Day 63 Tweed to Kingston, ON Sunday September 6, 2009

Day 63 Tweed to Kingston, ON
Sunday September 6, 2009

62 Miles
3024 total miles

One more fabulous day of riding in this ever-so-sweet tail-end of a Canadian summer. Greg and Stacey gave me a wonderful send-off and pointed me down the road with guidance as to better choices for a safe and enjoyable ride towards Kingston. They both put on many kilometers a year on these local roads and know every bump and pothole! To my pleasant surprise, after about an hour and a half I was overtaken by Greg and Stacey on the road between Marlbank and Tamworth. They paced me into Tamworth and we stopped briefly at the bakery there for some excellent refreshments (thanks guys!) and another push off-- this time they headed for the remainder of their loop and points homeward and I along the remainder of my ride. I decided to take County 4 instead of County 6 and it turned out to be a good decision, and projected me straight towards Lake Ontario at Millhaven. The road conditions were for the most part smooth and had good shoulders for much of he way along 4. Once at the lake I followed Route 33 into Kingston along what is known as the Loyalist Trail. The views out towards Amherst Island and along the beginnings of the St. Lawrence were sunny and sailboat filled. It made me want to park the bike and get out on the water. Perhaps tomorrow for the 1000 Islands boat tour... In one respect I did fulfill that wish and booked a night on the Canadian Coast Guard Ice-breaker/museum/Bed&Breakfast Alexander Henry, named after colonial fur trader, militia man, merchant and author Alexander Henry, which offers fairly affordable rooms in the historic district of Kingston during the summer months. In addition it is a floating museum and an extension of the maritime museum next door. Tomorrow will involve some sightseeing and I will avoid riding too much, as it will be "crazy labor-return-home-at-all-costs-regardless-of-the-bike-in-front of-me-day." Spent dinner out at the Kingston Brewing Company where I met a fellow traveller and blogger, Jen, who is on the road in a return tour of her native Canada after teaching English Lit. abroad for the past 13 years. Awesome journey so far-- great conversation, pictures and insights to all things and people Canadian! Happy Trails in "Jamboree!"