The MS Chi-Cheemaun (Ojibwe for “Big Canoe”), is a passenger and car ferry in Ontario, Canada, which traverses Lake Huron between Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula and South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island.  The ferry connects the two geographically-separate portions of Highway 6.  I have ridden the Chi-Cheemaun three times, always with Anne.  The first time was on our honeymoon in 1980, the second time was on the Great Adventure, the bicycle trip of 1982, the third time was in 2001 along with the boyz.  While all three passages were memorable, this post is most concerned with the 1982 bicycle trip’s passage.

It was June 23^rd, a Wednesday, at high latitude and nearly the longest day of the year, a very long day indeed.  We decamped early from MacGregor Point Provincial Park on the Bruce Peninsula.  Our hope was to make a break and try to catch an early ferry ride from Tobermory to South Baymouth.  We got on the road early, but then ended up stopping in Port Eglin for breakfast, due to the cold.  It was a cold and foggy morning.  Lunch was at Sauble Falls, at which I remembered stopping on our honeymoon, funny though, Anne didn’t remember this falls.  Maybe next time I’ll look at the falls …  Around the falls we saw Yellow Lady Slippers, flickers and Swamp Iris.

We pressed on regardless throughout the afternoon, in order now to make the 8 PM ferry.  It warmed up in the afternoon, but a headwind also developed.  We made rest stops in Mar, Ferndale and Miller Lake.  We also had an unscheduled stop when Mark runs into the back on Anne’s bike, but we made the ferry with time to spare.  The evening ferry ride was relaxing, complete with setting sun.  It was followed by a night in a motel, in South Baymouth.

No ride today, plus another slow news day has me going back again to the Great Adventure, Anne’s and my big bicycle trip of 1982.  We rode for five months and in the middle of it all took off a month to lounge around the Cabin.  The highlight of that month off was the wedding of Anne and Bill.  One of the other highlights of that month was our Agawa Canyon train ride. 

The train left the station early, well at least early for us at the time, eight AM.  We had to get up and bike to the train station and be there about seven, when the train started boarding.  It was about 15 miles to get there.  About a mile of that route was over the International Bridge to Canada, followed immediately by Canadian customs.  Anyway we made it on time and the train left on time. 

The first of numerous milestones (or more accurately, wooden mile plaques) rolled by, as a reminder that we were beginning a journey that would take us 114 miles north into the Canadian wilderness.  We passed many lakes and rivers along the way (see today’s header), as well as granite rock formations through which the train appeared to barely squeeze.  For many miles, we were hemmed in on one side and then the other by trees.  But somewhere along the line, the train shot out into the open and tore along tracks supported by giant trestles that soar hundreds of feet above the valley bellow and then stopped for a photo-op.  On either side, wide expanses of lakes and forests stretched as far as the eye could see.  It is easy to understand why these vistas and panoramas inspired some of the leading Canadian artists (including the famous Group of Seven) to create some of Canada’s most notable landscape art.

Just after noon, we coasted 500 feet down to the park situated on the floor of the Agawa Canyon, where we stayed for almost two hours.  There was time sit down for a boxed lunch that we had bought from the railway and to follow a couple of short trails.  We grabbed our camera and followed the two trails one after the other: the Beaver Falls Trail and the Bridal Veil Falls Trail.  Above, Anne is pictured standing in front of the Bridal Veil Falls.  The falls were beautiful and very photogenic.  We also climbed up over 300 stairs to the breathtaking lookout platform, perched 250 feet above the tracks, the following picture was taken there.

After two hours we re-boarded the train and headed back.  The dawn launch, the fresh air, lunch and the rocking of the train conspired to make us sleepy, so we napped on the way back.  We re-boarded our bikes, braved the bridge again and this time American customs and rode back to the Cabin.  In the intervening years we went back and rode the train again, this time with the Boyz of Noize.  We followed the same format as before, enjoyed the train ride on the way up, exploded out of the train at the lunch stop and slept on the way back.

I did get out and ride in the Park today and I got 25 miles, but overall it was kind of a slow news day.  Today’s weather while being rather warm is also rather dreary.  So rummaging through the archives I found this post’s picture.  It comes from our Great Adventure, our big bicycle trip of 1982.  The date was August 22^nd.  We were pretty seasoned travelers by this point, having been on the road for almost five months and having biked over 4,000 miles. 

This day was one of the highpoints of the whole trip.  Some might say it was the highpoint.  On this date we crossed the continental divide from Alberta into British Columbia.  We crossed at Kicking Horse Pass, so named by an early explorer who was once kicked by his horse there.  Anne is pictured returning the favor to her steel pony. 

We started the morning in Lake Louise Campground inside Banff National Park, which is actually much lower then the famous Lake Louise.  We started uphill and even thought it was only 2 km to the lake, we ended up stopping four times to rest.  It was worth the effort though, because the lake was gorgeous.  Anne walked around the lake while I read and guarded the bikes.  Leaving Lake Louise, we actually coasted downhill to the continental divide. 

It is not very crowded at the continental divide and eventually we are left alone.  I take advantage of the moment to send my waters simultaneously towards the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans (or maybe it was the Artic?).  Anne was not amused.  We continue on down to Kicking Horse Pass and stage the photo.  We travel downhill a total of 6.5 km at an average grade of 6.5%.  We occasionally stop on the way down and poured water from our water bottles onto our brakes to cool them. 

On the way down we are passed on the Trans-Can by a car with a trailer.  Well actually we were passed by quite a few cars with trailers.  Shortly after we are passed by this car and trailer, we were passed by the trailer’s wheel that goes careening past us and off into the brush.  The car stops and we spend sometime helping them trying to find their errant wheel, but the light is failing and we all soon abandon the search.  We also pass searchers on horseback that were looking for a young women, who has gone missing.  They were riding two on each side of the highway.  We asked about them at the ranger’s station later.

Ride: Day 67 bikes, Day 106 total Date: 7/16/82, Friday

From: Mackinaw City to Petoskey State Park (6 miles north)

Via: C-81, Lakeshore Drive (M119), Harbor Springs bike road

State/County: Michigan/Emmet

Mileage:                       Time:

Start 3080                9:15 AM

Finish 48 miles           5:30 PM

Total 3128                 8 ¼ hours

Road Surface/Terrain/Traffic: Paved, some rolling hills, very low traffic ‘til close to Harbor Springs

Map(s)/Guide: MI State & Topo, Emmet County map

Weather: Intermittent sprinkles & one shower, then hot & sunny

Flora/Fauna: Blck squirrels, Sandhill crane (?), chipmunk, goldfinch, balsam, cedar, beech, vulture

Others in Group:

Points of Interest/Mileage: Cross Village, Harbor Springs, nice bluffs all along lake, Petoskey State Park.

Comments: We think it’s raining out so we stay in the tent ‘til 8:00, but it’s mostly wind.  It waits ‘til we’re on the road to rain.  It pours when we get to Bliss and lady in store is not very friendly.  Some hills right after Bliss.  Sun comes out at Cross Village, so we have lunch on the beach there.  The road from Good Hart and most of the way to Harbor Springs is great!  Shaded, low traffic, views of lake.  A couple of good hills too, but that’s the breaks.  We take a long break in Harbor Springs, then go to State Park.  It’s full, but they ;et us camp in the group camp area, since we are on bikes.  We spend the rest of the day on the beach.

Expenses: C&C $0.50, $0.50, Juice: $1.45, IC $2.50, J&C $2.20, Camp $3.00, Total: $10.15, Trip Total: $3646.31

Ride: Day 65 bikes, Day 104 total Date: 7/14/82, Wednesday

From: The Cabin to Foley Creek Campground

Via: Birch Point Rd.,6 Mile Rd., Piche Rd., M-28, Soo Line, H-63 Old Mackinac Trail

State/County: Michigan/Chippewa, Mackinac

Mileage:                     Time:

Start 3002                 11:30 AM

Finish 44 miles           5:00 PM

Total 3056                 5 ½ hours

Road Surface/Terrain/Traffic: Paved with No Shoulder, some bumps we didn’t notice going north last time, Flat with some grades, low traffic

Map(s)/Guide: Chippewa & Mackinac County, MI State

Weather: Sprinkly before we leave, Sunny, 80’s, headwind, Thunderstorm to the north of us

Flora/Fauna: Hairy Woodpecker, robin bathing, chipmunk, daisies, brown eyed susans, cedar, lots of flowers

Others in Group: Postcard to Anne and Bill

Points of Interest/Mileage: Dafter (stores), Kinross, Rudyard, Hiawatha National Forest – 2 campgrounds and boating, etc.  This is what we pass through with scattered houses from Rudyard to camp.

Comments: Woke up to Duke coming over for freezer jam – too early!  We get up and say goodbye to the early birds, then eat and finish cleaning the Cabin.  A last look at the beach and we’re off.  We mail a card from Dafter, then pick up Old US 2.  Lunch in Rudyard is shortened by ominous looking clouds (plus thunder) to the north.  Fortunately (?) we have a headwind so we don’t catch the rain.  We stop at the Foley Creek Campground for water and decide to stay.  A tad close to the highway but otherwise nice.  Also no showers.

Expenses: Lunch $2.63, Camp $4.00, Total: $6.63, Trip Total: $3572.06