Two days in Canada

We left the friendly town of Armada after a great hot breakfast prepared by church members.  The day was gray and chilly, threatening rain which quickly presented itself, and we rode in and out of showers for the rest of the day.  After two weeks of sunshine it was a shock to the system.  Our cue sheets, which Nancy has meticulously checked against Google Earth, failed us today and led us to some unpaved stretches, as well as a road impossible to find because it was a pedestrian bridge.  It was an important road, as lunch was on the other side of the bridge.  The incident made me realize how dependent we had become on cell phones for Google map checks and quick calls.  In Canada, most of us have turned off these electronic crutches and feel a bit unprotected.

The day continued with a couple of solid downpours, as well as my first flat tire of the trip.  In spite of these various travails, we ended on a bright note, with another fine dinner and social time at a church in Dresden, Ontario.  When I told the people at my table about my flat tire on my way to visit the settlement established by the man who inspired Uncle Tom's Cabin, one immediately offered to drive me to the site.  Although the museum about the Underground Railroad in Canada was closed, it was still very interesting to see some of the buildings from Dawn, the community Josiah Benton established.

Today was back to normal-- a perfect day, with a tailwind most of the way.  We rolled through fertile farmland, briefly visited a memorial to Tecumseh, who died in this area while fighting for the British in the War of 1812, and arrived at our destination of Port Stanley in plenty of time to explore this touristy town on the shore of Lake Erie.  We are staying at a bed and breakfast inn run by a woman who has done some remarkable biking, including a trip from Uzbekistan to Beijing!!  After two nights in a row on the floor, my bed is looking very inviting.

On the ferry to Walpole Island, a First Nation reserve which was our entry spot into Canada.

 A Google goof

Evening sky at Uncle Tom's gravesite.

Windy day on the beach at Port Stanley