Sunday, October 15, 2017

Clockwise Trip around Lake Ontario



Last day of the trip... the gold windows of the Royal Bank will do just fine... 

     Some day I want to ride a bicycle around Lake Ontario, but not being in shape and it being late in the year I opted for a pre-bicycle tour reconnaissance trip on the BMW.  Shirley can’t ride more than an hour without serious pain, and my style of riding aggravates just about every M/C rider I know: Wow look! Let’s stop and check it out…”  Most guys just want to twist the throttle and get there...

I prefer older quieter roads where I can look around and slow down without being rear-ended by a tailgater. I avoid 400 series highways or Interstates if I can.  


-->
I planned this simply; follow L Ontario all the way around, clockwise.  Keep the big lake on my right... and who needs a GPS?*   

Wednesday October 11th.  Rode across the *free* Glenora Ferry and along #33 to Kingston. The Wolfe Island Ferry was also free.
This last tiny ferry to Cape Vincent USA cost $8 US.  



     Coming soaked to Watertown I was given the "no room at the inn" message at all the nice hotels.  Stayed at a sketchy motel where a sketchy guy asked too many questions about my bike... So I slept with the curtains open so I could watch it. 

Buying a sandwich and a can of beer at a local mini mart I was carded for the first time in 40 years (!) 
"Can I see some I.D., please?"  
"You're kidding, right?"  
"Sorry we have a 100% verify policy.  I have to see your ID before I can sell you beer."  
So the 25 year old kid verified I was born in 1954...   Yes I'm old enough to drink alcohol... 

Below is Irondequoit N.Y.  Nice little cottage community and beach. 



These four trees are festooned with shoes, all in pairs.  Listed as one of USA's famous 'Shoe Trees' this one is found in Lyndeville New York.  Check it out at:
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/2885

(what'll those KEDS think of next!) 

USA travel was pleasant and people were friendly.  

To me. 





Fort George in Niagara On The Lake was free because of the 150th anniversary celebration this year.  Nice fort reconstruction.










The half lap joints here in the fort helped me solve a problem I have been having with my own woodworking in the basement. 


Grimsby (where I ended up Friday the 13th) is less grim than it used to be.  Lots of new construction going on with a nice view of the lake.  Probably one of the last shoreline areas to be filled in.   


Aah... the memories... I helped (briefly) on a construction project in Oakville making the cement smokestack at the lakeshore refinery. You see it behind the bike...  Mississauga needed a nice scenic oil refinery to add to the Mississauga skyline...   















and I used my GPS quite a bit anyway.  It sure is handy!