Caliper Lake Provincial Park to Fort Frances
On the road by 8:00 to a cloud covered sky but without our rain gear for a change. It was a beautiful day for a ride. The cloud cover kept the sun from overheating us and the wind was a non-factor. Some early climbing tested the legs but soon the long and winding road became very straight and what should appear but farmland. We had entered the Rainy River District, a pocket of agricultural land located in the western portion of Ontario. We saw mostly pasture land and hay (cattle were conspicuous by their absence....is that a sign of the times in the beef industry?), but we know more is grown as witnessed by the crop research area we passed just outside of Emo. Speaking of Emo, we would like to thank Dan and Ruth for their valuable information about the Emo area. What's with celebrating your 50th wedding anniversary rather than being at your cottage to greet us? Congratulations, it is a milestone too few couples get to enjoy!
We are camping in the Pither's Point Park in Fort Frances. It is a nice beach front park but calling their camping facilities anything but lousy would be exaggerating. An open field with really poor washrooms bordered by train tracks with trains running very regularly is not my idea of ideal camping! And then 2 OPP officers stopped to let us know that there was a '500 lb black bear' through the park this morning and to just be aware! Great! They said he just wanders through and ignores humans. Good thing! However, it does not effect the taste of the rum!!
Fort Frances is a pulp and paper town. The plant owned by AbitibiBowater, is very large stretching for half the length of the town. Part of the facility is located in International Falls across the border. I suspect this town depends upon this facility for the majority of its employment and I seem to remember not that long ago that AbitibiBowater was in financial trouble and had filed for Chapter 11 in the US.
Daily Distance=97.95 km. Time on the bikes=6 hours 1 minute. Average speed=16.23 km/hr. Maximum speed=39.69 km. Wildlife sightings= chipmunk, red squirrel, deer, red fox, white pelicans, great blue herons, pileated woodpeckers, kestrel, wood thrush, loons.
Kevin=3 Sue=0
