July 30 Day 61 110kms Mattawa -Deep River

So I don’t think the Catholic School is on Summer time, woke up  to church (school) bells at 8:00. I’m usually up by 8:00 but I think I was tired out from yesterday. Packed up, stop & got some new batteries for the odometer, it didn’t work all day yesterday but today it was good. Went to the restaurant I was at last night and did my blog. They were closed but always nice when you have their Wi-Fi from the night before. 

 I went for pancake breakfast at the Lions Club. The people were so kind I got my breakfast for free when I told them I was biking across Canada. Was asked to sit with one of the councilman, locals and a historian, chatted and ate pancakes and syrup. 

So I was late getting on the road again it was 11 o’clock and the sun was up and hot so hills & heat again today . Just out of Mattawa this truck pulled over & a lady I had seen In town gets  out, wanted to know if I needed anything. We talk a little, her name was Ethel, she was 81 and a newlywed, only been married for 4 months to her 91 old husband. So awesome. 

Drank a lot of water, at one of the rest stops asked how far it was to the next gas station because I needed water & was given two bottles. People are good. 

As I was getting closer to Deep River where I was staying at a warm showers host for the night, a car pulled over and it’s my host, they were heading to Mattawa for the music so they told me how to get to their house and I get to stay in a little guest cabin. got there, unpacked and showered.

My view from my door

No bed but no bugs either and I don’t need to set up the tent. 

 I went into town and had supper. Shauna phoned so that was nice to have dinner in a way with someone. I’m back at the cabin, tired again tonight, I think I’ll hit the sack early. Beautiful spot that I’m staying, their home is right on the Ottawa River. They have a private sandy beach so I think I will get up and go for a swim in the morning. 

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July 29 Day 60 116 Kms Sturgeon Falls – Mattawa

So a most excellent day. Started my day with some Pilates on a dock on the river at the campsite. 

Michelle, a cousins of Gina (the owner) was there this weekend, she’s a yoga instructor snd she put on a class last night but I was one beer in and starving and wanted to eat so I didn’t go. But did I get the special treatment this morning, after chatting awhile with her & Gina’s sister, She had me lay down and used a tuning fork ( it makes a vibration then placed on on the spine) on my back then she finished with rubbing oil into my brow& temples. It was so peaceful. She gave me A little bottle of essential oil (Citrus) for when I need that little pick me up. Beautiful lady. 

I never left till 11:00 & it was already 26 out and getting hotter. I was on the highway till North 

Bay then my GPS took me through the bike trails. Stopped for lunch at the beach, met some really nice people, they were waiting for a concert in the park to begin.


My treat, hamburger cupcake

On the way out of North Bay the GPS took me on small roads, through acreage and farmland, beautiful scenery but there were so many short steep hills and with the heat & the hills Im completely worn out today. I haven’t use my first and second gears as much as I did today since back in BC through the mountains. When I did get back to the highway I had 28 kms to go, it was 5:30 so I didn’t get into Mattawa until around 7:00. 

The church I slept behind, St. Anne’s Church

I knew the campgrounds were full because there’s a big festival going on so I went straight to the church and I’m tenting in behind the church which is only 2 minute walk up the hill from the bandstand, (and the Porta potties). The music is very loud, which is cool, so I’m being serenaded till around 2 o’clock in the morning.

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July 28 Day 59 91 kms Sudbury – Sturgeon Falls

After I napped yesterday I went downtown, didn’t really do too much got something to eat ended up going to chapters but a couple books but the ones that work do you have any pack. Headed back to the room playing on my phone for a while and then went to sleep. 

Sunset at the college 

This yard was so cute with the bears, 3D carvings, ones under the tree, & two more standing up too.

Lots of solar in Ontario 

So when I was leaving Sudbury today did something funny. My odometer wasn’t working so I was checking out the part that’s on the wheel pulled, over by a tree. Thought  I should change the battery, then started off down road. It still wasn’t working, so pulled over again to check the other part of it that’s up by the handlebars. Just then a Hydro truck pulled over, they had seen me working on the bike by the tree. Asked if needed any help, I’m like “No , it’s just my odometer”. But then I look back towards my wheel &!see my toolkit sittingthet, I realized that my sleeping bag my air mattress everything I took out of my bag was still back at the tree. so I’m like you guys are a help thank you so much I would’ve kept going if you haven’t stopped and talk to me. I headed back to get my stuff, the sleeping bag was over $150. 
With the odometer working now, I headed down the highway. Crazy highway small shoulders really busy but people were good, truckers pulled over when they could. This guy passed me and pulled off the road ahead of me, knew he wanted to talk. He was out of his vehicle so I stopped and talk to him for about 20 minutes. He was really excited for me something he always wanted to do and he’s in a spot in his life where he’s got the time and he might do a short tour in September. 

In Sturgeon Falls 

Got into Sturgis Falls and went to my campground, KOA one. They had a barbecue I could use so didn’t have any protein just vegetables that I had bought in from a farmers market on the road. So set up camp and then into town but some chicken and some sweet potato and had a great supper, cooked on the BBQ. Got myself some ginger beer too it was OK. 

Cheers & Good night 

July 26 (morning of July 27) Day 57 0kms Longlac

Today was a waiting for the train day. Original arrival time was 1:05 pm but everyone said it would be late. Had a crazy thunder/lighting storm the night before so I took my time packing up while my tent dried out. Rearrange my gear wasn’t sure how the train would want to load the bike & my bags. Went to the library to do some booking for the next few days and print the boarding pass. So after phoning VIA rail learn the train was very late 10:30. 

Renaud who I met the day before stopped into Robins Donuts where I was hanging out using WiFi & offer to show me around a bit, went out to his brother & wife cabin on Margo Lake (think that’s the name of the lake), beautiful greenish/blue lake and the water wasn’t cold, only walked in. Really nice people, they live in Fort Mac – come to the cabin for summer holidays. Dinner the waited some more time, train didn’t get to Longlac till 12:00 – so 11 hours late for a 12 hr train ride. Lol Renaud stay & visited till then, station was closed and nothing around. That was kind of him, said he was worried about the bears. 

Sunset at Longlac

When the train did arrive they loaded my bike with all the bags, never had to do anything to it. 👍

Sarah Hunder & John Hunder look what they had on the train to pass the time. 

That’s why the train so late, CN Get first priority, so we’re pulled over and stopped as this freight train goes by. And there’s lots a freight train. 

So never saw any scenery till daybreak, mostly trees/lakes but nice. Got into Sudbury around 12:00pm which made my room booking work out better because I had change it for July 27 (not the 26 or I’d been checking out at 12:00 with only a few hours sleep) so now I have the night & the morning. 

Shower & Nap – didn’t really sleep on the train. Was my first train – so in this trip I’ve traveled by Ferry ⛴ Airplane 🛩 Greyhound 🚍 Rail 🚞 & Bike 🚲 Cool. 

July 25 Day 56 44kms Geraldton- Longlac

Easy day, took my time cycling- check out the provincial park on the way to Longlac. Got into town found the train station. Everyone I spoke to said it is alway late, hope its not too late would like to watch the country side go by. It’s my first time on a train, I’m excited to try something different & save 7 days on the bike, looking at mostly trees. I decided to do the train because it gave me the time to cycle NFLD. Hoping I’ll be on the trail tomorrow close to the 1:00 departure time. So I will likely not post tomorrow, I don’t get into Sudbury till 1:30am & that’s if the trains on time. 

Said goodbye to Hugo this morning- glad I met him. 

Part of the gold mine at Geraldton 

Along the way. 

Old, vandalize church in Longlac

Went down to the laundromat, had a beer with these guys, middle guy owns laundromat, waited for clothes my dry & shot the sh*t

July 24 Day 55 90kms Beardmore – Geraldton

Another beautiful day, sun, sun, & sun. It a good thing I love the sun and don’t mind the heat. Drank a lot of water needed to fill my water bottles a couple of times. Stopped at some construction where there were a couple of Moterbike on the side of the road, the Harley was broken down, two couples going across Canada, Alberta to Nova Scotia. So the women are like ” aren’t you scared?” “What about bears?” These are questions I get all the time, I’m not scared, told them anything could happen to them too, flip the bikes, break down in the middle of nowhere, lol cause that’s where we were. But I thought later about the bears, I wear a whistle so if I see a bear ahead I can use it to let them know I there, hopefully they would run off. But I haven’t see a bear since the island, and I think it’s because I’m cycling in the heat of the day, the bears rather be in the shade. So I hope I keep getting hot days. 

Got into Geraldton around 3:00, tried the ladies at the post office- if they knew where a biker could stay. They tried, made some phone calls but it looked like the provincial park was going to be camping spot for the night (Big $$) didn’t think it would be safe just camping at a park because they have a bears that come into town. So said thanks and went for a bit of bike ride down & around town, then I thought I google Catholic Church, the priest might know someone. 

Well it turn out that Hugo (the deacon, soon to be an ordained priest) invites me to stay there, in a room, with bathroom for own, bike in the garage, and he takes me out for dinner. He’s a young deacon, only been at this parish for 4 months. I really liked him, easy to talk too, with some new ideas for the parish- there’s a funeral soon of young, native man (15) and the family wants to do the drumming ceremony outside as people come in. He then invites them to continue inside the church and to do a smudging ceremony inside as well. I think he will good for the community. He’s restoring the hardwood floors in the rectory too, they were plywood, then linoleum tiled over as well as cleaning the place up big time, there hadn’t be a priest for two years. He showed me around the church, it was huge!! We chatted for quite a while too. 

Now this is the cool part this is Saint Theresa Parish. So maybe Theresa had something to do with me finding a safe place to stay the night. Hugo gave me a Saint Theresa rosary, card & metal. Blessed the rosary and me. 

This is hanging above the my bed, very appropriate. 

Off to sleep 😴😴😴

July 23 Day 54 85 kms Nipigon – Beardmore

Slept in until 9 o’clock this morning, I guess I needed it, plus a real bed is so appreciated. It was blue skies with a gentle breeze all day. 

The locals are pretty proud of the new suspension bridge

A view back of the bridge after turning north on the highway 

Beautiful lakes, a lot of rock cliffs (Guess that’s the Canadian Shield). 

Geez I wish I wouldn’t  squint so much. They put sunglasses on the snowman & give him a fishing pole for summer

 Got into Beardmore a little before 4:00, cycled around & picked out a camping spot, in a park with a picnic bench. Then up to the diner, they had just closed at 4:00 but were still there cleaning up so I filled my water bottles & got a treat. That was the only place open in this little town on a Sunday. So a quiet evening, go for a walk & read my book. 

July 22 Day 53 80 kms Shuniah – Nipigon

Not the greatest day, thing weren’t digesting last night so didn’t sleep, rain started early this morning too. Got on the road by 7:30, rain, headlight, taillight & narrow shoulders ( can’t believe I’m on the Trans Canada highway in Ontario & the roads have such narrow shoulders) Made good time, got to Nipigon a little after noon. Treated myself to a hotel, wet & exhausted I wanted a bed & bathroom. Did go for a walk into the little town of Nipigon but made it a early night. 
Don’t know about the look on this guys face now that I look at the picture maybe I shouldn’t have sat on his knee. Lol 

A really pretty garden 

A church

They are very proud of the world Record brook trout being caught here. This is s replica becouse the original burnt in a fire the Museum had back in 1990

Went to the Museum, this is how you could get a perm back then, set you all up, pin you hair then spin the chair, turn it on you could smell the brunt hair. 

Because here in Nipigon this the only highway that crosses the country east – west, it’s has major truck traffic. These are two of the gas station plus non stop trucks moving on the highway too

July 21 Day 52 32 kms Thunder Bay – Shuniah

Short day on the bike, said good bye to my Warm Showers Host.

Dan in front of his green houses. 

I was planning to get Nipigon but I stopped & talked to these older fellows only a couple street from where I stayed for about 10 minutes. There was a couple in the trails that I must of talk to for 20 minutes then another lady for about 45 minutes, the bike ride to the Terry Fox Monument took almost 3 hours with the talking, one stop at a bathroom & pictures taking. 

That’s a bike lane!

Centennial Park 

Did some off roading, lol

Another view of the sleeping giant 

Then chatted with people at the Monument too. So I left myself a whole afternoon of cycling, likely not getting into Nipigon till 6:00. So I stopped early at Shuniah. 

Store pet where I bought my dinner. 

Back to normal on the bike tomorrow.

July 20 Day 51 Site Seeing in Thunder Bay

Woke up in Dan & His neighbor’s back yard gardens, sun was shining, birds were singing (ok it was a crow cawing) but still it was going to be a great day. Breakfast was simple, Granola, yogurt and a banana on the lawn by the tent. 

I needed to go to the library to do some banking but wasn’t open till 10:00 so went for a bike ride around a near by park, Boulevard lake, not a lot of people out, some runners, families, bikers, paddle borders, & some canoers. It was a really nice bike ride through the park. 

Got my stuff done at the library, got to see some really neat old buildings down by the library. Not used to see such detail in brick work, most of them are churches. 

After that I went down to Fort William historical park. They were having a big carnival this weekend. So I got to see some old circus style acrobats under the big top, really amazing. A Lumberjack show ( same one Ashley took us too in Grouse Mountain a couple years back) still it’s a good show & the guys are petty comical too. Then a fly boarding, water skiing show. Very cool.

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Plus made sure I took in the actual Fort too, the birchbark canoes reminded me of when Uncle Bill (50 years ago) did the Alexander Mackenzie Canoe trip , I’m sure he probably passed right by here. ​

This is the picture of the trip I talked about with uncle Bill he’s the one on the far right with the mohawk. See I come by this going across Canada thing honestly.

Biked home, my bike ride to the fort and back was about an hour each way so bike ride today anyways. Got to go through lots of trails, Google Maps always sends me on more trails then roads if it can. Grab some goodies, hummus, goat cheese and some fresh bread, at the grocery store then raided Dan’s garden for fresh green to make salad for supper. It was a late supper 930 and it gets dark here by 10 so off to bed after that.