Day 92 Newmarket to Bowmanville.

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Rain was forecast today so we looked out with some trepidation to find the air moist and the ground damp. The sky was clear and it was nice and warm as we navigated through morning rush hourtraffic to get to breakfast on Davis Drive (route 31).

They tell me the ice in the last Ice Age traveled from north to south and hence all the ridges run N-S. Going east is therefore a painful process of up and down, it had the advantage of a strong wind at our back, so we went very fast downhill.

As the day wore on the weather became perfect for outdoor activity, sunny, warm and dry with a breeze. Once more the weathermen got it wrong.

We got to Uxbridge, for a snack and a chat to locals practically without incident, only the front chain required a touch of TLC, but just a few kilometers on, we had a fast puncture of the rear tire once again caused by rim tape. That’s 2 in 100km!. I did serious checking this time to see that the tape was properly seated and remedied what was needed. I can’t believe these new tubes are so fragile…

We slowly climbed on the rolling routes 8, 7a and Old Scugog road to Enniskillen where we

started the descent to Lake Ontario.

This is a really pretty route with no traffic and it passes farms and fields and billionaire’s houses. 15km of descent later we were in Bowmanville looking for the tourist information. This is where we met the lovely Mary Jane who was very helpful trying to place us, and was not put out at all when we ended up across the street in an overpriced and very run down Ho-Jo’s.

Average 20.1kph

Height climbed 655mup, 855m down.

Today’s Distance 93km

Total Distance 7001km

We are on the Waterfront Trail tomorrow to Trenton, so we will how that goes.

That’s all the news that fit to blog,

Night, night. Mary Jane

Day 91 Craigleith to Newmarket.

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The weather Channel was correct for once, we woke to sunshine and a warm wind from the SW.

Oh the joys of a new frying pan. Technology has improved so much since the old one had first seen the light of a gas flame. Today it was gourmet sausages and stuff, done to perfection.

The bike felt good as we rolled along into Collingwood, then onto highway 10 with a small peregrination round the ever present road construction. Here we felt the full force of the wind working against us for the first time. We stopped at Angus for a Tim Horton’s lunch,then trucked on hoping that the legs wuld take us to Stouffville. Unfortunately, we were delayed by a puncture in the rear tire, 1200km since the last one, which took the wind out of our sails, but we met a local young man who offered us all sorts of help, including a lift to Newmarket, which we declined. At the next intersection, there was a good restaurant so we pigged out once more and played out the last few,rural, noisy km into Newmarket. It was good, in some perverse way to see a double row of rush hour traffic lined up in the other direction.

We arrived at the Newmarket Inn, a rather swish place with a good room rate and swimming pool about 4:30pm very tired.

We Skyped the evening away chatting to friends and relations, and making arrangements for the last leg of the the journey.

Average 20.5kph

Height Climbed 505m up, 380m down

Today’s distance 115km

Total distance 6908km

Well that’s about all the news that’s fit to Blog. One of the most common comments we have from the general public is “ Don’t you think you need to change your front tire, it’s bald.” Marge came up with a good response today, “So’s my husband and I like him that way.” Lol

Night, night.

Day 90 Miller Lake to Craigleith.

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We had heard coyotes howling in the night, it was wonderful. Ron was up with the lark busting to use his new frying pan. All reports are that breakfast was brilliant, and the eggs looked like eggs for a change. It makes a difference when they’re not mixed up with Teflon from the bottom of the pan.

On the road just after 8h, and 43km later there was the first bend in the road. The bike felt very agile today as we polished off the miles into Wiarton for second breakfast. We saw no groundhogs in this town renowned for Willie the Albino Meteorologist. (If you ask me he’s got as good a record as the egg heads on the Weather Channel who don’t know whether it will rain or whether it wont.)

Wiarton is in a dip, so it’s hard work getting started again, and we seemed to be going up for ages ‘then, all the brakes came off and we on a steep downhill into Owen Sound’s Timmie’s for tea and a bun. We decided that as we were doing so well we would extend the day’s ride to Craigleith Prov. Park. Doing this, and adding about 25km to tomorrow’s ride will save us a day on the schedule and provide us some padding for those coming to meet us in Kingston. The Weather Channel has promised us perfect weather for tomorrow, so we are keeping our Pack-a-Macs handy.

The ride to the Prov. Park was easy, near flat, and fast. The downside was the complete lack of hard shoulder. There was also a lot of light traffic which kept us on our toes.

Average 21.5kph

Height climbed 630m up, 630 down.

Today’s distance 134km

Total distance 6793km

That’s about all the news that’s fit to blog:

Night, night.

Day 89 Sheguiandah to Miller Lake.

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Finally we decided to get rid of our old faithful frying pan, just too much Teflon coming off. Sad, but all good things must come to an end.

We went up the much vaunted hill out of the campsite with no trouble, gears, legs and lungs working in unison like a Greek chorus.

Once on top of the ridge it was relatively easy biking through mostly trees and rocks and water, with the occasional cow and bale of hay. It was perfect weather for biking, fairly strong tail breeze and we were soon in South Baymouth with 3hours to kill before we could sail on the ferry. We did what all good cyclists do when there is no defined plan; we went and got ourselves fed. Later we tried the Internet in the terminal, but it was really sloooow. We have a succession of places where this is true, and it makes adding photos to the blog a really tedious affair. That was a thinly veiled excuse!

The crossing was uneventful, no shipwrecks and nobody drowned, in fact nothing to laugh at at all. We did spend some enjoyable time with the Gambles and the Whitney’s from the Owen Sound area. They were retired farmers catching up for lost holidays now that the farm was in the good hands of their sons.

Once off the boat the clouds cleared and we had a very nice evening doing the 30km to Miller Lake where we got ripped off for camping at Miller Family Campground. The facilities there were not up to the price we were charged, especially as just 2km further up highway 26 there is a camp right by the side of the road. The site was quite good though. Ron was in bed by 7:30pm absolutely shattered.

Average 21.5 kph

Height climbed 560m up, 545m down.

Today’s distance 84km

Total distance 6659km

I think that’s all the news that’s fit to blog.

Night, night.

Day 88 Massey to Sheguiandah.

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We waited for the coffee to be ready at the motel then got on the road accompanied by Claire and Robert. They were all dressed up in longs and all their kit looked new and clean. (How’d they do that?) The traffic wasn’t too bad as we clipped along a fairly flat road to the junction of the 17 and 6 where we were going to part ways. The 26km flew by and we were saying our farewells in both languages. Off to Espanola where we had second breakfast in Twiggy’s, very good it was too. The next few miles were some of the best cycling we had done on the trip, next to no traffic, wide shoulder and beautiful country. Even the wind was our friend. We got to the swing bridge just before Little Current, only to find the gate closed and the bridge in motion getting set to let the boats through the channel.

The weather had looked threatening all day, but we decided to camp at Batman’s Cottages and Campground some 13kms out of Little Current.

The campsite is very neat and clean and we set up in double quick time because it started to drizzle, however, nothing came of it, and soon we were drinking a good strong cuppa tea.

A lady came up to us and intro’d herself as one of the tandem couple from Ann Arbor Michigan we had met three days ago. We had a pleasant chat, and they gave us their address and told us to look them up on our next trip. Lovely people.

Average 21kph

Height climbed 650m up, 690m down.

Today’s distance 92km

Total distance 6575km.

That’s all the news that’s fit to blog. Great day today. Bonne chance Claire et Robert.

Night, night.

Day 87 Iron Bridge to Massey.

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We were out early to get breakfast at the Wildwood Resto run by 80year olds. It was nice, but slow, se we didn’t get started till after 9:00am. Summing up the day, rear quarter tail wind no hills, traffic variable, shoulder even more variable, and we are glad that there is only one more day on the 17. Truck traffic is quite high which is always a worry, even though the pro drivers give you as much room as they can.

There was a cold front coming behind us and we did not want to get wet again, so it was pedal to metal all morning, with only two short “bum” breaks. We arrived in Massey just after 1pm, which probably makes this our fastest “hundred” this trip elapsed time. Who should be waiting to check in to the Motel we had chosen but Robert and Clare, the Tandem pair we had met in Antigonish, and later at the North Sydney Ferry.

What a genuine surprise and it was so good to see them again looking buff and healthy. We spent the afternoon catching up on gossip, and hearing some of the traveler’s tales. We Skyped with Dave, did laundry, then felt really warm and cozy as an intense shower ricocheted a foot off the road in front of the window.

We went to the Resto next door, “The Dragonfly,” and had a surprisingly good meal after making arrangements to meet up tomorrow for a ceremonial ride towards Espanola, where we will part company. They will go towards Sudbury, while we head for Manitoulin Island

So after a ho-hum start, we had a great finish to the day; meeting up with fellow travelers, and clean clothes.

Average 22.8kph

Height climbed 280m up, 300m down

Today’s distance 96km

Total Distance 6483km.

I guess that’s all the news that’s fit to blog, plans are fluid for tomorrow depending on the weather so stay tuned.

Night, night.

Day 86 Sault Ste Marie to Ironbridge.

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We woke up to the gentle sounds of a downpour beating an arrhythmic tattoo on the taught top of the tent. That was 3am, there was no sign of rain last night. Did we proof everything? Ah well, too late now. We roll about fitfully napping, as the pitter patter continues until the alarm goes off at 7am. We have a plan: move all the stuff to the shop lean-to and eat breakfast and change the cassette and chain in comfort. Breakfast went well, onto job 2, damn adjustable is too small to fit the cassette removal tool, so we either have to wait until 10am when the shop opens, or buy one from Wal Mart. Cutting to the chase, we bought one from Wal Mart.

All packed and on the road at 10:30am. This is too late for our planned 113km, as we will have to eat big twice, but we set off with a will into a 35kph head wind. We stopped at Echo Lake where I got served a turkey sandwich with fries and delicious gravy which I could not finish. (First time in living memory.)

By the time we got to Thessalon (88km) we were spent and the rain had not given over, so we decided to stop there, but the only place open was way out of our budget for room charge and food. So it was back on the bike in the gathering gloom to do the 27 km remaining to Iron Bridge. We arrived around 18:30h, found a motel and got a Chinese meal from across the road. Weather channel says rain for 4 days. I don’t know why we watch it!

Not too many pictures today, too much rain and the traffic too heavy to allow pictures on the move.

At last we have moved into arable farming land from the trees and rocks which have been our friends for 1000km.

Average 19.5kph,

Todays height 470m up, 450m down,

Today’s Distance 115km

Total distance 6387km

That’s all the news that fit to blog.

Night, night.