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.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Sullivan St,Essex,Canada