North Bay to Callander, Ontario (again)

In 2018, I had intended to ride from Sault Ste Marie to Ottawa, but only got as far as North Bay. The problem was the shoulder, or lack thereof, on Highway 17. For the most part, past North Bay, there is no paved shoulder whatsoever or, where there is, it is all rumble strips so impossible to cycle on. At that time I spent a couple extra days in North Bay planning an alternative route, including cycling south of North Bay to explore. I concluded the best option was to head south, not east, from North Bay to Huntsville, then head east on Highway 60 through Algonquin Park, across the Ottawa River into Quebec, and south to Ottawa. This is certainly a longer route, but the piece that makes it most challenging is that from North Bay to Huntsville, while easy on the freeway Highway 11, is much more complicated by bike (bicycles are not allowed on Highway 11) and involves a lot back road riding. So, to make it work I not only needed more time, but a bike with bigger tires than I was using in 2018. 

I decided 2021 would be the year I would close this North Bay to Ottawa gap so started booking for around the May long weekend. Although I have now equipped my bike with tires adequate for the riding I would be doing, I opted to rent a bike in Ottawa, since I would be flying in and out of YOW anyway. The friendly and helpful Maria of Escape Bike Tours was brilliant in arranging what I would need.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 lockdowns made May travel impossible, but a few weeks later, here I am. I flew into YOW yesterday afternoon and picked up a rental car at the airport. This morning I visited Escape to pick up the bike.

I took it for a spin and all seemed well, so loaded her into the Jeep.

Four hours of driving later, or so, I was in North Bay. I dropped the Jeep at Enterprise, loaded up the bike, and rode the 17 kilometres southeast to the town of Callander. This was along the same route I biked in 2018 when I was exploring options. 

I am spending the night in a lovely suite at the Terrace Suites, just across the road from a lookout over Lake Nipissing.