Well, we dodged the bullet again today. I'm not sure how weather forecasting can be so bad. And it's not like it even rained in the evening after we arrived, as it has the past two nights. Nada. But good for us!
So it was a bright and cheery morning made better by the breakfast offered by the B&B: homemade whole-wheat pancakes, authentic maple syrup, fruit, and a yogurt mango smoothie. Of course, we would need more to get through the day, but it was a good start. Plus, we enjoyed the company of six others staying there as well, including two Irish lasses, the other four being youngish professionals from Toronto.
Breakfast was at 9:00, so our departure was delayed somewhat. That and the conversation. All said, after making a run to the grocery store (Jerry finally found his trail mix), we were off at 11:00 . . . yikes! And 50-some miles to go! We'll get in late today, that's for sure!
The willows in front of the B&B were awash in the morning's sun.
But it was an easy ride. And the wind continued to blow from the southeast, meaning a cross breeze with an occasional push. But we were on Loyalist Parkway the whole way through . . .
Loyalist Parkway, our first eighteen miles of riding today.
On Loyalist Parkway, at least until we reached Carrying Place, where we met road construction that detoured us north and then west. Not a big deal, as it added only a couple of miles to the day's ride. But we were lucky, again! When I saw the detour sign at our turn, I stopped to get some info and happened onto two fellows who were working on the construction project. It was a bridge replacement over the canal, so clearly no way for us to get through. But they kindly offered an alternative route, which worked out just fine. It also let me drop in on the far side to take a look at the project close up. Along the way, we were treated to another bridge opening on the same canal, so I was in my bridge engineering mode full-time.
On the detour route, the swing span over the Murray Canal, beginning to open . . .
From there we were almost halfway to Cobourg. We were now off the main highway and mostly using secondary roads, passing through small towns and villages close to the shore.
We were on much quieter roads now. Some, even, with demarcated bike lanes.
So after navigating the crossing, I waited a bit for Jerry. And waited. Not seeing him coming up from behind, I moved on. After a spell, I noticed a solo cyclist ahead of me. Could this be Jerry? Well, it was. He had seen the detour sign and dutifully followed it! I guess I was absorbed in the scenery too much. So he passed me as I waited at the closed bridge. Closed for vehicles, that is. C'est la vie!
I eventually overtook him somewhere around Colborne and continued through some rolling terrain before arriving in Cobourg pretty much together. We are staying at the King George Inn, which is allegedly the former governor's mansion that is somehow connected to the former jail. Local lore, maybe, but looks to me like a proper place to have a drink! And the Wi-Fi password is "cantgetout" — all lowercase.
On a high ridge road after passing through Colborne.
