There was a forecast of rain for the first two hours today, but we didn’t get a drop and with a mix of sun and cloud and high in the low 20s it was a perfect day for cycling. There always seem to be some hiccoughs and today was no exception with missing the departure time, losing and finding a glove, almost leaving without a helmet, loading tomorrow’s route and wondering why the cues weren’t working. Finally, we were off.
We were on the trail in a couple minutes. The ground was damp and sky threatening, but there was no rain.
There are so many interesting bridges along the canal.
Lots of the path along the canal is next to parkland or even feels like it is out in the country.
Still dry!
This is Port Robertson. It is a small community divided by the canal. Bridge Street in Port Robertson used to be connected by a vertical lift bridge known as Bridge 12, however, it was damaged by a ship which collided with the bridge when it failed to sound the horn in time to lift the bridge. It was deemed too expensive to repair so a free passenger and cyclist ferry was started in 1977. Car drivers must take the long way around. When local government considered cancelling the ferry in 2015 it was determined that it carries 2000 pedestrians and 6000 touring cyclists per year, and the service was continued.
This is one of the many bridges we crossed today and the view to one side.
The is a rail, canal connection.
The Lock 3 Visitors Centre has viewing platforms, a museum, lounge area and bathrooms. Very useful for passing cyclists.
This is Cindy approaching the QEW Skyway bridge.
Once we started got to the north end of the locks at Lake Ontario we were very much in the fruit and wine region passing orchards, vineyards, fruit stands and wineries.
Lunch was at the Sandtrap in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
A block later we came across a bakery Dayle had been raving about and stopped for coffee and cookies. We seem to have bottomless capacity for eating on these trips.
Niagara on-the-Lake was as empty as I’ve ever seen it in nice weather.
We had a quick look at Fort George, one of the sites of the War of 1812.
I had been dreading what I believed to be the one significant climb of the day. A 4% grade for 1.3km. I was pleasantly surprised to find it is no longer a challenge for me many years after two prior ascents.
The trail passes over the power plant and has spectacular views of the river and the Queenston Lewiston bridge to the US.
Niagara Falls was extremely deserted, much more so than Niagara-on-the-Lake. I’ve never seen it this empty even in the winter.
No one was crossing the border at The Rainbow Bridge and the guards were leaning on the gate and waved at us as we passed by.
It turned out that the hardest climb of the day was on Murray St to get up to hotel. I stopped to “check the map” so everyone but Dayle stopped with me. Dayle carried on up without stopped and was Queen of the Mountain in our group today.
It was a wonderful day of riding – 71km, but not tiring. There were lots of interesting sights.
Dinner was at Margaritaville. Jimmy Buffet is one of Wayne’s favourite artists.
Discover more from Lisa Stokes
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The only thing that could have make this day better would have been karaoke at Margaritaville.
We definitely have to do karaoke some time
Lisa, I soooo love reading these bike trips. I can’t find days 1,2,3 of the Niagara trip. Did you write about those days?
Yes, I realized that might be confusing. The Guelph to Godrich trip and the Niagara trip were the same ones with a drive in between the two areas. So, if you read day 1 to 3 of the Guelph Godrich trip you’ve read everything from that six day trip