Saturday, Aug. 23

We have arrived safely at Beacon Chr. High in the Garden City (St. Catharines, Ont.). It was another beautiful ride, a big portion of it along the top of the spectacularly (is that actually a word?) scenic Niagara Escarpment. The escarpment is a hundred and something foot high limestone ridge that literally rises out of the earth and extends several hundred kilometres to the north east all the way from Niagara Falls to Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. Niagara Falls on the Niagara River (probably the most well known falls on the planet) flows over this same escarpment from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario. For the adventuresome back packer/hiker there is a trail (the Bruce Trail) that one can walk from one end (Niagara Falls) to Tobermory.

Anyway, a significant portion of our cycling route today from just outside of Hamilton, to Grimsby, was along the very edge of this escarpment. What a beautiful view of populated centres of Fruitland and Grimsby below, not to mention Lake Ontario. Several lake freighters were on their way, probably to Montreal or further up the Great Lakes. These freighters are all part of the fairly busy St. Lawrence Seaway, a waterway that extends all the way from the Gulf of St. Lawrence (which empties into the Atlantic Ocean) through the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, through the canal (lockes) to Lake Erie, on through the St. Clair River past Detroit, on into Lake Huron and then on through Sault Ste. Marie into Lake Superior, all the way to Duluth, Minnesota or Thunder Bay, Ontario where they pick up grain from the western prairies or iron ore form the Messabi Range of northern Minnesota. Ships can also go around the top end of Lake Huron and enter Lake Michigan, (the only Great Lake entirely in the U.S.) and go to centres such as Chicago to pick up or deliver goods. This seaway is open most of the year with the exception of the winter months, usually closing in late December due to ice build up on the Lake Erie, the most shallow of the five Great Lakes.

Unfortunately, as we cycled atop the escarpment today, it was a bit smoggy. On a clear day one can see right across Lake Ontario and view, quite clearly, the highrises of downtown Toronto, including the world famous CN Tower.

Nevertheless, the scenery along the escarpment, both on top and along the bottom, more than made up for it. As we entered the Niagara Region, vineyards became quite prominent. This region is home to many wineries, some of whom are quite famous for the high quality of wines they produce. A more recent development in the wine industry that has helped put this area "on the map" so to speak, is the production of ice wine. Grapes are actually left on the vines in into the winter and are not harvested until temperatures have dipped below a certain point for a particular period of time. The lower temperatures are critical to turning the starches into sugar in the grapes, creating the desired "sweetness." Pity the person who has to harvest these grapes under wintery conditions. The popularity of the ice wines, produced in this manner, have grown by leaps and bounds the past number of years.

Also noteworthy on our tour today was the number of stops that we made. There were at least five or six "pit stops" during our 75km. (46 mile) excursion, all churches that had taken the time and effort to set up refreshment stands and were so excited to have us come through. My own motto has always been, "if someone is willing to go out of their way for me (us) in this manner it is going to be important (actually imperative is a better word) for me to stop and acknowledge their hospitality. My sense is that most if not all of the cyclists on this tour have adopted a very similar mode of thinking. That's great. Of course having a number of the cookies and cakes, etc. etc. are also part and parcel of the "imperative" part of stopping.

One such "pit stop" included the Dutch Shop, a bakery in Grimsby where Eritia Smit (one of the cyclists on tour) works. She had told her boss that we were coming through and he in turn promised that he would supply the coffee and cake. What she didn't tell him is that there is this "early group" that gets up and leaves before everyone else. He was expecting the first ones to come through at about 9:30am (he opens at 9:00am). He was a little bit when we rolled in at 8:30am. However, the back door was open and he graciously let us in and spent time having coffee with us. Needless to say, the cake (the Dutch really do know how to bake cakes) was delicious.

Another "pit stop" was Shalom Manor, a huge home for seniors. The residents had been told that we would be coming through today and they were so excited to have us. We were the first ones there (again no surprise) and many of the residents were still busy with breakfast and such. However, we did get to speak with several of the residents. One of them that I "bumped" into was Rev. Jella Nutma. Of course he did not know me but I did know him. You see he was a pastor in Thunder Bay many, many years ago when I was a teen ager growing up in Emo and we would go to youth rallies there. I still remember him from then and told him so. He was so pleased by that. (Actually so was I. I may be getting a bit older but the mind is still ticking O.K.). I think we helped make their day. I know they helped make mine.

We did stop at the other places too but because of time constraints were not able to stay long. A small group of us had to be in St. Catharines by 10:45am as we had volunteered to help serve lunch to people off the street at a missions place downtown. This organization, known as "Start Me Up Niagara" is all part of a larger organization that seeks to reach out to people in need in the region. As a result, we actually had to "motor along" at a fairly fast clip the last 30km (20 miles) to make it in time and ended up being a few minutes late. (That was David Raakman's fault. Even though he drove, he was the last one to show up to drive us there).

We had a super time serving about 120 patrons, most of whom have struggled with various issues in their lives, be it mental illness or addictions, etc. I was quite surprised and a little saddened when I saw a boy who could not have been more than thirteen or fourteen walk through the line. That's younger than my youngest son. I could not imagine what it would be like for me as a father if that were my son standing in line. I sure have a lot to be grateful for.

I did talk a fair bit with the manager Tony who shared with me his passion for the people that he serves on a regular basis each weekend (Friday, Sat. Sun. and Mon.). I also had opportunity to talk with Rick, a volunteer whose past makes my head spin. He has been involved in just about everything, drugs, alcohol, gangs, etc., has seven children whom he has fairly regular contact with, has had three failed marriages, is a very gifted individual who I sense has had trouble holding down a steady job though he has worked for some significant businesses and is committed to "giving back" as much as he can with the years that may be alloted him. He knows just about everyone who comes in, and you can sense has a terrific rapport with most of them. It was a well spent two hours downtown. I'm happy I was able to be a part of it.

Tonight my wife and my two youngest children are coming down (YEAH!!!!) and I hope to touch base with my sister in law and her family, as well as possibly seeing a couple of my cousins. Actually, as I look at the clock, she is probably just arriving and so I had better hop on my bike and cycle over. Looking forward to seeing them again. Till next time, take care!