ONTARIO

Day 33   June 28   Kenore to Vermillion Bay    95km.
Today was wet !!!!!!
We biked in terrible conditions , rain and strong winds. We wanted to make it to Dryden but decided to quit at Vermillion Bay. We were soaking wet and a hot shower never felt so good. Our journey today would have been very pretty had it not been for bad weather. we passed many lakes and saw our  quota of wildlife.
After cleaning up, we went out for a pizza (it must sound by now that all we ate was pizza, hamburgers and spaghetti) . There were two fishermen in the restaurant and they overheard us talking to the owner. One of them asked "are you Bob ?". The funny story that came out is worth repeating. They had been going from lake to lake fishing and had passed these bikers with a flag on the back of a trailer on one bike (Bob's) with the initials BOB, which actually stand for "beast of burden" , the make of the trailer. After passing us three or four times, his wife was on constant lookout for us. The man requested Bob's autograph to present to his wife to prove he had actually met "BOB".
Fame at last....

Day 34   June 29    Vermillian Bay to Dryden       45km
Only managed 45km before cold and wet drove us into MacDonalds in Dryden. There we found out there was nowhere between Dryden and Ignace, 100km down the road. The decision to stop was easy.
The  forcast is not good. We had to turn the heat on in the motel room. Bob repaired all our inner tubes so we are ready to go, nothing to hold us back but the weather.

Day 35   June 30    Dryden to Ignace      107km.
Woke this morning to the same overcast skies, damp and chilly. We left after breakfast at MacDonalds without much enthusiasm for the ride. It drizzled the entire day. This is big time fishing and hunting area. If the weather had been nicer we would have enjoyed the ride - have to come back and try it again. As it was, all we wanted to do is reach our destination and get out of the wet and cold. We got a motel with kitchenette so we at least could have a nice cup of tea.

Day36   July 1    Ignace to Upsala     109km.

It wasn't as wet as yesterday, but it was still cloudy and cold. The ride today was without any real interest - rolling hills through wooded areas with an occational lake thrown in. The road was busy due to the holiday and it being moving day in Canada. We arrived at Upsala  and stopped at the first place where we saw a sign of life and had chilly for lunch. After lunch we found a motel (Parkview) about a mile down the road. Canada Day celebrations were being celebrated in a park across the street so we joined the locals for a ribs, coldslaw and potato salad supper. The main (well, only) topic of conversation was fishing, since it wasn't hunting season yet.


Day 37   July 2   Upsala to Kakabeka Falls    115km.

Today was a much better day, We stopped after 20km. for a good breakfast. We were passed by many log trucks today and there was not much hard sholder so it was a little tense. We stopped to visit the falls.
Cars have to pay $5 to park two hours at falls parking.Tonight we are staying at Happy Land RV Park at a cost of $30. We could have bush camped but found ourselves in dire need of washer/dryer.


Day 38  July 3  Kakabeka Falls to Thunder Bay    46km.

Woke up to sunshine - Hoorah !!!

Biked into Thunder Bay and straight to Petres Cycle Shop for much needed repairs. Three hours and $533 later we left feeling a little more confident in our bikes. We stopped at the Terry Fox Memorial where there was a lovely view of Lake Superior. Tonight we are at a KOA campground east of Thunder Bay. They gave us a special rate because we were biking ($10 including showers). Bob taught them how to make slush floats. The campground was very busy and the facilities were above average, including a central kitchen with stoves and sinks.

Day 39   July 4    Thunder bay to Nipigon     104km.
On the advice of the campground manager, we took the Lakeshore Road and were rewarded with a well paved quiet road for 15km before having to rejoin highway 17. We watched a bear scavange in a garbage bin. The 17 was again pretty rough but eventually improved. After 30km we stopped for breakfast. The rest of the way to Nipigon was relatively easy until the last few km against the wind. We camped at the marina for $25 with no facilities. Met two girls planning to bike from Calgary to Toronto but both having leg problems. Also met a couple racing across Canada with a support vehicle.

Day 40   July 5   Nipigon to Terracne Bay     107km
It was chilly when we woke this morning. Got an early start and the sun came out for a while. Saw a land rover hit a moose. The moose walked away but surely must have died. The land rover was badly damaged and the two young passengers were baldy shaken up.
The weather began to deteriorate and became very overcast and cold. At least we had a tailwind. Encountered major hills today but at least the road was nice and followed shore of Lake Superior most of the way. A power failure prevented us from finding a hot cup of coffee.We checked into a motel in Terrence Bay and had supper there. In the bar we met a bunch of young men seemingly trying to drown there sorrows caused by the recent closing of the local mill where some had worked for 30 years.


Day 41   July 6    Terrance Bay to Dunc Lake      132km
Started at 8:15 this morning. Grey skies and drizzle. Dispite the weather and hills we made good time and stopped at Ney's campground for coffeee after 50km. we asked some men at restaurant if there were places to stay east of Marathon. Getting a positive response, we decided to bypass Marathon and keep on going. Ended up doing more distance than we expected. The hills between Terrance Bay and Marathon  were tough at times, but flattened out after Marathon. Very good road with wide shoulder most of the way. Apart from Ney's campground there was nothing between Terrence Bay and Marathon. It's hard to understand the lack of civilization in such a beautiful area. We are staying at Gloria's motel - very good value and excellent restaurant with reasonable prices.


Day 42   July 7   Dunc Lake to Wawa     137km.

A wonderful ride today although it was cold and overcast. Nice rolling hills made the biking quite easy. We would have gone further but there were no motels within reach. The journey was magnificent today, through forests and by many lakes. The wayside was full of wild flowers. Visited White River, who's only claim to fame being the birthplace of Winnie the Poo. (Winnie was named after Winnipeg, the birthplace of Lt. Harry Colebourn, who purchased Winnie and donated him to the London Zoo.
We are staying tonight in the Best Northern Motel, the main luxury being an outdoor hottub overlooking the river.


Day 43   July 8   Wawa to Montreal River     104km.
Clearer skies today but still not very warm, good for biking but not so good for camping. We left the motel at 7:45 and biked through Lake Superior Provincial Park. Made a detour to see Agawa Rock Pictorals , Indian rock paintings, many of which are centuries old.
The ride today was beautiful with  some superb views of Lake Superior (the largest fresh water lake in the world). We passed some lovely deserted beaches and many smaller lakes. No  sigh of human life between our motel and Montreal River. We had to manage the whole day on one snack bar. Our campground is right on the edge of the lake and although it is a little scruffy it's a lovely spot.


Day 44   July 9     Montreal River to Sault Ste. Marie     117km.
Left camp at 8:00
Stopped at the only shop in Montreal River for coffee. The owner of the campground was there with probably all the residents of M.R. (about 6). They were very unfriendly. The owner of the campsite was complaining because he was warned by an inspector that he had to supply a method of hand drying in his facilities.
Two tough hills out of Montreal River, followed by rollong hills, followed by a tough climb into the Sault.
Passed three mile long beach.. Beautiful ride. We stopped at a native craft shop called The Canadian Carver. They have beautiful stuff - just as well we're on bikes. Very friendly place, worth a stop if only for the great ice cream.
We are staying in a KOA campground tonight. It is very expensive but the facilities are good.

Day 45   July 10    Sault Ste. Marie          24km.
Managed to get tent packed up and on the road before it started to rain. Sheltered at MacDonalds. We managed to get from one side of Sault to the other and were chased into a motel by a thunderstorm.
Bob's bike underwent surgery again atVelorution, a great bike shop offering free camping and showers to passing cicylists. You can't miss it - look for big bike on the roof (near Wall Mart). All our gears work again.

Day 46  july 11    Sault Ste. Marie to Blind River     147km.
Left motel at 7:30
Took highway 17a and stopped after 15km at Echo Lake for breakfast. Good roads with gentle ups and downs and a nice tailwind. Stopped at Bruce Mines for milk shakes and Thessalon for groceries. No campsite in Blind River so we carried on another 10km to lake Lauzon campground. It was so windy we spent the evening in our tent reading.

Day 47   July 12   Blind River to Shequiandah      149km.
Left camp at 7:30
Cold this morning. Stopped after 17km for coffee. Sun finally came out. Met up with Suzie in Espanola. Biked together through a couple of storms. Wanted to stop at Little Current but no campgrounds there and had to do another 11km in very strong headwinds, the worst to date. We lucked out and found a very nice campground (Green Acres) and enjoyed a roast beef buffet for $14.95 - delicious !!!



Day 48    July 13   Shequiandah to Bruce Peninsula     78km.
Jean will do this one


Day 49   July 14    Bruce peninsula to Owen Sound     121km.

Breakfast at Maple Ridge restaurant. Meal was rudely interrupted by a bear wanting his daily snack in the back yard. Made our way down Bruce Peninsula following route 6 to Ferndale and then route 9 to Wiarten, home to Willy the spring predictor. Had lunch at Three Friends restaurant, an appropriate setting for our parting of ways with Suzie, who was heading down to Toronto to be spoiled for a few days.

As route 6 was an awful road, we took what we thought was highway 17 and got completely lost and travelled miles down unmade roads before coming back to the 6.  The rest of the way into Owen Sound wasn't much better. Got completely lost in Owen Sound and ended up in the municipal campground (Harrison Lake).

Day 50   July 15    Owen Sound to Angus         108km.
Took route 26 to Meaford (very pretty town with nice harbor) on Georgian Bay. Had breakfast at Suzies Restaurant. Continued along 26 to Wasaga Beach then took to 10 to Angus.
Nice ride along the shore of Georgion Bay. The 26 from Owen Sound to Meaford was pretty hilly but after breakfast it was pretty flat and we were surprised because we expected big hills. Hit headwinds coming down the 10 so we had to stop earlier than expected and found a motel because rain was forcast. Had chinese buffet (they must hate hungry bikers) and slept for 9 hours.


Day 51   july 16    Angus to Uzbridge    100km.
Took 5Th line from Angus to 5Th Sideroad to 27 to 2nd line to 89 Fennell South and 4th to Bradford (milkshakes at MacDonalds). Followed signs to Mount Albert and ended the day with a few short but steep climbs into Uxbridge and finally to Bob's sister's place for beer, supper, ice cream, movie and early bed - nice.....


Day 52-53   July 17-18    Rest (?) in Uxbridge
Jean will di this


Day 54    July 19    Uxbridge to Trent River     124km.
Left Uxbridge with new legs after two days of much needed rest. Our journey to Peterborough was very pleasant. Took highway 8 from Uxbridge and then highway 7A to Cavan, then headed north to Landsdown Road which took us all the way through Peterborough and out to highway 7 to Norwood. At Norwood we took 45 south then 42 to Trent River. We camped at Red Setter Resort (when you see the word "resort" the price goes up - $37 for camping, not including showers. We think it was a down payment on the land).


Day 55   July 20    Trent River to Silver Lake Provincial Park     122km.

Highway 7 turned out better than we expected. The first 50km was good road with an 18inch shoulder and the traffic was much lighter than we expected. Then the road deteriorated and in places our 18inch shoulder completely disappeared but as the traffic was not too heavy it wasn't too stressfull. The road was fairly flat and we passed many lakes, rivers and marshland, many of which were covered with white warer lillies and a blue spiked water plant making a very pretty combination. Reminded me of Monet's water colour painting of water lillies with a different colour scheme. We are camped tonight at Silver Lake Provincial Park right by the lake. We have a little chipmonk who wants to share our food and many mosquitoes that want to eat us.

Day 56   July 21    Silver Lake to Ottawa     155km.
Left campground and stopped for coffee at Perth. Here we made a big mistake by not looking closely enough at the map and got the false idea the 7 west went to Smith Falls. We stayed on 7 and ended up heading towards Carlton Place. The road was getting busy so we went to Blacks Corners and then Ashten. Took #3 to #5 then south to #12 to Prince of Wales Drive where we had to go south again to Manotick in order to cross the river. Followed #8 to #27. At Leitrim we took Bank Street to Adam Airport Inn. Chinese buffet for supper. Jean has sore leg, hopefully just fatigue.


Day 57    July 22   Ottawa to Chatham,  Quebec   116km.
Left hotel later than usual (9:00) and retraced our steps to Leitrim. Took 14 to Carlsbad Springs, 26 to Cheney and highways 2 and 9 to Plantagenet. Stopped at a hot dog stand for lunch. Ever though we were still in Ontario, everyone was speeking french, not a problem since Bob is fluent. Took 17 towards Hawkesbury. It wasn't too busy but cars were passing very fast so we took 11 down to L'Orignal. There we took 24 into Hawkesbury, a nice road by the river with nice houses and gardens. Today it drizzled on and off throughout the day but for the most past the roads were good and fairly flat. At one point we were brought to a halt by a flock of wild turkeys on the road. We crossed the bridge into Quebec and stopped at the info centre wehre we were told there was no rain in the forecast for tonight so we decided to camp at Chatham.



To be continued......


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