Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, the senic route

I left Thunder Bay nice and early. I wanted to get in to Winnipeg at a decent time but I also wanted to see something different too. I wanted to ride a different road than Highway 17.

The weather was beautiful and I had decided I was going to get to my destination via Mom’s Choice Highway – Highway 11. 

What a beautiful road! I took some video which later on this fall I will begin to edit and post here as well as on BDB TV and on the Great Canadian Day Rides Web Site.

I was glad that I had decided to take Highway 11 after I encountered a driver from Manitoba who decided the speed in a construction zone was not to his liking. I wanted out of the rat race – that’s for sure!

The MOM’s Highway is named so because it links Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota. It also has the distinction of being part of Younge Street in Toronto and its claim to fame is that it is the longest street in the world! The highway starts on Younge, goes north through North Bay, up through New Liskeard, down to Thunder Bay and over to Fort Francis. From Fort Francis you can either dip down into International Falls and on to Winnipeg or you can turn north again and head up highway 71 to Kenora…guess which route I took!

I stopped in at Atikokan; the name drew me off the highway into the town. 

The name in Ojibwe means Cariboo.

I took some video of this little town. It has a huge recreational area and is known as the Canoe Capital of Canada. After a ride through town it was back out to the highway to continue my journey.

I stopped at some road side turn outs to take in the view, and had lunch in Fort Frances.  Cameras rolling, I headed to Nestor Falls.  Highway 71, like highway 11 had little traffic on it which made riding so pleasurable.

The road is windy, not twisty, but so pretty.  As you get close to Nestor Falls, the lakes become more frequent and the scenery becomes amazing. I got off the bike at Nestor Falls and walked down to the river to go see them. They are small but lovely.

There is a nice picnic area where you can eat lunch or a snack and just sit in relative peace.

Nestor Falls

 Nestor Falls is located on the eastern shore of Lake of the Woods on Sabaskong Bay and is a popular place for fishing.

The rest of the ride to Kenora was peaceful, serene and a delight for the senses. As I said, the lakes, the hills and curves make for a soul reviving ride. I passed by Rushing River thinking to myself, one day soon I want to come back here.

After a brief fuel stop it was off to Winnipeg. 

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Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay

water front in Sault Ste Marie

I never get tired of the water front in Sault Ste Marie, and even though this was a day of steady riding, I still took some time to go for a walk.

As I left the Soo it was sunny and warm but 120 Kms later the story would change.  

I made it to the Agawa Indian Crafts Store just in the nick of time to miss a huge deluge of rain.  

I took shelter in the store and had a coffee while I waited things out. I wasn’t alone either, pretty much every bike that was on the highway pulled in – you could not see 5 feet in front of you it was raining that hard!

We all got a kick out of reading the tee shirts in this place. They are freaking hilarious. They have a good selection of biker gear too and I took advantage and bought some boot covers – mine wore out and plastic bags suck!

After a two hour wait the rain settled down to a drizzle. 

All bundled up in my Froggs Toggs and new boot covers I had no fear of getting wet. It amazes me how many riders here in the east know about Froggs Toggs and what great gear they are and yet very few in the west seem to have any knowledge of them. 

I will have to do a review on these before too much longer!

I pulled in to the NorWester Best Western just in time for supper. Vi and Dave met me and we ate at the hotel. The meal was awesome as was our waitress!

After our meal, we visited for a bit more and then it was time for good byes…I hate that part. 

It will be a while before I get to see these wonderful folks again!

Nor'Wester

The Nor'Wester Best Western offers a lot of amenities. You can host a wedding,  a private party, a training session or a rally here.  They have a pool, hot tub and sauna and are in a great location.

Their beds are very comfortable, the showers have great pressure and pretty much anything you need is either provided or readily available.

Check them out the next time your wandering takes you to Thunder Bay:

BEST WESTERN PLUS Nor'Wester Hotel & Conference Centre! 2080 Highway #61, Thunder Bay,  Ontario, P7J 1B8 Phone: 807/473-9123                Fax: 807/473-9600

I was in bed early as I had a good day of riding ahead…Winnipeg is the next stop.

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Sudbury to Sault Ste Marie

I left the Super 8 Sudbury under glorious sunshine and as I rode along, it was with a sense of anticipation.

I took the turn off to Espanola and went to the Tim Horton’s, sure enough I ran in to a local who told me the directions to one of his favourite little loops that would bring me back out on the highway before Elliot Lake.

This is Mennonite Country; all over the place there are signs to remind you that there are horse and buggy rigs liable to be present.  Leigh Valley Road is a very pretty chunk of asphalt that will take about 20 minutes to traverse, there is nothing special about this road, other than it has gentle curves and pretty farming scenery and I am so glad I rode it.

At Serpent River I decided to wander through the art gallery. This region has some fabulous artisans. There were some serious art works and then there were fun and quirky things like stuffed beaver “teddy’s” and stuffed black bear teddy’s. 

 

The Ojibwa Indian Nation has deep, deep roots in the area.

Add caption

Black bear teddy’s

Next stop: Elliot Lake and the Deer Trail

The city of Elliot Lake was established as a planned community for the mining industry in 1955 after uranium was discovered in the area. It is named after the small lake on the northern edge of town.

I took in the museum of mining – it was filled with artefacts and information on the mining industry and while not really my cup of tee I still enjoyed knowing a bit about the history of the area.  

I headed down to the Miner’s Monument. 

What an absolutely gorgeous memorial to those whose lives have been lost either through mining accidents or from work related illnesses. The names of the dead are inscribed in plaques laid in to the side walk and in the monuments themselves.

The Horne Lake Escarpment is a pretty backdrop for this monument and park.

Names of the miners who have lost their lives

I left the memorial site to go ride the Deer Trail (this is one ride I have wanted to do ever since I heard about it 4 years ago), it is approximately 75 miles long and I was warned that the first bit was under construction.  The whole trail needs attention as far as the asphalt goes, but the scenery, my word it is gorgeous and so it the riding – filled with curves and hills to pull, valley that roll out before you…mother nature really has some fantastic feasts for the eyes in this, the Algoma District!

I did not get a lot of photography of the trail as there are very limited areas to pull off and with it being a narrow road that is moderately travelled I did not want to take the chance of causing a crash!

At the end of the Deer Trail, I finally got to see a horse and buggy, it was a cool blast from the past to see on our modern day highways.

 

I stopped for a late lunch at Bobbers in Bruce Mines and continued on the Sault Ste Marie with a big grin on my face. I had managed to take a 310 kilometre day and turn it into just over a 600 kilometre one!

I would be once again staying at the Comfort Inn in Sault Ste Marie, this time I would be sleeping fast because I have a big day of riding ahead to get back to Thunder Bay where I would be having supper with Dave and Vi Alderdice.

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A Day in Thunder Bay – Day 19

Day 19 of the Share the Road, Share the Ride 2011 Conga...

I got up bright an early – NOT, I actually slept in until about 6:30 AM and got some writing done before calling Vi who was going to pick me up for breakfast. We were meeting Gary, Howard and Sirpa at the Hoito Restaurant for Finnish Pancakes.

The Hoito

The Hoito Restaurant has a remarkable history and its beginnings are very interesting!

 In 1909 the Finnish bush workers came up with an idea – when they would come out of their camp at Kallio’s near Nipigon. When these men would come to the city they could find rooms but nowhere to eat a meal for a decent and fair price. These men formed a committee to raise money – they bought land and built The Hoito Restuarant - Hoito means Care in Finnish.

We shared a fantastic meal that was abundant, flavourful and served up with a smile and cost about half of what it would anywhere else!

Check the Hoito out on their web site: www.hoito.ca  or better yet – stop in and really check them out!

After breakfast Vi and I walked down to Do or Dye Hair and Tattoo where I finally met our Rider Friendly partner Jamie. 

Jamie of Do or Dye

Bright and clean, this salon is staffed by riders who know how to care for hair!

What a great salon this rider owns! Bright and clean on both side the hair salon and the tattoo studio.  After a great conversation with Jamie it was agreed that he would come to my hotel later in the evening and give me a hair cut!

If you live in the Thunder Bay area or are passing through and in need of getting your ears lowered or for you ladies a cut and color etc – give this shop a try – they are talented and professional!

Do or Dye Hair Salon
216 Bay St Unit 3
Thunder Bay ON P7B 1R2
Latitude: 48.4297958
Longitude: -89.2250064
PH: (807) 345-6366

Email: amandaandjamie27@hotmail.com

The Armoury

Vi and I left and toured Thunder Bay. She took me to see the armoury and some of the old churches and grand old buildings in town – yes I am certifiable for old architecture!

A Magnificent Fountain

The waterfront

We drove all over the down town core and after the tour I headed back to my room to get some more work done. Dave was coming by with his Gold Wing to pick me up.

We rode out to Kakabeka Falls – me riding pillion and snapping some photos of the drive. When we got there Vi poured us a cool beverage and I pitched in what little she would let me to help with dinner.  A good feed of pickerel, corn on the cob, potatoes and salad were on the menu!  Before supper Dave agreed to film a motorcycle awareness commercial using his family to drive home the point that we riders are people with loved ones and deserve to have the road shared with us so that we too can get home in one piece to see our loved ones!

The beautiful drive to Dave and Vi's offered some wonderful shots

He was nervous but he did it and I am so thankful to him for having the courage – and I want to thank his grandchildren and daughter and of course his lovely wife Vi for being extras!

Dennis and Nikki

We were joined by a fellow member of the Superior Riders – Dennis Frederickson and his dog – Nikki. Nikki is an avid rider and Dennis loves having the companionship on his Bergman – he has really bad knees and had to give up the touring bike in favour of this new ride and is very happy that he has. 

Another night was coming to a close – Dave and Vi took me back to the hotel with promises of emails and calls to come. I was sad to have the visit end and yet was really looking forward to my hair cut!

At about 10:30, Jamie and his wife Amanda who is a new rider showed up – Jamie with scissors in hand!  The photo we took after wards did not turn out well, but suffice it to say I am WELL pleased!

Jamie taught me a trick about looking after longer hair when you ride – to keep it tangle free – after you have shampooed and conditioned your hair and towelled it dry, take about the size of a dime of conditioner and work it into your hair like mousse and guess what – your tangles are reduced immensely!

I saw Jamie and Amanda off and headed for bed – a big day on the road lays ahead….

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Ontario Bound – Day 18

I headed out of Winnipeg bright and early on Thursday July 21^st.  I stopped for fuel and a Powerade at a gas station just before the Ontario border where I met up with some riders from Thunder Bay. Howard and Sirpa Huhta, Gary Kosola and myself rode to Rushing River, they agreed to play tourist with me and embarrassingly admitted that they had never stopped at the Rushing River Park. So off we went – it was one of those perfect riding days, not too hot and yet filled with glorious sunshine. Just outside of Kenora, we turned off the Trans Canada heading south on Highway 71. The Rushing River Park is only about 10 minutes down the road and I am ever so glad we took the time to go see this out of the way gem.

The roads in the camp site are mostly paved and the cost for an hour pass was $5.25 for the three bikes.  We stopped at the concession for a cool beverage and scoped everything out. A little fella who according to his mother has begun a love affair with motorcycles asked if he could sit on the bikes and Howard, in true biker fashion was more than happy to oblige the young man and his younger brother. The grin on this little man’s face was priceless.

We got back on the bikes and rode around the park to the rapids – it was breathtaking. This park is so pretty and well done. We sat there after taking photos and just listened to the song the river sang as it rushed over the rocks. It was simply gorgeous.

We all left the park feeling so grateful we had followed Kirk and Hyla’s advice to stop here. Before we left the park we discussed lunch and I had asked them if they liked BBQ and had they ever stopped at Busters in Vermillion Bay – NO was the chorus so I said, well folks you are in for a treat. 

We got to Busters and ordered a big platter of ribs for 4 with sweet potato fries and potato salad and coffees and water all around.

I had to giggle when Gary made the observation that it was amazing that it took someone from Grand Prairie AB to show them a great place to eat and force them to be a tourist in their own province!

Back on the road we headed towards Thunder Bay. I had expressed that I wanted to see Egli’s Sheep Farm and Animal Park, I had no trouble getting these riders to agree to stop there the farm and store is located at 20232 Hwy 17 Minnitaki, ON

What a great place! The store is filled with a variety of wool products and Howard was a good sport and sat on the sheep rocker to pose for a picture. Sirpa and I went for a tour of the animals – the Elk were in full velvet, the red deer were on the run the minute we approached their pen…the donkey’s were getting their feet trimmed by the Ferrier and you should have heard the ruckus they were making! The Bison could have cared less that we were there, never lifting their heads to look at us and the Llamas and Alpacas were curious and hilarious – they are sure funny and very curious creatures!

There were two types of cattle I had never seen before – one was black with a white strip in the middle of their core and the other was the woolliest thing I have ever seen!

After the tour of the farm off we went for Kakabeka Falls where I was to call Dave and Vi Alderdice of the Superior Riders so that we could meet up. The plan was they would meet me at the falls and ride me to the hotel.

The falls at Kakabeka are absolutely stunning. They are known as the Niagara Falls of the North and I now know why!

I could have sat there watching the falls for hours, the are 39 metres high and I have no other word to describe them but STUNNING! The park here offers fishing, camping, walking trails and bicycle trails canoeing and more

Well – my plans to contact Dave and Vi were dashed as my phone does not work in the Thunder Bay region so when we got to Howard and Sirpa’s after visiting the falls – we phoned Dave and Vi and they came to Howard and Sirpa’s to meet me. While we waited for them to arrive I was treated to some Finnish bread and cheese, a Finnish cake and a wonderful cup of coffee.  When Dave and VI arrived, we visited for a bit, made plans to meet for breakfast the next morning and off to the Best Western Plus Nor'Wester Hotel & Conference Centre we went!

I was sure impressed when I checked in too!

I went through the usual check in process and then was given rags for the bike and told I could get a bucket for water by calling the front desk when I was ready!

This hotel has really friendly staff and a fabulous fitness area complete with pool, hot tub and saunas.  The restaurant menu has a good selection and there is even a deck you can sit on to watch the sunset from.

The room was spacious and had lots of power outlets and a screen slider for easy access to the bike from the room!

Something else I was impressed with – my room…the cabinet that the TV stood on also housed the microwave, coffee pot and a fridge!  There was a wonderful closet for hanging gear up, two sinks one in the bathroom and one outside of it and a wonderful desk and executive chair to sit in and I accomplished a lot at the desk!

This was a wonderfully comfortable room with a fantastic bed and I settled in for a wonderful and much needed night’s rest.

Next time your travels take you to Thunder Bay why not check them out!

The Best Western Plus Nor’Wester Hotel & Conference Center

Is located at 2080 Highway #61, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7J 1B8
Phone: 807/473-9123

Fax: 807/473-9600
Website

From Dryden to Brandon.

We headed out to Brandon - it was cool and over cast but it made for pleasant riding.

We stopped in Kenora for mid morning snack at the Timmy's but on the way in we saw this really cool bug.
As you can see the dark clouds were looming...we didn't stay long, just long enough to get a few pictures and then it was off to Brandon..

Hubby posing with the bug...

On we go towards Manitoba...Brandon and Cycle Boyz Shop, here we come.

Until later, ride safe.....

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Dryden and the Comfort Inn

After leaving the Thunder Bay area we headed off to our next stop - Dryden. It was to be a reasonably leisurely ride as it is only  about 4 and a half hours. Mark and I both had Busters BBQ on the brain.

Problem was, neither of us could remember exactly where on the highway it was.
We road through the cool mid morning air and enjoyed the varied scenery. From small lakes to rock faces and trees it is very different from Grande Prairie AB and we were drinking in the differences.

We got into the pulp mill town of Dryden and were both seriously disappointed as we had not seen the BBQ place that we had both fallen so much in love with.

We checked in to the Comfort Inn and asked the young gal at the desk for information on laundry facilities and where we would find Buster's BBQ - she was off a wee bit as she told us that Vermillion Bay was 25 KM or so away when it really is 40 but none the less both hubby and I were salivating at the thought of some of that incredible blueberry BBQ sauce.

Lady at Comfort Inn

We rode down town to the laundromat and got some clothes cleaned and hubby did a bit of banking. The smell from the Domtar pulp mill was something I am not sure I could get used to.

City of Dryden is located on the Wabigoon Lake

The City of Dryden is located on the Wabigoon Lake which feeds the Wabigoon River. The lake is world renowned for its fishing (Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskie and Smallmouth Bass) and Dryden was also home to the Canadian Masters Windsurfing Association Championships in August! The region is comprise of some 9 lakes covering 56,000 acres!

Max the Moose stands watch over his domain - Dryden!

OK - Clothes clean, bellies now need to be fed. It was cool with a pretty good wind.
I chose to ride on the back of hubby's bike - I wear braces on both feet and my ankles were bleeding from the chaffing that happens from the braces rubbing up and down on the ankle as you walk so I wanted to give them a break by not having to wear them for a few hours. As we got to west side of Vermillion Bay we caught a whiff of the good food that was awaiting us. I could tell that I was not alone in my desire to tie in to some good BBQ - Hubby was giving me the thumbs up sign!

I love this Inukshuk - I think it honors the history of the area peoples beautifully.

Buster's is filled with a ton of humorous signs and pictures to take in while you wait for your food.

Buster's BBQ sauce is an award winning blueberry sauce that plays on the palette! I had the 1/4 chicken and hubby had the wrap - we both came away stuffed and there was even enough left overs for a snack at the room. We picked up some sauce and rub for thank you gifts (and ourselves) and headed back to the hotel.
 

I want to say how pleased I was with the Dryden Comfort Inn. Like the rest before it, the amenities were consistent - the 24 hour coffee with real cream was appreciated by both hubby and I as was the continental breakfast. The hotel was clean and comfortable and the staff were helpful and friendly.

If you find yourself in the Dryden area remember that besides beautiful riding and scenery, if you are into other recreations this area has some world renowned fishing and is known for its wind surfing.

The Comfort Inn can be your home away from home while you are in the region and make sure you tell them that you want their Rider Friendly Discount and that Belt Drive Betty sent you...

Comfort Inn Dryden
522 Government Rd
Dryden ON P8N 2P5
807-223-3893
Fax: 807-223-5627

Until later - ride safe..........

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