Day 52 - Blind River, Ont. to Espanola, Ont.

July 4, 2026 (Saturday)

Start Time: 6:10 am 

Stop Time: 3:15 pm 

KM Travelled: 111.9 km 

Elevation: +721. -698 m 

Special Stuff: Sunrises, Keeping fit as we get older

We have discovered a great campsite here at the Blind River Marina. Marinas are designed for boaters who travel in a similar way to us and have similar needs (like showers, shopping, etc.). There are a few other travellers (boaters and drivers) that have stopped for the night, but they are a ways off from us.

I review my travel plans for the day. The Yellow Alert Heat weather warning has been lifted (yay!). Wind is coming from the east and northeast (which means a headwind). I will be travelling off the main highway again following the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail (GLWT). I’d like to get 100 km along the road if I can. The target is Espanola. 

As I pack up my bike, the light wind allows me to enjoy a bug-free sunrise listening to the morning chatter of an island full of birds a little way off in the distance. 

Brian has a day off and is sleeping in. We agreed to meet up in Massey where he will visit a laundromat and get a load of laundry done. 

Making my way to the trailhead, I notice that the Blind River is super cute! Everyone’s yards are so nicely done – I stop to take some pictures for inspiration when I get home and need to tend to my own garden again. 

Today’s route is indirect – I need to stop alot to navigate the next turn and to confirm I’m still on the right route. Sometimes the route takes me to the highway (when the highway is part of the GLWT, it has a wide shoulder – otherwise...the highway has a skinny shoulder). One hour in and I’m only 12 km down the road (had I gone the highway route, I’d have likely been 17 – 20 km down the road – annoying because the highway is not very busy). 

The route takes me to some ‘interesting’ places. Over last two days ‘interesting’ has been great. Today...not so much. When off the highway I am following ATV and snowmobile trails which have alot of loose gravel and trenches. I need to get off my bike several times (which I don’t like to do). One bit of trail took me to a wooded area which at the start of the trail had a sign that said “THIS IS BEAR COUNTRY – KEEP ALERT”. As you can imagine, I’m a bit freaked at this point, I reach back to touch my bear spray and feel the safety. Throughout the trail, I am talking out loud to myself (reciting all the towns I’ve come through till now) and singing (‘Que Sera Sera, Whatever Will Be, Will Be”). As I’m travelling through this section, I imagine I’m back at home in Squamish walking on one of the trails I am familiar with – we have bears too. After 15 minutes of riding, I am relieved to come out into a lakefront residential area.  

When I get back to the highway, I notice there is road construction and they have sectioned off the shoulder as they are widening the lane. This part is not on my planned route, but I take full advantage of it and ride through the construction zone as far as I can, cutting out two alternate route options off the main highway.  

Looking at the map a bit closer, it seems that side routes that say “road” (rather than "path" or "trail") seem a little more suited to my needs as a rider. Following routes that say “road” I see some beautiful neighbourhoods that I would not have normally seen. I come through some rural neighbourhood set along the river, I ride though the Serpent River First Nation community, and another Amish community. 

Some highlights for the day: 

• Serpent River First Nation

• Turtle crossings

• Amish women tending to their garden 

• Two Amish boys riding bikes (who appear to be delivering lunch) - I think they slowed down on purpose so I can pass them (I say “hi”, only the older boy responds) 

• I follow an Amish man on a tractor for several kilometers as he moved from one field to another to fluff up the grass (I think there are different types of Amish with different beliefs about in terms of how ‘wordly’ they are willing to be) 

• Man standing up on his boat fishing on the river (no life jacket on) 

• Solar farming

Given the large number of detours and riding conditions today, I’m quite tired. In Massey, I meet up with Brian for a planned check-in. After a bit of a rest, I decide to keep going the next 28 kilometers (alternate route) that will get me to Espanola.  

The ride to Espanola is hot and there is a headwind. The headwind is work, but it kept me cool). I remind myself often that I have nothing else to do today but ride my bike – this helps to ground me. I have a nice chat with a man that I pass on the road. He looks to be in his 70’s, has lived in Espanola his whole life and is out for a 20 km bike ride. He says he wishes his knees were better so he can ride more. He looks to be in good shape because he has muscular arms – I tell him this. He tells me that it’s important to stay in shape, so you stay healthy as you get older (I take note of the lesson). 

The campsite Brian selected is a fair way out of town, so, Brian and I meet in downtown Espanola where he will drop me off when I start up to ride again. 

On the drive to the campsite, I let Brian know that I’ve got a bit of a headache and I’m not exactly sure how to navigate the next several days – which will be more urban (creating a challenge to find campsites). Brian may need to go ahead of me and settle in for a few days. We would like to spend his day off together tomorrow (during the week, we really only have an hour or two of quality time together given my biking needs and his unique working hours). Tomorrow the temperature will be cooler, and I want to keep riding, but I decide that it is best to go with a rest day tomorrow. I remind myself (again) that this is not a race. 

Our campsite is located right on the lake. It’s so hot that I don’t shower until I’m ready to go to bed – why bother getting all sweaty again. The rest day is unexpected, so I start preparing myself for what I’d like to do tomorrow. I have an ongoing list of tasks...one of which is self-care as I’m feeling my muscles are getting tight again (I wish I could teleport to my Thunder Bay Thai Smile masseur). I have a list of stretches to do at the end of each ride, but I don’t have a good routine established for actually doing them – I think I need to fix that (I know, kindof late in the ride...but better late than never).