The Short Day

Burlington, Ontario.  Just a hop, skip and jump from Toronto.  A lovely town right on the western-most "corner" of Lake Ontario.  Today's ride was a short one, just 39 miles door to door.  With the promise of blue skies, and short mileage, our band of Pelotones opted for coffee and full breakfasts before beginning our trek (which included not just protein, but carbs and SUGAR in the form of chocolate and almond croissants).  Gosh, I love being able to REALLY indulge my sweet tooth on bicycling adventures like this.  For coffee lovers visiting Toronto (especially those who imbibe in the dark roasts), Balzac's in the Old Town section of the city, across the street from the St. Lawrence Market, is a must.  Both their coffee and vanilla latte's are to die for...and, the pastries lining the shelves looked simply delectable.

The Waterfront Trail heading southwest out of the city is really lovely.  Most of it is paveed, with sections here and there that meander through neighborhoods and along less trafficy roads.  We really enjoyed the chance to just be playful and unhurried today.  Though, in truth, we haven't really been in a hurry any day.

For those who have shared that my writings have painted an idyllic picture of our travels, let me say, that car drivers in Canada are pretty much the same as car drivers in much of the US.  Though we've pedaled through some incredibly bike-friendly towns, there are those places along the route wherein the town, village or city might bill itself as "bicycle friendly," but their car drivers didn't seem to get the message.  Of course, change comes slowly, as we all know.  And, even with the few drivers who have felt the need to race, speed past, or even yell at some of us, the great majority of Canadians and others, have been delightful!

Tomorrow we head for Niagara Falls, which I'm quited excited for as I've not visited the Falls since I was a child.  AND, this part of the trip will give me a clear sense of how easy (or hard) it will be to ride to Toronto in the future.  Happy trails, all!