And back to Windsor

As per my previous post, we had decided to go back to Windsor rather than on to London or Brantford. So yesterday, we biked to Belle River. This involved going a bit back towards Kingsville, then heading more or less North. We went through some interesting little towns. One, the town of Olinda, where we stopped to read the bronze plaque, talking about the Unitarian Universalist Church. I was so fascinated I took a picture of it, and will include it when I am able.

This land is flat. It helps to remind us of why we don't want to ride across the prairies. And the wind...well, that's even more of a concern. Yesterday was a pleasant enough day as far as temperature went, but we were going upwind most of the day. So the forty-odd kilometres between Leamington and Belle River seemed a lot longer.



Belle River is right on Lake St Clair, not really one of the Great Lakes, but connected nonetheless. I had been through this lake when I worked on a Great Lakes research vessel forty years ago. At that time, I remember Lake St. clear as a dead lake, an example of the worst that we as polluters have done to out waterways. So I was relieved and pleased to see that the lake was pretty clean, turbid, but not dead. People were fishing in it, although it was clearly too cold to swim in it. When Barry and I walked down to the Marina and looked around, the day was bright and clear, and everything looked good. The town was fine, we had a nice supper, and stayed in a B&B that was in an old home and pretty comfortable. So a good day overall.



Today, we had a relatively easy ride, just thirty km. to Windsor itself. Most of this was along the lakefront and riverfront. Big homes, lots of money evident, and a fair bit of traffic. But we got to town, found the VIA Station, and dropped out bikes (they will be put on the train at 5:30 tomorrow morning, and we will follow them at 9:00).

I have a much better impression about Windsor than I was prepared to have. The waterfront area has been made into a park, and is beautiful. The bike trails are pretty good and pretty complete. It is really nice...except for the downtown. After we checked into the hotel, we walked around the downtown area. It looks like hat you would see in Detroit, rather than on this side of the border. Empty storefronts, lots of marginal-looking people, scary locations. We went for an early supper, in part so we could walk back to the hotel in daylight.

Spring will come....someday!

We are so glad that we stayed in the same place yesterday.

We had a great walk, a lovely afternoon nap, and another great meal at the Anchor and Wheel (again, broiled pickerel). And this morning, after a night rainfall, began with wind and cold once more. Temperature I think was about five degrees, wind from the north (so coming in over the water, which is even colder than that) at about 20 kph. And when we looked from our room over to the in , the owner wasn't yet there. So we even had to wait for an hour for our first cup of mediocre coffee.



Our plan had been to tour the Island today, and we already knew that the only place to get a cooked lunch was the Legion, so that kind of fit the plan. Bags were packed, and left at the Inn, and we took off on a circle tour of the island.



The first part was easy and fast, with the wind at our backs. We were sailing along at over 24 kph as we headed south. Along the way, we spied that the bike shop was open, so we stopped. A lovely lady, wife of the mayor of Pelee, runs the shop and we talked about business, about the island, and such. Then tried to get into the local Museum, but it was locked up and dark. As we wound our way around the island, we passed by scrub bush, farmers fields, woodland, housing/cottages. And the wind was a instant companion. Our hands were cold, my knees got chilled, but we persisted until we were back at the Anchor Inn to get our goods. The tour was about thirty km. long. Fortunately, we had the wind at our back again as we went down to the Legion for lunch.



Then we had to put in a few hours until the ferry left. The Museum was closed, the Legion kicked us out at 2:00 (they were closing). We decided to see if the winery was open ( we also considered crushing the aisles of the LCBO, which was open as well). When we went to Pelee Island Winery, it was closed, but there was a man inside working on some woodwork to get ready for their opening. He said we could come in and look around if we wished: another really kind and trusting person on this island.



The ferry left at four, and we had a short bike ride to our B&B. This B&B, on the shores of Lake Erie, was hit by a tornado about five years ago. She lost some forty trees, many of the 200-year old oak trees, picked up and laid down like match-sticks. She is still recovering. Fortunately, she and the house were unaffected. She was nice to us, even driving us downtown to get supper (a lovely Vietnamese restaurant), before us coming back to bed down for the night.



We travelled 38 km by bike today, not too shabby for the conditions.





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Location:Seacliff Dr W,Leamington,Canada

Pelee Redux

What a difference a day can make! Yesterday we came to this Island from Colchester Harbour, fighting a cold easterly wind the entire day. It was only forty-odd kilometres, but felt like eighty. Skies were grey, hands were cold, the scenery not much to talk of.



But let me go back. We had stayed in Colchester Harbour with Anne and Dennis - she a ball of energy seemingly helping with everything that is going on in the small town. We had the run of the upper floor of the house being the only guests there. And it looked out over the Lake, so that was not too bad at all. Of course a few birds at the feeder, and a fisherman out on the pier just to complete the Rockwell stereotype. A magnificent, decadent, and abundant breakfast leaving us quite sated and lazy. But the day was unfolding and we had to be off.



We began down the road, the wind was strong, and it was cold. But we pedalled on. Progress was slow, and there were a few words of complaint, to be sure. But we soldiered on. Through some old factories and truck yards, on to Kingsville. There we went to a bike shop on a quest for a mirror for Barry, and a respite in a coffee shop for some soup and hot liquids. Back on the bike, and finally to Leamington. We had some time to kill, and another warm soup was in order before getting onto the ferry for the ninety-minute trip across to Pelee Island.



But we were not yet "home". The ferry dock is five km. from the B&B, and we were keen to get there. It was a push, stopping only to take a picture of the sunset,

and arriving to a warm welcome from Marty and Mark, who run the place. We are the only guests here, and they have the only restaurant open on the island right now. They gave us warm food, well cooked (local pickerel - yum), turned on the heat in our room, and generally made us at home. It was cold enough that the room took until two in the morning to heat up.



Through the night, the wind was blowing like crazy. At one point, it sounded like there was an animal scratching at the door. After a while, my curiosity got the better of me, and I went to look. Turned out to be a piece of carpet that had blown up against the door, and was rubbing on it, scratching. Shades of some horror movie.



Somewhere through the night, the wind died down. The morning broke clear, cold, and calm. But it was a relief. Our host had made some coffee in the main place, and pulled out some Special K for a quasi-breakfast. But this day seemed so much better than the last, that we changed our plans. We would stay here another night, and bike back through Belle River to Windsor, instead of trying to get to Brantford. Those arrangements were made, and we celebrated by walking back to the ferry dock to the Legion, which is the only place to get lunch on the Island.



That was a treat. They were serving pulled pork hot sandwiches on brown bread, smothered in gravy, with Cole slaw and fresh cut French fries. Out of the past it came, right to our plates. But as interesting as this was, the people there were almost as interesting. A young woman came and asked us how the biking was going, and said she had seen us this morning walking around the area. Another man came over and asked us if we wished to have lottery tickets to help a kids camp, with the prizes being a shotgun or a crossbow; we declined. He claimed to be the person who re-introduced turkeys to the Island, and told us that they were about to have a turkey hunt here. And on our way walking home, we had a man stop his truck to ask if we wanted a lift. Another truck also stopped to congratulate us on our walk, and joke with us about not looking too much like turkeys.



Well, all this could only lead to one conclusion: we came home and had an afternoon nap.

Picture is of the dining room of the Anchor and Wheel: straight out of the sixties, beach kitsch!



Supper again here, everyone seeming to have American accents. One character, born on the Island, swearing he used to be in the tourist industry but wouldn't do it any more. Another, a farmer here and on the mainland, drinking quite a lot before getting into his truck to drive home. It's a different life.



But the day was wonderful. Sun, calm, exercise, good food, a sense on life in this small and self-knowing community. Tomorrow we will bike the Island before catching the ferry back to Leamington in the evening.





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Location:Canada (West Shore Rd. Pelee Island)

The Windsor Jouney

When we decided (Barry and I) to do a bike trip at the end of April, it seemed like a good idea. Our hard Eastern Winter had softened into a nice gentle and pretty warm spring. The crocuses were up, the magnolias almost in bloom. What could be better than cycling along the coast of Lake Erie for a few days? And so we decided to take the train to Windsor and bike back to the Hamilton area over a week or so.

Arriving in Brantford to catch the train almost changed our mind. Turns out that winter was not finished with us: it was snowing, about zero, and windy. We must be nuts! But the VIA man at the kiosk was pleasant, and arranged to get our bikes on board without charge, saving us a bit of money. And the train was just about on time. We had arranged for first class, which included supper, and I was looking forward to a pleasant trip.

We were not disappointed. Lots of food, good service, wine to keep us cheery, and comfortable travel through somewhat snowy landscapes. Arrived at Windsor just before ten at night, found a cab that would take the bikes, and were transported to the hotel in short order. A good night's sleep, and all seemed good.

Except the temperature. The sky was blue and cloudless, and it was again almost zero when we got up. Neither of us wished to bike in that, so we lingered over breakfast (why do they insist on serving our "complementary" breakfast on paper plates with plastic utensils?). Then visited the local Tourist office where there was a lovely young woman who had done this route on her bike, and gave us maps and advice to get us on our way. And by this time it all of plus 5, so we faced the reality of needing to get on the bikes.

I was last in Windsor about forty years ago, when I worked on a boat on the Great Lakes. At that time, it was a rather grimy working class town, with little to like. Now they have changed dramatically. There is a civic centre near the waterfront, with theatres, art gallery, transit facilities (not the train, though: that is elevated to outside the downtown), hotels, and so on. And the actual waterfront is a long park, filled with public art, and complete with a bike route clearly marked and pretty level. So our trip out of town was pleasant and uneventful. And the roads not heavily laden with cars and trucks, thank God!

South of Windsor, near Lasalle, there was a massive solar installation, much to my pleasure. And we went on to Amhertsburg, where we stopped to have a look at the North American Black History Museum, actually a compound of museum, log cabin, and church. Amhertsburg was one of the major stops on the Underground Railway, and this museum is a testament to the history of blacks (not just escaped slaves) in this area. A worthwhile experience, to be sure. Followed by a delightful lunch at a pub in the downtown, historic town, and then on the road for the final half of the day's trip.

It's amazing how much more difficult it is to bicycle after a pleasant lunch and a pint of beer! But we persisted. The land is flat, the wind is in your face, but was not too strong. And the road was straight. So we made it by late afternoon, met our hosts, and settled in. The house looks over the Lake. And when we arrived, the sky was clear enough we could see the island (one of the Three Sisters) in the middle of the lake, almost thirty km. away. But we were both pretty tired. A supper and early to bed, a pleasant night. We had biked 57 km. Here is our view from the bed and breakfast balcony, overlooking Lake erie.

Tomorrow we go to Leamington, then to Pelee Island.


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Location:Sullivan St,Essex,Canada