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| Got Em! West of the Soo |
Canada Day in Sault Ste. Marie! The fireworks were on display by the river. For almost an hour, they boomed in the distance. Everyone was in a happy mood. My neighbours were 2 Americans riding their choppers. They were going to Vancouver and then down to California. A couple of patch wearing gangsters came by for a chat. They loved hearing stories of my trip. On the road, you are who you are in the moment. Sometimes you make the strangest friends. Drinking with gangsters on Canada day...
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| View of America |
The night was pretty warm. The roar of my neighbours bikes woke me up early. By 5am, they were on the road. I packed up my tent and checked out the city. The harbour was beautiful and across the bridge was the American Sault Ste. Marie. No soldiers, no guns, no sentries on boats. Hope it never changes. A local cyclist came by for a chat so I picked his brain. He told me to take highway 17b out of the city for a safer ride. This mornings route goes by little towns with interesting names. Bruce Mines, Thessalon, Iron Bridge and Blind River were the towns I cycled through today.
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| Land Disputes |
Recently, highway 17b has been a source of conflict. It runs through the Ojibway's land. Early last year, when the Ojibway Nation faced a million dollar budget shortfall, they publicly warned about imposing tolls on highway 17 and highway 17b. It was a spark for trouble. Bored young men, both white and Indian, with nothing to do, defaced the signs along this stretch of road. Racist comments smeared across the signs do little to ease the tension in this part of the country. Rolling through the reservation, I stopped for some water. The guy at the station was really interested in bike touring too. Friendly and helpful, he passed on advice about the terrible shoulder down the road.
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| Bruce Mine |
My first major stop was Bruce Mine. In 1846, this was Canada's first copper mine. It was named after the governor general of the day. Today the mine is decommissioned and up until recently the town had fallen into disrepair. A lady in the town said the mayor had recently spent a lot of taxpayers money. Half completed construction projects were everywhere. The town was furious at the reckless spending and the mayor was booted out of office. Now the projects are on hold. It seemed like such a waste of money to see so many projects half completed. The citizens of the town say the increase in property tax was unbearable so the new mayor has halted all construction pending review. This town is a magnet for tourists. Southern Ontarians come here to escape the hustle and bustle of the big cities.
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| Lake View Near Thessalon |
Thessalon was the next town along this route. I was riding through flat prairie. It looks like I'm exiting the Canadian Shield. At Thessalon you can see Lake Huron. It's a massive lake. Water stretches all the way to the horizon. Thessalon is a transportation junction between highway 17 and highway 129. Today it's known for it's fishing. Boats line the beautiful river along the road out of town.
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| Amish Horse & Buggy |
With strong tail winds behind me, I flew down to Iron Bridge. The town was named after the iron bridge built over the Mississagi River. In the 1940's, a concrete bridge replaced it. The name of the town was never changed. Something that has never changed is the way of life of Menonites and Amish who live in the area. With a horse and carriage they roll through the town. They're completely incongruous with their surroundings. Even the bridge is steel and concrete these days. It was a fascinating scene, so I stopped for a picture.
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| Hayfields Near Blind River |
26km East of Iron Bridge is Blind River. This town owes its name to the Voyageurs. These legendary canoeists named it Blind River because the mouth of the river wasn't visible from their canoe route through the area. The town used to rely on logging. Cameco also had a huge uranium mine at Elliot Bay. Today both industries are gone and the town is shrinking. Tonight I'm at Macivers Campground at the edge of the city. For 65 years, the same family has operated the resort. Wayne's an awesome guy. We had a long conversation about business and the death of the travel industry in this part of Ontario. His list of grievances is long. He no longer see's families with RV's or American tourists. The price of gas and the high dollar is keeping everyone away. People no longer snowmobile in the Winter. We are losing our connection with nature. Society would rather enjoy the comfort of the virtual world. Wayne's son is studying hospitality and tourism. Wayne figures that after 65 years it might be time to do something else. Bike tourers love the campground here. It would be sad to see it go. I guess we could always camp down by the river, but it wouldn't be the same without Wayne.
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| The Harbour Sault Ste. Marie |
Distance: 156km
Average Speed: 23.8km/h
Maximum Speed: 47.7km/h
Time: 6:33
Odometer: 4208km
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