Eaux Canada

Friday, June 16 to Monday, June 19, 2006. Coteau-du-Lac, QC, to Kingston, ON, with stops in Cornwall, Prescott, and Ivy Lea. Due to an absence of data coverage in the Verizon network, we have been unable to post blog entries (other than the pictures Nancy posted from the hotel computer in Cornwall). We have been following the St. Lawrence River along route 2 (if you have a map), and into a stiff headwind each day; I should point out that we are not complaining about the wind, since without it we would be suffering in the heat. Yes, not complaining about the wind. It could be worse.

When we left camp in Coteau-du-Lac, the sun was out and the wind was a solid 10-15 mph. Without a reliable weather forecast, we were not aware of the forecast winds, and so were not really mentally prepared for them, making the ride seem longer and more difficult. So we slogged along, and it wasn't long before we left French Canada and entered English-speaking Ontario (although the overlap in languages is large). We did stop in Riviere-Beaudette to get a couple more Mocha Coffee Crisp bars (which we had never seen in the US - and I ask the Nestle corporation, WHY?).

It was at the end of a long segment along the 401 frontage road, where we found a convenience store and McDonalds, that we stopped to discuss lunch. The offerings there were slim, with the McDonalds, a Dairy Queen, and a Tim Horton's (the joys of which we were yet to learn), so, spotting a billboard proclaiming the Lancaster Inn Restaurant and Marina just 2 km down the road, we headed there. Of course, it wasn't there. So on we went, and on, until finally we found TJ's Roadhouse, on the river (but supposedly in Summerstown), where one waitress served us and about 9 other tables so ably that we were never left waiting for long.

Arriving in Cornwall, but with no clear idea of where to stop, we pulled in at what turned out to be a mall. We got excellent directions from a mall worker, and even picked up some area maps, but we still stopped once again when we got to the tourist information stop at the end of the big bridge from the US. Rain was in the forecast, so we sought out a hotel and found a nice one nearby. They were very accommodating; we were allowed to store our bikes and trailers in the coat check room by the front desk, since our room was on the second floor. It was one of the few rooms left in the city because of two things - the Jehovah's Witness Convention and the Canadian Premier's visit. Our timing remains impeccable.

In the morning, we slept a little late, and then discovered that the hotel had a computer available for guest use. We availed ourselves of that, I checking the weather and finding potential locations to stay, Nancy uploading pictures. It was noon when we finally left, our sights set on Prescott, a riverside town across from Ogdensburg. Our initial plan was to go to the KOA in Cardinal, about a mile in from the river, but the continuing chance of rain and the 100% probability of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals led us to book a room at the Ship's Anchor B&B.

We knew it would be windy, and were more mentally ready for it, but it was still a difficult ride. We could see a paved path off to the left of the road, but it would occasionally veer off into the woods and out of sight; and besides, it being a weekend, it was peopled with recreational riders, families with kids careening about, dogs walking their people, so we stuck to the road. After Quebec's mishmash of off-road paved paths, unpaved paths, on-road bike lanes, on-road lanes with BOTH DIRECTIONS on ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, and intermittent advisories to use the SIDEWALK, we weren't sure we could trust another path.

We got some directions at the tourism office near the Upper Canada Villages site, and figured we should stop for lunch in Morrisburg. I was hoping for a nice place riverfront, but as we got in to the town and almost out of it before I knew it, it became clear that we would have to go somewhere less picturesque. That's when Nancy proposed we go to Tim Horton's, one of the ubiquitous chain that dot Canada and some US border cities. We had last seen a Tim Horton's on Toronto, a few years ago, and I thought they just made doughnuts. Now, of course, they serve lunch, including sandwiches, soups, and desserts. We each had a sandwich (which was good) and a maple-glazed doughnut. The doughnuts were so good, we went back for more; this time, I got a Chocolate-glazed, Caramel-filled doughnut for Nancy (you read that right, Mary Beth).

Nancy, clearly on a sugar buzz, got us to Prescott at a pace I found difficult to match. We found our accommodations at the historic Ship's Anchor B&B, a house that dates to 1832, right next to the Coast Guard station. The hosts, Bob and Marilyn, were fabulous, and we asked where we could watch the game that evening; they said we could watch with them, right there in the living room. We had just enough time to run down to the LCBO for some libations for the evening. We joined them after dinner, partway through the first and with no score; when Edmonton scored, we all cheered and Marilyn jumped up and rang a bell. If you missed the game, I'll just tell you that bell got rung four times. We had a marvelous evening.

Breakfast was a delight, as well, and even though we were SO comfortable that getting up for it at 8:30 was kind of a burden, it was well worth it. Bacon, eggs, sausage, fresh fruit on strawberry yogurt, and English Muffins, all well in advance of departure so it wouldn't sit heavily in our stomachs. As we were getting ready to leave, Bob suggested a temporary modification to our trailer flags so that they might stick out more at an angle than straight up; it seemed like a good idea, but ultimately it didn't work as well as planned, so we reverted to the straight-up style. One idea that DID work was Nancy's idea to stop for a bag of ice before we left and fill our backpacks and bottles with it. That led to nice, cold water all day.

Our next stop for the might was the KOA at Ivy Lea, in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence (yes, the dressing originated here, at the behest of the a Mr. Boldt, owner of the Waldorf Astoria chain, while on his yacht). This was SOME campground: it has a pool and a hot tub, which we used while our laundry was . . . laundering. Coin-op washer and dryer, did I mention that? No hanging up clothes on the line tonight. That turned out to be a good thing, because rain was forecast again for the overnight, and steady rain for Monday. We decided to get to sleep early, get up early, and ride in to Kingston early enough to beat the rain and hopefully keep everything dry. That plan mostly worked.

We did get up early, around 5:30. It had already been light for a while, and we packed up in windy but not yet rainy conditions. We were on the road by 7:30, and we didn't run into any rain until almost 9. It started as a little sprinkling, then became a more steady shower. Still had a headwind, not that I'm complaining. When we passed the Canadian Forces Base and could see a McDonalds, we knew a Tim Horton's could not be far, and were right - it was right around the corner. When we rode up, there was a line of at least a dozen cars at the drive-through, and when we went inside, there were at least ten people in line there. But it was moving well, so we joined the line, and got some doughnuts. Mmmmm, doughnuts. Even though we only had a couple kilometers to go, it felt like the right thing to do. Nancy believes now that those doughnuts have magical properties that give her the power to ride like Lance. At least, like Lance would if he were pulling a trailer with about 45 pounds of stuff in it and was riding a purple Cannondale.

After doughnuts, it was raining harder, so we made for the selected hotel. And so now, here we are in Kingston, still without a Verizon Data signal but with a library near the hotel and also with a new way to post using the Lifedrive, a method Nancy discovered yesterday. We have made the pilgrimage to the International Hockey Hall of Fame, which is the original HOF for hockey, predating the one we saw in Toronto. It has a large replica of the roughly square puck that was used for a game here in Kingston many years ago, and we got a picture of that; we also got a picture of Nancy next to a life-size cutout of Don Cherry, who grew up right here in Kingston (if you don't know who Don Cherry is, I'll have to explain later). They have a whole section dedicated to him, even though he never won a Stanley Cup and played in only one NHL game. Now, of course, he is (in)famous as the co-host of Hockey Night in Canada and for his outrageous jackets. Holly, any comments?

Tomorrow we will take the ferry to Wolfe Island, and then another ferry to Cape Vincent, and enter New York for the third time. The weather looksl ike it will be pretty clear for the next few weeks, so we expect to do a lot of camping. And, we expect to be in Brockport next Monday, so heads up, Valvanos! See you soon!