Since there’s basically just one road through Ontario and not many places to ride, I pretty much covered 2200km in 6 days this week and squeezed in over 20 hours of riding somehow as well. Managed to stop by the Winnipeg Zoo on the last day, probably will make a separate post for just that because there’s so much stuff to see.

One last ride in the Parc de la Gatineau before zooming away. Really one of the only places in the region where the winter somehow doesn’t destroy the roads, like magic.

Left to Right: Francis, Nikolas and Phil

Francis used to be a bodybuilder. Challenging transition towards cycling, let's just say. But he's getting strong already!

Along the lake towards Wakefield. Guys it's nice sometimes when you stop and look.

Top of Huron Lookout. Well basically the same as Champlain lookout...

Nik brought me a Tupla bar from his recent trip to Finland!

They were offended that I said it's just a Mars bar ripoff. I don't eat enough Tuplas and Mars to tell the difference sorry.

Kind of everywhere you stop in Ontario you see this same cute lake town with the fancy marina, the cottages and if you’re lucky, no bums. If your Ontario town is large enough to have a Wal-Mart, it’s probably large enough to have bums. That’s my rule.

Noah's Ark, in Cobden, Ontario. I think it's some kind of hotel?

Stopped at Dollarama and noticed inflation going out of control.

That sweet dollar store 50% wax chocolate. Inflate away, Dollarama! Diner plate size next year.

I believe this town has a military base. Either way, they have this cool plane from the 50s.

Town beach/marina/boardwalk. Very nice one.

Ontario really has so many of these large sandy beaches.

Lake Nipissing.

Just looking nice on a clear day

Lot of boomer activities you can do in the water. Sit on your ass and enjoy the cool lake breeze, then reward yourself with beers.

Ducks feasting on bottom goop.

They had a little carnival area with this historical merry-go-round.

Still operational and everything.

Passed by this sad bear on a mini putt course.

Oooooooooohhhh... Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

All I can think of seeing all these tiny islands on these large Ontario lakes...

Hehehe

Not the greatest lookout, gonna be honest. But Ontario is flat.

This is "fall of the Roman Empire" decadence phase stuff right here.

After the ride I drove to Sudbury, to the Giant Nickel, which I had previously missed!

It's worth the detour. Very large and on top of a mine/quarry with a great view. You have to pay for parking during certain hours though...

Sun sets on the coin.

My attempt to take a sunset picture while driving.

If you see an Island, you have to bike around it. That’s the rule. You never know what you can find.

Northern Ontario's Biggest Muskoka Chair. I guess. At least now I know what those endless amounts of uncomfortable wooden chairs are.

On the drive there a deer ran into the back of my SUV as fast as he could and tumbled all the way to the other side of the highway. He seemed fine...

Parked at a cute little bakery. Look, the bear is eating cookies. Look at him.

Got a bear-shaped sugar cookie to start my day off on the right side. Need that vitamin B.

Biked to the bridge for some views of the mainland.

The feature of this area seemed to be lots of tiny islands stuck on giant lakes.

Oh and it's Amish country apparently.

Little harbor town called Richard's Landing.

War memorial. They are all over Canada.

Yeah I didn't go in there. Do they sell Moose sweat? Sweatpants for moose? Sweatpants made out of moose? No one knows.

Sometimes I just stop for 2 minutes to enjoy the lake, thinking how it would be nice to veg there all day.

Oh, yeah, the entire god damned island was packed gravel because they just stripped the pavement away that year. Strava can be forgiven... this time.

Halfway in was Fort St-Joseph. I had no idea what it was or that it even existed before stating this ride...

Turns out you need to pay to visit the site. They lent me moccasins because you aren't allowed to bike on their paths...

There's a little museum about life in the fur trade days

These forts were constructed to protect the trade routes through the lakes

Working there looked like the most chill job of all time btw. Wear moccasins and sleep.

The ruins of the fort are behind the museum at the end of a little trail in the woods.

They always pick the most scenic spots for these ruins, so I try to stop when I see them announced.

Multiple info panels telling you how much life sucked back then. I KNOW, I KNOW.

Berries on the path. Hm. Look so plump... so juicy.... maybe just... one...?

It's a funny name

The sign doesn't like. Solid 80km of gravel. Didn't flat somehow. That's amazing.

Creepy road sculptures.

Back at the bakery I got myself this bacon-covered brownie. Whatever happened to bacon after the early 2000s? Why did we abandon that fad? Bring it back.

Back on the road. The drive from here to Wawa is one of the most beautiful in Canada.

I took better pictures on the way out but here...

Stopped at a little Indian craft road stop thing. So many of these of varying sizes and quality in Ontario.

Chubby bear.

The first ingredient was pork, so I didn't buy them. YOU ALMOST GOT ME. If you're going to make this, just make it.

One of the landmarks I had missed the first time in Thunder Bay. The weather was forecast wasn’t good but I thought I could beat the storm…. Last time I was just in the northern part of the city and there wasn’t much to see, but the southern part turned out to be pretty nice.

Spent the night in Nipigon, hoping to see the "biggest trout" statue in the morning.

At the rest stop there's this big lookout staircase thing with a great view.

You can see my car and where I slept!

Bridge to cross into the city. They really did that rest stop right.

Sadly the fish statue was removed/destroyed. So here's a totem instead.

Activist bear chaining himself to the totem so loggers can't cut it down. Get a job hippie.

I like these signs that explain basic economics to people. No dipshits you aren't "stealing from Wal-Mart" you're stealing from everyone.

Mount McKay. Didn't even see this the first time around.

It's across the river on the south side and it's pretty large and iconic, bumping Thunder Bay out of the "dump city" category for bike tourism.

Gas prices steadily dropping now, finally. Thank Christ.

Great view. Unfortunately the mountain was "closed because of a conference". You read that correctly lol.

Fort William Historic Park. Jurassic Park Music Intensifies

I didn't go inside this time. Mainly due to the threat of storms.

Lake at Fort Williams park. Seems like just a nice chill place to walk your dog.

My one regret on my death bed will be not going there.

Revenge fish for now seeing the destroyed fish statue in Nipigon

Kakabeka falls. They're pretty good! Worth the detour and right off the road, no big hikes.

Tons of tourists taking selfies as well.

Bunch of losers, really.

The day was so nice, how could it rain?

Shot of the falls from across the bridge. That's right, you get two sides for the price of one at these falls. Take that, Niagara.

And on the way back I got absolutely hammered by a flash storm. It lasted an hour but the city had puddles 4-5 inches deep in some places...

Seen at a health clinic. I assume it's donations for the hungry.

Plan was to take it easy today to be able to do a lot of driving later on. Just went back to the mountain now that it wasn’t “closed because of a conference”. Seriously… getouttahere

Mount McKay in the morning fog.

Cool little bridge that goes to a pointless island.

Literally the bridge is more interesting than the island.

Thunder Bay is a big railroad hub/city.

It had the first railroad spike in Canada! I'm not sure what that means because there were railways before 1875...

Either way, yep, there seems to be some vestiges of an old railroad there.

I found your sticker, mister comedian! I CLAIM MY PRIZE.

The mountain is on an Indian reserve, so it's not racist. Phew! So much hatred averted!

Thought this little guy was alive but...yeah... I try not to take pictures of road kill. You'd see... a lot of animals...

The road doesn't make it all the way to the top, unfortunately.

There's a ThunderDome there though. Two enter, one leaves. That's how politics used to be.

View of the city from the lookout.

Those big mountains in the back are called "The Sleeping Giants". Apparently the highest in the region? Still not very high ( 200-300m?)

Back to town for some tourism attempt.

Pretty dope

Wait I've already been here. Nevermind, back to Wal-Mart.

4.5 hours laters, in Vermilion Bay, there's this hilarious BigFoot on the side of the highway.

Anatomically correct.

Really tried hard to make some kind of a rode/loop out here in Manitoba but….damn. This is also the ride where I decided that I’m done with 140km rides… for now. My right hamstring is always tight now and I just don’t have the juice anymore to be doing these long-ass rides in the middle of nowhere. Takes too much water and time and non-leg body parts start to hurt like my back, ass, gooch, hands etc.

Park entrance. With a sign that cool, this place must be AMAZING! Right?...

Oh cool, what's next? A seagull sanctuary? A Pidgeon preserve?

It's just a small center that overlooks a duck pond/marsh.

No ducks/geese today. Geese are out shitting literally everywhere else in Canada.

Lot of these remote parks have bible camps... Hmmm

Then just your standard Canadian lakes all over the place. Gotta say I'm getting a little sick of lakes.

That's a nice one though.

Cool little damn over a lake connector river. If you look at a map you'll see this area is just endless lakes.

Yeah....hike to the... little rock piles... you're reaching guys, you're reaching.

Stopped by a little town that was having a car show!

Starting to dig these pink cars since they're so rare.

These Northern lakes no longer have sandy beaches like Ontario. Just swamp.

Finally found where they exile all those kids with your pocket change!

Accidentally made my route come across the Seven Sisters damn. Thank God because I was getting tired and there was nothing to see in this area but lakes.

Very cool damn.

Worth a selfie and a pause eating my almond butter sandwich.

Have one more

The lake side of the damn

Went across the damn to a little dirt road where I disturbed a little swarm of frogs that all jumped away at once.

Hihi look at em. Too scared to move. Precious.

Started to take a picture of every bear related thing.

Some "museum". I was just cooked at this point. Out of water, heat waved and tired as hell. 20km to go...

Outside the park you get the rural Manitoba look, which consists of endless flat green fields.

Finally an honest town sign. Nothing about discovery / nature / potential. Love it. 10/10

Back to driving. This is Chuck the Channel Cat, in Selkirk!

Kind of a disco look. I'd eat at this restaurant if I had time. Build a big statue and I will go.

North of Winnipeg you can see this big Mallard, in Petersfield.

It's actually not the largest one. Somehow. There's one in Alberta that's bigger. That's gotta sting.

Spent the entire day in Winnipeg, mainly to go to the zoo in the morning! It had a ROBOT DINOSAUR exhibit. Just saw the signs on the highway and knew I had to go. Will make a separate post just for the zoo because it was pretty nice. Just did an easy ride around town otherwise, trying to hit as many big statues and landmarks as I could.

First bear of the day. How can this restaurant be bad? Impossible.

Neat bridge crossing the river into town. Yeah every large city has a river in the prairies.

Expensive looking pink jeep in the touristy part of town called "The Forks".

I have on idea what that building was. It's cool though.

Behind the sign, next to a little skating park.

One of the statues at The Forks. It's about reconciliation or working together or some BS. Yeah nothing solves ancestral feuds like reminding people of them forever.

Met this badass guy complimenting my bike. Still bodybuilding and kicking ass in his 60s. Chad.

Should have crossed that bridge as it looks like it went to the nice part of town. Instead I kept rolling through the industrial ghetto...

Restaurant in the middle of the bridge.

Just found one more bear. Fancy Bear.

Need a selfie stick. Oh no, what did I just say?

Finally got back into Anytime Fitness territory. No more sponge showers if I can help it. My FOB finally works too, so I can go actually ANY time.

Honey Dill is a Manitoba thing, apparently. It's mayonaise + honey + dill. Very gross. Saskatoon berries taste like blueberries. More of a general prairies fruit.

This was a good week. Soon the “World’s Largest X” hunt will intensify further. The prairies are vast, flat and full of really big statues of dumb things to give people an excuse to visit. Challenge accepted.

Look forward to a post about the Winnipeg Zoo as well!

Zoo preview:

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Touring Canada Week 14 - Lightspeed through Ontario