Last night's storm has passed and all's well: no heavy branch came down onto my little camping spot, the contents of the panniers is dry, and the tent has stayed nice and cozy.

    As I pack up, a minor panic strikes: where is the lock to the bicycle key? The bike is locked to the picnic table and without key I can't travel. Eventually I find it: I had stuffed it into the spare trouser pocket last night, and promptly forgot about it. Old age....!

   But I cannot leave immediately: Jim and Lois invite me over for an early cup of coffee and of course, I cannot refuse. So we talk for an hour about many things we haven't talked about yet - I have a second coffee. I get to know the two of them even better - what a great couple they are, enjoying their retirement with purpose and meaning.

   Eventually I excuse myself and hit the trail, soon stopping at Brighton's waterfront for breakfast. The Harbourview Cafe is a reasonable place, and breakfast is simple.

   The trail from there on first follows some of Brighton's residential streets and then joins a country road heading towards Prince Edward County, or PEC as it's abbreviated. It's all rural and flat with the shallow bay to the right, and thus it's good cycling country. I cross Murray Canal, which allows small boat traffic avoid miles of exposed water on Lake Ontario, and near the draw bridge, a fly fisher woman has time for a good chat. The signed Waterfront Trail runs on the left side of the canal, but I follow Hedney's guide that advises to stay right, bypassing the rough stretch of trail. At Kente Portage - once a stockade at the western end of a portage trail, now just a road junction and a few houses - I enter PEC.

At the Murray Canal

The western end of the historic portage trail

   Prince Edward County is a lime stone plateau protruding into Lake Ontario. It's flat country, with low escarpments and long bays creating an irregular shore line. There has been good farming, and lately some areas have started to gentrify. Newly planted vineyards have replaced many farmers fields, and mansions have appeared, often not far from crumbling barns. Tourists enjoy the rural sights, and bargains are still to be had in this somewhat struggling county. The Waterfront Trail now is part of County Road 33, also known as the historic Loyalist Highway. A minimal bike path has been created by adding two feet of pavement to each side of the fast country highway. I wished they had made it wider for safety's sake, and soon take a quiet side road instead as I approach Wellington, the destination of today's trip.

Prince Edward County scenes

   I am expected only later that day and thus have some time to kill. I had stopped at a friend's place for a surprise visit earlier, just in time to avoid a the downpour of a passing thunderstorm. After a detour to Bloomfield with its popular ice cream store at the Mill St corner, I return to Wellington. The marina behind the LCBO is an interesting place, and the playground beside the lake makes for wonderful loafing. There, I meet Greg Lyttle and his dog named Titus, which is a fitting name for this imperial-looking Akita breed. These two are harmonious pair: Gregg doing the pedaling and Titus being a well-behaved buddy. He's documented his trip on http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/GregswaterfrontTour2009 and his impressions of the Trail, the sights and its watering holes.

	Greg and Titus			Waterfront in Wellington

   I have arranged to stay with my son's family for the night. It's good to be with them - the grandchildren are at a lively and curious age, and in the evening I join them to see "Colours in the Storm", a play about Tom Thomson, the well-known Canadian painter.

    The official Waterfront Trail heads towards Picton and then on towards Kingston via the Glenora Ferry. But I need to return to Toronto and have chosen to leave the Waterfront Trail and use the VIA train from Belleville. I am saddle-sore and cycling is somewhat awkward, and thus I am glad to hitch a ride part-way with my son Ed in the morning, thus cutting 15kms off the trip towards Belleville. I start pedaling again near the hamlet of Ameliasburg and head straight north to Rednersville, then follow the water's edge to the east to eventually cross at the same bridge into Belleville. The bridge forms a huge arch that raises the road well above the lake and makes for a wonderful view as I cycle across.

On the bridge at Bellville

   The train station is in an outlying section of the town, and I have time to spare. Always ready for a coffee, I locate a good cafe on the north end of Front St., in the old town core. It is a wonderful place, with tables out back overlooking the Moira river and the old ivied walls creating a theatrical backdrop. Coffee and the goodies are good and reasonably priced.

Note: Since then that cafe has changed hands and I cannot recommend it anymore. But wonderful pastry and a decent cup of coffee is available at  L’Auberge de France , a bakery and restaurant at 304 Front Street, in the old core of Belleville. Next door is my son's bicycle shop Ideal Bike (316 Front Street, 613-779-6979) where you could get a repair done or pick up some cycling item you've forgotten at home.

the Bakeshop

   Eventually I need to head to the station to get my train ticket - I had reserved beforehand, of course. Also, the bike needs to be put in a box before I can hand it over to the "Baggage Department" ($20 extra). Other travelers have shown up by now and are waiting in small groups on the platform. The train approaches rather quietly and pulls into the station, its cars about 3/4 occupied. I get on, with the panniers bundled as my carry-on luggage.

"Bike In A Box", anyone...?

Via Rail scenes

   The ride back to Toronto is short and pleasant. No wonder that some travel writers prefer the train over any other kinds of transportation - the motions are gentle and steady, and one can wield a pen easily while cruising across the country.

   After arriving at Union Station, I need to go down to "Baggage" and claim my bike. No problem there, and half an hour later I am heading out of the railway station. I make my way to the subway that gets me into Scarborough, and another half hour of cycling, and I am back at my front door.

   I am home - after a wonderful trip.

Back to The Waterfront Trail Trip Overview