. Luckily we were treated to paved shoulders for a bit outside the city but entering and exiting the city was dicey. We made a pit stop at Velorution, a cool cycle shop.

Velorution bike shop in the Soo

Thanks to the staff there for advice on the route and some fine tuning on the bike, as well as free wifi. We decided with their input, not to replace the de-railer cable Mike in Nipigon used for the brake cables, simply because if it is working best not to meddle with it. We did buy some brake cable just in case though. We also asked about the seat position and adjusted the angle slightly in the hopes of relieving pressure on my "saddle sores" (I know, this is TMI as my kids would say - too much information). Anyway, hopefully things will remain intact for the next week or so and then I can pester my buddy Mike Glew to have a look at the bike and advise on the new handlebars, etc.

We also hit Walmart Foods for some re-provisioning. What a culture shock! Having spent most of the summer in quiet out of the way surroundings, I think I would be happy to live far from big-box mega stores and their crowds and traffic.

On the way out of Sault Ste. Marie the road look familiar and I realized we've completed a loop. We pulled into the Soo on this very same hwy during the early afternoon on May 10th and I remember thinking I wouldn't relish cycling that highway and there must be another way out of the city for cycling.

Anyway, I got through it to 17B and Echo Bay and will re-join 17 tomorrow. The terrain has definitely changed now that we're following Lake Huron. It's flat! And on another positive note we are over the hump in terms of hills, and on the home stretch to Ottawa now!

Camped tonight on a First Nations park in Echo Bay

Thursday, July 19th

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Caleb and Jackie!

Distance and time: 134 km at 6:03
Route: south of Wawa to Pancake Bay provincial park on hwy 17

There is no way to describe today other than awesome. The scenery was stunning along Lake Superior, the weather was perfect, the hills were varied (Wayne got a particularly long and nasty one which I only descended), the traffic was light and I swam twice! My cycling seemed to take on a relaxing and almost mesmerizing tone today. I pushed up the hills as usual, but in between them just kind of meandered at a slower pace, enjoying the views and not worrying at all about traffic. Call it a natural high, I guess. Our first stop was at Old Woman Bay in Lake Superior provincial park.

Old Woman Bay, can you see her profile?

Outhouse sign at Lake Superior provincial park. "Digestive by-products" is a new one for me, but if the shoe fits...

Our second stop was at Katherine Cove, still in the park. I swam and scarfed down lunch while Wayne joined a work related conference call. I felt sorry for him while I was swimming in crystal clear water. Lake Superior is cool, no doubt, but very refreshing and not nearly as frigid as Lake Winnipeg at Gimli.

Katherine Cove - first swim of the day

Other views today while on the road:

One of many gorgeous views today

gorge at Montreal River's hydro-electric plant

view looking back at afternoon tea break

We stopped at Pancake Bay provincial park at the end of the day for a swim and supper. The park is close to the location of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking and there is a look-off point for viewing it. Again, my biggest decision of the day was whether to enjoy a beer or a swim first - this time I opted for a beer. The water seemed a bit cooler than earlier in the day and both times when I submerged I expected the briny taste of salt water in my mouth, only to be surprised with a fresh cool sensation. I guess my mind was making a connection between the horizon and the sea. Wayne only dipped his big tow in the water!

We decided not to stay in the park overnight and stopped down the road at a quiet abandoned gas station/store. Traffic has virtually come to a standstill (too many night-time moose warnings), the stars are out, and it's time to hunker down.

Wednesday, July 18th

Distance and time: 144.7km at 6:20
Route: White Lake Provincial Park to 18km south of Wawa

It was a cooler cloudy day, great for cycling. The terrain was less challenging than yesterday, consisting of mostly rolling hills and some flatter sections. I'm really glad I took this route as the truck traffic is lighter, the hills are not as daunting as I thought (they look far worse from a car), the scenery is great and the long lonely stretches are quite meditative.

We passed through White River early in the day and stopped at the Visitor's Centre where we met some fellow cyclists from Ottawa, Mike McGoldrick and his wife. Mike has a website about cycling in Ottawa and touring in Ontario and Quebec (www.gobiking.ca). What luck - it could be a good resource for our upcoming leg in Quebec.

White River's claim to fame is that it is the actual birthplace of the real Winnie the Pooh! A photo op was a must.

White River - birthplace of Winnie the Pooh

Winnie's story

Just before we hit Wawa towards the end of the day, I passed this important signpost and had to take a photo.

1000km into Ontario and not halfway through the province yet!

We had a long descent followed by a steeper incline coming into Wawa.

View looking back to the west from Wawa

The town is home to another important icon, one that I first saw as a young teenager travelling west with my parents. I should ask my Dad for that first photo of me and the famous goose.

Another TCH icon

I felt I had a little juice left in the tank at Wawa so cycled another few km to get a headstart on tomorrow. Wayne likens me to a horse who smells the barn and picks up his trot, meaning I sense being close to home and liven up my pace. Yes, I am looking forward to being home and taking a break on familiar turf. I'm starting to feel a bit like a machine, i.e. fuel in (I'm eating constantly), energy out, rest for eight hours and start the cycle again.

We're staying by the side of the hwy tonight at an historical spot commemorating the Michipicoten River canoe route, an important link of the fur trading route between Lake Superior and James Bay.

"campsite" tonight by the Michipicoten River, an old fur trading canoe route

Tuesday, July 17th

Distance and time: 151.6km at 7:14
Route: Schreiber to White Lake Provincial Park on hwy 17

We didn't park in the greatest spot last night as jackhammers and pavement cutters started up close by before 7:00am. I managed to doze through some of it despite the rude awakening, though. Funny what the body can shut out when it needs to sleep.

Otherwise it was a gorgeous day with sunshine and temps in the mid-twenties. I cycled by the towns of Terrace Bay and Marathon and was sorely tempted to cruise around both spots even though they were off the hwy. Terrace Bay looked like almost every house had a glimpse of Lake Superior and both spots had public beaches. Here are a couple of scenic photos from those areas.

The hills came fast and furious for most of the day and then toward late afternoon the hwy leveled out a bit as it veered away from the lake after Marathon. There were a couple of doozers but for the most part the hills were a welcome diversion. I was definitely using core muscles and instead of "pedal to the metal" running through my head on the up slopes, I was thinking "belly-button to the spine" as the Pilates teacher always says. And with a bit of a headwind I didn't have to white knuckle it on the brakes to control my descents on the down slopes like yesterday. We pulled into this pretty campground late in the day and once we were settled my biggest decision was whether to have a beer before or after a swim (I opted for after)!

Some observations: I sure wish vehicles without daytime running lights would switch their lights on. As I'm gauging the traffic behind me in relation to oncoming traffic it is really only headlights which are visible for any distance, especially in cloudy conditions. We sure are a country of U-haulers! I have seen hundreds of every shape and size this summer, and we haven't yet reached the peak season of dropping kids off at university. I still see the occasional banana peel on the roadway, but more often than not we are seeing half-full water bottles with what looks like ginger ale in them. Guess what it really is (hint - truckers are on a tight schedule and don't like to stop for a pee)!


Monday, July 16th

Distance and time: 95.6km at 5:03
Route: Nipigon to Schreiber on hwy 17

2nd Installment:
Although I had planned on making it to Terrace Bay today, I didn't launch from Nipigon until after 1:00 and by the time I pulled into Schreiber I was cold, wet and hungry. It was 8:00pm by that time and the RV beckoned to call it a day. I'm only about 10km from Terrace Bay so don't feel too bad about not making it there.

It's been a challenging day in terms of weather and to a lesser extent terrain. The first leg on the bike was wet but warm with a few hills. I had over dressed so took a couple of layers off for the next leg and ended up being soaked and cold by 58km into the afternoon. At that point I was looking forward to hills to get my body temp up. I took a long break in the RV then to warm up and dressed appropriately for the last leg into Schreiber. It was challenging with a few good hills but surprisingly I enjoyed them and the varied terrain. Traffic was light (post weekend) and the shoulders were decent for the most part, varying from narrow to wide and everything in between.

Even in the gloomy conditions (with a flashing red tail light for safety) the scenery was spectacular and would have been truly awesome in the sunshine. Even so, I took a couple of photos and hopefully tomorrow we will see some sun and get some better shots.

Near Rossport - kind of looks like the Gulf Islands

This weather has been a bit of a shock after so many hot summer days since Regina, but it has made me appreciate the dry sunny days and I'll try not to complain about the heat again!

I passed the town of Rossport with some regret as I had my heart set on doing a few hours of kayaking there and checking out real estate. But with the weather conditions and the late hour we likely wouldn't have found much open anyway. I will therefore add Rossport to my list of things to see next time.

Wayne had a fall coming up a hill west of Schreiber. His chain came off as he was changing to an easier gear and he couldn't get unclipped. And I couldn't seem to get unclipped to stop for him, so watched helplessly in my mirror as he took the fall to the left onto the pavement as a transport truck came up from behind. Fortunately he wasn't scraped up (maybe a bruise on his hip) and righted himself before the truck passed.

As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't too sure about my reach on this new set-up. Changing gears was fine but the brakes are not as sensitive as I'm used to, and to control myself down some of the declines I really had to grip hard. My arms have muscle groups I was probably never aware of, and I bet I'll be sore tomorrow.

We've noticed some billboards for the "Casque Isle trail" and must remember to check it out further, it's a 50km coastal trail on Lake Superior between Terrace Bay and Rossport and definitely an item to add to my bucket list!

We are parked just off the highway at an abandoned gas station site in Schreiber, along with a mega motorhome rig beside us. Just finished a feed of chicken stir-fry and a bottle of 2007 Malbec. Life is good!

1st Installment:
We picked up the bike last night, with new handlebars, gear shifters and brakes.  I'd like to pass along a huge thanks to Mike for his time and effort.  He wouldn't even charge us for his labour!  The fit won't be the same in terms of reach and comfort (so much for my Bike Fit physio session with Mary Patterson last year which resulted in my bike seat and handlebars being precisely arranged for my reach and cycling style), and we may have to stop in Sault Ste. Marie for some more fine tuning, but my Cycle Canada book states that the bike shop there is the best in Canada.  Luckily most of my fittings could be transferred over albeit with a little jury-rigging (odometer, mirror, etc.).  This experience points to another reason why I should have brought both bikes with me.  I could have stored the road bike and hopped on the touring bike and continued almost without interruption yesterday!

It is approaching 11:00 a.m. and we are still in Nipigon awaiting some abatement in heavy rain showers.  The visitors centre has wifi, so we are able to keep an eye on the weather radar and it should ease off sometime around noon. I could, of course, cycle through this weather; guess I'm feeling a bit wimpy :).

Sunday, July 15th

Distance and time:  75.6 km at 3:21
Route:  Amethyst Harbour Rd. to Nipigon via hwy 11/17

We set had a communal breakfast with Ashley and Julia and set off fairly early this morning due to the heat.  With my new triathalon shorts (made for swimming and quick dry with little padding) and short haircut, I was all set for the day. The shoulders were good until Dorion but then dwindled to almost nothing as usual.  I'm getting used to it, though, and find the traffic is pretty polite most of the time.

launching with our new buddies

I was slightly ahead of the girls most of the morning, but things went downhill around noon as I limped 25 km into Nipigon without the use of any of my higher gears.  My rear shifter doesn't work, and the problem is more than a broken cable.  It looks like the whole brake and shift lever mechanism is shot. I guess I've had too many falls with this bike and it was just a matter of time.  Fortunately we didn't have to go back to Thunder Bay as we found a guy named Michael Elliot, owner of Epic Adventures (www.epicadventures.ca).  Mike has a shop for repairing his own gear - bikes, kayaks, skiis, etc. - and first advised we would have to go back to Thunder Bay.  Then he had a quick look around and happens to have a set of handlebars and shifters intact which he can switch with my broken set.  He was heading out on a group tour this afternoon but graciously agreed to work on my bike this evening.  Hopefully I'll be on the road tomorrow.

So we said good-bye to Ashley and Julia in the hopes that we'll meet them again between here and Sault Ste. Marie. We are camped at a genuine RV site with laundry, water, electricity and internet, and are just heading down to wade in the creek.

Saturday, July 14th

Distance and time: 67.1km at 3:04
Route: Kakabeka Falls to Amethyst Harbour Rd. at TCH (hwy 11/17)

2nd Installment
After Luc's big breakfast, we got on our way. By the time we made it back to Kakabeka Falls and unloaded it was past noon. As we transited the city we stopped for an oil change, bike clothes and parts (there is a Fresh Air Experience store here!), groceries, a haircut (Lori) and a detour to the Terry Fox monument, so it was after 6:00 before we got going at the other end of the city on Lakeshore Dr.

An important icon on the TCH just east of Thunder Bay

Lucky for us we met Ashley Brown and Julia Fisher at the monument. These intrepid girls just graduated from UVic and are cycling from Victoria to St. John's carrying all their gear. They are the most efficiently loaded cyclists we have met to date.

Julia and Ashley, our overnight guests

We passed along the info on Lakeshore Dr. (vs the TCH) and then met them on it. Wayne did some recco ahead and by the time we got to Amethyst Harbour Rd. the rain was falling and thunder rumbling. We invited them in for a late supper and an overnight bunk. We are happy to see the space used and I think they are happy for a dry bed! We are all down for the night now and Wayne has instructions to do with his snoring :).

1st Installment
After a couple of totally relaxing and much appreciated days unwinding at "camp" with Kathy and Luc we reluctantly hit the road again. This is the first time I haven't been chomping at the bit to get back on the road after a break.  Perhaps it has something to do with the upcoming hills and heat and uncertainty about the road, but I think it is also related to the complete relaxation and warmth we've experienced these last couple of days at Reta Lake with the Paradis.  I will add more once I have internet access again (in the meantime Adrienne is updating the blog with notes from my BB and cell phone pictures - Sam is on vacation out west), but for now I must mention the awesome hospitality, food and company we enjoyed since Wednesday evening. Kath's mom, Marie and her sister Janice were visiting so it was great to hang out with them as well, and to meet some of the generous and funny neighbours.

Hanging out at "camp"

We were treated to a feed of freshly caught pickerel and bass thanks to neighbours Karen and Terry, and lots of Luc's gourmet home cooking throughout our stay. Kathy called a local bike shop and got the latest and best advice for transiting the city taking into account construction and traffic restrictions. We were introduced to a portfolio of entertaining letters from their adopted son "Porky" and feel we got to know a bit of his quirky personality.

Porky

One of Porky's letters

OK, you're wondering who is this Porky guy?  Well, if I have the story straight, Kathy and Luc hosted a pig roast at camp last summer for other cottage owners in the area, and one of the neighbours created "Porky" and parked him at the top of the road into their camp. Porky disappeared at the end of the evening, though, and they haven't seen him in person since.  He has sent regular letters home, though, letting Kath and Luc know he is OK and filling them in on all his adventures with many photos included.  He went out trick or treating on Hallowe'en, saw a dentist shortly after, was out hunting with the guys, sat on Santa's knee at Christmas, spent time with the mayor of Thunder Bay, had a girlfriend and drank too much beer a few times.  Quite a guy, eh?  Anyway, they hope he shows up at this year's pig roast which will take place on August 25th.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know about the long awaited reunion!

Leg 6 - West Hawk Lake, Man. to Kakabeka Falls, ON - July 8th to 11th

Leg 6 total: 532.3km
Grand total: 3449.9km

Leg 5 - West Hawk Lake, Manitoba to Kakabeka Falls, Ontario

Wednesday, July 11th

Distance and time: 114.2 km at 4:48
Route: Upsala to Kakabeka Falls

Yay, halfway there!

Cycled today in three segments but the last was quite hot and hilly so should've started earlier - an ongoing and unrealized intention so far as you know.

We passed into EDT this morning, and also the watershed divide.

EDT, another welcome sign of home

Near the town of Raith, an interesting fact!

Traffic was a little heavier and the paved shoulders diminished to about a foot wide, except for tantalizing little random sections where it widened out nicely. Most of the road was fairly new in terms of pavement so it is strange that an extra foot or two wasn't added to the sides. Maybe Ontario really is becoming a have-not province.

Stopped for lunch in Shabaqua and fortunately from there to Kakabeka the shoulders were paved a couple of metres wide. Yippee! We also met Sebastian in Shabaqua and cycled with him to Kakabeka. He is originally from Venezuela and now lives in Toronto, and is doing the whole nine yards (Victoria to St. John's). We shared some great laughs and stories over a beer (young hot thirsty men don't say no to a cold beer, now do they?)

Sebastian and his well equipped bike

Following Sebastian - he can take photos while cycling (more dexterous than me)

Sebastian's bike is a Trek touring model and his gear was compact and organized, just like I would do it if I was twenty years younger :) .

Did a quick turnaround at Kakabeka Falls and headed SW down country roads to Reta Lake and Kathy and Luc's "camp". It will be wonderful to take a break in this heat, with a cool lake beckoning!

Kakabeka Falls

Tuesday, July 10th

Distance and time: 148.5 km at 6:19
Route:  from 40 km west of Ignace to Upsala, ON on hwy 17

2nd Installment
We had the Ignace beach all to ourselves and enjoyed a nice little dunk before lunch and heading back on the hwy. 

We had the beach all to ourselves

Ignace lawn art

Unfortunately there were 18km of construction coming out of Ignace and although traffic was light, the surface of the pavement was very rough and there were long sections of gravel. I just had to be careful and slog through it, but it did slow me down. Late in the afternoon I passed a cyclist with a trailer whom we had seen west of Brandon. Wayne and the RV weren't too far ahead so I invited him in for a cold beer and to swap stories of on the road.

Next time Marc cycles across the country he will go for a lighter bike and panniers instead of the trailer

Marc is from Montreal and started in Vancouver, following the TCH. He had a hairy time in Manitoba east of Winnipeg so was grateful to learn of a better route for the next time. He planned on cycling right to Montreal but got a call yesterday with a job offer starting next week. So Marc and his bike trailer will hop on a Greyhound tomorrow in Upsala to travel back home a little more quickly. 

We rolled into Upsala early in the evening after a fairly gentle day in terms of hills, temperature, traffic and tail wind. We found a campsite next to a small lake and behind a gas station. Here is a shot of our view tonight.

I went in for a swim as soon as I could and it felt awesomely refreshing. It's a large day indeed when one can have two swims.

The plan tomorrow is to get an early start and head to Kakabeka Falls. From there we will drive to Reta Lake, and the "camp" (Thunder Bay lingo for cottage) of my oldest and dearest friend Kathy and her husband Luc. I have been several times over the years and always have a marvelous time with these guys. So we will be taking it easy there for a couple days, without internet or blog updates.

1st Installment
We are stopped in Ignace at a beautiful visitors info centre, adjacent to the library with internet access.  The library is not yet open, but how convenient there are park benches outside in the shade, and with an electrical outlet!

Ignace info centre and library - what a find!

 

Our plan is to hit the town beach soon and then carry on to somewhere near Upsala.  It's about 100 km and hot, but should be do-able.  The shoulders are OK so far today, about a metre wide and well paved with intermittent widening every once in awhile.  I can live with that!

Monday, July 9th

Distance and time: 132.5 km at 5:34
Route:  from 20 km west of Vermilion Bay to 40 km west of Ignace on hwy 17

Last night wasn't too bad despite being close to the hwy noise. Traffic seemed to die down completely during the wee hours and I had a great sleep. We're parked again tonight off the hwy, this time at a provincial picnic site. It's quite pretty and there are no signs indicating a ban on overnight parking so I hope we get away with it.

Tonight"s rest spot

The morning was great with warm sunshine, a moderate breeze behind us and less traffic than yesterday. The paved shoulders felt like a huge bike lane of my own and the rolling hills melted away while I daydreamed. We pulled into Dryden before noon and found our way to the hospital to see about getting my stitches out. I asked at the paramedic office and they directed me to a walk-in clinic. The clinic was empty but couldn't take me because I wasn't a resident of Dryden, and suggested I go to emergency. Luckily all these sites were adjacent to each other and the parking fee was only $2. The hospital was also fairly quiet and hustled me through since there was no need to see a doctor, other than briefly for him to confirm they were ready to come out and rib me for wiping out in the first place . We had to soak the elbow in a saline solution for half an hour or so to soften the scabbing, and the stitches came out more easily than I expected. The nurse commented on how many knots there were and also advised it was wise on our part to get them taken out there instead of trying to do it ourselves. The emergency ward in the hospital was spotless, efficient but relaxed, and friendly - quite different from recent experiences in Ottawa. The Dr. appeared in a pair of shorts and a golf shirt!

I departed Dryden while Wayne went to see about getting a chip in the windshield fixed. He timed it right and was in and out and caught up to me in less than an hour. Unfortunately those wonderful paved shoulders ran out about 35 km east of Dryden, reduced to almost nothing for the next 20 km and then were intermittent for the rest of the day. Wayne cycled behind me for most of the 20 km, just for that extra measure of security - i.e. there is safety in numbers. The traffic wasn't bad and the only times we had to stop and veer off into the gravel occurred when opposing and overtaking traffic passed near our position. So we had to keep an eye on traffic both ways and judge accordingly. On a couple of occasions it was the oncoming traffic that posed a greater risk - like when someone pulled out to pass without seeing me, and ended up coming directly at me - a bit unnerving!

At the end of the day Wayne had gone back to get the RV and we had agreed to meet at the next picnic site unless I decided to go further and would call him. Well, the site is a bit off the road so after using the outhouse I decided to head back to the hwy so he could see me. Instead I saw my support go whizzing by, oblivious to the site. Thank goodness for cell phones and the ability to say, "hey, you passed me".


Sunday, July 8th

Distance and Time: 137.1km to 5:58
Route: West Hawk Lake to 20km east of Vermillion Bay, ON on hwys 44, 1 and 17

We drove back a few km into Manitoba to start from our finishing point yesterday. Fortuitously we filled up with gas at $1.22/litre vs $1.35 in Ontario. I mentioned the barricade closing off the visitors centre at the Ontario border in my update yesterday. Turns out it is closed permanently and services downloaded to the regional info centre in Kenora. It's really hard to figure out that decision as hwy 17 is the only gateway into Ont from western Canada. It's even harder to believe that the decision blind-sided the staff in Kenora, who aren't yet up to speed on provincial stuff, and the local MP (I got the full scoop in Kenora). Plus there are no signs coming into Kenora for visitor info and one must divert about 12km off the main hwy. Apparently three new visitor info centres opened in Toronto. I wonder which party the local MP represents.

At any rate, the hwy to Kenora was excellent - lots of traffic, yes, but a newly paved full lane wide shoulder. We went into town and got the info we needed on the roads along the two options. We also encountered a couple of strange souls. I stopped to talk to a fully laden cyclist to ask him about the routes he had taken. He gave me a blank look and simply said "the main one". I mentioned our routes and the book advice on Manitoba and upcoming decisions and he just shrugged. Wayne went to get the book for him to have a look at (thinking he might want the camping stops for the next few days) but he didn't even glance at it. He was from Inverness, Scotland and a real "lone wolf", seeming to just be playing it all by ear as he goes along. He said he started in Horseshoe Bay and was headed for Toronto and when I asked if he was taking the Manitoulin ferry and going down the Bruce Peninsula, he gave me another blank look. Maybe I am over-planning this trip and should perhaps fly more by the seat of my pants?

At the same time I was talking to the buddy from Scotland, Wayne was in the RV calling me when a very distraught young aboriginal girl knocked on the door. She was in tears about being woken up late and missing her pick up ride into town. Wayne told her he could take her to town but he had to stop at the info centre with me first. She was still sobbing when I met her but it was difficult to get accurate info from her about what she needed. The girls at the centre helped direct us to the mall where the girl was supposed to meet her mother to go out of town. She calmed down and seemed OK when we dropped her off at the Zellers mall, but then we went back to pick up a couple things at No Frills and she was still there all alone waiting on a bench - no phone, no money, no purse, nothing to occupy her. We asked if she was OK and she nodded, but I'm going to wonder about her for a while. Puzzling as well is the fact that the mall wasn't that far away and she would have gotten there far sooner if she had walked instead of waiting for us while at the visitors centre.

Like I said, the girls at the visitor centre provided a lot of help and the centre itself is a gorgeous structure with a beautiful view of the lake.

They called around to other visitor centres to ask about paved shoulders and the outcome was that the TCH was good and hwys 71 and 11 had narrower shoulders but they are paved as well. Although the extra distance on the southern route is 88km. I had been leaning towards this option after some recent feedback from my friend Kathy in Thunder Bay. So despite the extra day of cycling we opted for this route. The shoulders did indeed become quite narrow and after the first semi-truck passed I started to have second thoughts. To put it in a nutshell, we had a brief discussion and decided to give the TCH a try for at least a few km. So we backtracked and a few km turned into 55 on the TCH before we called it a day. Althouh the shoulders aren't as wonderful as the leg to Kenora, they have been quite decent so far. I guess buddy from Inverness is somewhere ahead of me so maybe I'll catch up with him sometime this week.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the change in terrain today with lots of rolling hills and curves and rock formations. It all feels so familiar, just like the landscape around Ottawa. It's also a nice change to start using all my gears again and more of the core muscles.  The weather today too was super with a high of 25 and a cooling breeze most of the day.

We are parked in a spot similar to last night, so I won't add another boring photo of the bush! We're closer to the hwy so it's going to be a bit noisier. One of these days we'll get back to a regular campsite with a lake and hook-up, but in the meantime this is quite OK. I've been thinking about my comment the other day concerning bringing the wrong bike. I guess my mind was tied up with road conditions that day, and after a day like today I realize bringing both bikes would have been the better decision. As Sam put it, "you didn't bring the extra bike but you brought your entire tea collection. It's the only cupboard in the house which is completely empty!". Hmmm I think she is hinting at a funny sense of priorities there. :)