Wheelers Maple Products · 1001 Highland Line, McDonalds Corners, ON K0G 1M0, Canada
âââââ · Pancake restaurant
www.google.ca
Hmmm.
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Anyone ride the Ontario Highlands?
- Thread starter Baggsy
- Start date
www.google.ca
Hmmm.
Not waistline friendly. Otherwise very tasty.
I did forget one important detail.....
Flies. Bajillions of them. North of 7 I slowed down at a gas station to take a break but got immediately swarmed by flies so sped up and went on my merry way. Some places are worse than others. This was near Cloyne. Wheelers wasn’t too bad. I also stopped at the dark skies reserve on 41 and while they were bad there you can walk to the viewing area and the wind took most of them away.
Helmet, windshield and handguards look like an insect massacre.
Flies. Bajillions of them. North of 7 I slowed down at a gas station to take a break but got immediately swarmed by flies so sped up and went on my merry way. Some places are worse than others. This was near Cloyne. Wheelers wasn’t too bad. I also stopped at the dark skies reserve on 41 and while they were bad there you can walk to the viewing area and the wind took most of them away.
Helmet, windshield and handguards look like an insect massacre.
I explored some of the these roads two up wth my wife last year on the GS and fell in love with Ontario roads. We did a two day ride up to Burks Falls, lake Bernard more specifically. Aside from getting a deep cut on my finger while jumping in a canoe, it was an incredible trip. Stayed at the Northridge in. Amazing place if you want to splurge a bit (we went in May and because they weren’t officially opened yet got a room for $100).
Be very careful, if you go out in May some of the tighter lesser travelled ashphalt roads have tons of sand on them.
Be very careful, if you go out in May some of the tighter lesser travelled ashphalt roads have tons of sand on them.
Even the travelled ones have sand on them right now. The good news is that it’s at the edges after the rain we have had recently, the bad news is that there’s so much in some areas that your effective useable road surface is 1/2 to 2/3 what it should be. It’s honestly not too bad though, There’s often sand all over some of these roads at the start of the season.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Never had problems with beavers -- plowed right thru a few with no problems. Same with coons. Porcupines are a little different, hit 2, one stuck quills into my fork seals the other stuck a hundred quills into my left calf. Never hit a Turkey, buy I did take a really big goose goose to the head at 407 and 9th line - that was scary.
I had to LOL. You're like a magnet for attracting wildlife to your front wheel. I've been riding for most of my life and I've only ever hit 2 chipmunks.
*Knocks on wood.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I've hit lots of small animals and avoided a moose (Put in Bay road near Dorset, about 10 years ago) and a black bear (last year on 49 heading into Port Stanton). I ride into the night a lot, most of the hits occurred when the sun was down.
I like riding the Highlands. I don't like getting there and back from the GTA.
I've put a bike in my van and taken it to a jumping-off spot a few times. Bancroft works out well. Doing that cuts an awful three hours of drudgery off the beginning and end of the day.
I'm open to doing this again sometime when this weather eventually warms up.
I've put a bike in my van and taken it to a jumping-off spot a few times. Bancroft works out well. Doing that cuts an awful three hours of drudgery off the beginning and end of the day.
I'm open to doing this again sometime when this weather eventually warms up.
Highway 7 at Highway 41 is a reasonable starting point too. Would be better if the amazing chip truck that was there hadn’t shut down, there’s a Shell station there. From there you have a short jaunt up 41 along Mazinaw lake and then pick any of your roads east. Buckshot Lake Rd isn’t too bad. Hardly anyone on it most times I’ve been there. Heading along 7 east gets you to Arden Rd which can be amazing depending on how the surface is. That will bring you out In Tamworth which is a decent stop. Mountain Rd (great surface, not super twisty but decent curves) from Tamworth will take you to Parham, 38 N from Parham to 7 again gets you to near the start of the 509 and the 509 gets you to all sorts of other nice roads. I really like Ardoch Rd for scenery. Alternatively, go a little further east on 7 from Sharbot Lake and then you have Bolingbroke Rd south to Westport and Westport Rd back to 38 I think. Out of all these Arden Rd, Bolingbroke Rd and Westport Rd offer more twisties. Best scenery by Mazinaw Lake, Mississippi River and really anywhere near the 509 IMO.
Another really decent option would be camping at the drive in spots at Bon Echo park. You’d be at the western edge of the highland routes there and it’s a very nice provincial park.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Did loop up the west side of Simcoe to Bracebridge then over to Minden and back to the city -- not a single bug hit me. It was chilly, between 9 and 12C and really windy... but no bugs yet.No bugs in "Highlands East" yet thankfully (just West of Bancroft), but judging by these posts I expect them to arrive by this weekend!
There sure were a lot of cops out for a weekday.
sburns
Well-known member
Lots of bugs out in Southern Ontario (around Long Point). Was pelted a few times today. Haven't checked the front fairing yet to see the collection.
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