Circling the U.S. Chapter 15: Ontario - The First Week

Thursday, June 27 - Thursday, July 4, 2019

Our original plan was to bicycle to Toronto then head north toward Georgian Bay and ride up the peninsula to Manitoulin Island. But plans change. Our experience with the cities in New York, especially Buffalo, got us thinking twice about going to Toronto. No one we talked to seemed to think that bicycling into Toronto was a good idea. Neither did they tell us that Toronto would be a fun city to visit once we arrived. We decided to skip it and thought we'd head along the Lake Ontario shore for a bit then cut inland, heading due north. But Tom, our Warm Showers host in Grimsby, dissuaded us of that idea, instead encouraging us to go south to the Lake Erie shore, then west and north to the Lake Huron coast, giving us a shorter ride inland where the roads tend to be more heavily trafficked. Hence, our circuitous route through Ontario. For the most part it worked out well.

I've put a circle on the map for each night we spent in Ontario.

After our shuttle ride over the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, we had beautiful cycling along the Niagara River. We expected we'd find a grocery store before arriving at our campground, but a cyclist who joined us for several miles let us know that there was nothing along our way. It was beginning to look like freeze-dried lamb fettucine for dinner. But, just in time, we came upon a casual dining restaurant where we had beer and a vegetarian pizza that Rob described as "exquisite." (June 27)

After taking a Canadian look at Niagara Falls we arrived in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It looked to be a quaint little tourist town with hanging baskets of flowers lining the main street and shops and restaurants thronged by tourists. But it wouldn't have been fun to wander the crowded streets under a hot midday sun so I made a mental note that we should come back when we are retired and can plan our visit after the crowds have retreated. 

Our first full day in Canada, June 28, was also our first introduction to the Great Lakes. Several miles after passing through Niagara-on-the-Lake we came to a beach in St. Catherine where people were swimming in Lake Ontario. A swim seemed like a good idea. And it was because the next beach we came to was closed due to unsanitary conditions from recent flooding, and then we changed directions so we only had that one chance to dunk ourselves in Lake Ontario.

Grimsby Warm Showers hosts Tom and Rhona. Tom got us heading southbound to the Lake Erie shore. (June 29)

Our second full day in Canada was tough. We started out riding through well-populated areas that were not at all scenic. Rob got a flat tire on a busy strip-mall road. We had to ride up a steep hill on a four-lane highway with no shoulder and lots of traffic speeding by. That may count as my scariest moment so far.

We weren't going to make it to our Warm Showers hosts for the night and the only campground we could find cost $84 (Canadian).  The young man at the tourist information booth told us that he had stayed at Knights Beach Resort with his family and could recommend it. When we arrived and had registered and paid our money, the young woman at the desk told us to just find a spot somewhere in the big grassy area set aside for tents. But it was already filled with large groups ready to party and the only places that weren't taken were wet.

We went back to the office. I said, "Couldn't we pitch our tent in the picnic area? We'll be gone by morning. All we want is a quiet night's sleep."

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The manager came out and said, "Follow me." We got on our bikes and she climbed into her golf cart and led us into the heart of the campground where the seasonal campers had set up their summer homes. We turned left and right and down a long gravel road with a fence on one side  and campers on the other and finally came to a stop at a narrow empty grassy spot with campers on three sides. "I'll have a table brought over for you," she said.

We were put in an empty seasonal spot with a picnic table delivered just for us. The neighbors had to make adjustments. The next door neighbors had been using the driveway and the rear neighbor had a hose hooked up to our water supply. But they were very welcoming.  The couple next door invited us to join their campfire and let us have some eggs and milk for our breakfast in the morning.  They "borrowed" some little Canadian flags from another neighbor for us to take along for Canada Day. We enjoyed our snapshot into seasonal campground living. The residents come for the weekend and a week or two during the summer. Over the years they become friends with their neighbors joining each other for drinks around their campfires. For them it's an affordable vacation home.

When we left the next morning we stopped to thank the manager for accommodating us. She asked us to write a review on Trip Advisor. We said we would, but we didn't. I would have to say something like, "This is the most expensive campground I have ever stayed in and if you are tent camping forget about having a private campsite unless you beg the manager for somethng in the seasonal section and I'm sure you can't count on that." It wasn't worth the trouble.

The next day we stayed with Warm Showers hosts John and Janet Fulton, whose home Rob described as a Club Med. See my post titled "Where Rob Rides an E-Bike."

We got in at least one swim in Lake Erie before turning inland towards the Lake Huron coast.

Can you see the water sprinklers in the background? There were a bunch of little kids playing in it while we were taking a break from our morning ride on July 3. We couldn't let them have all the fun, so we changed into our bathing suits and joined them. The best part was a set of three buckets above our heads that would fill with water and dump over at random times. I tried to get under one before it dumped, but my timing was always off. It's a shame those parks weren't around when our kids were little. (July 3)

The train station is no longer there but the town is. When I saw the town's name I thought, "My Aunt Harriet passed away a few years ago. She would have had fun knowing there is a town named after her. I didn't think to take a picture of the town name when we passed it but got a second chance when I saw this sign. (July 2)

Ontario, like so many rural places we've ridden has beautiful farmland with picturesque farmhouses and barns and fields of hay bales. I've taken many pictures of scenes like this one, but not in Ontario. (July 3)

I promise this won't be the last farm picture. (July 3)

I'll close this post with a couple more food pictures.

Some camping meals can be healthy and turn out pretty darn good. We cooked this at our high-priced campground - tofu and stir-fried vegies with teriyaki sauce over coos-coos. The problem becomes what to do with the extra teriyaki sauce. We have yet to solve that one.

We have our morning routine. While Rob cleans out the tent, I make breakfast - hot tea and oatmeal with raisins and nuts. It's a meal that gets us started and keeps us going. After ten or twenty miles we might come to a town with a coffee shop or diner, nothing fancy, just a place for locals. Then we'll stop for a second breakfast. This is my usual. Notice the shredded homefries. Breakfast for the two of us cost $16 on July 2.

From the Travel Log:

Day 22: Friday, 6/28/19      

56 miles to Grimsby, ON

Warm Showers with Tom and Rhona

Delightful, easy and fast riding today. On the road by eight o'clock heading north along the Niagara River back to Niagara Falls for a second look from the Canadian side. It is certainly an amazing sight. Lots of short stops to read tourist signs and one stop for a swim in Lake Ontario at a beach in St. Catherine. Good thing, too, because further another beach was closed for health reasons, the result of recent flooding. Staying tonight with Warm Showers hosts who convinced us to change our planned route through Ontario, especially since we decided not to go to Toronto. So we'll be heading south to the Lake Erie shore, then west, then back north. Makes perfect sense to us.

 

Day 23: Saturday, June 29, 2019  

57 miles to S. Cayuga

Knights Beach Resort

Another flat tire, this time Rob’s turn, his rear tire. Neither of us could find the puncture in the tube so we both carefully examined the tire. I removed a small stone embedded in it, said a prayer, and we hoped for the best. Fortunately, this time there was no repeat performance. Mostly the riding was pleasant and fast, except for a very steep hill on a very busy two-lane highway with no shoulder. Poor Rob, he took the brunt of the drivers’ frustration, with at least ten people yelling at him. Nobody yelled at me. I guess they got it out of their system with Rob. 

This was a day to reset our course through Ontario. We started out on the Lake Ontario coast and meandered southwest to the Lake Erie coast where we found the most horribly overpriced private campground we’ve ever stayed in: $84. At least that was Canadian, but even so. We were directed to the tenting area which was packed with large groups celebrating the holiday weekend. (Monday, July 1, is Canada Day.) We had little hope of finding any secluded place to set up our tent. We went back to the office. I said, “All we want is a good night’s sleep,” and the manager said, “Follow me,” and she took us to an empty spot in the seasonal section. They even brought us a picnic table. Our neighbors were lovely, inviting us to their campfire and saying, “Let us know if you need anything.” We went for a swim in Lake Erie, cooked a teryaki tofu and stir-fry dinner, enjoyed our neighbors’ campfire and beer, and had a quiet night’s sleep.

 

Day 24: Sunday, June 30, 2019  

38 miles to Port Ryerse

The riding today was gourgeous and peaceful, all along the northern shore of Lake Erie. Everyone was outside enjoying the beautiful day and holiday weekend, working in their yards, walking, running, bicycling, sitting in chairs overlooking the lake. We arrived in Port Ryerse at 2:30, where we found John and Janet, Warm Showers hosts. John owns a bike shop on his property. It was early to stop, but we were happy for an easier day and time to get our bikes looked over. John adjusted my rear brake and cleaned our chains. I bought three new tire tubes, so now we’re ready for more flats.

 

We set up our tent in the shade of a tree in their enormous backyard. John and Janet were amazing hosts, inviting us to swim in their pool, offering us beer and wine and a chance to do laundry, and dinner outside on their deck with friends. They made us feel like a family. Rob spent time getting to know John while soaking their hot tub and I did some writing. Rob threatened to feign being sick in the morning so we could stay another day.

 

Day 25: Monday, July 1, 2019 (Canada Day) 

53 miles to Port Burwell

It really should have taken us about 35 miles to get to Port Burwell Proviincial Park. We got sidelined with a disabled rear brake and a lost phone and rode several stretches of highway two and three times. 

 

Day 27: Wednesday, July 3, 2019    62 miles to Pintery Point Provincial Park on Lake Huron

Our longest day! We flew along roads that felt like we were going downhill., but we weren't. Just flat, straight roads. Lots of wind turbines,  horse farms, and corn and wheat fields. Tree stands bordering the farms make for a very lovely picture. We got an early start after breakfast at Tim Horton’s and had 37 miles under our belts before noon. Lunch, groceries, ice cream, and a library stop ate up a couple hours. Then on to our destination, camping at The Pinery Provincial Park.

When we arrived around five o'clock all Rob wanted to do was eat. He was determined to finish the bag of potato chips I had only bought yesterday. I got to work on a block of Jarlsberg cheese and the remaining wheat thins. Rob said, "How about we ask our neighbors if they'll sell us some beer?"

I said, "Go ahead."

Rob said, "No." He can be a ninny (his word) sometimes.

I would have done it, but decided to call Rob's bluff. "You can't just talk about it. Go do it." "

Okay."

"Bring some money," I added.

Rob walked over to a neighboring campsite and I could hear him chatting with the couple over there. Then he walked back with a smile on his face and two organic lagers from Toronto, one in each hand.

"They wouldn't take any money," he said. I knew they wouldn't, but you have to offer. He added, "They said they only brought six bottles."

We were both incredibly grateful that this kind couple shared some of their limited supply with us. A beer never tasted so good. Later, I played some fiddle tunes at our campsite and they walked by and said they enjoyed it so much they recorded it.

After setting up our tent we went for a swim in Lake Huron. The sand dunes were covered in more greenery than I've ever seen and the beach was made up of small stones, not for barefoot walking. You can't see any land across the water. It's like the ocean without the waves and salt. Cold and refreshing, better than a shower.