August 3, 2018 West Lorne to Port Dover Ont.

Today was a 97.1 mile day with 1310 feet of climb.  It was also in the 90;s and 100% humidity which has turned everything into a total oven. 

This morning I rolled out with Ed W and Auzzie Bob in a thick pea soup fog.  Because of the fog I had put my reflective safety vest on and I was glad I had it. The road was narrow and filled with fast moving commuters.  When some faster bikers passed us they never even had red tail blinkers on and by the time they were 100 feet in front of us you could not see them.   A car never would have had a chance to stop. 

Bob and I got behind Ed and as he was only riding to Picnic we just stayed behind him and let him pull. At about mile 25 he realized what we were doing and it was hey isn’t it somebody else’s turn to lead.  A good laugh and I took over.

Just before Port Stanely and coffee at the 28 mile mark I spotted a couple of deer on the left side of the road. They went into the ditch on the left which was quite deep but they decided not to go into the thick corn.  Then they jumped back up on the road and crossed not 30 feet in front of us.

As we pulled into Port Stanley the draw bridge opened and we had to wait.  We stopped for coffee in Port Stanley and then had a really nasty pitch up a short climb after that.  

I was glad to see picnic come up at the 60 mile mark. It was getting hot and I was tired of the busy road with no shoulder and cross cracked road.  The HMCS Ojibuia which is a late 70’s submarine is pulled up and made into a museum, right beside where we had picnic.   I didn’t tour the sub as Bob had no interest and he wanted to roll on. 

With 37 miles to go I didn’t want to be left behind so off we went. After lunch the road was much better with a wide shoulder hardly any cross cracks and hardly any traffic.  As we were following the shore line there was a breeze coming off the lake.  At times it was a light tail wind and at times a cross wind.  

By the time we got to the 82.6 mile mark we got to an ice cream parlour in Port Rowan.  I had a single scoop of raspberry cheese cake which was wonderful.  Sitting in the AC was great as well.   Back out on the road and by the time we got to the 93 mile mark we got to another ice cream parlour.  The single scoop was probably close to a quart of ice cream.  The maple walnut was so creamy.   Back to back ice creams in just over 10 miles.

With only 4 miles to go Bob and I rolled down to camp and were glad to be done.  We are camped in the Norfolk Conservation Area, which is a large campground.  The shower was one of the smallest stalls I have been in and the water was not a spray but a dripple. However it was nice and cool and getting the road grime and sweat off felt great.  I found a nice shady spot under a huge tree for my tent.  I know I will sleep well tonight.

Terry hot biker

Sorry I could only get three pictures to load I will try later to add the rest.