Thanks to the relatives for making us feel welcome, reacquainting us with butter tarts (these should be illegal), coffee machines, hockey night – being every night (go penguins!) and cycling with and without directions.
We’ve had a great time. We hope to be back one day.
Coffee in Toronto (well when cycling) selection is Cherry Bomb. We had a great cappuccino, and I enjoyed a blueberry croissant. Which was very enjoyable.
Cherry Boomb
Coffee menu
Coffee
Croissant
Last full day staying with the relatives…. Rain and thunder threatening, and what do we decide to do? A leisurely ride around Toronto. Not an short dawdle but 59km. The ride was full of construction, detours, map reading problems, roadworks, and the odd hill or two.
We commenced the ride at the Toronto Botanical Gardens…. and we’re soon consulting the map after the route was blocked due to construction.
Car loaded
Directions
Eventually, after some riding, more construction we made it to the waterfront…. and the man made beach. Then hit with more construction we eventually made it up to the music garden area and had lunch.
Toronto
After lunch, we headed back down to the waterfront and up to Fort York. From here we went to High Park, headed over to Ronsevallies Ave for a “good coffee” and a croissant which was pretty good 🙂
Fort York
To work off the snack we headed down to High Park in search of a pond, but found a few hills. We had a few encounters with the local wildlife, and began the long cycle back across Toronto.
Lake in High Park
local wildlife
Groundhog
Cycling back… Was no mean feet…. It started with a right on Anette across the suburbs, and through a cemetery around the time went he roads were getting busier with traffic. Thankfully a local took us through otherwise we would still be trying to find our way back. However we till had a number of “all way stops” to get through (they need roundabouts), saw a groundhog and made it back to the car all before the rain started! Woo-hoo what a great day out on the bike.
Back to the car
We’ve done a bit of cycling on this holiday. This trend has continued when staying with my relatives. You would ordinarily think… ah with relatives perfect time for a slow relaxing cycle and a chat. However, this was not the case for us on Sunday. We managed a 93km cycle from Masion Pompidou in Peterborough to Bowmanville.
We had driven the route a couple of days before, so we knew the conditions… not to mention the couple of steep hills we would encounter.
We set off around 9:30 and began the slow climb.
Beginning of the ride
Chris on the ride
We stopped around 38km in at a little place called Millbrook. Originally we had planned to stop at the Pastry Pedler – but it is closed every Sunday and Monday. But we previously bought our provisions on the scouting ride, so we sat back and enjoyed the pastries.
Morning tea stop in Millbrook
After the short stop was one very steep climb (on a chocolate-coconut-peanut butter slice)…. And a number of undulating hills as we headed towards lunch.
On the road
Lunch
After lunch we road near Lake Ontario towards Port Hope, where we then headed inwards back to Bowmanville, where we arrived just after 4pm.
Kym’s unacceptable bridge
Road near Bowmanville
It was a great ride, through lovely scenery – with a few unexpected hills at the end (thanks Ed) However, we were glad to get back to base, and slept well that night. Thanks to both Ed and Chris for taking us.
We made it!
Maple iced donut and frozen iced cap for morning snack.
Tim Hortons
You may have seen the modern masterpiece in Paris – the Centre Pompidou. But did you know that a similar masterpiece is in the making in Peterborough, Ontario Canada. H’s cousin, C, has spent much of his recent life restoring a 1940s house. But, this is not just brining it back to original condition. It is art. Where else can you see plumbing work that looks like this.
Red for Hot and Blue for Cold
Each line gets its own shut off valve
If anyone wants similar work, I am sure C is available for consulting. Just drop us a note on the comments page.
C king of the concrete pile
Okay what is the deal with getting a packet of potato chips when you order a sandwich in the USA?
A few times we ordered a sandwich (even in middle of Orwell and the sandwich was $4.59), and were told “you get a packet of chips with that, choose from the end”. The sandwich as you can see was large enough and perfect for a hungry cyclist battling wind and rain. I have to say the sandwich was fabulous!
If you’re going to ask – did I eat the chips? Absolutely.
Sandwich
Our holiday continues, as we now find ourselves speeding away from Montreal via rail to Oshawa.
We had 24 hours in Montreal where we wandered around with no specific plan and caught a couple of trains. Given we had been there a couple of times we had no list and nothing to achieve. Which in retrospect was quite relaxing an enjoyable.
I personally love train travel and prefer it to all other forms (bike is not included). It’s great to watch the world go by – and traffic jams in freeway nearby.
View from the train
We’ve finished riding around Addison County in Vermont. Our arrival in Quebec was greeted with by a storm with limited visibility. Helen had white knuckles to be sure – and she wasn’t driving. Our friends in Montreal are the most “assertive” drivers we have encountered.
We’re currently lost in the underground labyrinth. Found the contemporary art museum, mais c’etait fermé.
Some art outside of the gallery
Sitting in the Brandon Free Public Library catching up on local news. The are a couple articles about libraries, one about asbestos removal in Rockingham, and value of State Libraries in the Wall Street Journal. I swear I’m not looking for these articles! The Wall Street one is worth a read – as it talks about the radical changes to the New York Public Library as it is made more user friendly and accessible to change with the needs of the time. With this in mind what is our State Library in SA for…?
Wall Street Journal
Rockingham Free Library
Bromptoneering or bust 