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The drive north from Lake Michigan into Ontario Province was stunning and I'm looking for a bike touring pal to ride this peninsula next summer! Any takers? I spent my first weekend in Sault Ste Marie to regroup (phone, laundry, money, food, etc.) before heading off for a 7-hour drive to Algonquin, Ontario's oldest Provincial Park. It was a long but scenic drive with views of the northern bay, and through a number of small towns where I was surprised to see Amish people in buggies dressed for Sunday service. Of note: the Canadians definitely drive slower than Americans do and this was quite pleasing as I watched for my next route or turn! I arrived at the Wolf Den Retreat to a warm welcome, and headed down the road to Ragged Falls for a walk in the woods. My bunkhouse was set to sleep 8 but most of the week was spent with an Aussie roommate, Thea and a few days with a local gal, Topaze. Spacious quarters, cool night breezes, and deep sleep. Algonquin Provincial Park, created in 1893, is over 7,600 square kilometers of forests, lakes and rivers. There is a vast interior (back country) that's accessible by foot or canoe but I stayed to the park's hiking trails which were enough of a challenge! Sadly, the only wildlife I saw were birds and turtles. Of course, there were cycling days which is how I discovered the nearest town of Dwight and the most wonderful sandy beachfront lake. It was a lovely start to my summer in Canada. Comments: If you want to leave a note -- click the headline so the current blog entry is the only one seen then scroll down to the end for the "reply" section. I'd love to hear from you!
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My first visit to the Great Lakes and I am yearning to return! On the NW shore of Michigan's lower peninsula is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore, not a park as much as a region of clear lakes, sand dunes, forests, and lovely small towns. Anishinaabek natives settled here some 3,000 years ago, then in 1837, Michigan became a state and the Lakes shipping and commerce boomed. Manitou Passage, the stretch between the mainland and the Manitou Islands became a shortcut for shipping on Lake Michigan. Today, the town of Glen Haven is historically restored to reflect this time. From the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail (22 miles of paved bike trail) to the Dune Climb (3.5 miles of sand) to the Platte Plains Trail (15 miles of rolling hills & lakes), there is so much to enjoy. I could have stayed another week, ferried to the Islands, and found time to simply sit by the water! Long ago, in the land that is now Wisconsin, a mother bear and her two cubs were driven into Lake Michigan by a raging forest fire. They red and swam and swam, but soon the cubs tired and lagged far behind. Mother bear finally reached the opposite shore and climbed to the top of a bluff to watch and wait for her offspring. But the cubs drowned. Today "Sleeping Bear," a solitary dune in Michigan overlooking Lake Michigan, marks the spot where mother bear waited. Her lost cubs are the two Manitou Islands. -- Anishinaabek Indian Legend I've already been asked why I would spend a week in Penfield, Illinois. The reason -- it was enroute from Eureka Springs to Lake Michigan, and it was lovely greenspace within a day's drive. The Middle Fork River Forest Preserve has over 1700 acres of forest, meadows and prairie, 4 miles of the Middle Fork River, 3 ponds, and a diversity of birds to be seen and heard. Native Americans and European Americans settled in this area but in 1869, a group of German immigrants brought drainage techniques that made the land farmable. It was a lovely week for me to regroup. I cycled the farm country just outside the gate for many miles. I walked the trails on property. I met interesting people from West Virginia. I caught up on reading and hours of sleep. When I left Penfield, I was ready for the travel ahead. NOTE: The Preserve abusively used Roundup, and yes, I am writing an email to headquarters next! |
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February 2026
AuthorCyclist, writer, teacher, avid reader, bike/ped advocate, nomad, pie lover Categories |
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