Day 58 - Mattawa, Ont. to Stonecliffe, Ont.

July 9, 2026 (Thursday)

Start Time: 5:30 am 

Stop Time: 10:30 am 

KM Travelled: 77.8 km 

Elevation: +862/ -848 m 

Special Stuff: The fog, Creating good childhood memories, Campfires

I get off to an early start with my ride and along with it comes a fog that persists for most of several hours. Visibility is pretty good, so I feel okay riding in it. I like the fog this morning because it heightens my sense of hearing. I am very attuned to the sound of vehicles coming from both directions – as they get closer I just pull over and wait for them to pass. I listen for vehicle acceleration and deceleration patterns to get a sense of the landscape around me (which I cannot see). The map shows that I rode on a narrow strip of land on the edge of a lake around Deux Riviers, but I only knew I was there when I saw a bit of water and the outline of an island.  

I see a historical point of interest the “Brent Meteorite Crater” - whIch apparently hit about 450 million years ago. (I have no idea how anyone could estimate an event from that long ago!) 

I came across a group of Algonquin First Nations doing a water healing ceremony walk. 

I only stopped a few times to take pictures as this morning I am on a mission to get off the highway as soon as possible. The RVs start showing up around 9:00 am. I find myself having to ride on the outside edge of the travel lane because the rumple strip consumes most of the shoulder. I am hyper attentive to the flow of traffic – checking my rear-view mirror whenever there is on-coming traffic. I pull over many times because it is the safest option for myself and for the traffic conditions. I still feel that this is the better option than following some ‘trail’ out in the bushes.

I’m off the road by 10:15 am and I’m happy with the distance that I have been able to complete. Of course I’d have loved to have gone further, but the conditions of the road would have made it unpleasant to travel. This is good enough.

We have a great spot at Driftwood Provincial Campground. We booked the last spot in the campground a few nights ago. 

Brian works throughout the day as I get to my ‘to do’ list and consider strategies for the ride for the next couple of days. 

I settle down to sleep to the sound of wood being chopped and children playing and creating memories. The smell of campfires burning is such a different experience to our BC summers where summer campfires are a thing of the past.