Wawa, Ontario

The Wawa goose

Olin on the Canadian shield

Wawa Motor Inn, Wawa Ontario
The Big Goose
97.7 km, 22.8 kph
10 – 4; 4 hrs 16 mins

The road started hilly but second 45 km not too bad. We were told there was no where to eat along the way so packed a lunch.. but there were in fact 2 places @ 30 and 45 km.

Lots more lakes and pines and mountain ash and rocks (I think there’s a song); but no moose and nothing along the roads except boreal forest and Canadian shield.

The professional truck drivers throughout our trip across the country have been considerate of cyclists – they give us the full lane when they can and slow down if they need to. They are so huge and dangerous to us but do their best to keep away. The exception is the logging trucks on this stretch, they seem to have no ability to accomodate whatsoever.

Lunched at Kabotung Lake. Arrived at the Big Goose about 3.30.Took our requisite photos, a cruise through town, then checked into our motel. All these businesses are complaining of a shortage of labour (Wawa, White River and Marathon).

The Lake Superior Highway was completed in 1960, the goose commemorates the highway. Wawa Motor Inn built at the time, massive fireplace and boreal forest built in.

We walked around the town in the evening to the sound of children playing. I like Wawa: It had a bad rap when I was young – a famous spot where hitch-hikers got stranded. But it has a town centre and a good small town feel.

Hard at work on Highway 17

Wawa Motor Inn

White River, Ontario

Winnie the Pooh, born in White River, lives forever

White River Motel, White River
92.1 Km, 9.45 – 3.30
23.5 kph, 3hrs, 54 mins

Great day cycling today – complete contrast to yesterday. The road was good all the way, the wind was at our backs, the weather was warm. We went so much faster – the road was flatter and the hills no where near as steep.

Lunch at Gloria’s, at about 53 km. Best BLT in the country – and I’ve had many. Went by Henlo, with 3 mines (one closed, other 2 are huge). Williams mine is the biggest gold mine in N America, 400 – 500 k troy ounces of gold bullion per year.

We went through the 1999 fire zone, huge burned area, then arrived in good time to White River, birthplace to Winnie the Pooh. Museum has a display with the original story and several Pooh collections. The long arm of Disney is everywhere unfortunately – don’t copyrights run out?

White River has 1000 population, some industry, but its a tiny town. Dinner at the continental, early night.

Town of White River

Old Main St, White River

Hemlo mine

Forest fire area near White River

Marathon, Ontario

Black bear checking things out in Marathon

Sunday 20 August 2006
Travelodge, Marathon
114 km, 18.6 kph
6 hrs, 7 mins, 9.30 – 5.30

What a tough day, we are exhausted. Quite a pretty ride to Schreiber, two huge hills. Another big one to Terrace Bay, then non-stop hills to Marathon. It was slow and long, the longest day we have ever spent on the bikes.

Lunch break on the way to Marathon

The hills were unrelenting. Even coming into Marathon where we thought we might have a slope into town – we had 3 more hills instead. Views all along of Lake Superior, but not much of the ride right on the lake.

Morning tea in Schreiber, Subway from Terrace Bay eaten along the road. Lots of breaks, we are beat.

Taxi tour of Marathon – mill, mines, fair amount going on. Golf course looks good. Dinner at Prime Cut steak restaurant. And we saw a bear today… walking down the main street of Marathon. Yet to see a moose.

Travelodge run by Indian immigrant family from Winnipeg. No pool though – no pools between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste Marie, or so we are told.

Marathon tourist information

Road conditions good – most recently built or fixed and shoulders are fine.

Lovely rest spot along the road

Rossport, Ontario

Who's winning this one?

Saturday 19 August 2006
Rossport Inn, Rossport
76.6 km; 20.1 kph
10.45 – 4.15
3 hrs 48 mins

Road conditions much better today, good shoulder all the way from Nipigon to Rossport. Couple of minor hills outside Nipigon – then 2 major headlands to cross. One was 5 km up and 5 km down, a lot of work. Beautiful views of Lake Superior all along the way.

We’re staying in the Rossport Inn, oldest Inn on N Lake Superior, a gem. Breakfast at Huskey in Nipigon, lunch at Gravel River.

At Nipigon, you cross the bridge – all 2 lanes of it – which connects all of Canada. Every vehicle crossing the country goes this way. After the bridge, highway 11 goes north to Hearst and Kapuskasing. We’re staying on Highway 17 around Lake Superior. Hwy 11 might be easier cycling, but we don’t camp and the distances seemed too far. Traffic better after the intersection as a lot of the trucks take the other road.

Rossport Inn

Crossing the Nipigon River

Break on the shores of Superior

Nipigon, Ontario

Lunch at Dorion - you can see our equipment for this year's trip

Friday 18 August 2006
Birchville Motel, Nipigon
69.1 km; 19.3 kph
3 hrs 34 mins
10.00 – 3.45

Huge breakfast and nice gossip with Maria, then back up the hill to the highway. Good things:Warm weather, road not too hilly; Bad things: Head wind, poor shoulder much of way and heavy traffic. So we took lots of breaks and arrived in leisurely time at Nipigon.

Lunch at Dorion, afternoon pie at Red Rock, then to Birchwood Motel in Nipigon. Cruised around the town – but much of it is boarded up – businesses are up on the highway. Beer at the Legion, dinner at John’s Greek restaurant.

2006 Cycling trip first night: Eldorado Bay, nr Thunder Bay, Ontario

Olin and Suzanne at Thunder Bay airport

Thursday 17 Aug 2006
Eldorado B&B, Eldorado Bay, Ontario
50.55 km
2 hrs 16 mins, avs 22.2, 3.45 – 6.45

We left Vancouver at 7.00, arrived Thunder Bay at 3.00.  We’ve been putting our bikes in big plastic bags from the airline – but none available today so the bikes came unpacked and unprotected.  They came through fine, no real problems.

We left Thunder Bay immediately, stopping only to fix Olin’s first flat tire of the trip.  No stop at the Terry Fox memorial, nor at the place – now with a plaque – where he actually stopped running in the Township of Shumiah.

One big hill out of Thunder Bay, then we flew towards Eldorado Bay.  The road is newly built to McKenzie and then under construction after that.  The new road is good with a good shoulder.  Eldorado B+B is run by the Reeve of Shumiah, Maria Harding.  The township is responsible for the marker where Terry stopped.  B+B right on the water on Lake Superior, very nice place to stay (1 km down and 1 km back up tomorrow.)

Eldorado Bay bed and breakfast

Lake Superior from El Dorado dock