Marmora to Perth

Breakfast was more Rui Pereira creations, starting with freshly-baked croissants, with spaghetti squash marmalade (very good!) and tomato jam (surprisingly good, as well) and banana muffins, followed by cheese and vegetable omelettes, toast and espresso/latte. Mr. Pereira helped us get our bikes out of the garage, chatted for a while about Portugal and Fado music and waved us off.

We had intended to stay in Sharbot Lake, but all accomodation was booked up for the Blue Skies Music Festival in nearby Clarendon Station, so we decided to cycle directly to Perth. We learnt that in the same part of Ontario this weekend there is the Boots and Hearts Musical Festival at Mossport and also the Flinton Country Bluegrass Jamboree; lots of action!

The ride was again uneventful as we cycled on the #7 through Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Frontenac and Lanark Counties. While the shoulder varied from between 10cm to 50cm, it was in good condition, the traffic was steady but not heavy,  and we had a tailwind. We stopped for fries and caesar salad at the chip wagon in Kaladar.

Unfortunately there are still long stretches without “facilities”. Today Lois walked into the grass at side of the road only to leap out again as she saw a garter snake. Paul accompanied her into the bush on this occasion, at her insistence.

We are staying in Perth for two nights. It is slightly disorientating to be eating at a restaurant that we visited while we lived in Ottawa.

The closest First Nations community is the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. It is worth looking at their history as yet another example of exploitation and dispossession. Although the land is the traditional territory of the First Nations of the Upper Canada Treaties Area 1, the Ardoch First Nation is non-status.