Day 7

Despite my disappointment in the room I'd booked last night I did sleep well, a very welcome rest. It was overcast as I woke up, with a lot of rain in the forecast. I wasn't about to let that stop me, just in case the weatherman was wrong. I did decide to sleep late this morning, only getting up at 7:30, a decision that I would later regret.

After the familiar routine of the morning I dragged my bags out to the bike and got packed up for the day. I decided to don the rain gear right away, as the clouds to the east looked threatning. Once I was back on the road, it was back to getting pounded right away. I'll just say, for all the taxes they take in this province, they sure seem to use very little on the roads. The roughest roads I've been in anywhere in Canada in my life around the Sudbury/North Bay Area. I'm just guessing that all the money stays in Ottawa and the Toronto area, for all the left wing nuts running our country [/political rant].

About 70km into the ride I spotted a Tim Horton's, and made a quick stop for a coffee and breakfast sandwich. A little further down the road there was a sign about Canada's first nuclear power generation facility, and I took time to explore a little. I never did find the road to take me within sight of the old facility, and turned around once I hit the dirt road. It was soft sand, a few inches deep, and I almost got the bike stuck turning around. A few times I thought I was going to lay it down but I kept enough momentum that I didn't have to try and hold it up with no decent place put my feet. I got out of there in a hurry, thankful that I didn't get stuck. On the way back to the Trans Canada I saw a sign welcoming me to Ontario. A quick look at the map showed that I'd just been in Quebec, although I'm thinking that doesn't quite count yet.

Around 200km into the day's ride I entered Petawawa, home to 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and 2 Area Support Unit. I took a little drive through the area, and took a few pictures before the rain began falling. The rain wouldn't stop until I made it to Cornwall, and it basically ruined my plans for the day.

I don't mind a shower here and there, or and hour of rain on the way, but this was a good old fashioned soaker that never let up. I stopped for something to eat in Arnprior, just west of Ottawa, and would have gladly stayed where it was dry. The room I booked was non-refundable, and I thought that maybe it would stop eventually. I was mostly dry, but the glove covers I bought didn't do the job for long. It only took about an hour until my hands were soaked.

Traffic in Ottawa was terrible, and with the pouring rain I decided to forego trying to find Parliament Hill. That was quite disappointing, as I was really looking forward to seeing it, but it would have been miserable anyway in this weather. Maybe I can find a way to fit that in somewhere yet as it was one thing that I was hoping to check off the bucket list.

I finally arrived in Cornwall around 5:30, tired and happy to get out of the rain. The check-in was quick, and then it was time for a shower and dinner. I stayed mostly dry, but my gear is soaked and who knows how long it will take to dry. The weather isn't looking good for the area tomorrow either, so at this point I'm unsure of where I will go. Only 499km today, which took almost 9 hours total. Time to pray for clear, sunny skies!

Front desk staff generously offered me and a few more bikers the option of parking here for the night. There's three more Harley's to my right