The last 2 days of my trip were relatively uneventful. On October 2 I rode
about 85 km from the Haliburton Forest to Dwight. At Dorset, on gorgeous Lake
of Bays, I stopped at the famous Robinson's General Store, and took some photos
of the magnificent cliffs above town. It was another crisp, clear fall day at the peak
of the fall colour change. I took the road out of town that led to the Fire Tower
several hundred feet above Dorsetand climbed the tower itself. The views were,
and no doubt still are, ten years later, beyond spectacular.
That is because the great Lake of Bays stretches out both north and south, and
the forest was at it's absolute peak of colour change on another great, sunny
fall day. The road up to the tower is a long, fairly steep climb, and on the
way back down I had to feather the brakes so that I would not pass a jeep that
was only doing about 50km an hour. I wonder why I didn't pass that jeep?
As I arrived at the junction of Hwys 118 and 35 at Dwight, I saw a bear cub
cross the highway. I was not particularly concerned because I was now in town,
so even if the cub's mother was nearby, help was also nearby. I set up camp at
my brother's in-laws, who were also gracious enough to feed me, and I prepared
for the last day of riding. If all went well, I would travel along Highway 60 to
Huntsville, then cross Hwy 11 and take a road up to Burks Falls that was marked
on the map.
The final day was cold and grey, a typical October morning. I made it into
Huntsville, crossed the highway, and proceeded to bike up and down a bunch of
scenic backroads full of long hills for the next few hours, and then I booted it
back into town, took the new, unfinished hwy up to Novar, and bailed on the trip
after 1012 km (unofficially) and 8+days of riding. I should have taken the new
road right as soon as I arrived in Huntsville, and then I could have taken a
back road to Burks Falls, and Hwy 11 to South River.
I was disappointed that I did not finish the entire loop back to South River,
but that trip remains an epic adventure that I look back 10 years on, and can
say to myself, "how-and why-did I do that trans-Algonquin bike trip before
I had any idea about proper gear, safety and other issues!?!" I still shake my
head that I actually pulled it off. Of course, there is an old saying:
'There, but for the grace of God, go I!'
I am going to try to do an hour or two of stream fishing for speckled trout this
afternoon before the season closes tomorrow. Tough life!
Get out there, eh!
Uncle Travelling Dan
about 85 km from the Haliburton Forest to Dwight. At Dorset, on gorgeous Lake
of Bays, I stopped at the famous Robinson's General Store, and took some photos
of the magnificent cliffs above town. It was another crisp, clear fall day at the peak
of the fall colour change. I took the road out of town that led to the Fire Tower
several hundred feet above Dorsetand climbed the tower itself. The views were,
and no doubt still are, ten years later, beyond spectacular.
That is because the great Lake of Bays stretches out both north and south, and
the forest was at it's absolute peak of colour change on another great, sunny
fall day. The road up to the tower is a long, fairly steep climb, and on the
way back down I had to feather the brakes so that I would not pass a jeep that
was only doing about 50km an hour. I wonder why I didn't pass that jeep?
As I arrived at the junction of Hwys 118 and 35 at Dwight, I saw a bear cub
cross the highway. I was not particularly concerned because I was now in town,
so even if the cub's mother was nearby, help was also nearby. I set up camp at
my brother's in-laws, who were also gracious enough to feed me, and I prepared
for the last day of riding. If all went well, I would travel along Highway 60 to
Huntsville, then cross Hwy 11 and take a road up to Burks Falls that was marked
on the map.
The final day was cold and grey, a typical October morning. I made it into
Huntsville, crossed the highway, and proceeded to bike up and down a bunch of
scenic backroads full of long hills for the next few hours, and then I booted it
back into town, took the new, unfinished hwy up to Novar, and bailed on the trip
after 1012 km (unofficially) and 8+days of riding. I should have taken the new
road right as soon as I arrived in Huntsville, and then I could have taken a
back road to Burks Falls, and Hwy 11 to South River.
I was disappointed that I did not finish the entire loop back to South River,
but that trip remains an epic adventure that I look back 10 years on, and can
say to myself, "how-and why-did I do that trans-Algonquin bike trip before
I had any idea about proper gear, safety and other issues!?!" I still shake my
head that I actually pulled it off. Of course, there is an old saying:
'There, but for the grace of God, go I!'
I am going to try to do an hour or two of stream fishing for speckled trout this
afternoon before the season closes tomorrow. Tough life!
Get out there, eh!
Uncle Travelling Dan
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