We are looking forward to our lunch today at the Hexagon Restaurant in Deep River. A leisurely ride of 45 miles should be a piece of cake considering neither of us will be hauling our 20+ pounds of gear. It doesn’t turn out that way.
Unlike prior mornings, today is windless, hot, and sunny. We put on an extra layer only to remove it minutes into the ride. Leaving Petawawa, we pass over a raging rapid, loud and fast. With the white water behind us, the only sound we hear is the crunching of gravel on our tires and the chirping of birds.
We now find ourselves diverted from the original rail bed and detoured around a military complex. The ups and downs of this path are not indicative of a rail trail. But is actually a welcome change. Signs letting us know that we must stay on the trail and not trespass onto military property pepper the route. One saying that this area is an active firing range drives the point home.
The concentration of wildflowers are different here than further south. There are few milkweed plants but a plethora of yellow hawkweed. The flat trail now becomes more bumpy with undulating surfaces. Nothing we can’t handle. It’s actually a bit of fun.
All the deciduous trees are gone and we are surrounded by pines. And the bugs have finally found us. An armada of flies descends on us and hundreds of them fly around Ted like little satellites. Ted notices their moving shadows on the ground next to his bike. We increase our speed but so do these hungry flyers.
Speeding down a steep hill, it appears we have outrun our blood-sucking groupies but we continue to pump and keep up the pace. In a shaded grotto, we rest at a bridge where the sound of a fast-running stream eliminates all other sounds in an almost hypnotic fashion. The bugs are gone and we are resting.
After 10 miles of so, we are back on the rail trail, which is nice and flat. A large swamp is to our right. It looks recently created as many bushes and plants that should not be underwater now are and the trail is near flooding. A recently constructed beaver dam is why.
Leaving the trail, we turn right onto Wylie Road. The asphalt is a welcome change but the additional hills we encounter are not. After arriving at the Hexagon Restaurant, I discover that my distance estimation is in error. By a lot. The round trip is 54 miles, not 45. I made the mistake of not including the distance from the trail to the restaurant as part of my calculation. Ted says, “I’ll deal with you later.”
But the view is worth the extra distance. We sit looking out at the placid Ottawa River as boats zip about on a perfect summer day. In the distance, the high hills of Quebec rise bracketing this impressive waterway. But we can’t linger too long as the heat is increasing and we have hills to climb. We have reached the zenith of our trip; it’s time to start the journey back.
After a long climb on Wylie Road and a few downhills, we rejoin the Algonquin Trail. The newly open section of the trail is to our right; we are not tempted to enter it. We feel more at peace with a flat route under our wheels but the sun is taking its toll on us and we take frequent breaks. We stop at a convenience store for cold water and ice cream. One thing about this section of the OVRT is that there are no farms adjacent to the trail.
We reenter the part of the trail that goes through the military base. Knowing what we now know about the topography, we approach the ride with cautious abandon looking to have a bit of fun. But not too much fun, as the prospect of spinning out in a rut or loose gravel is front of our minds.
The bugs are back, but in fewer numbers than before. Ted now has the misfortune of his front derailleur jamming on him but he is able to continue. The worst of the hills are behind us and we are riding in shade as the sun is low in the sky and we know that we will soon arrive at our hotel to cold drinks, a dip in the swimming pool, refreshing showers, and take-out pizza and chicken wings.
