North Bay, ON

Sunny start but northwest wind brings in clouds and a brief shower after 25 miles. Breeze pushes me along for a while, but it shifts to just from the north as sky turns clear again and sun heats things up. Not as hot as yesterday, much lower humidity too. Fewer big trucks on this Saturday, but more huge RV's and cars and pickups hauling trailers with boats, ATV's,  trash, whatever. Same narrow paved shoulder most of the time. Make the 75 miles into North Bay by 2pm, and check into my downtown motel-- Howard Johnson's alive and well in Canada, first I've seen in years, lacks the orange roof though does have a red stripe.

And like many of the less expensive motels I frequent it is owned by an Indian couple. But this is the first time I've found a Bhagavad Gita alongside the Gideon Bible!

Walk around the town, to public library and very nice used bookstore, pass up brewpub as dinner option since I had already bought beer on the way in. Ontario controls alcohol sales severely, only available at official LCBO stores, just a few even in a big place like North Bay -- most inconvenient.

Also inconvenient is the fact that the direct highway south from here toward Algonguin Provincial Park is a limited access highway, and the bicycling alternative would mean staying on miserable 17 and approaching the park from way to the east. My friend Chris has kindly agreed to drive out tomorrow and collect me here in North Bay while she does some shopping.

So ends this Midwest part of my cycling, 880 miles from Chicago in 12 riding days. I need some lake side relaxation, disconnection (no electricity/cell access at the lake), and off the bike time (no more truck routes!) before I fly to London on August 8.