Omaha to NYC Day 24
This morning as I sit at my windy, secluded campsite, eating instant oatmeal, Detroit seems far away. Still, it was yesterday that I left my Warmshowers host. She was leaving for work at the same time I was leaving so we biked 4 miles through the city together. Detroit has a strange vibe with lots of empty land next to a revived downtown filled with megaprojects that previously failed to revive the downtown. I passed into an industry area along the river that seems to be doing well.
After a short journey I spotted the Gordie Howe bridge. Immediately before you get to it you reach Fort Wayne, an old Fort Lawton-ish post. I wheeled around in a drive by sightsee, then it was on to the bridge. A long, covered tunnel for bikes and pedestrians led to the bridge. Trucks queued to enter the US next to it. Soon I was wheeling over the bridge. I was the only bike, but several groups of pedestrians were walking over. It’s a beautiful structure. I snapped several pictures trying to capture the light reflecting off the support lines.
My entry into Canada took all of 30 seconds. There was no line and the immigration and customs official looked at the bike and then glanced at my passport and waved me through. The first stop in Canada was a Yemeni coffee shop a few miles down the road. I had a delicious cup with cardamon and a yummy cake with honey and semolina. Full of second breakfast, I went grocery shopping. I usually wait until late, get rushed, and forget things. I still forgot things.
Full and resupplied, I headed out. I was debating where to stay the night. Sarah, my Warmshowers host, is a dedicated stealth camper, and thought there was a great looking spot on the east side of Point Pelee when we looked on Google Maps. Still, camping in a day use National Park seemed a bit risky to me. On the other hand, it would save 20 miles that day by sparing me the ride to Wheatley Provincial Park. If I rode to Wheatley, it would be an over 80 mile day.
The area east of the Gordie Howe is very suburban and neat, tidy, and sleepy. What a contrast from Detroit. Even the sprawl had great bike infrastructure. A car stopped to let me cross the road, just because it was the nice thing to do. What a difference a border makes. Eventually, the suburban road became a rural road. I reached a point where I had to choose between a perfectly good rural road and a longer bike trail. Theoretically, the trail only added four miles, but often you roll slower on a trail. I opted for the trail
What followed was a happy 30 miles of uneventful pedalling through farm fields on an arrow straight and level path. Several groups of kitted-out, gravel cyclists passed me heading the opposite direction. I was making great time. I had lunch in Harrow and hopped back on the trail.
After Kingsville, the trail ends and you reach the Lake Erie shore. There’s a nice bike path next to the road or a generous shoulder. The area is a mix of tomato greenhouses, which the area is famous for, and lakefront vacation homes. At Leamington, I passed through a marina then turned south toward Point Pelee.
The miles were going fast. I’d reach the secret, stealth spot 3:30-ish. Since you have to set up after dark, I’d have a long wait. In the end, my rule-following nature won the day. Plus, the park had a detailed explanation of their efforts to restore the Point Pelee ecosystem and campers conflict with that. Plus, it was supposed to get windy. Plus, the end of the Point had tons of black flies. Plus, I was really enjoying the sense of motion on my bike.
I biked the tree tunnel to the very end of the Point with a brief stop at a wetlands and the visitor centre. The tip of the point narrowed to a sandy spot just a few feet wide. I didn’t linger because of the afore mentioned black flies, but I did climb a tower to get a great and fly-free view. Curiosity satisfied, I hopped on the bike for a quick 20 miles on flat roads to Wheatley Provincial Park.
I arrived around 5:30, got set up in a surprisingly deserted camping loop. By deserted, I mean I was the only person. It felt very isolated. I got the stealth experience with a bathroom! I went down to the beach to cook dinner. I had it all to myself. I headed back at sunset. I had a nice chat with Jesse. He wanted to arrange a party for his eldest, Lyle, while I am in Albany on September 27. It seems weird to be planning in-person events with the family. It’s getting close!
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