Let me give you the highlights of the last three days.
Sunday - North Bay to Ottawa
The North Bay to Ottawa leg is a familiar road for me. I have done this leg at least once before - on my old VFR. I wish I had thought of it - I should have crossed the river at Pembroke and taken Hw 148 - I am told it is very pretty - and I think I might have ridden part of it once with John, Ken, Mike and some other guys. If that is the correct Highway - it is pretty - Darn - will need to slip in a trip to see!
Anyway - the ride along 17 is just fine - nothing too exciting - but fine.
I stopped to see the NPD Site - but nothing to photogenic. I thought about going in the 32 km to the Brent Crater - but the road looked only so-so - and I wanted to get to Ottawa. SO - I soldiered.
Ottawa was busy lots of tourists (like me) enjoying a perfect Sunday - warm and sunny - in a very pretty city. SO - I had to park a fairly long walk back to Parliament Hill - wearing biker pants and carrying my coat and helmet. Yikes - I was sure hot by the time I got finished downtown!
Then - over to the National War Memorial. I think I stop for a look at this nearly every visit to Ottawa!
When - I got back to the bike - I added the Canadian flag sticker. Done - all capitals and all oceans on the list have been visited. Boom! Pretty exciting!
Over to the west end to visit my Aunt Isobel - who is still pretty spry for 96! She has been following this blog on her tablet - and I hope she sees this post and gets this shout out - Hello Aunt Issie!
My cousin Bev (one of Isobel's 2 daughters- you meet the other one Trice in the post from Vancouver) and her husband Ian were also at Isobel's residence for the visit. They gave me a welcome home gift - some local microbrew beer and a delicious R&J Romeo No. 3! Very tasty! They have spoiled me rotten - these are the same folks who gave me a Tim Horton's card that bought me coffee and lunch all across the country - and an LCBO Gift card that bought me a very nice bottle of Highland Park when I retired. Great to see them.
Then - over to see my friends Dave & Laura - and their 3 boys - James, Kevin, and Andrew. They feed me a huge home-cooked meal. Then, Dave and I sat and talked about our adventures this summer. He had a great bike ride around Ontario this year - you can see his adventures in his Tour de Great Lakes blog. Makes me think a couple of days on the bike yetthis fall might be a good idea! Hmmm.
I got to smoke my R&J Churchills which I had intended to smoke n the Pacific Ocean - but never did find a good place to sit and enjoy a cigar on the coast! Better late than never.
Monday - Ottawa to Haliburton
The next day - up and at it fairly early and took my favourite backroads from Ottawa to Haliburton. No pictures - but had a great ride - really pretty - one of very favourite roads to ride - perhaps because I have done it so many times. Very pretty and lots of fun to ride.
One funny story. Just past Clayton - suddenly I got a sharp sting on the lower right side of my stomach! Yikes - made me jump! I was still thinking - "Yikes, what was that?"- when I got stung twice more on the same side lower down just above the belt line! I slam on the brakes, and pull over on to the gravel shoulder (with a bit to much front brake still applied - which made things even more exciting), jumped of the bike, undid the coat, untucked my shirt, and dumped a bee out on the ground! Ahh - riding with the jacket unzipped - and the top couple of buttons off my shirt unbuttoned - I guess I hovered him up as I proceeded along the road. I bet he was as unpleased as I was be the way it worked out! Here I am on Wednesday - and I still have two huge red welts from where he nailed me. Holy smokes, I would be happy to not have that happen ever again!
No pictures from Monday! I forgot to take a picture of my Mom & Dad - can you believe it? My 1st visit to their new apartment which is very nice! I owe my brother, sister, wife, and the rest of the family a huge one for taking care of getting the move done back at the end of June while I was on the road. Anyway, had a great visit with them and another home-cooked meal. I could get used to this!
Tuesday - Haliburton to Toronto
The rain was threatening, so I decided to give the Buckhorn Road a pass - but I still used a fun set of semi-backroads to get to Toronto - and then down the 404!
The Haliburton Cenotaph
The Kirkfield Lift Lock. You know something, I have driven past this or close to this off and on since 1970 - and I think this is the first time I have stopped to have alook at it!
The Foster Memorial - cool building with an interesting history as per the link.
I stopped downtown at old city hall for a picture of the Toronto Cenotaph.
Last stop - the Mimico Cenotaph - just around the corner from the house!
Then - home - Kim had been tracking me on Google maps - and was ready to get a photo or 2 of my arrival home!
Yippee - together in our kitchen - very good to be home!
A martini - and the nice cigar Bev & Ian gave to to celebrate being home!
Conclusion
That is it! About 30,000 km and 83 days after it started - the Three Ocean Tour is over. Some time in the next couple of days - I think I will write a summary of my favourite places on the trip. I think I will also do an equipment review. BUT - that is it. Done. When I got home - I joked with Kim - "do you think I should do a second lap"? Maybe someday - because this is a huge beautiful country with tons of things I did not see the first time - and lots of things I would love to see again.
Thanks for following along on our adventure. Both Laurance and I loved this trip, and we are already talking about what might come next.
Congratulations on a great adventure! It was fun reading up on your trip on a regular basis, wishing I was doing the same. I've had the same experience with a bee on a motorcycle and one can easily lose concentration on the road - a dangerous thing on two wheels. Glad you are back safe and hope to catch up soon over a pint.
ReplyDeleteThanks Creg. Glad you enjoyed. Let's make a beer happen.
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