Out of the Prairies, Into Ontario!

It's been quite a trip from Winnipeg over this last week. I've finished the prairies, and am onto the next big challenge: Northern Ontario.

Right at the Ontario border the terrain changed. All of a sudden there were steep hills. Gearing down was a novelty at first, and it was a challenge to see how fast one could zoom down the other side. But after about a day that wore off...

Last one of these signs for a while. It will take about three weeks to cross Ontario!

In Kenora I was able to stay with Johannes' relative Melody. She was very nice, and made me a wonderful chicken dinner! The next day was Canada Day, and I rode hard to make it to Dryden for the evening. I watched the fireworks from my campsite until I was too tired and had to go to bed.

Canada day between Kenora and Dryden.

The lakes are really cool. I must have passed a hundred along the road since entering Ontario. Especially around Kenora they were really small and clean. Since then there has been a little more Muskeg, but still a great deal of lakes.

The bike with new scenery near Kenora.

The Savanne River (or maybe Savanne Lake?) beside the campsite last night.

For most of the time from outside Winnipeg I've been riding with Rachel (from bits of Alberta and Saskatchewan). It's great to have good company along the road, and I think the physically and mentally intense experience helped us quickly become friends.

Rachel on the road. Note the sunny skies and flat road ... this was a good day.

Well, many people warned me about them ... and now I understand why. A couple days into Ontario we noticed some small bugs that were greatly outnumbering the mosquitoes. But we couldn't feel them biting so we didn't worry about it too much. It turns out they are black flies, and you can't feel the bites until later. They seriously hamper your enjoyment of camping, and a cloud will sometimes form around your head when pedalling slowly uphill! Hopefully bug repellant (with lots of Deet) will keep them away.

Being swarmed by black flies on an uphill.

The towns are spaced quite far apart on the section between Kenora and Thunder Bay. At one point I was counting on filling my water at a dot on the map labelled Borup's Corner, but it turned out to just be someone's house at a junction in the road. I started talking to a lady who was helping in the yard there, and she convinced me to let her go home and get me an apple and some water. A few minutes later she came back with 3 sandwiches, 3 apples, 3 cans of juice, crackers and cheese, and a jug of water ... wow! She even apologized that she didn't have more food in the house to give me! I had to take a long lunch to be able to carry the rest on the bike.

People have been telling me the halfway point is anywhere between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg. Here's a pretty good guess ... at the point where it becomes Eastern Time. I feel kind of lame taking pictures of signs, but there really wasn't much else in this section.

As I write this, I'm well fed and comfy in Thunder Bay with Tuomas, Johannes' brother. Tomorrow we will play tennis, go sailing on Lake Superior, and head to the Blues Festival! On Monday I leave for Sault Ste. Marie, which will take 5 or 6 days of cycling. This section is right along the lake, and is apparently quite beautiful.

Cheers,
Dave