Day 66 Johnstown, ON to Hogansburg, NY September 9, 2009

Day 66 Johnstown, ON to Hogansburg, NY
September 9, 2009
61 Miles
3156 total miles


If any of you are feeling old and weary, telling yourselves that you "can't do it, whatever 'it' is , anymore" then here's some inspiration for you: a couple from Summerstown, ON, Jean and Bob Hill, who just concluded their own Trans-Canadian tour!

This was my last day in Canada with a fair weather ride along the Waterfront Trail which is a remarkable connection of park paths, side-roads, and bike lanes on routes parallelling the St. Lawrence. This had to have been one of the best days yet on my tour, passing through historic places such as the Crysler Farm Battlefield of the War of 1812, where the British and Canadians routed a far superior force of Americans on November 11, 1813. Past the heritage museum of Upper Canada Village, where many buildings of historic significance were relocated during the great inundation of the making of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, then out along the islands in the seaway and through provincial parks winding up finally in Cornwall. I cruised through sylvan glades of birch, sweet, late-summer goldenrod meadows, past marshes teeming with geese feeding for their fall migrations, and glittering sun off of these enchanting waters where fisherman cast out for that last big one of the summer. Speaking of summer: while still here, the people aren't>> overnigth, the parks, public places and roadways have become very deserted, much to my delight. All the kids are now back to school, and the rare tourists I encounter are almost all retirees who are past the rush and bustle stage in life. A much nicer pace.

Didn't get much time in Cornwall, only long enough to "squat and gobble" and then hit the bridge for USA. It turned out to be 2 long, high span bridges with an island in the middle of the river which is owned by the Akwesasne Indians who have recently asserted some national rights with respect to Canadian border patrol carrying guns on their land. Upon reaching the US side, after a lengthy interrogation from the border agent, I reached a dark and forbidding Roosevelt Town, NY, and found the motel there, which wasn't a motel at all. fortunately, I found the motel which had been earlier recommended to me. It was a little more pricey than I had hoped and all they had left was a smoking double, but I jumped at the chance to have a big clean bed, Internet access, laundry facilities and a breakfast!