Training Log Archive: OutdoorsMama

After work evening ride in glorious sunshine and temperatures. Greenway to Harrow and up to the 6th then a loop up there, checking crops (gaaa, some bad ones). Well, not really "after work" as I had 2 calls from customers about wheat harvest plans for tomorrow while I was riding.

So magical to ride home with the fireflies dancing around.....

I stopped to pick some blackcaps and in doing so, laid my bike down on the side of the Greenway so I could reach further into the brambles. Another cyclist paused to ask if I was OK.....

Small dose of vitamin b (bike) to help with work/life chaos. It does help.
Easy ride around town.

The forecast for 60% chance of rain dissolved over night, so it was another hot, sunny ride. West along the Glenannan Road (tar and chip) and I saw a wonderful little sign for the former hamlet of Glenannan....it lived and died by the arrival and departure of the railway line, like so many hamlets and towns in Ontario. Then we turned south into Wingham. We ended up on the main street, which wasn't busy, being early enough on a holiday Monday. Then it was south on Currie Road, which got us into some more hills. About half way to Blyth, the dreaded Fresh Gravel sign was posted. Between the headwind, the fresh gravel, the hills and the camping gear, it was not a fast ride. But it was a good one. The Rohloff gearing got me up all the hills, and I didn't even drop below 3rd gear.

You'd almost think I'd planned it perfectly....we got to Cowbell Brewing at 11 am, just as they opened. And they even had great bicycle parking out front. Very good food and beer......as long as you aren't the kind of person who thinks that Coors Light or Busch are the be-all and end-all of beers (we aren't those people, and so enjoyed the flight we sampled).

C • whoa! That's a lot of biking. 3

Headed east from Blyth on the G2G trail again......it was a very nice double track route. It was SO nice to ride in the shade of the woods for a few stretches. After 3 or 4 sideroads, Paul wanted to get out to the gravel, as his lack of proper bike shorts was really decreasing the fun element of the ride. The parallel gravel road (Walton Road) was in terrific condition, so it offered a smoother ride. But the lack of shade was oppressing. And with a tail wind, it was quite oven-like.

In due time, we turned south (yeah! headwind!) and about 6 miles later, arrived back at the farm we started at.

It was a wonderful mini-adventure. The route was what I was looking for......quiet gravel and rail trail. A few hills, but nothing we couldn't ride up. I really wish there were more official camping options (and reasonably priced ones, IMO). Stealth camping was mentioned a few times.

Pack rafting with bikes on the Maitland River (or Conestogo) could be added to the adventure. The G2G trail is a gem in the making. I am happy with it now, but more would ride it if it was a bit tamer. Adding some camping shelters along the route (like the GAP trail) might be part of a "build it and they will come" plan.

As we drove home, we saw the combines in the wheat fields. Wheat harvest has come a week early. Glad we got away when we did!

On the trail by 8 am.....with a ride through the Kissing Bridge, of course. Back west on the Kissing Bridge trail, with hopes of buying cold water in Linwood (but nothing was open yet, and being a Sunday, the trailside coolers of water and pop were part of the local "No Sunday Sales".) Just east of Millbank, we set off on some wonderful gravel roads, heading NW. The blast furnace wind was from the SW, and it felt good to have it on our faces (as opposed to at our backs). I loved the Mennonite farms with their neat (and lush) vegetable gardens. Paul had not worn his usual bike shorts, so was starting to suffer. There were a lot of breaks along the way.

At Atwood, we got on the North Perth Trails rail trail, which was very civilized. That brought us into Listowel.

After lunch in an air conditioned restaurant, and re-filling our water bottles/hydration packs, we set off north again. Just north of Listowel, it looks like there is a bit of a dispute over access to the trail, so we veered off to the west a road or two earlier than planned. The surveys for the townships don't line up (as is the case in many parts of Ontario), so the roads run at different angles in different townships. We turned NE and went from a cross wind to a tailwind. It was like riding in a furnace. Thankfully, within 3 miles, we moved into another township and rode more of a true north direction, which gave us a bit of a cross wind (thankfully!)

The terrain was starting to get a bit more rolling, and we crossed the Maitland river just east of Fordwich. In the heart of Fordwich is The Bare (Bear?) Necessities store. It is Must Stop for anyone biking through this area. The town sign said it was 34C (and this is "up north", compared to where we live). Water bottles (and hydration packs) become tepid very quickly in these temperatures. After a round of popcicles and iced tea, I had the idea to see if they sold ice. They do! We bought a 5.5 lb bag of ice and divided it between our hydration packs and water bottles. Oh, was that marvelous. The coldness against our backs was SOOOO good. It was still about 10 miles to camp at Belmore, but that ice made the difference. Several times we saw Mennonite families sitting outside under trees in their front yard of their farm houses.....they would wave, we'd wave back. I doubt they saw many other cyclists today.

We camped in a breezy field in the shade of a tree just south of Belmore at the PineEcho camp (so just south of the Bruce/Huron line). 99.5% of the folks there were in mobile homes (or not so mobile), and the transformer had blown.....so their air conditioning systems weren't working. We were very happy under our shade tree in the breeze.

Supper was rehydrated broccoli and a Lipton Noodles and Sauce, with a can of diced chicken as a last minute addition from the store in Fordwich. The camp put on a pretty big fireworks show. Once it was done, I could hear a lot of "clip clopping" of horse hooves on the road. Had the neighbours driven over in their buggies to see the show?