Greg & Camille Go Bike

We pumped up our tires first thing while we chatted with our hosts about what we had planned for the day. We soon heard a hiss coming from the bikes; Greg’s tire had gone flat. After a quick tube swap, we headed out. Sarah recommended Grandad’s Donuts, and Jeffrey recommended biking through the Escarpment, a shallow climb that went through wooded trails. We took both suggestions for a scrumptious and scenic start to the day.

Low traffic streets and rural roads led us to the Romagnoli Farm stand. Jack was a really nice guy; he gave us fruit to sample, and we bought plums and jams to take home. Rain started just a few miles away as we approached our destination at St. Catharines, our last stop in Canada. Mid-pour, an enthusiastic Frank honked at us from his SUV and signaled for us to pull over. He was so excited to give biking advice and a cycling map of the area. Although he seemed disappointed we were leaving Canada so soon, he wished us well on our journey as he drove away in his “TURN OFF YOUR TV RIDE YOUR BIKE” stickered car. 

The rain got worse. Then it got much worse. We actually almost missed the house as we pedaled through our wet socks; our next host John had to wave us down to come back. The Clark family welcomed us into their cozy home even before we walked in. Our hosts made sure our shoes and clothes were dry, and Madeline made a wonderful dinner for us. We were surprised to hear how often they visited the States for day-to-day errands as well as tandem bike rallies. They’d spent many trips biking throughout the east coast and even had a son in Arizona. 

After dinner, John took us on a tour of the town’s unique feature: the Welland Canal locks. We watched an enormous ship inch its way through a narrow channel controlled by careful timing of water flow, gate openings, and supportive technology. We learned so much about the history of the town as well as the Clark family.