Northern Tier Cross-country Cycling Tour, Lake Erie Connector

July 29 to August 8, Luther MI to Niagara Falls ON

Lake Erie Connector map

7/29/05 FridayClare MI
7/30/05 SaturdayBay City MI
7/31/05 SundaySilverwood MI
8/01/05 MondaySt. Clair MI
8/02/05 TuesdaySt. Clair MI
8/03/05 WednesdayNew Glasgow ONT
8/04/05 ThursdayPort Burwell ONT
8/05/05 FridaySelkirk ONT
8/06/05 SaturdayPort Colborne ONT
8/07/05 SundayNiagara Falls ONT
8/08/05 MondayNiagara Falls ONT

7/29/05 Friday, Clare MI 73 miles

RonP riding the Pere Marquette trail It sprinkled a little about 5 am and again just briefly as we were leaving camp. We had cool weather for riding most of the day.

Today we rode our first couple miles on the Pere Marquette rail trail. We are now on the route my brother Jon, my friend Sue, and I took last summer in the opposite direction. (Tnx Brendan for the photo)

We're camping at Herrick State Park near Clare MI.

7/30/05 Saturday, Bay City MI 52 miles

Don slept in this morning so I rode with Maddy all day. With the new cook crew assignments she and I are now on the same team.

Delicious food for dinner At the terminus of the Pere Marquette trail in Midland there was a farmers' market in the city park. We bought as much as we could carry on the bikes - 10 ears of corn, green beans, green onions, peppers, and squash. (Brendan's photo was actually taken a couple days earlier, but it looks so good I had to include it.)

For the rest of the supplies we found a grocery store only a mile and a half from our campground at Bay City State Park. The store owner agreed to deliver the groceries to our canpsite.

7/31/05 Sunday, Silverwood MI 66 miles

Along the road today a nice family put out ice water for us and we stopped and chatted awhile. We're camping at Sutters Recreation Area near Silverwood MI.

Eric has decided to leave the group and finish on his own, like Wes. He will follow the route, but a couple days behind. I will inherit his cooking partner, Brendan. We are now down to 9 people out of the original 16.

8/01/05 Monday, St. Clair MI 64 miles

Don's rear tire blew out on the road today. After replacing it, the first two tubes didn't work so he ended up borrowing one from me. We were over an hour dealing with all of it.

Tonight we're at 1000 Trails campground near St. Clair MI, which is located about 8 miles north of Marine City where we will be crossing over the river into Canada.

8/02/05 Tuesday, St. Clair MI 19 miles

Sculpture of family of three cyclists in park with water in background Layover day in St. Clair. I spent most of the day in town to escape the mosquitoes in camp. In the park by the river there's an interesting sculpture of a family on bicycles.

There wasn't much to do in town. I killed a couple hours reading "Burr" by Gore Vidal in an ice cream shop. I also chatted with the Greek owners about politics, etc.

8/03/05 Wednesday, New Glasgow ONT 81 miles

View looking back at Marine City across the river We crossed over into Canada on the ferry at Marine City. This is looking back at Marine City across the water.

Statue of seaman up on a parapet This seaman looks like he's been standing on the ferry for a long time.

Today was long and very hot. We're staying at Hickory Grove canpground near New Glasgow, Ontario. The power went out shortly after we arrived. Fortunately, the cook crew got ice from the camp store before they closed. I tried to call the Fitzgeralds, who put up Sue and me last summer, but the pay phone wouldn't accept coins. I had called several times yesterday but only got his voice mail.

8/04/05 Thursday, Port Burwell ONT 62 miles

Another hot humid day. Staying at Port Burwell Provincial Park. Jeanne's friend Mark is joining the group for a couple days. He works for a company that makes machines to count people. He did the Trans-Am in 1976.

8/05/05 Friday, Selkirk ONT 63 miles

Lighthouse Much cooler today. Staying at Selkirk Provincial Park. We stopped at a dinky store at Peacock Point to help Don and Geoff carry food to camp.

8/06/05 Saturday, Port Colborne ONT 60 miles

Bike path along the water Most of the ride today was along the north shore of Lake Erie.

The group sitting down to a steak dinner We're staying at Pleasant Beach Campground near Port Colborne, Ontario. Mark's wife Mary brought us a steak dinner tonight. That's Mark sitting next to Jeanne on the left and Mary next to the rear on the right.

8/07/05 Sunday, Niagara Falls ONT 42 miles

Cyclists along bike path above Niagara Falls Mark and Mary rode with us most of the day. Thanks Brendan for the photo. That's Mary, Brendan, Don, Mark, and Jeanne.

We'll be staying two nights in Yogi Bear's Jellystone campground in Niagara Falls, Ont.

8/08/05 Monday, Niagara Falls ONT

Niagara Falls Layover day in Niagara Falls.

Maddy and Don in yellow plastic rain coats with hoods Several of us walked the tunnel under the falls. Here, Maddy and Don.

Don and I walked around town quite a bit, walked to a bike shop, and saw the IMAX movie about the falls.

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