Tour de complete

As expected motivation to blog fizzled and I missed some good photo opportunities. From sandbanks we continued to Kingston via the Glendora ferry to the loyalist parkway. That was a nice route with paved shoulders. We picked up a 3rd rider for an hour or two on the way to sandbanks and he joined us for the next day and night. Steve from Toronto, he had a bit of a mishap in Kingston cutting off a parked car and clipping his pannier on the bumper sending him over the handlebars onto the street. Luckily no serious damage and after a trip to the bike shop caught up with us at the Rideau campground just north of Kingston. We parted ways the next morning as he headed towards smith falls and us towards a cottage on bobs lake where we BBQd a feast, dried out our gear and took a refreshing swim in the lake. It was a great last night where we reflected on all the great memories of the tour.

The next morning with the excitement of seeing our families motivating us we made amazing time travelling the last 80 Km to arrive home early afternoon.

Off to sandbanks

We took 2 days to travel 200km to Sandbanks. We stopped at east colborg park the first night and had a beautiful site on a fast running brook. What we didn't realize is that the train tracks were a wedge away and the trains run all night and love their whistle through there.

We were pretty tired when we hit sandbanks. I got my swim in Lake Ontario checked off while mike decided to heed the advice of the signs that suggested the water was too polluted to swim in.

Get out of town

We left Daves just before noon and took the lakefront bike path right through the city past key beach in Scarborough then jumped on Kingston road to make better time. Our goal was to get to darlington but we fell short and stopped at a campground in the rouge valley. We had our first flat and mike was a little short of energy after closing the bar the night before. That said we still logged 70km through a busy route.

The big smoke

Back to the lakefront heading to Toronto. The bike path from Hamilton to Burlington is excellent. We stopped to listen to a band sound test the Burlington music feastival then pressed on to a good friend from Mississauga that treated us to great hospitality. There is no 9pm bedtimes available at big daves. I made it past midnight but missed out on closing the local bar with Mike and Dave. The BBQ champ really put on a feast.

Port colbourne, wetland canal, Lundy lane

the ride along the shores of erie was great. The rain let up, we rode to the canal then took a bike path along the canal to Lundy lane where we found a campground across the street from the sundowner. We were asleep in our tents by 9pm and back on the road at 8am for breakfast at the flying saucer then to the falls for pics an along the bike path through niagara on the lake and on to Jordan just west of st Catherine's to camp.

to long point then long grass

Next morning we continued but with one demoralizing change. The wind we so enjoyed the previous day had turned on us. We rode a long day to get to long point provincial park and arrived after the gates closed. We rode on in and setup camp on the dunes beside the lake. Amazing beach, all sand and we could walk 50 yards into the water and it was still only 3ft deep. Not a soul on the beach. Great spot.

From there we headed on a sightseeing tour of port Stanley, port Bruce, port Rowan, Turkey point, port Dover, stopping in each for fuel. One thing about ports, there is a long downhill in and a sonofagun uphill out.

We then headed thru nanticoke and stopped at the greatest place on earth. Sean would not be impressed. Pic below. We continued another 30 km to a campsite near Evans point.

That gets us to this morning where we are riding the rain to Niagara Falls.

Heading along the shores of erie

We left Wheatley park at 9am and had the wind behind us and we used it. It felt effortless to ride 30 km per hour. We rode to john e Pearce park expecting to camp but it is a day use park with all access to the lake fenced off. It was a very remote location and a local was jumping the fence as we arrived. She assured us that we could follow and camp on the cliff and we did. Amazing view. The tough part was hacking the gear and bikes over the fence.

View in morning