Lindsay to Ajax 94km

Thursday, October 17. 2013
Awoke to sun with clouds building all day. 16C.

After leaving the Kent Inn we had no trouble picking up the trail heading out of Lindsay. It was in great shape compared to what we had been riding on previously. The sun was shining and there was a slight west wind.

Great trail.

We made good time for the first 20km and then stopped for a snack. We were back on the bikes in no time. We followed the rail trail towards Uxbridge, but left the trail for back roads north of Port Perry. After a minor detour we retraced our route back to the trail and carried on for a few more kilometers. We double checked the map and were back on track.

Double checking the map.

It was very hilly as we rode south. Gradually the amplitude of the hills lessened. After cresting one particular hill we could see Lake Ontario in the distance. It was pretty much downhill from here into Whitby.

Downhill from here.

We went west on Taunton Road until we reached Ajax. After a quick stop in the grocery store for our supper we were heading south down Salem Road. We were relatively impressed with the respect shown to us by the drivers on the road. Finally after five and a half hours of riding we were home. It started raining shortly after we got in. We ordered pizza, made a delicious salad and watched the hockey game. It was a short trip, but it was totally worth it.

Ahhh, feet up.

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Fenelon Falls to Lindsay: 27km

Wednesday, October 16. 2013.
Rained overnight. Sun and cloud with afternoon showers. 19C.

The rain had stopped by the time we got up and it was already quite warm outside. We prepared our porridge and coffee with the aid of a microwave and were ready to go by 10am. We rode back to the main street to look at a few shops and the falls.

Fenelon Falls.

With a little help from the ladies in the Beerstore we found the trail our of town. It started out alright but soon became soft and bumpy. A wet, rocky washboard and there was a strong head wind. Our arms got tired before our legs did from holding on so tightly. Before we switched back to the highway we took a few pictures.

Looks easy right?

Having pedaled to Lindsay before we had a pretty good idea of where we were going. There was a dark cloud following us and rain seemed imminent. We headed to the grocery store downtown and sure enough the rain followed.

Lunchtime.

After purchasing our lunch we set up shop in the mall for a picnic.

Indoor picnic.

After an hour, the rain let up enough to go outside again. Wandering around downtown led us to the Chamber of Commerce And the woman working there recommended a place to stay that wasn’t even on our list. After checking in and relaxing for a bit it was time for supper. Burger and fries were in order and we had fun eating at Captain Georges again. A nice walk back helped settle our dinner and into bed for journal writing and baseball.

With our feet up.

Heading for Ajax tomorrow and with an early start we should be able to do it…

The Green Cottage to Fenelon Falls: 84km

Tuesday, October 15th. 2013.
Sunny with clouds. 15C.

We finally left the Green Cottage today although we thought about staying all week. As we left we saw four or five deer feeding at the end of the lane way. Surprisingly there weren’t any deer at the carott pile.

The carott pile.

After stopping at the grocery store on our way into Haliburton, we arrived at Beth’s office just before 11am. She was expecting us and we got to see where the painting of the Green Cottage now hangs. It’s even more impressive now that I’ve been there.

The Green Cottage.

There were a few shops we wanted to stop at in town, but we didn’t find anything we were looking for. Our last stop before picking up the Haliburton County Rail Trail is the bakery and it’s closed! Oh well, it’s now 12pm and we have got to get going.

Moving along.

The trail is pretty rough in spots and soft and sandy in others, which is actually worse, so we decided to try the road. We could travel faster now although there were a few hills to struggle up. It was 35km to Kinmount, but the last ten seemed to take forever. Eventually we made it and were thinking of inquiring about a room at the bed and breakfast there. Before we could we ducked into the general store to see what baked goods the had. We walked out with a selection of squares and a couple of cookies. After a little sugar we figured we could make the final 35km to Fenelon Falls.

Smooth sailing.

This portion of the rail trail was in much better shape and we were able to cover the distance in two and a half hours. We stopped a few times to snack and stretch and riding along Cameron Lake coming into town was a beautiful distraction.

We found the Fenelon Inn with no trouble and it is conveniently located near two restaurants and a grocery store. We opted for the grocery store and bought a bbq chicken, two sweet potatoes and brocoli. We microwaved the veggies and dug in. It was delicious.

Exhausted

With our feet up and the game on the tv we are pretty content. Going to sleep well tonight.

Haliburton Thanksgiving 2013

Monday, October 14, 2013.
Around the lake: 17km.
Sunny by noon, 16C.

Afternoon sun

After a great Thanksgiving weekend at the Green Cottage in Haliburton my Mom and I are ready to start the ride home. We warmed up this afternoon by cycling around the lake.

Fall colours

We went for a short hike afterwards and then spent an hour in the canoe just before the sunset. There are still plenty of leftovers here and we did our best to finish them off.

Supper time

A 9am departure in the morning should allow us enough time to poke around in Haliburton before we stop in at Beth’s office where the painting of the Green Cottage hangs. Stay tuned as the adventure unfolds…