Day 49 Pancake Bay to Sault Ste. Marie 80 km.

This distance, 80 km, includes me getting lost for a few kilometres in Sault Ste. Marie. Or the Soo as the locals call it.
I didn't see the sign for Hwy 17. I find it a bit overwhelming in a large city, 70,000, to find a destination amongst the traffic, trying to read roadsigns and dodging potholes and other cycling dangers.
But I made it to Velorution
www.velorution.ca.
There probably aren't many bike shops that have a campground that you can stay for free. Or have a shower or use their Wifi for free. Good deal.
The ride here was good. Much like the previous days rides. I had quite a few people telling me how hilly it was before getting to the Soo. Yes there was a hill but not like in B.C.
I can also use my cell phone now. It's a bit isolating not having communications with the world. I would call Val on a payphone but the phones had bad connections so conversations were difficult.
So I'm spending the evening catching up on emails and this blog.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Day 48 Wawa to Pancake Bay Provincial Park 117 km.

I notice when I've had a rest day. I feel pretty good.
I met another cyclist on the way out of the campground this morning. Ian from Montreal. I didn't see him for the rest of the day except when I was returning to Pancake Bay from a shopping expedition 2 km down the road. Ian was shooting for Sault Ste. Marie, an over 200 km. ride.
Did I say he was much younger than me? Actually I've only come across one older cyclist, Ken, and I think he's still in Nipigon.
There are a few Provincial Parks to stop at along the way for either water or using the bathroom. There's camping at Agawa Bay but that was only about 56 km away.
There's a burger joint at the Twilight Resort in Montreal River. The burger and fries was very good. All made right there. In Montreal River there is only one convenience store and it was pretty grim.
The views of Lake Superior along this stretch were great. I think I'd call them accident causing. Do you know how hard it is to be watching where you are going on a bike and admiring the view at the same time?
The photo I've included is of Katherine Cove. Pretty nice. I could of stayed there all day.
The riding was pretty good too. Some hills, nice flat sections and a bit of cloud cover.
Since I've been heading South on this highway for the past few days I've also been riding into the wind most of the time. But the road changes directions many times which gets you out of the way sometimes.
Pancake Bay Provincial Park has 325 sites. Huge. Right beside the highway. Which is a bit noisy with traffic. The bay is beautiful. This is where the ship the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. Yeah! The one Gordon Lightfoot sang about.
I didn't get here until 5 because I went shopping just 2 km down the road at the Agawa Bay Indian Craft and Grocery store. Got some groceries, of course.
I was busy before and after dinner talking to a couple of people which makes it a short evening. And here I am in my tent with you telling you all about the day just before bedtime.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll finally get cell service and get these last couple of days posted.
Good night.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Day 47 Rest Day at Rabbit Blanket Lake Prov. Park

I realized yesterday that I haven't had a whole day off the bike since Steinbach almost two weeks ago.
So today I called in sick. Can't. Don't feel like it. Too tired.
See you tomorrow.
It was a day for drying out things from yesterday's deluge. A day for napping. And a day for bicycle maintenance. The Trek 520 needs a new chain and a rear tire. I've worn them out. Well the tire still has a bit of life left in it but since I will be passing through Sault Ste. Marie I might as well get it replaced at Velorution. A cross Canada cyclist's must stop bike shop. I phoned them today on the noisy payphone at the park gate and they have these put aside for when I arrive in a couple of days.
So I'm now packed, dried, rested and maintained for tomorrow's journey further South on Highway 17.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Day 46 White River to Wawa 129 km

Actually I'm 30km south of Wawa and camping out at the Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground.
I got an early start from White River. Even Winnie wasn't awake yet. The day started off a bit cloudy, started to clear up but by time I got to Wawa, around 1, it clouded up and started to rain. Pour is more like it. People in Wawa were scurrying about and running for cover. Since I just stayed at a motel and hearing that it's supposed to clear I put on my rain gear and stuck it out. It rained hard for about an hour and slowed to a drizzle.
The ride to Wawa was much like the day before with some hills and some good long flat sections. After Wawa there were a few more hills. In fact I was climbing into the clouds and visibility was not very good but cleared again after a short while.
I got some grocery shopping done in Wawa and looked around a bit but with the rain coming down it made it a bit uncomfortable.
Wawa, Ojbway for "Big Goose" (if I remember correctly) is a town of about 3500. At the visitor information centre they have the world's largest Canadian goose statue welcoming you into town.
At the visitor information centre I got the correct distance to the campground from Wawa. I'm finding that most of the directions and distances I'm given are wrong. As an example 35 km outside of White River is the Obatanga Provincial Park. I stopped in to find out the distance from Wawa to this park. I was told that it was only 5 km. In actuallity it is 30km. So I usually ask for directions or information from two sources and guess the rest. No wonder guys don't like to ask for directions!
I got to the campground about 5ish and wet. I'm going to stay an extra day for rest as I realised today that I haven't taken a whole day off since Steinbach almost two weeks ago.
Today my odometer passed 4000 km. A milestone.
Or is that kilometrestone?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1