|
DAY 0 : July 3rd, 2009 ~ Arriving at Niagara-on-the-Lake
I was excited to do The Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Tour again this year. The previous and inaugural year was an amazing feat for everyone involved. It left vivid memories and a sense of grand accomplishment in my mind that I craved again now that July was once upon us.
This year started much smoother for me. For one, the tour started on Friday instead of Saturday which meant that I didn't have to spend an evening in an inn or hotel - I simply drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake straight from work instead. Saved me some cash which was a plus! On the way there I was overcome by how strong the wind was at times and looked at the fields of long grass beside and ahead of me swaying in the wind. Back and forth they swayed as if they were welcoming me back to this land, to the adventure that was about the start soon.
The second change in the tour this year was the starting point. This year we gathered at Historic Fort George for a pre-tour launch party. We were also allowed to camp within Fort George which I loved. I arrived pretty late and found myself setting up my tent amongst everyone else. It seemed as if some of the tour-members were already tucked away in their sleeping bags and fast alseep. I set up my tent quickly as the night was fast approaching and once that was done started hearing fireworks go off. Our neighbours accross the lake were having their own pre-party, however theirs was to celebrate the Fourth of July. It was a pretty nice display of fireworks and I was glad that I had at least caught that show this night.
The other show which I completely missed because of the time I arrived at Fort George was the performance by the Juno nominated band, Kobo Town. I hadn't seen this band preform before but heard many good things about them so I was hoping to have caught a glimpse of their music and style. I crept into my tent and made one last check that everything was ready to go in the morning and then zipped myself into my sleeping bad and awaited the next morning's adventure...
DAY 1 : July 4th, 2009 ~ Niagara-on-the-Lake to Hamilton (75Km)
The next morning did indeed come, but it took a very long time to arrive. ;)
The wind that I had noticed and felt on the drive to Niagara-on-the-Lake did not let up. It continued the entire night and kept me wide awake for the majority of the night. I felt that I had minutes of sleep and then quickly woke up again as the strong winds lashed at my tent. It got to a point where I wished I had reserved one of the barracks and stuck it out with the snoring instead.
I woke up tired and achey, not what I was expecting at all. I found during last years trips that my night-time sleeps were some of the most restful I'd ever had. I packed up my belongings and headed over the breakfast station. Pancakes and sausages was served this morning and I happily had a second helping of that! After some short speeches the cannons fired us off and we started our journey along Lake Ontario once again.
I found it a very tough ride. The bad sleep I had the night before coupled with the strong winds that were persisting today made it a challenging trek to say the least. The wind was against us for the majority of the day so it felt like twice the work to keep moving. Lunch was held at Charles Daley Park in the city of Lincoln and I found the meal to be incredibly satisfying.
Along the way to Hamilton I came accross some really spectacular photo opportunities. The landscapes in this area along the waterfront are beautiful to say the least. I quickly realized and made peace with, in the same breadth, that I would probably arrive at camp last or close to last every day because of my constant stopping along the trail to take photos. The Grimsby cottages was a stop that I looked forward to. The year before was mind-blowing when I came accross these beautifully decorated and impecably maintained houses in the town of Grimsby. And once again I was taken away with their beauty and heritage this year as well.
The last stop was at Confederation Park in Hamilton. I ate dinner with Vicky and her family. A wonderful family that I had met the year before and was happy to see again at this year's tour. After filling up on food I went back to my tent, prepared everything for the next day, wrote in my journal, called family and friends to let them know how my first day went and then slowly fell alseep.
I felt that even though the day was grueling at times due to the winds I had returned to a special place in my mind and in my heart. I looked forward to my eyes opening the next morning to see what was in store next.
DAY 2 : July 5th, 2009 ~ Hamilton to Pickering (68Km)
I woke up with the feeling I was hoping for. The same feeling I had time and time again the previous year after hours of cycling during the day and a full night's sleep outside. I was rested and felt ready to face the day. I found it was still windy but not as much as the day before.
The day's ride was quite picturesque which meant that I was stopping a lot to take pictures along the waterfront trail. It was fine with me, I'd rather be last and have snapshots of my favourite moments than miss those opportunities and regret not having a great picture. One of my favourites that I took during this tour was from today's ride. As I was cycling past the waterfront I noticed a little inlet which seemed very inviting. I stopped and walked into the shaded inlet and saw a couple sitting at the edge of the rocks holding hands. I took a couple of shots and walked away with a huge smile on my face. It's those moments when I find myself blown away by the scenery and then blown away still by an amazing picture coming out of nowehere that make me the happiest on this tour.
Lunch was served at the Port Credit Marina. It was very filling consisting of hamburgers or veggie burgers, lots of fruits, vegetables and dips. The ride ended at the GO Bus station at Exhibition Place in Toronto. Due to the city worker strike we didn't camp out at Fork York this year. Instead we had to take the GO Bus to Pickering and camped at the Esplanade Park. In some ways it turned out better than Fort York. The city of Pickering did an amazing job welcoming us and making it comfortable for the participants of the tour during the night. The washrooms and showers were located in the community centers just beside the park so they were both clean and comfortable to use.
I ate dinner once again with Vicky and her family. We shared some smoked salmon as an appetizer and boy was it ever yummy after a long day's ride. Afterwards a bunch of us hung out at one of the benches in the park and just chit-chatted for a while as the evening wore on. There was music being played in the background which I enjoyed, and massage tent was set up (the HIGHLIGHT of the day!). The city of Pickering also put up a big blow up screen and started playing the movie Twilight at 9:00 PM. I watched the first fifteen minutes and then decided to just go to sleep.
DAY 3 : July 6th, 2009 ~ Pickering to Port Hope (88Km)
The day started off with a great big breakfast in the park. Tons of bagels, fruits, croissants and snacks were available for the taking. One of the stops today was in Whitby at the James Rowe Museum. The Museum once belonged to the first mayor of Whitby, James Rowe. I was already falling behind by this point so I just went with it. I got off my bike, ate one of the fresh apples that were given out and walked around the area. I took some great shots of the some ducks by the waterfront and some more of the tall grass swaying in the wind. It was definitely a beautiful site to stop and appreciate for more than a few minutes.
Further on in the day we rode through Darlington. And where as Whitby was a beautiful site I couldn't say the same for Darlington. A huge General Motors office building was smack in the middle of nearby wetlands and I was stunned and uncomprehensive how that could be. It wasn't near any close developements that I saw. It just stuck out like a soar thumb in the beautiful wilderness surrounding it. One of the many reminders along the Waterfront Trail Adventure Tour that as time goes on eventually the trail will be completely developed from the influence of corporations and housing. An unfortunate reality and one that tugs at my heart strings.
The climax of the day was undoubtedly the last leg of it. The previous year we stopped at Presqu’ile Provincial Park in Darlington. This year we had to go further... to Port Hope. The hills to say the least were grueling. It was tough, and a couple of times I caved and walked up instead of cycling up some hills. I know, I suck but by the end of the day I was exhausted. I was looking forward to my tent and my sleeping bag fairly early. I couldn't wait to just curl up and fall asleep after dinner. By nine oclock I was in bed.
DAY 4 : July 7th, 2009 ~ Port Hope to Trenton (88Km)
I woke up this morning at 5:30AM to the sounds of seagulls and birds chirping. I didn't even remember falling sleep the previous night. I must have simply zonked out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I had slept the entire night through and felt unbelievably rested in the morning. I must say that waking up to the birds was a lovely start to the day. Sleeping in a tent beats sleeping inside a house anyday, as long as the weather is complementary too, obviously.
The day's weather started out with a light rain and was on the chilly side. There were dark clouds creeping accross the sky which made some people worried about the chances of more severe weather coming to fruition. It stayed like that for the majority of the day, but I enjoed it. I found it great weather to be cycling in. Especially considering last years weather on this day, it was scorching hot! I'd rather it be a bit on the chilly side and simply wear an extra sweater than it be scorching hot and worried about where to find mor water when your in surrounded by nothing by country wilderness. Along the day's ride I was able to chat with Marlaine, one of the tour organizers, for a while. I thoroughly enjoyed our chats as I learned more about the Waterfront Trail Tour and how much effort goes into pulling something like this together.
We ended the tour in Trenton and set up camp at the Centennial Park Amphitheatre. Most of the tour participants took part in the Aircraft Museum tours that were set up. A shuttle bus brought us from the park to the museum. It was pretty spectacular to be so close to such massive pieces of history and metal. I found it quite interesting to see how much war propels technology. Unfortunately it seems that's still a reality in our generation too.
For dinner we had a choice of penne or lasagna with salad and bread. I was pleasantly surprised to find the bread nice and hot. That was a treat in itself. Gavin's son wanted something to eat from the downtown area instead so I joined them for the walk. They decided to stop in a PizzaPizza to eat and while we were there it started to pour. All I could of was my towels drying on my tent that wasn't drying anymore. After waiting for a few minutes we headed back to camp... in the rain. The walk back felt three times as long due to the extra weight of wet clothes and shoes.
But it was well worth it...
As we neared the camp TWO full arched vibrantly coloured rainbows appeared. It seemed as if we were walking directly underneath them. It reminded me of the arch in Toronto to enter the CNE, except it was rainbows not concrete. An overwhelming experience to say the least. I could of ran to get my camera to snap a shot of the full arched rainbows but decided to substitute the photo for a memory. The moment and experience meant more to me than taking the picture.
Once back in the camp we came accross a singer named Louise Ford doing a short solo-performance in front of our tents. I missed most of it but the songs I did catch, one of them being Alleluia, were breathakingly sung. A very fitting way to end the day.
DAY 5 : July 8th, 2009 ~ Trenton to Kingston (132Km)
Today was the longest ride so far. I remember last year this day was blazing hot. I can still remember feeling the heat rise off the pavement while cycling on the roads. This year however was wonderful ride. The cloudy overcast sky kept the sun at bay. It was simply great cycling weather! It rained a few times but it was always a light rain. As we left in the morning we had an escort from the Trenton and Belleville police since some of the waterfront trail wasn't marked. We had an entire lane to ourselves and it was a great feeling as we passed by cars waiting to continue driving.
Lunch was held in the very cute town of Picton at Benson Park. The actual lunch was provided by Pinch Gourmet and I must admit it was one of my favourite meals on the trip. The bean salad that was prepared for lunch was out of this world. I wanted to ask them for the recipe so I could duplicate it back home.
A new experience this year for me which I completely missed last year was going up Lake on the Mountain road, to see, well, the Lake on the Mountain. Just before the ferry to Glenora is an uphill road that winds all the way to the top of the hill. Right on the top of the small mountain is, obviously, a Lake. It was a shock and surprise to see how big it was. There were some helpful plaques that described the history of the lake and some ideas as to how it may have formed. It started raining again which gave the Lake on the Mountain a very eery and almost ominous feeling. The extra kilometres up the hill was worth it just to experience such a lake, and it was an experience I didn't expect to be in Ontario. It had a exotic feel to it almost.
Bergeron Estate Wineries was one of the rest stops in the afternoon and one of my favourite ones in the entire tour. For a dollar you can taste their wine and I happily had two glasses of red wine. Soon afterwards along the trail I started smelling strawberries. I followed the scent along the trail until I found myself at a strawberry farm. The smell was so strong and aromatic I could almost taste the strawberries themselves.
As the waterfront trail got progressively closer to Kingston it was a joy to see the stunning views along the water. Last year around this section of the trail a fellow rider pointed out to me an Osprey nest atop one of the huge electrical poles. So this year as I approached the same area I made it a point to look out for it and sure enough there still was an Osprey nest in the same place. Only this time it was three times the size. There was no way to know if it was the same family of birds or if a new family had moved into that nest but it would've been pretty neat if I had visited the same Osprey's I had seen last year.
DAY 6 : July 9th, 2009 ~ Kingston to Johnstown (115Km)
The ride from Kingston to Johnstown was another doozy of a ride. Once again there were many rolling hills and strong winds. At one of the rest stops at Gananoque Municipal Marina there was kayaking. For the second year in a row I didn't participate in the kayaking but hopefully next year I will. The scenery in this section of the tour was fantastic. I took many a photographs in this particular region and loved every one of them.
From this point on I would say that the scenery and the waterfront trail becomes a full-fledged beautiful experience. Not that it isn't beautiful before this point but just more-so. One of the best memories on this tour happened while I was taking some photos of the waterfront trail. I came accross a great scene with some watergrass and a walk-out deck on the water. As I was taking pictures a loud rustling beside me startled me and as I jumped aside to see what it was a very large heron flew out of the grass and into the air. I wasn't fast enough with my camera to catch it but simply seeing it so close was one of the best gems I experienced on the trail.
The end stop today was at Johnstown Grenville Park in Johnstown. A stop I'm sure everyone remembered from last year because of the amazing dinner we had there. The same was said this year too. Barbecued half-chickens were served with pasta and potatoe salad. I pigged out on my serving and then promptly had seconds. I was stuffed but after the physically challenging day (and in some ways a more mentally challenging day) I was happy to be stuffed.
I hauled my stuffed self to my tent eventually and headed to sleep.
My favourite day of the tour was just a few hours away...
DAY 7 : July 10th, 2009 ~ Johnstown to Cornwall (85Km)
Hands down, today is THE BEST day of the tour! From Johnstown to Cornwall, it could be summed up in one word... FUN!
The entire trek starting in Niagara-on-the-Lake to Johnstown is worth it simply to see the sites of what today's ride offered. The Waterfront Trail meets up with the St. Lawrence River. It always floors me to see just how blue the river's water is. As soon as I see the St. Lawrence I have a smile on my face from ear to ear. I often imagine what it would have been like to be a Native Indian traversing the river as a means of transportation whenever I see it.
I was riding with Anne-Marie and she saw a snake cross the path and yelled out "Snake!" I couldn't stop laughing after that for a few minutes. I'm sure it was scary for her but from my perspective it was quite comical.
Upper Canada Village was our lunch stop for today. On last years tour I went ahead and took the tour of the Village but this year I decided to skip it in order to save some time. Took off on the trail after resting and eating a good lunch and found myself stopping quite often to take some more great photographs along the water. The Lost Villages Museum was another rest stop I was looking forward to. By this time I was getting pretty tired and took a longer rest than I usually do. It was the last rest stop for the day so I allowed myself to chill out a bit. I was also getting a little sad by this point as well because for me the tour was almost over as I wouldn't be doing the last day, Day 8.
As I arrived into Cornwall on my bike I had a great sense of accomplishment but at the same time had a contradicting emotion of loss and sadness. This was the end of the road for me (pun intended). I made sure to say goodbye to everyone I could find and took a few shots with fellow participants. As I said goodbye to Ian, one of the tour organizers he gave me the medallion that were going to be handed out the next day to everyone else. We got into the main truck which carried everyone's luggage from one stop to the next and he asked me to close my eyes. He put around my neck the medal for this years tour and when I saw it I loved it. Instead of simply a typical medal it was personalized by being made out of bike parts. A bike chain encircled the actual medal. It was a very touching moment becasue it was an honor to have been a part of the Waterfront Trail Tour again and to receive such a splendidly crafted medal but I was also sad to see it come to an end.
I gathered all my belongings, my tent and my bike and waited for my ride to arrive. This year there was going to be a shuttle bus from the end of the tour back to Toronto but I wouldn't be using that as I was leaving a day early. I felt terrible that I was missing the last and funnest meal on the tour. For the dinner in Cornwall was set up in a banquet hall, a full catered yummy dinner. When my ride finally arrived I packed everything in the car and reminisced about the last seven days.
DAY 8 : July 11th, 2009 ~ Heading home
As everyone was cycling to Riviere Beaudette from Cornwall, I was already back home. I really felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle by not doing the last day of the ride. Even though Day 8 is the shortest day clocking in at around 35Km it still would have been nice to say that I did the entire trek. I had to arrive home for today in order to attend a family function.
This year's tour was a lot of fun which was to be expected. A few people mentioned during the last 7 days that this year was missing something. Even though it was a blast once again this time around I also agreed with that. It seemed that the Wow factor had gone, obviously because we had cycled this route already and we knew what to expect. I was looking forward to certain days because of how amazing the scenery was going to be and other times I was almost shunning the ride ahead due to the enormous hills which I knew were looming just around a corner. And yet, even though the wow factor was not there all of the time, the friendly people that I met from last years ride were, as well as a bunch of new people that I had gotten to know as well made it just as special and adventurous.
The reason I enjoy cycling so much is because it keeps me healthy. Not only for the obvious physical reasons of being cardiovascularly active but it keeps me healthy mentally as well. Suffering from depression in my early years took years out of my life. Cycling reminds me just how much is out there to be explored.
I consider cycling an active celebration of movement, exercise, loving life, enjoying nature, appreciating your community, and embracing friendships.
The Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Tour
July 4th - July 11th, 2009