Day 2: to Sharbot Lake

In case you rely on the emails to read these, I published yesterdays’s writeup too late for the system to catch it. Hopefully this one makes it.

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It was a long one today, full of mud, bugs, hills and a super unusual chance encounter.

Chris is a morning person. I am not. Still, I tried to meet him half way so was up at 6:45. It sprinkled on an off as we packed up, and just when we finished there was a significant thunderstorm. We sat on the grounds of the brewery under an awning and watched the rain for 45 minutes. As soon as we started riding at 9 the sun came out.

A little highway riding to start the day before the gravel started. We got our first taste of some of the unmaintained road sections too. It was fun riding, rough and rocky puddle strewn narrow roads, but because it’s deep in the woods it’s very buggy. If you are moving at around 15 km or faster you’re fine, but under that and the deer flies just swarm around you and feast. It wasn’t terrible, but it was pretty bad.

We had planned on lunch in Lanark about half way through the day, but 60 km was too far between a quick oats breakfast and a meal. We got really lucky that there was a 4H club craft sale and canteen in Middleville about an hour earlier. All they had was hot dogs and chips but that’s all we needed to take the edge off. Then we did ice cream in Lanark.

After that, the (type 2) fun really started. We got on another unmaintained road and saw another cyclist, the first we’ve seen so far. As he came closer I realized I knew him! Neils is also a bike brigade volunteer and has a property in the area. Crazy coincidence.

The riding here was very very wet, very very hilly and very very buggy. It was about 20 km and took 1.5 to 2 hours. It was exactly the kind of riding I bought my bike for and I rather enjoyed it. I’m not sure Chris will say the same.

By the time we emerged from that section it was about 5 and we still had around 20 km to go and it was a bit of a slog. Stopped just before the campground and a small store and deli for some food and I got poutine from a food truck next door. I had my first lake swim of the year.

Super sleepy now 💤

Chris’s words

Today’s theme was mud and bugs. 

After waiting out a thunderstorm in the morning we got moving around 9. 

The first few pavement kilometres went by uneventfully. Once we hit the dirt we were treated to California Road after a heavy rainstorm. 

The bugs were biblical. Despite pushing a bit to get through the bugs it was slow going. My hands paid the price being chewed on by the bugs through my gloves. 

Our first stop was a 4H craft show in a tiny town that had no other amenities. But they had a $5 hot dog with a bag of chips and a coke on offer. We sat in the shade and prepared ourselves for the next leg. 

Gravel roads and climbing. We made our way to Lanark, enjoyed some ice cream and once again steeled ourselves for what was to come.

We rolled on and right into 15km of unmaintained forest road. At times wide and smooth. More often, wet rutted and an often under water. The bugs were not happy about us being there and let us know. It was slow going and tough riding.

It did eventually end and we were back to climbing. As the end was in sight there was one more challenge. In addition to the hills, a closure of highway 7 put all traffic onto the steep, dirt Zealand Road, tractor trailers and all. What should have been a slow grinding finish to the day became a harrowing ride with near non stop traffic. 

By the time we made it to Sharbot lake I was cooked. A quick stop for supplies for dinner and we were at the campsite, after one final climb. 

A quick shower made a world of distance as did a butter tart and some more food. 

Now to rest of for whatever tomorrow has in store for us.