Jatz's travels

[_Shrek_]

hey Jatz been awhile, I see life isn't to shabby & you're still dragging your arse across the world, well done you must come back in more often

[JATZ]

hey Jatz been awhile, I see life isn't to shabby & you're still dragging your arse across the world, well done you must come back in more often

G'day Shrek, good to hear from ya. Yeah, lifes alright... can't complain.
I almost came down your way earlier in the year, was going to hit some trails on the CT125, but you know... stuff gets in the way,,
Maybe I could park the ute at yours when I do get down there ?

to Mrs Shrek

[JATZ]

I had planned to spend a day in Winnipeg, but I got the feeling it was just another city. I'm sure it has some fun and/or interesting stuff to do, but I just felt like getting out
I carried on heading east, only stopping for a coffee at a little java hut around McMunn somewhere.
Before to long I crossed into Ontario



This sign at the border raised my eyebrows somewhat



They take speeding very seriously, and the cops are rigorous in enforcing it. I'd seen more in Kenora in 1 day than I'd seen in weeks

Another milestone
The road climbed up into some hills finally, developed some bends and I had some trees to look at. I made it to Kenora, and of course, had to snap a pic of Huskie the Muskie



I couldn't use the under pass to get to him...



They've had quite a bit of rain recently and on top of the massive amount of snow melting, water levels are quite high.



The business next door was even worse, but they were still operating. I grabbed some food, and headed out of town to Rushing River provincial park. Found a spot, set up and went for a bit of a wander around. It's VERY popular, and pretty big too. It took me a while to find my allotted spot.
There's a lake and a jetty there.



I'd booked in for 2 nights, figuring I'd spend a day looking around the place. It is quite pretty
So I rode back into town the next day, and had a look.... I couldn't decide whether to take a slow boat cruise around the Lake of the Woods... or something a bit more interesting... I went with the later



Never been in a float plane before It was very basic, a work horse. The company's main business is running supply's and guests out to camps around the place. Scenic flights are just a sideline when there's nothing else to do.
Good place to check out the lake from though, see all the little islands and houses, with boats darting about all over the place.







After that, it was time to find a fridge magnet, not as easy as one would expect. And for some reason I just felt like a steak for tea...



Next time some ones bleating about the cost of food show them that. It works out to $93.41 NZD per kilo. I went with the one on the left Then back to camp stopping to pick up a bundle of firewood on the way..



I could've had Venison for tea



and a walk around to see how the place got it's name...



Before steak and a sunset



Packed up next morning and got away early, I had decided to get to Thunder Bay that day, via Fort Frances and the international falls. a distance of a little over 500 K's.
As I was hurtling round a corner (at the correct speed, + change ) something on the road caught my eye, first I thought it was a rock, then I realized, rocks don't have a head and feet. A quick U turn and I managed to rescue the leeedle fellah before he became road kill.



Made my way down to Fort Frances, got some gas, and stopped to gaze at the USA on the other side of the river



Then It just became a bit of a slog, lots of trees, lakes , picture postcard vistas....



I got into Thunder Bay, found a room and because I hadn't eaten all day I pretty much went straight out looking for tea, still wearing my stinky riding gear. There was a bar a couple of doors down. I figured they'd have something.
I went in, sat down and ordered a beer. I didn't know which one, never heard of most of them. "Surprise me" I said.... the guy next to me ordered what he thought would be ok.... So we get chatting... He's a long haul truck driver.
Rounds were bought, the Other person at the bar was included of course... She was Nunnavut, from Hudsons bay, now living in Thunder Bay.
So things went on.... I had a meal.... nek minnit, truck driver comes back from one of his smoke breaks to inform us we were now on a bowls team, playing 3 locals. Kyle, Connor and Alena. There was a massive bowling alley attached to the bar. I had no idea
Game On !!!



I don't think I've ever bowled before, I could be wrong but it would've been about a hundred years ago. First one out the gate was a Steeeeeeerike, a celebration was in order It was only going to go one way from there....
I was still mid field when we eventually all got chucked out. Apparently... a night out with our new local friends involved Beers, Bowling and Boobies...
Lets go !!



Then nothing happened, nothing at all untill I got back to the unit at 3 am .....

I'll leave it there

[caseye]

Talk about leaving US, hanging by a thread.
Do you really expect us to believe that???
As always a great read, keep up the good work mate.

[JATZ]

I'd planned a little sight seeing around Thunder Bay, the following day... It didn't start so well when I got up to late for the free breakfast. I couldn't face eating anyway. I packed up, as I wasn't going to stay another night in that place. It was kind of spendy, specially if you're out all night.
First stop that had been recommended was Fort William Historic park.
It was pretty cool. A full size replica fort, complete with wharf and indigenous camp out side.







What makes it different is... as you arrive you're greeted by people in authentic period costume who give you a run down on the place, and each building has someone inside (in period costume) who tells you about what went on. The Indian outside the walls was really good
Sadly I just wasn't into it on the day. Being a group of 1 made it even more awkward. I hung around for about an hour before slinking away...
Next stop was a look out. Mt McKay scenic lookout... I could manage a scenic lookout
Very scenic





I'ts part of an Indian Reservation. I think they sell cheap gas too. There was 4 gas stations within about 1/2 a k in the village and they were all doing a roaring trade.
Next stop involved buzzing back out of town to check out Kakabeka falls. Quite cool....





By this stage the temps had risen over the 30's, George must've chucked my sunnies out of the tank bag and the 3 jackhammers in my brain weren't letting up. Find some shade and some water, then a cheap room...
I retired for the day to lick my wounds. Not sure if it was the Canadian beer or the various shots the night before, but I was crook
After a decent kip I set sail again next day, heading North. But not before checking out the water front in Thunder Bay. Nice spot





before beetling out of town. Apparently Thunder Bay is known for its Amethyst mining, so I went for a gander...



Then headed for Nipogon. I missed the turnoff to Ouimet canyon as it was in the middle of some road works. Nipogon was a quiet little town, they've got a massive bridge though. Then I carried on.
Along the shores of Lake Superior.



This road sign required a U turn



Should I have followed it ??

I got myself to Marathon and found a spot to park up for the night




Who knew Marathon had a celebrity ??



And wandered round the place with the phone..







Pretty boring Huh ?
Oh yeah.... Finished my book about the Alberta cattle industry and brand inspectors. Interesting, but I wouldn't revisit it.
Next day George was giddy with excitement. We were going to White River.
Don't ask me how he knew, but he did, perhaps he climbs out of the tank bag after I've gone to sleep and chats to other bears in the camp....
We got to White River, and he was out of the tank bag before I'd switched off the bike...



Know for those of you who don't know. White River is the spiritual home of one of the most famous of bears. Winnie the Pooh



Photo's done, information center visited, and I couldn't find a fridge magnet. George was pretty chuffed though



We set off again. I sort of had a spot in mind to stop for the night. I pulled into the Lake Superior Park headquarters and got a couple of options. I liked the sound of the cheap one. "bush camping"Just a picnic table, a lake, and a "thunderbox" she called it...
I eventually found my spot. Only one other couple and they were a good 50 m along the beach.
I don't think you're supposed to take your vehicle right to the spot. The lady mentioned parking out by the road. But I'm to lazy to carry all my shit to a campsite. I'm sure I can get over the mound and between the trees



Glad the bikes got the muffler low, and panniers narrow.
What a seriously cool spot.



I set up and wandered along the beach gathering a decent amount of firewood



then had a brew and watched the world go by, including a bald eagle out for a cruise how cool is that ?
After tea, because it looked like bear country I took the food box along the beach and hung it in a tree



then waited for the sunset that never happened and turned in. George was still fizzing when I put the rain cover on the tankbag for the night.
'Bout 2 am I was woken by a light. I thought someone was spotlighting... then the thunder started, and it carried on for the next 2 hrs., with some decent rain mixed in.
Rough night...
I got up and had coffee and packed up in between showers



The "thunderbox" proved to be less than ideal during a passing shower



I pulled in up the road a bit to check out some petroglyphs (?) near Agawa bay. Nice walk through the bush



I only saw 2 petroglyphs



the rest required scrambling along a wet rock ledge above the lake, apparently its quite slippery.



I eventually made it to the destination for the day.



and just as I took that shot the thunder/lightning started again. Accompanied by torrential rain



I made it to my room for a couple of nights and dripped like a wet sponge on their reception floor.
I've been for a bit of a snuffle around and it looks like a nice spot with some interesting things. Don't think I've ever seen a lock before
Think I'll stick around...

[JATZ]

Talk about leaving US, hanging by a thread.
Do you really expect us to believe that???
As always a great read, keep up the good work mate.

What happens in the club.... stays in the club

[_Shrek_]

G'day Shrek, good to hear from ya. Yeah, lifes alright... can't complain.
I almost came down your way earlier in the year, was going to hit some trails on the CT125, but you know... stuff gets in the way,,
Maybe I could park the ute at yours when I do get down there ?

to Mrs Shrek

no worries Jatz, be good to have a wee catch up around Mrs Shrek's fire with a few & maybe a red or two,

[JATZ]

no worries Jatz, be good to have a wee catch up around Mrs Shrek's fire with a few & maybe a red or two,

Looks good... I'll bring the cask

[JATZ]

Righto... Quick catch up , while the rain belts down outside.
I had a relaxing day in S.S.M. I glanced at the bike on my way out in the A.M. and walked on by. took care of some house keeping first, then trundled of to the Bush pilots museum thingy. They have planes





doer upper planes...



and a 3D movie about bush pilots fighting forest fires. and all that's involved. Was pretty cool Unfortunately the Insectarium was shut, shame
I wandered along the promenade for a bit looking at this and peering at that. there was a whole bunch of hand painted rocks lining the footpath.



Here's a couple that caught my eye





That second one got me thinking
I made it to the lock. popped into the visitors center, got a map looked at some stuff and went awanderin.





Then walked around the tracks on some islands that are there. Under the bridge to the US



Over to Whitefish Isl. where you can see the rapids that necessitated the lock. While I was cruising along a path a little snake came wriggling out of the undergrowth right in front of me, I had to LOL as the little fellah virtually tied himself in knots trying to go back where he came from.



Water levels are still pretty high. The US lock on the other side had a couple of large ships go through while is was there, one was a big cruise liner. I don't think the Canadian lock could handle them that big. Then I just loitered around. looking at the old buildings





And the new ones





That second one is the Roberta Bondar building, and it's pretty effin impressive. She also has a park named after her, which was pretty swish, and a school. Who is Roberta Bondar, I hear you ask ??
Well I had no idea when I woke up that morning, but there was a section on her at the plane museum.
Wonder no more... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Bondar Seems being an astronaut (among other things) make ya famous.
Couple more shots of Sault Ste Marie





Electric Quad anyone ??



Picked up another book , sent the other 2 home and went out for tea at a well respected joint not 300m from where I was staying.
You get 1 guess what it served
Next day it was time to leave S.S.M. I liked the place, it had a good feel to it.

[JATZ]

I headed north and turned down a road that my paper map said joined up with another road I needed to take. Google said it did too, but OH NO... Miss Garmin wasn't having a bar of it I carried on regardless. It was pretty cool Past Ranger Lake



A nice squiggly little gravel number



I had no idea the roads had a sand base, until I came to a grader who was churning it up and leaving windrows along the road
Y'know... I think I may have only taken another couple of pics of lakes and trees and stuff which are pretty boring. I made my way to Chapleau to stock up on supplies, in a small town store where you're instantly recognized as an outsider, and made my way to Ivanhoe Lake for the night. Scored a spot with a nice view of the sunset



I thought this was pretty cool too



It was another of those days where the phone camera stays hidden. Just cruising along minding my own business looking at the scenery.....
Late in the day I stopped for a comfort stop and a drink, just pulled off the road into a side road, found some shade and did what I needed to do. Gave the bike a quick eyeball, looking for anything obvious. I did think about heading down to the lake at the end of the road to set up camp, but I decided against it... I was wondering why I hadn't seen a live bear yet, saw plenty last time..... What would I do if one walked out of the trees ? Y'know... things like that.
I saddled up again and headed back the 20m to the road, pulled up, glanced left... then right.... then down....
Barely 10m away was this...



First instinct was to drop the clutch and gap it.... then I thought of Jatz's Travels, so whipped off a glove, dived into the tank bag for the phone and got a pic for the readers. Then the phone got chucked in an open pocket, the glove tucked into my crotch and I took off. Thankfully no traffic was coming.
After that excitement I made my way to Halfway lake and scored a spot to pitch my tent. Very large campsite, lots of people.... :sad:
Next day... Today... I made my way to North bay on Lake Nippising. I think I'll do 2 nights here, the place has a good feel to it.
Bike is booked in for a service and tyres on the 28th in T'ronno and I've got a meeting with an I.T./tech guy.

Later

[Joburble]

"thunderbox"

The privacy walls on the thunderbox looked a bit thin, but at least you'd be able to see the bears coming.

[F5 Dave]

Had to Google it as couldn't remember. Not such an important nugget of information in the Maugatuks for example.

The average brown bear encounter is more dangerous—3.5 times more likely to result in injury—than the average polar bear encounter, and 21 times more dangerous than the average black bear encounter, according to Smith and colleague Stephen Herrero, professor emeritus at the University of Calgary in Canada.


Ah, well, hardly worth worrying about, you know, statistically. (the trophy is what I would award myself for fastest getaway).

[JATZ]

Had to Google it as couldn't remember. Not such an important nugget of information in the Maugatuks for example.

The average brown bear encounter is more dangerous—3.5 times more likely to result in injury—than the average polar bear encounter, and 21 times more dangerous than the average black bear encounter, according to Smith and colleague Stephen Herrero, professor emeritus at the University of Calgary in Canada.


Ah, well, hardly worth worrying about, you know, statistically. (the trophy is what I would award myself for fastest getaway).

If it had been a brown bear there would be no pic. Maybe one from way up road ?

[JATZ]

Alright... Time for another lash at getting you guys up to date.
So I had a day to kill in North Bay, on lake Nipissing. First order of business, go have a wander around the fore shore and marina.





I do love a good fore shore
Then it was off to have a look at the Canadian Forces museum of Aerospace Defence. It's on an active military base, and Garmin tried routing me through the middle of it I found my own way there and found out they didn't open till 12.... So rocketed off to have a look at a waterfall





Quite un developed. I also love a good water fall It was pretty cool.
With that out of the way I headed back to the museum, it should be open by now.
Sadly No perhaps they were off at lunch. I left in disgust. Then it was a bit of a poke around the town centre. Nothing much to report there, it seemed quite dead.
Back to the accom. and a chill out session.
After tea I wandered down to a local park, where I had a chat to the owner of this




The bikes electric and the trailer holds 3 windsurfers. He's going to build a closed in trailer I looked at the tow hitch and the welds holding that to the swingarm and figured he'd best learn to weld before venturing to far. Kept my mouth shut though
Also had a chat to a guy fishing off the rocks, using live bait.
Leeches anyone ??



So feeling I'd done North Bay, I set sail the next morning. South into Huntsville then East through Algonquin park. It was pretty cool. Lots of trees and lakes. No pics though... I mean, how many pics of lakes and trees does one man need ?
Then I made my way to Round Lake and the Covered Bridge campground. They have a covered bridge there surprisingly



I negotiated an acceptable rate with the owner and he led me to my spot for the night



It was a beautiful evening...



I slept well despite the frogs and woke up the next morning to this



I quite like those "Cabins" on the lake. I could see myself living in one. Riding bikes and quads and cutting wood in the summer, then riding a snowmobile and burning wood in the winter
Right... I was supposed to be in Toronto this day. But first a stop at a place I'd saved on Google Maps months ago. I just had to have a look... see if they had any problems I could help out with. Maybe find a produce stall ?



It's a bit hard to read the sign, but that says Letterkenny Rd. There is a church there



No town of Letterkenny It's filmed in Sudbury, which I'd past through days before
What followed was some of the best riding of the trip so far. A rural rd passing over hlils and plunging into valleys like a rollercoaster, the trees crowding in on both sides. Occasional glimpses of lakes and cabins in the woods. Passing through the occasional little hamlet. Riding nirvana in my books.



I tried to film it but the card was full so that didn't work, and I didn't really want to stop.
It had to end.... at another little town I can't remember the name of. Where I actually did stop, at a car/ute/motorcycle/quad/side by side/snowmobile/small engine dealer ( I guess you have to diversify to survive
It looks like they can also deal in Sherps



Seriously cool I think I'd neeed one of those at the lake cabin.
Then it was time to make my way to T'ronno. But not before I got held up in road works. The line of cars stretched for kilometers. At one point I decided to ride up the hard shoulder to get ahead a bit, an had some turkey pull right to try and block me with his ute and trailer. I got passed ok copping some abuse from the passenger. I'd been warned this may happen if I did use the shoulder(9its quite legal). Some people are just ass holes I guess.
I got to within sight of the front of the que and waited for a good 45 mins for it to start mooving. Pretty crap traffic management. The que on the other side stretched on for aaaaaages
Garmin had decided to route me in to town on the 401 .... at times 8 lanes of traffic each way, sometimes burning along at 110/120 sometimes down to 1st gear. Trucks and cars all jostling for position. It was quite nerve wracking I had no idea Toronto was this BIG !!
I eventually made it to where I had to drop the bike off, and was more than happy to strip my gear off it and uber the last 50 k's to the Air BnB

[JATZ]

So I spent the Thursday just wandering around the streets of Burlington





It's actually a pretty cool city of 185000 thousand people. Goin to Walmart, and no... I didn't see any "people of", for essentials like SD cards, food and beer.
Then today I had to go pick up this in Mississauga ...



and get back to Burlington with just voice commands. then later in the day back to Mississauga to pick up my freshly serviced ride, complete with new tyres, chain and sprockets
Still waiting for the I.T. guy.....

Thasit.... your all caught up

Later