Thunder Bay to Nipigon, Ontario

Today I rode the just over 100 kilometres from Thunder Bay to Nipigon.  There was a bad storm forecast for the afternoon, so I left early in hopes of beating it. 

I rolled onto the road at 7:18 and was out of Thunder Bay quickly, following Lakeshore Drive along Lake Superior for the first 30 kilometres or so.  It was a beautiful, quiet Sunday morning, and I enjoyed the peaceful cycling as the day dawned.

For the rest of my day I was on Highway 17--dubbed the "Terry Fox Courage Highway" between Nipigon and Thunder Bay.  This was the last stretch Terry Fox was able to run before lung cancer put him into the hospital in Thunder Bay.  Interestingly, it is exactly 40 years this month since he had to quit.

For most of my 70 kilometres on the highway the route was pretty good, although in a few spots I got a taste of what I am sure is coming--single lane highway with virtually no hardtop shoulder, heavily trafficked by semi-trucks.  Certainly that does not make for pleasant riding, although I am fairly well prepared with 38 mm wide tires (previously I was riding on 28 mm wides) and a reflective flag--neither of which I have used before.  I am also using a rear view mirror for the third time, which is very useful generally and especially on the narrow places.

I made good time and reached Nipigon just after noon.  I had beat the rain, although the sky was clouding.  I checked in at the Northland Motel, which conveniently already had a room ready.  The bathtub situation was less convenient, although big enough to do "laundry," if not for me to bathe.  The picture does not quite make clear just how short and shallow the tub is, but I would describe it as "child-sized."  Also, yes those are window blinds on the floor--fell off the window frame when I touched them; what can I say, I do not always stay in classy places.

The wind was moving pretty good and the sky was dark, but I needed lunch, so I headed down the hill from the highway to Front Street (what would surely be "Main Street" in a prairie town) to dine at the "China Garden" restaurant.  After lunch I rode around a little, touring the marina . . .

. . . some old buildings, including this church . . .

. . . and this impressive lookout tower up above the town, with views of the town, cemetery, Nipigon River, and the beautiful and important Nipigon River Bridge.

The bridge is important because it is the only Canadian road link between east and west (if the bridge fails for any reason, which it did for 24 hours or so a few years ago, the only detour is through the United States--and that would be a long detour).

The storm--technically a "squall," apparently--hit around 14:00 and was something else in terms of the wind and rainfall and how dark it got.  I was really happy I had made quick time and was not cycling when it hit, because it would have been dangerous.  Frustratingly, I was caught walking back along the highway from Tim Horton's, so ended up pretty wet anyway!