general rides

Given my upcoming ride to Ithaca and back, I wanted to get out on my bike and keep up my riding fitness. I decided a 4hour/100km afternoon ride would be good — and the weather obliged: i ended up doing 120km in 4hrs 45 minutes.
I rode up the Niagara escarpment via the short Cheridoke rail trail from Dundurn (Hamilton). From there I made it onto Highcrest Rd and followed it to it to its end. I then ended up on Mud Road/Fly road, which I followed all the way to Mountain road. Nearing 50km I decided to head down the mountain and turn back. I had made it to Lincoln.
The riding, especially the last half, was mice, being on low-traffic roads. The only off-putting aspects (understatement) was the smell of death trucks and the occasional 'broiler' hen farm.

With the Tobermory ride put back again, I had the time to ride out to Caledonia, see what was happening first hand, talk to people and indicate my support for Six Nations. It was my first rode-only ride of any distance of late — 30km each way. I decided to attach my fully loaded trailer to give it a good run over some distance and with the necessary direct climb up the Niagara escarpment it would give me a good indication of how I would travel with it.
For a road ride, it was not too bad. I had a small handful of cars come too close and a couple drivers feel that the 4 seconds of their day lost as a result of my presence was
something worth croaking about. I was very thankful for the trucks that gave me a nice and wide berth. As has seemed the norm of late, there was a head wind on the way out — and as often is the case it changed directions to be a headwind on the way back as well!

It might be official — I (think I am) a gear h0r! After picking up what I hope is the last of my gear four touring/distance trial riding the bill is something I do not want to think on at all. Today I added a new (summer) sleeping bag as my other was too warm, too heavy and too large to fit in my dry sack. I was set on picking up a rear rack and Arkel trail rider trunk bag, and I thought I was going to pick up a pair of Keen Newport H2 sandals to ride. Yesterday at MEC I saw decent clipless peddles for around $60 and it got me think that instead of the sandals peddles and shoe might be a good option for a only a little amount more.