August 30- Disappointing Gramie

 After the storm passed through Long Island yesterday, I thought that we were home free weatherwise.  Nevertheless the forecast called for south winds, which would be in our faces going to Burritt's Rapids.  So we got a reasonably early start (7:20am) and paddled relatively easily to Baxter Conservation area just north of the 416 bridge; there we had a rest and a snack.  After that the wind picked up and we were much slower the rest of the way into Burritt's Rapids, where we arrived around 2:30pm. We had our lunch there and set off for Merrickville.  It wasn't long before it started to rain gently and then it got quite heavy.  By the time we arrived in Merrickville, I was exhausted and became concerned about staying overnight in the tent because we were soaked and I was cooling off.  When I first tried to lift the canoe onto my shoulders, I couldn't do it although I managed after walking around and resting for a few minutes.

After portaging at Merrickville, I told Gramie that I didn't want to go through the night and continue paddling the next day.  Thus, I called Hans and asked him to drive the Outback to pick us up.  He did so graciously and I was happy to see him arrive in Merrickville as it was getting dark.

I feel badly about letting Gramie down because she really wanted to finish this cane trip.

August 29

We got an early start today, 7:00am, without breakfast. Our tentsite was wet with dew and we weren't hungry so we paddled through Hogs Back to Hartwells for breakfast then continued to Wellington Street for our turnaround at 9:30am. Paddling in was easy with no wind and no power boats. In the first segment out we had waves from a big boat to deal with. It produced a wake and then the waves continued to reflect from the walls for a half km after it. We passed the power boats at the next lock. On returning to Black Rapids we ate lunch and packed up the tent and continued to Long Island at 3pm There we pitched the the tent and went in search of food. We walked to a shopping area for a few groceries then went to Subway for supper. While we were eating the skies opened up and it poured. Luckily we were offered a ride back to the locks. Our tent was still standing in spite of the rain and wind. We have just enjoyed a glass of wine and are letting the tent keep us dry. 

August 28

I slept in this morning so we didn't get an early start but it was not a problem because we don't have a long paddle to Black Rapids. This is the long stretch without locks called the long reach. We stopped at Long Island Locks for a late lunch and pulled into Black Rapids by 3pm. There are no restaurants so we'll eat from cans.

The weather was great with gentle breezes and sunshine.

Before Long Island we saw lots of power boats then it changed to mainly kayaks, probably 10 to one. 

After publishing The first draft we found a restearant in walking distance and had a nice dinner.

August 27

After sleeping at Kilmarnock, I awoke well rested for a later start. We had a bite to eat then paddled Merrickville for good bacon and eggs breakfast. We decided to go to the park to stay. We booked the last campsite at Rideau River Park and checked into a great spot, (#9) near the showers. We walked almost four kms to the Fireside Grill on a golf course for a nice dinner. We will sleep well tonight.  Only 51km to Ottawa.

August 26

We woke up just before daybreak. I didn't sleep well for some reason. Nevertheless we got paddling a little after 7am. Surprisingly, both Upper and Big Rideau Lakes were calm and easy to paddle. We stopped at Rideau Ferry for lunch and a break then continued to Smith's Falls. As we were early, we picked up some takeout food and continued on to Kilmarnock. For safety reasons, they locked us through the locks in Smith's Falls, which obviated a long portage. It is not yet 7:30pm and I am ready for bed.

Rideau Canal 2022 Aug 25

Hans dropped us off at Kingston Mills and we started paddling about 6:30am. We had good weather with no rain. There was an interesting headwind up to Jones Falls. We arrived at Newboro Lock at 5pm. We will tent for the night and have dinner at Stirling Lodge

Aftermath. St John's Airport to Ottawa and home. June 29. 16 km.

We were ready to go home after bicycling for two months and being away from home since April 20. After checking the weather forecast, we left for the airport well before our scheduled departure. That turned out to be a fortunate decision because at about km 10 of the 16km ride to the airport, Gramie's bike broke down. The ratchet mechanism in her rear hub gave up and deprived her of applying power to the wheel. Thus, she had to push her bike the remaining 6 km with the odd opportunity to coast.

We still got to the airport with lots of time to spare. I took my time removing the pedals, changing the handlebars by 90 degrees and letting some air out of the tires. When the check-in desk opened, the Porter people were very helpful. They helped us place the bikes in plastic bags and taped them well. We checked them in at the oversized luggage gate and checked ourselves through security.

We looked forward to being met in Ottawa Airport by Blair and Finn.  It would be great seeing them especially after being deprived of this by our COVID rules.

 

Ready to fly in St Johns 

Here's Gramie at the airport waiting for our flight. The flight from St John's was very good with a short stop in Halifax before taking us to Ottawa. We even landed four minutes early. Our bikes arrived about ten minutes after we walked to the baggage pick-up area.  Blair and Finn were there waiting for us.  As we hadn't eaten since breakfast, we stopped at another Subway restaurant for supper in Ottawa before driving home.

It was great to be at home and be able to sleep in our own bed.

Total distance bicycled, 6595 km.  108 km/day excluding two rest days.

Day 61. Holyrood to Cape Spear, St John's. June 28. 82 km.

This is it. Today we left our suite around 7:30 AM and rode about 12 km to the nearest open restaurant, which you might guess to be Tim Hortons. Then we got on the rail trail into St John's.

 

Rail trail in St Johns. 

Once in the city limits, my rear brake cable broke. Of all places, this was the best place for it to give way. It took three stores before we found one that serviced pedal bikes as opposed to motor bikes. But I got a good shop and a technician who was willing to work on my bike right away. He replaced the cable and the pads because one was down to metal. He also checked and adjusted the front brakes. He told me that I should consider changing the entire drive train because it is quite worn. We talked about installing a one or two by ten setup. Their rates were modest so I was happy that I tipped him well before I saw the bill.

Then we found our accommodation, which was a large unit with full kitchen, bathroom and sitting room. It is a wonderful place to stay. By accident more than design, we have stayed in some really nice spaciousness suites. By that, I meant that we selected places for their location more than for their furnishings. Nevertheless we have stayed in accommodations that we would like to return to one day. Both Comerford and Park Avenue would be included. They're spacious, clean and well equipped. They would be good for long or short stays.

After a short rest, we pedalled and pushed our way to Cape Spear with only one partially loaded pannier. Without a doubt, the Cape Spear road was the most difficult of the entire trip. It took two hours to go 21km, we were there at 2 PM. At Cape Spear we took pictures and talked with people who were interested in our ride.

 

We have arrived.  Cape Spear. 

 

Gramie got her birthday present. 

Distance today was 82km.

Day 60. Ferry to Argentia to Holyrood. June 27. 88 km.

The day started pretty much as yesterday ended - eating. Breakfast was also a buffet with lots of variety. Gramie was able to eat but not with her usual gusto. She didn't sleep nearly as well as she should have. She was a bit seasick and also bothered by the engine vibration.

 

We're in Newfoundland. 

 

Early view of Newfoundland.

 

So after we got on the road toward St John's, we encountered the steepest hill of the day and walked up it. After that the ride was quite good and we got to the Trans-Canada Hwy at noon. A bit later we decided that we could make it to Mount Pearl but couldn't get a room so we changed our plans and stayed in Holyrood. We have a fully equipped one bedroom suite but couldn't use all that it offered.

Today we saw the healthiest lupins everywhere beside the highway. Distance today was 88km.

 

Lupins in Newfoundland. 

Day 59. Whycocomagh to North Sydney for Ferry to Newfoundland. June 26. 90 km.

We got an early start by eating a quick breakfast in the motel. Then we pedalled to the Little Narrow ferry, 

 

Little Narrows ferry 

which got us on rte 223  I chose this because I knew that there were big hills on the Trans-Canada Hwy into North Sydney. Cape Breton Island is beautiful, including the inland sea aka the Bras d'Or Lakes. Unfortunately there were quite a few hills on this road, which Gramie thought was more challenging than the highway. Nevertheless we made it to the ferry terminal by 1:30 PM, where we were checked in and given information about the sailing.  Earlier, I had made reservations on the ferry for us and our bikes but was unable to book a room with beds.  I asked to be put on the waiting list. We left the ferry terminal and got some lunch followed by an ice cream cone. Obviously Gramie enjoyed her cone. 

 

Gramie wearing some of her ice cream. 

On returning to the terminal, we were loaded first and went directly to the 8th deck and claimed a couple of good seats- by a window in an area with reclining chairs. After we got sailing, I was called to the registration desk and we got the last room available via cancellation. For me it was well worth the extra charge because I got a great sleep. Not so much for Gramie.

I also exploited their buffet dinner, its roast beef, chicken, cod, meat balls, salad, rice, potato and stir fried vegetables. Then a couple of plates of dessert to round me out. It was a perfect match- my appetite and their abundance of food.

Day 58. Antigonish to Whycocomagh. June 25. 107 km.

Today started out on the right foot. The Victorian Inn provided a complimentary breakfast from the menu. That gave us the opportunity to try their omelet, which had a lot of goodies. Best of all we got to talk to other guests including cyclists.  One couple was going across Canada by cycling from Toronto to St John'sm then flying to Vancouver and then cycling back to Toronto.

The day was completely unlike yesterday, sunny and warm. We arrived at the Canso Causeway at about noon then continued across Cape Breton Island to our motel in Aberdeen, Whycocomagh. There were no restaurants nearby so we stopped at the grocery store about 4 km away and picked up salad, potato salad and shish kabobs plus a dessert. We used the motel barbecue to cook the meat. It was a great meal.

Here's Gramie on the Canso causeway.

Here she is earlier on the road to Cape Breton Island. It was busy with lots of holiday vehicles like RVs the size of a highway coach, many towing another vehicle such as a full sized pickup. Distance today,107km.

Day 57. Tatamagoche to Antigonish. June 24. 129 km.

Today we were governed by the weather, actually by the rain. Our start was delayed until the rain let up and things went well until Pictou.  There it poured. Luckily we were in a Subway restaurant when it really opened up. We stayed there for at least an hour and then left in moderate rain. By the time we were in Antigonish, we were soaked and due to a foul up had no hotel room. The owner of the Kippoch Inn helped us find another hotel and drove us there in his pickup.

What a day but we did move 129km today.

Gramie waiting for the rain to let up in Tatamagouche.

Day 56. Moncton to Tatamagoche. June 23. 135 km.

Regina and Denis started us off with a breakfast that matched our room. Eggs, lots of fresh fruit, croissants, juice and coffee etc.

 

Nice breakfast at the Wild Rose Inn

 

As we were leaving, Gramie noticed that her front tire was flat so we had to install a new tube. Then it was catch the freeway and pedal. The weather was warm and dry. As we were sufficiently far east, we were spared most of the Moncton rush hour traffic. We were at the Nova Scotia welcome centre just before noon so we took the opportunity to eat and ask about roads to Cape Breton. The information officer suggested that route 6 was better for us, so that became our route as opposed to taking the Cobequid Pass freeway.  Moreover, there was only place to stay on the Cobequid and that was in Oxford- not far enough along. The initial part was a bit hilly and rough but it got better as we progressed. In mid-afternoon we stopped for ice cream and discussed our final destination for the day. We chose Tatamagoche and got there in late afternoon, late enough to get the last suitable room at the Balmoral Motel. Distance today was 135km.

We went to a pub for dinner where I had a nice Digby scallop and shrimp penne with a Tatamagoche Brewery IPA. After dinner I patched an inner tube and installed it on my bike.

Instead of taking a picture of Gramie at the welcome to Nova Scotia sign, I asked her to take a picture with me in it because someone pointed out that they hadn't seen me in the blog yet.

 

Proof that Kanji was bicycling too. 

Day 55. Jemseg to Moncton. June 22. 135 km.

The one restaurant in Jemseg didn't open until 8 AM so we opted for sandwiches purchased in Oromocto yesterday for our breakfast. Then we had great cycling weather throughout the day. The highway shoulder was a mix of great smooth pavement and old rough stuff.  The ups and downs were quite manageable. This section of the Trans-Canada Hwy is relatively new, which expressed itself in the lack of services along the way. Interestingly we did see a sign for a newer restaurant, service station and motel that was not shown in Google maps.

After some 97 km, we stopped at the first rest stop for ice cream and decided to extend the ride a bit and booked a room at the Wild Rose Inn.  This hotel is far enough from the highway and city not to be obvious to many travellers. Perhaps this explains why we got a great price for the fabulous room.

 

Our room at the Wild Rose Inn. 

It was full of antique furniture, the nicest room we have had in the entire trip. It was also very spacious.

As there was no convenient restaurant shown on the map, we stopped at Costco some 5km before and got a great Caesar salad and a taco kit. We have seen so little in terms of good vegetables that we attacked the salad with gusto. Distance for the day 135km.

Day 54. Nakawic to Jemseg. June 21. 117 km.

We started the morning with a wonderfully presented breakfast at the Big Axe B &B. This place is phenomenally well kept and they seem to take pride in serving their guests. The picture of breakfast says a lot.

And here's the breakfast area.

We asked if they are open in the winter as well and they said that they're open year round. In that case, we may well stay here on a future trip to Blair and Krista's.

The ride today started out so unusually in that it was sunny and dry. The ride along the Trans-Canada Hwy was good. Not a great tailwind but no headwind either. Lunch today was at the Blue Canoe, Lincoln Big Stop, where we really poured lots of calories into our bodies. They like to serve large portions, especially when it comes to fries.

Our next stop was a supermarket in Oromocto for food to carry us through the stretch from Jemseg to Moncton. That includes\d breakfast and lunch plus snacks. This was necessary because the restaurant in Jemseg doesn't open until 8 AM. I certainly noticed the extra weight that I was toting in my panniers. The distance today was 117km.

Day 53. Grand Falls to Nakawic. June 20. 150 km.

We started the day with a motel breakfast that was ordered from the restaurant menu rather than self serve in a breakfast room. This was eaten in the same room as last night's dinner overlooking the gorge. I took a picture from the room looking towards the bridge and then one from the bridge toward the dining room.

 

Grand Falls gorge from our restaurant. 

 

the Gorge looking toward our motel 

Then we got back on the paved shoulder of the freeway and made good progress. Around noon we stopped for some pizza and decided that our goal for the day was Nakawic, which made Jemseg and subsequently Moncton fall into place.

After biking up many hills and then down the other sides, we made it to the Big Axe B&B, where we stayed three years ago.

Day 52. Cabano to Grand Falls. June 19. 125 km.

It was a dark and stormy night (Snoopy, 19xx) followed by a cold and damp next day. During breakfast at the Econolodge we wondered if we should even leave the room given the rain and forecast for more of the same. Nevertheless we got ready and waited until the rain eased up a bit then decided to see if we could make it to Edmundson for at least some progress towards Newfoundland. We pedalled through Cabano streets and got back on the rail trail which continued to be as good as they could make it but the water did make it more work to pedal even on well compacted rail trail. After Degelis, we opted for a paved road that parallels the trail. As soon as we entered New Brunswick, we got on the paved shoulder of the freeway and this really facilitated progress.

By noon we were in Edmundston where we found an open bike shop to have Susie's gears and my brakes checked while we went to St Timothy's for hot chili. When we got back, the bikes were ready and we decided to try for Grand Falls. We made good progress and bypassed St Leonard before the rain started. By the time we were in Grand Falls at the Hilltop Motel, we were soaked again.

Father's Day dinner was at their restaurant which was serving a special of soup with chicken and ribs and fine New Brunswick baked potato. We sat watching the river pour its brown water down the gorge, beautiful!!!  It was gratifying to have pedalled 125km under the day's circumstances.

This picture shows in Degelis that Quebec takes bicycling and snowmobiling seriously. The left lane is for bicycles and the right lane is for snowmobiles.

 

Quebec bicycle and snowmobile trails. 

Day 51. Riviere du Loup to Cabano. June 18. 74 km.

Today started out normally, with a nice breakfast in the hotel. We met a young guy from Quebec City who was bicycling around the Gaspe to meet some friends. Then it was time to face reality because the forecast was for rain and it had already started.

As soon as it seemed to let up a bit, we started for the rail trail into New Brunswick. With the recent rain, it was not as easy to ride as when it is dry. Nevertheless it was well protected from the wind. About halfway to the high point at St Honoree the rain started in earnest. Eventually we realized that we couldn't beat it so we went to a motel in Cabano after riding just 74km. You can say that today was a bit of a washout.

 

The rail trail between Riviere du Loup and Cabano 

 

Some of the new rail trail being built beside the freeway. 

Day 51. Montmagny to Riviere du Loup. June 17. 135 km.

After breakfast in the hotel, we started toward Riviere du Loup with second thoughts. The weather forecast was for rain possible throughout the day and we thought that our chances of being soaked were high. Nevertheless we started out understanding that we could be soaked at anytime. After about an hour it started to rain buckets but luckily we were in front of two businesses one of which was a pharmacy. Its overhanging roof was perfect to keep us dry.

After about 15 minutes, the rain let up and we were on our way again.

The conditions were great as the wind was behind us and pushed us along and the road was basically flat. This facilitated our getting to Riviere du Loup by 3:30. We had a room in the Days Inn. Tomorrow we head over the Appalachians and into New Brunswick.

 

Staying out of the downpour along Hwy 132.

 

 

It's hard to believe that this is part of a river.

 

The pictures show us hiding from the rain and the size of the St Lawrence River here.

Day 50. Laurier-Station to Montmagny. June 16. 121 km.

Today was about as uneventful as yesterday was eventful. We got ready to bicycle and rode to the nearby A&W for their bacon, sausage and eggs breakfast. Then we took a bunch of backroads down to the river. Then we just followed Hwy 132 into Levis. The weather was warm, 20C right away and it got warmer as the day progressed. The roads were generally good and any wind was from behind. The land here seems rich as the crops looked very healthy.

 

Field along the St Lawrence that produced lots of hay.

 

In Levis we went to a CIBC bank machine and got a bit more cash. Interestingly, there seems to be fewer CIBC bank machines in Quebec meaning that we had to go out of our way rather than just do it anywhere. Also in Levis, we had a picnic lunch in a park on the water and had a short nap at a picnic table.

The rest of the ride into our hotel in Montmagny was easy and warm. One of the factors that made it easy was the effort that Quebec has put into bike paths.In many places bicycles have a two lane dedicated path. In other cases part of the road has been saved for a two-lane bicycle path.

Once at the Econolodge, the receptionist gave us an upgraded room with exterior access.

 

Quebec road with bicycle lane.

 

This picture shows the bridges at Quebec City and an example of the space on the road that is dedicated to bicycles. Distance today was 121km.

Day 49. Joliette to Laurier Station. June 15. 137 km.

Lots to report on today. I'll start with the report from the Government of Canada that the vaccine mandates will be eliminated as of June 20. They have finally started to accept reality and are moving in the right direction, not that they came up with the idea on their own but in response to requests from voters. For me, it means another option for getting back from Newfoundland at the end of our bike ride.

Today we chose a route through the back streets of Joliette, which saved backtracking to the highway - probably about 10km. That put us in good shape to have breakfast in Berthierville. We started out with a significant headwind, which made me wonder if we would get across the St Lawrence River today. Then the wind let up and we were in Trois Rivieres shortly after noon. It wasn't clear how to ride our bikes across the bridge so we took the automobile route and played it by ear. On the approach, I looked for any signs saying that bikes were not allowed and not seeing any decided that we should keep going and use whatever lane was available. It turned out that the bridge is part of autoroute 55 and out of bounds for bikes. With nowhere to go, we hugged the right side and kept on riding. That brought lots of horn sounds and curses from drivers but we made it across just in time to be accosted by the police. After scolding us, they took our information and said that we would receive traffic tickets for riding on the freeway. I think that I should contest any ticket that we might receive because a post-incident review on Google maps did not reveal any no bicycle signs.

After our meeting with the police, we headed along Hwy 132 northeastward toward Levis. The most direct route would have been via a bit of Hwy 30, which definitely had a sign barring pedestrians and bicyclists. Had we not just had the experience with the police, I might have taken the route. We detoured around the no cyclists sign and stopped at the first motel, where they told us that all the accommodation on south shore was taken between Trois Rivieres and Levis. I did some searching and then booked a room in the closest motel, which was in Laurier-Station some 67 km away. We didn't have much choice so we started riding. Gramie found the going very tough at the end of day and suggested asking a local person for help. I found people along the road working by a pickup and approached them. The gentleman agreed to take us to the motel and we were off.  It was a longish drive so we were generous in giving him gas money. So that's how we made it so far and recorded only 137 km of riding. In all it was an eventful day.

Today's pictures show the bike bridge on our way out of Joliette and a bit of the bridge across the St Lawrence River.

 

Bike path out of Joliette 

 

Limited view of bridge across the St Lawrence at Trois Riviere. 

Day 48. Montebello to Joliette. June 14. 148 km.

Breakfast was surprisingly similar to last night's dinner. Unusual but tasty and nutritious. Getting started was very easy as we were at the east end of town. The roads were good and the weather was warm and dry.

We followed Hwy 148 all the way to Lachute, where Hwy 158 started. We took it into Saint -Jerome, where we stopped for an ice cream cone. Over ice cream, we decided to go on to Joliette and called ahead to book a room.

There was nothing remarkable about the ride other than the weather was good and the roads were good. Even with favourable conditions, we were happy to stop pedalling and settle into our motel room. Then we walked down to Giant Tiger for a few food items and then on to Boston Pizza for dinner. Over dinner we looked at the map and saw that we should be able to cross the St Lawrence at Trois Riviere tomorrow and start following the south shore toward Riviere du Loup. The distance covered today was 148km.

Day 47. Bristol to Montebello. June 13. 152 km.

Today was a 152km day, which is pretty good considering that Gramie is supposedly taking it easier. We started with a bacon/ham and eggs and at the Pine Lodge, and then we peddled up to Hwy 148 then east toward Gatineau. The weather was as glorious as yesterday was wet. 

We peddled along easily and were at the first Canadian Tire (in Aylmer) store before noon. I was finally able to get Gramie's  bicycle computer replaced after asking at three other stores after it gave her unreliable data. I also bought another inner tube so we have two spares in reserve.

We had our lunch on a display trailer at the CTC store, then used some bicycle paths to escape from the east end of Gatineau. This allowed us to bicycle along the Ottawa River across from the parliament buildings. 

 

Nice bicycle paths along the Ottawa River across from the parliament buildings. 

 

While considering our options over an ice cream cone, we decided to try for Montebello another 65km further east. The road was flat and the wind was good so we made it to our accomodation shortly after 4PM. I took a picture at Thurso that was a tribute to,Guy Lafleur.

 

Thurson, home of Guy Lafleur 

Our room in Montebello was just one of two above a craft store. The owner simple leaves a key in a lock box and gave me the code to access the key. The room is great. It's spacious, clean and well supplied. Moreover it is across the street from a grocery store that has most of what we need. So supper tonight was m Montreal smoked meat, chicken Alfredo, cole slaw, red wine and muffins for dessert. It tasted great and provided the nutrients that we need.

Day 46. Petawawa to Bristol. June 12. 90 km.

Overnight I must have changed my travel plans a half dozen times. Every time I checked the weather forecast, it had changed and forced me to consider another option. Eventually we were awake but unable to start riding because it was raining quite hard. So I spent the time doing bicycle maintenance that arose about two days ago.

I had noticed that my rear tire was noticeably more worn than the front tire, in fact more worn than either of Gramie's tires. So I  decided to rotate my tires front to back. Luckily we had a very large room, large enough to work on the tires etc.

 

Making bicycle repairs. 

Here's the proof. The picture also shows that my upper body is shrinking. I've lost about ten pounds.

About 8 AM, the rain let up, let up but had not stopped. This allowed us to ride to Pembroke, about 16 km away, where we went to the Bonanza Restaurant for their well regarded bacon and eggs. They were really good and the waitresses were so friendly. No wonder they have so many regular customers and address them by first names.

 

Gramie with our friendly waitress at the Bonanza Restaurant. 

When we finished breakfast, it was still raining, so we put on rain jackets for the short ride to the supermarket for a few supplies. Even after that, the rain continued so we just rode on carefully toward the Ottawa River crossing at Chenaux. About an hour before Chenaux, the rain stopped for a bit allowing us to eat some lunch on the road, and to call the Pine Lodge to book a room. In short order, we were crossing into Quebec.

 

We crossed into Quebec at Chenaux. 

 The Ottawa River was high and flowing with gusto. Around noon, Gramie ran through a puddle and didn't see the pothole therein, which caused her to have a flat tire. Let me assure you that changing a tube in the rain is more difficult than doing it in sunshine.

 

Ottawa River at Chenaux. 

A little later, we rolled into the Lodge, which turned out to be much more interesting than we had anticipated. It was built in the 1930s and features a golf course. Most of the rooms were without en suite bathroom facilities but we lucked out and got one with its own bathroom. They also told that breakfast was included and asked what time did we want breakfast. All of this for $100 taxes included. And this place barely shows on Google maps.

 

Pine Lodge in Bristol 

We had dinner in the restaurant. Our beef and chicken burgers and fries and salad of berries and spinach were excellent. Maybe we will drive up here from Kingston later this year. We are very happy to have moved on another 90km despite the weather an to have stayed at the Pine Lodge.

Day 45. Mattawa to Petawawa.June 11. 137 km.

We knew that this would be a day with hills. In fact we encountered our first one as soon as we left the motel. It was modest and followed up by the hill leaving town. Then we encountered one that convinced us to walk our bikes. We encountered another walker later in the morning. In between there were lesser hills all the way to Rolfton some 85 km from Mattawa. The day was really pleasant, warm but not hot. Not a cloud in the sky for the morning.

When we got to Deep River about 2 pm, we checked to see if the Canadian Tire store had a replacement bike computer for Gramie's bike. Unfortunately they didn't. We decided to go on to Petawawa another 30 km away. This made for a 137 km day, and we are supposed to be cutting back to allow Gramie's bronchi to recover.

 

More of Hwy 17. 

Day 44. Sturgeon Falls to Mattawa. June 10. 103 km.

Today was a 103 km day dictated primarily by logistics. Between Mattawa and Deep River there wasn't a combination of motels and restaurants that worked well so I selected Mattawa as our overnight stop.

The biking was pretty easy today with a favourable wind and no big hills. Leaving Sturgeon Falls the road was straight and flat for 16 km. Then we stopped on the way into North Bay in front of the medical centre, where I suggested that Gramie have her persistent cough examined. After about 2.5hr, we moved on. Then we went to the emergency department of Mattawa hospital where the doctor (Dr G, an ironman competitor) diagnosed an upper airways infection that would resolve on its own given time and less exertion on Gramie's part. He was great in insisting that Gramie described her symptoms and explaining his diagnosis based on physiology. Given her overall robust health, he thought that she had little risk of pneumonia. So we'll just have to be less ambitious and more patient by limiting the distances to ensure more rest.

The major noticeable change in scenery was the explosion of flowers. The roadside seemed to have suddenly turned white, purple, orange and yellow with a splash of pink for good measure.

 

Signs of Spring 

The town of Mattawa is much more interesting than it revealed from the highway. In particular the little river valley is really nice.

 

Park along Mattawa River 

Day 43. Sudbury to Sturgeon Falls. June 9. 95 km.

The weather forecast last night had us thinking that we might be better off holing up in Sudbury for a second day. Nevertheless we thought that we should try to make some progress even if it was only to the other side of Sudbury. So we got up early only to find that it was raining quite hard at 6:30. We waited until after 8 when the rain eased up a lot. By the time we were halfway across the city, there was no rain and the temperature was about 15C. At Wahnapitae, about 20 km from the Sudbury motel, we stopped at a Subway for one of their breakfast subs. While I was in line, I spoke to a local guy about our trip and how it was the result of Gramie's birthday wish. When we left Subway, the manager said that it was such an interesting story she wanted us to have a coffee on her via the gift card she handed me. I can't believe how nicely we are being treated.

In Sturgeon Falls we bought new pedals for Gramie's bike because the old ones had become slippery and were squeaking. We tried to get a replacement for her bike computer at Canadian Tire but the store was out of them.

 

Gramie eating one of many Subway breakfasts. 

I think it was a good decision to stop in Sturgeon Falls because it poured and was windy a couple of hours after we got to or motel room. Riding for 95 km wasn't a big accomplishment but it was a step in the right direction and certainly better than not moving at all and better than we anticipated.

Day 42. Spragge to Sudbury. June 8. 135 km.

The weather forecast was favourable and biking conditions were great. We left the motel early and looked for an open restaurant along the way. After about an hour, we stopped at the roadside and literally ate on the road as shown in the picture.  It was our go-to backup of tortillas, peanut butter and bananas.

 

Dining "on the road", literally. 

As we approached Sudbury, we saw the signs banning bicycles from the highway when it became divided and four-lane. So we took the alternative route which started very rough and slow. Eventually it improved and the traffic density  increased. Just as we approached the city centre, the skies opened up and soaked us in minutes. While standing under a tree, I found an Econolodge Motel a few minutes away. I was a drowned as I signed in. Then the manager asked if we were taking it for the list price. I said yes because we were soaked and cold. Then he gave us a generous discount out of the blue. He must like drowned rats. Later we ate at the in-house Mongolian grill, which was really good. Gramie was able to wash and dry our dirty and wet clothes in their coin laundry. It turned out to be a great place to stay. Our experience with Econolodge as we cross the country has been very positive.

Here's a picture of Sudbury just before the rain. The smoke stacks are impressive. Distance today was 135km. That completed the Sault Ste Marie to Sudbury section in two days. Compared to a few days ago, we are able to ride longer distances.

Day 41. Sault Ste Marie to Spragge. June 7. 166 km.

Today the rain was gone and it was great weather for cycling. We left the Howard Johnson's on 17 East and kept going straight ahead onto 17B through Garden City. Everything was fine until we encountered construction, which entailed fresh gravel because the old asphalt was being removed and replaced. Eventually we decided to walk our bikes rather than ride through the rough gravel. Fortunately one of the company men came by and suggested that we should go to Hwy 17 as soon as possible because the next 6 km of Hwy 17B was being rebuilt . The main highway was good and we made good progress right into Iron Bridge where I had planned for us to stop and make a decision on how far to cycle today. Unfortunately there was no coffee shop in Iron Bridge so we went on to Blind River at 138 km from the Sault. We re-stocked our travel snacks, looked for new pedals for Gramie's bike and ate an early dinner at a restaurant called 17 Restaurant. They served the best fish and chips that I have ever received; I even went to the back and thanked the chef.

Along the way we rode next to a very high Mississaugi River and stopped to take a picture at the bottle neck just before Blind River. In Blind River we decided to go on to Roy's Motel in Spragge. As there is no food near the motel we had to have an early dinner dinner in Blind River. We ate and then rode to Spragge by about 6 PM. Distance today was 166km. That maked the ride into Sudbury possible tomorrow.

 

Missaugi River rapids. 

At the motel we had a beautiful moth on our storm door in Spragge.

Day 40. Montreal River to Sault Ste Marie. June 6. 124 km.

Last night the weather forecast contained a weather alert. It warned that today would be stormy with rain, heavy at times. Our goal then became Batchawana Bay where we could stop and wait out the storms. That meant getting started early so that we could be there before the rain started.  We were peddling shortly after daybreak and pedalled to Batchawana Bay by shortly after 8:30. I had planned for us to have breakfast in the restaurant at the Voyageur. But that was not to be because they had converted the restaurant into a store with only a few food items. We each made do with a breakfast sandwich. By then some rain had started and we thought that we would be there for the remainder of the day. But then they told us that we couldn't check in until 3 PM and we had nothing to do but sit and wait. After an hour or so, the rain settled in to a light drizzle and Gramie suggested that we cancel our reservation and ride into the Sault. After a few hours we peddled into Sault Ste Marie where we stopped at the first fast food restaurant and had lunch while we decided where to stay for the night. A couple of the Burger King guys were really interested in our trip and took pictures with us to share with their parents and friends.

We settled on staying at the Howard Johnson's Hotel on the eastern exit road from the Sault, and booked a room. Gramie was cold and wet so we hustled over as quickly as possible and checked into a very nice clean and warm room. Needless to say we both soaked ourselves in hot baths before heading out for food. Distance today 124km.

Our first stop was a grocery store and then we went to the nearby restaurant, which was recommended to us by the hotel clerk. Unfortunately it was closed on Mondays so we tried another restaurant, which turned out to have their dining room closed due the pandemic. As there was a store with a deli next door, we picked up some food and and ate in the hotel. It's interesting to see how most businesses have moved on from COVID rules but a few still can't see a way forward.

Over the last two days we saw two cyclists from Gatineau headings for BC and two others who had started in Quebec City.  We had planned to stop and talk with James Topp today but passed by the motel where his group was staying early in the morning and weren't able to connect. He's the veteran we who is walking to Ottawa to protest the vaccine mandates and ask for our freedom to be re-instated. It's interesting to see the number of Canadian who question the approach taken by the government to address the pandemic.

Day 39. Wawa to Montreal River. June 5. 110 km.

We really had the Canadian labour shortage hammered home last night and this morning. Last night we tried to eat dinner at the Viking Restaurant but it was closed on weekends because they couldn't find enough workers. They worked out a deal with the North of 17 restaurant so one of them was available for people to eat. This morning we went to Tim Hortons and found the eat-in section closed; I walked through the drive-thru to order food, which we ate in the parking lot. Throughout this trip, we have seen signs saying "Help wanted or now hiring". All industries seem to need employees. Forget about the guaranteed basic income, how about a willing and able work force?

 

Our "dining room" at Tim's in Wawa. 

Later in the day, we stopped to eat at a rest stop and met Ron and Ardene, a really interesting couple from Alberta. He says that he is Peter Pan's father because his daughter is the stunt double in the film that is being shot in Vancouver. We shared a lot of concerns about COVID issues and how they are being handled by the authorities. I filled him in on my activities with the canadiancovidcarealliance.org. Then he told us that James Topp, who is walking to Ottawa to protest, was just a short distance ahead of us. We hope to meet James. 

The only place to stay at the right distance today is the Twilight Resort in Montreal River Harbour. Let's just say that it was rustic and had no food for sale.  We carried tuna, mushroom soup and pasta, and made a sort of tuna casserole for supper.

Today's ride was beautiful with sunny skies and warm temperatures (after we got over the startup chill. It was hilly but easier than the section from Nipigon to Marathon.