Pancake Bay to Sault Ste. Marie

Saturday and Sunday 20/21 July

Two great days riding into the Soo as the locals call it. Tomorrow is a rest day.

Lookout at Agawa Bay - it was near here that the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975

Have now done 4200km with 3300 to go! The camp on Pancake Bay was on the lake edge. A stiff wind and sun kept the Mosquitos at bay. We had a campfire and sat around till late evening drinking Italian Merlot - just how camping should be.

I rode with Harry and Angela both days - stopping at the Agawa Bay park centre and various little eateries! 

I've been to see the Bushplane museum here at the Soo - an excellent exhibition of old De Havilland float planes.

The McKenzie River flowing into Lake Superior

The bike is going well - colleague Mile has done his magic and all the gears are now working properly.

I'm planning to stay with our friends the Broads next weekend in Toronto.

Anyway we are all off to dine Italian tonight. Next reports in a couple of days.

John at Lake Superior

Saturday 20 July

Self on the lake edge enroute to Pancake Bay. 

Neys to White Lake Provincial Park and on to Rabbit Blanket

Today is significant because we have now reached the half way point both in terms of days left and mileage done. 

3750km down and much the same to do. A short day today, only 84km. The hills were largely absent and the wind behind us.

I changed both tyres today, with the rear one showing signs of wear and the front one with a split in it. Hope they will both last the remainder of the trip.

Having set up the tent at about 1 pm in the dry the heavens have now opened and its raining steadily. Still about 3 hours till dinner time so I'll probably crawl off to the tent and snooze.

Dinner tonight was pork ribs and Greek salad and potato salad, delicious! Last night we had a chocolate cake! 

The terrain around here is still dominated by forest, but we seem to be well away from the lake (Superior). We passed a couple of gold mines on the road today run by Barrack Gold and Newmont. Jim visited a copper mine on the way past where he lost his younger brother to a rockslide in 1961.

We also saw another black bear crossing the road in front of us this morning. They seem to be quite road smart, waiting for the vehicles to go before crossing.

Relations among the riders is still fine. The new rider who joined us, James, rides at about the same pace as Chad, so are keeping each other company on the road. It's a pity they are so slow because they are now out there in the rain.

It's now after dinner, about 6.15. The rain has stopped but the Mosquitos have chased us into our tents.

Now the next evening. We rode 162km to Rabbit Blanket today. The first 30k were in rain but the day cleared up and we had good sun and variable winds all day.  

I stopped at a couple of places for coffee. 

The support team had sticky buns for us at Wawa at 130k. The day finished with a couple of big hills. Dinner was peanut flavored pasta and beef ragout.

The camp is beside a lake so we have wind keeping the mossies away at present - along with sun. 

Mike has helped me adjust my gears which have been playing up. Only 2 days ride from Sault Ste Marie and a rest day.

Angela and I stopped beside one of the few good photo spots beside Lake Superior.

Nipigon to Neys

Today was a long ride of 162km. It was a hilly ride and took Angela and I just under 8 hours to complete.

We stopped at 50km, Gravel River, and had blueberry pie and ice cream with coffee. The day started in rain with the air thick with Mosquitos. It had rained in the night ensuring all our tents were wet when we put them away.

Another stop at 11am at Rossport where we found a good restaurant for lunch. Caught up with Harry, Linda and Brian. A lovely spot to wile away 1/2 hour.

Another stop at Terrace Bay at a bakery

For afternoon tea. The hills were long and  steep and the day heated up to 33 degrees. We struck a 10km stretch of road works where the seal had been ripped up.

Got into camp at 5 pm and cleaned the bike. Now about to head to bed.

Beside Lake Superior 

Rossport

Angela and self dining at Serendipity Gardens in Rossport, enroute to Neys.

Have done 75km on some big hills and have 90 to do. A good lunch required!

Thunder Bay to Nipigon

Heavy fog for the first 30 km of our trip out of Thunder Bay this morning. Probably a good thing as it prevented me seeing any more of this ghastly town. Perhaps the Yanks could offer to do missile testing using it as a target.....

Nothing to see en route to our camp site except trees. Nothing much at the camp either, which is located beside the main highway. Can't quite understand why camp grounds need to be beside busy highways. 

The bike seems to be working fine after the various new bits were added. Petries Bike shop is something of an institution in Thunder Bay. The mechanic seemed to know his thing.

The ride was relatively short today, just 109 km. There were a few hills but nothing serious. Tomorrow is a long day of 162km with lots of hills. But we are to get good views of Lake Superior.

A new rider James joined us for 10 days starting this morning. 

Shabaqua to Thunder Bay

Easy ride to Thunder Bay for rest day. Bike needed an overhaul. New chain, cluster, one gear shifter and new gear cable. Guess the ride is harder on the gear than expected.

Stopped at Kakabeka Falls on the way in to town.

Thunder Bay is nothing to write home about - a very run down city centre. Their world famous pancake restaurant was dreadful. 

The much vaunted waterfront seemed to be dominated by skateboarders and drunks urinating in public. Sigh.

We leave town tomorrow. At least we get to see Lake Superior for the first time.