North Bay to Callander, Ontario (and back, going nowhere)

I have been in North Bay since Monday afternoon when I arrived from Sudbury.  I had planned a rest day for Tuesday, but it was far from restful since I spent it trying to figure out the best way to get to Ottawa.

I drove out to Mattawa and even further on Highway 17.  While I enjoyed a few minutes at the Ottawa River in Mattawa . . .

. . . mostly the drive was depressing, because the highway is only worse east of North Bay than it has been on the way here.  In places the only paved shoulder is rumble strips, so cycling on it is impossible.

I could not figure out another route that was realistic.  I thought about cycling south on Highway 11, but I stopped at an Ontario Provincial Police station to see if that was allowed and they said no (because it is a controlled access highway).  I have a different possible plan that involves taking back roads south from North Bay, but I cannot figure out a way to make it work this week.

So, I gave up.  I remain extremely upset, but what can you do?  I should have put more effort into researching the highway, but too late now.  I will just have to come back and finish the route to Ottawa another time.

Since I was not continuing, I have stayed two extra days in North Bay, and today I did a ride out around Lake Nipissing through a village called Callander, for a total of 50 kilometres.  It was a great ride, but frustrating that it was not getting me anywhere in terms of across Canada.

For some of the ride today I was following the Voyageur Trail, which is supposed to end up connecting North Bay and Ottawa along the Ottawa River, so maybe one day this will be an option for me.  For now though it goes no further than Mattawa.

Today's ride could also be part of my alternative southern route (which would involve riding south on back roads to Huntsville, and then east on Highway 60 through Algonquin Provincial Park to Ottawa), and at least as far as I went the road was a dream.  Just look at that paved shoulder!

On the way back to North Bay I stopped in Callander for lunch at a neat little lakeside bistro.

My tomato soup was made from tomatoes like these which were ripening outside.  I found that pretty cool.

Meanwhile, I have swung a deal with Enterprise to let me drive a car to Ottawa and drop it at the airport there, so tomorrow I will be driving rather than cycling that way.