Touring the Counties Part Two

For my second loop I wanted to stretch my legs a little more.  This time around I was going to start in South Stormont but move to North Dundas, then swing back east to check out North Stormont, then back to South Stormont again.  My other reason for setting this loop up was to get another metric century in; it's been entirely too long since my last attempt!

I always like routes to start with a place that has adequate parking.  For this particular route a good start place is the Long Sault Parkway on the Ingleside end.  There's lots of parking available; if you'd prefer a slightly longer route, you can always park at the Long Sault end and kick things off with a ride on the Parkway.

Gallingertown

From Ingleside I headed north to Osnabruck Centre and then westwards on County Road 18.  The 18 is what I like to call a variable road.  It can be smooth asphalt with paved shoulders, and switch right over to shoulder-less "chip and seal" road, complete with an annoying dent every 5 meters.  You know, the kind of jolt that makes you feel like your entire skeleton just got hit with a jarring blow.  Fortunately west of Osnabruck Centre it leans more on the smooth asphalt side and has a pretty decent paved shoulder.  Traffic is usually sparse and courteous when encountered.


The next village I encountered was Gallingertown.  I don't have a lot of history on this place but I know it was named after the Gallinger family that settled the area.  Unlike many stops I've had, Gallingertown has a very small sign designating it.  Not sure why, I feel like Harrison's Corners is smaller but has a large sign.

St George's Graveyard along CR18

I headed westbound along CR-18.  At some point the shoulder disappeared and the road became a bit rough.  But a few kilometers later the road became smooth and the paved shoulder re-appeared.  Shortly after that my turn to head northward appeared, a small road by the name of Beckstead.

Beckstead Road was a quiet little county lane I discovered last year when I did my first metric century.  There is no paved shoulder but very little traffic to speak of.  Sometimes the road is quite smooth and sometimes its a bit lumpy.  Sometimes the forest closes in close to make a natural tunnel of greenery.  At other times marshes swell on both sides of the road.  This time around though I was discovered something less than pleasant; two pieces of wood with nails facing upward.  They look as though they were placed to deliberately puncture car tires.  As soon as I saw this, I dismounted and removed them from the roadway.

Further on Beckstead Road curves 90 degrees until it ends at a T intersection on County Road 8.  I continued northward on CR-8.  This is another county road that is in great shape with a paved shoulder.  On the next T intersection I continued to head northward on County Road 7.  The bad news about the 7 is that it is a rough strip with a fair amount of traffic.  The good news, it's a short distance until it meets with County Road 43, then it becomes smooth and easy going for the rest of the ride into Chesterville.

Along the South Nation River in Chesterville

Chesterville has a very rich history.  The first settler in 1817 was George Hummel, a Loyalist.  Eventually it took on the name Armstrong's Mills, named after Thomas Armstrong, who operated the saw and grist mill.  When the post office opened in 1845 the settlement became known as the village of Winchester.  The name Chesterville was adopted after the local telegraph office opened in 1875; named after the first telegraph operator, Chester T Casselman.  The south Nation River cuts through the town, with both halves joined by a large concrete bridge.  Adjoining the bridge is a covered gazebo.  When I was coming through town, there was a farmer's market operating there, with fresh produce grown nearby.

Continuing northbound on CR-7 I expected to find another settlement called The Ninth.  I could find it on Google Maps and there are vague references to it online.  But when I approached the location of this settlement, all I could see was an old church building.  Nothing else but farmers fields and a dirt road intersecting CR-7.  No sign or anything.  So I headed further north, looking for something a bit less desolate.

Morewood was my next stop heading north on CR-7.  The town's name was selected in 1862 by Postmaster Alex McKay.  The Postmaster was given a list of names from the government and selected Morewood due to the settlement being surrounded by very dense forests.  While the forests have been replaced with farms, the name carries on.  That being said, there are a very healthy number of trees surrounding the beautiful century homes in town.  Turning east on Main street (aka County Road 13), I headed towards my next segment.

Now, 13 is considered an unlucky number.  But my ride on CR-13 had no problems at all.  In fact, you could say it was a breeze; I had a tailwind helping to propel me.  I took a brief heading north on CR-32 to check out Cannamore, home of Cannamore Orchard.  If you happen to be here around Halloween I recommend you check out the Spooky Wagon Ride.

Bridge crossing South Nation River in Crysler

I turned back to the intersection of CR-32 and CR-13 and headed east again on CR-13.  With both the wind at my back and a gradual down slope, I had a very easy ride to my next stop, Crysler in North Stormont.  Crysler was named after Militia Colonel John Crysler, one of the original settlers.  A concrete vehicular bridge, constructed in 1975, crosses the South Nation River.  Heading southbound on the main road through town, I stopped to check out a community garage sale before departing to my next stop, Berwick.

Southbound on County Road 12, just six short kilometers away, and I was in Berwick.  It was named after a village in Scotland where the early settlers came from.  Today it is the administrative center of North Stormont.  I took some time to stop in at the McIntosh Park Conservation Area, found at the intersection of County Road 12 (named Cockburn Street in Berwick) and County Road (named Union Street in Berwick).  The park was beautiful and well-maintained.  I stopped in at the large covered gazebo for a quick break.

After a few minutes of rest, I made my way eastbound along County Road 9 to a place named Lodi on my map.  Prior to planning this trip, I'd never heard of Lodi and I was curious about what was there.  While there is a gradal incline going towards Lodi, I had a good tail wind and didn't even notice it.

When I got to the end of County Road 9, where it ends in a T intersection with County Road 15.  Found... nothing.  There was trees and farm fields and that's it.  Not a trace of anything else..  So I headed southbound down County Road 15 aka Avonmore Road.

If roads were people, Avonmore Road would be my nemesis.  Hills are the hardest thing for a clydesdale weight cyclist to overcome.  Avonmore Road has a rolling road which has you either climbing up hills or panting while you coast down them.  I have a profile of the part of the road I was on below.  While I hate the road, this is where I practice all my hill climbing; powered by pain, sweat and a lot of choice curse words.

Eventually the Avonmore Road leads to Avonmore village -- bet you didn't see that coming!  After a short break induced by a passing train, I made my way onto the main street.  The settlement was originally named Hough's Corners after one of the original founders, John Hough.  John was a versatile fellow; he built the first sawmill, manufactured coffins and built houses.  He had several roles such as preacher, magistrate, blacksmith, doctor and shopkeeper.  The town's name became Hough's Mills, but when the post office was established in 1864, the town was renamed Avonmore (which means Great or Big River).  It is claimed that it was named after a river in Ireland but I have my own theory -- the town was named on April Fool's Day and the nearby Payne is a small stream.
 

 I headed out from the village, again southbound on Avonmore Road.  After about six kilometers I ran into a "Welcome to Northfield" sign.  It was founded as a very small settlement but today just seems to be a few residences along the road.  When rooting around for some history on the spot I saw a tavern application from 1879.  Unfortunately the tavern wasn't there any longer, so I headed further south.

I came down to Harrison's Corners, where Avonmore meets County Road 18, and headed westbound until I arrived at Osnabruck Centre, then south again on the 14 to Ingleside, then easterly on CR-2 back to the parking lot.  I already covered Harrison's Corners, Osnabruck Centre and Ingleside in Touring the Counties Part One.

End of the ride!

One of the first things I did when I got home was try to find more information about Northfield, Gallingertown, The Ninth and Lodi.  I managed to get very sparse details on the first two but virtually nothing on the latter two.  I've asked around but so far no one seems to know any details.  I'll keep looking and if I find anything, post it below as an update.

The ride itself was fantastic, it gave me a combination of beautiful countryside with a hungering for the history of the land.  I ended up clocking over 100km on the ride and in excess of 500 meters of elevation.  Roads were all paved, many had shoulders and very low traffic density.  If you are looking for a ride that combines some great visuals with a very safe ride, this is the tour for you!

Touring the Counties Part One

I had several distance goals this year and was looking for a way to build up to them.  I was hoping to get a few metric centuries in by the end of June, a 170km ride in July and a 200km ride in August.  When I started to plan my rides, I realized I had access to a lot of great riding right in the united counties where I live.

My simple planning exercise soon developed into another milestone for 2015.  I wanted to visit every town and village in my county and surrounding counties.  The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  Not only were the counties beautiful, they were also varied; rolling farmland gave way to dense deciduous and coniferous forests.  Marshes, wetlands and bogs could be found everywhere in between.  Last but not least, most of the county roads were in great shape with paved shoulders.

I decided to kick things off in Ingleside, part of South Stormont township.  Ingleside (and neighbouring Long Sault) were planned from their inception, a rarity in Ontario.  When the Seaway was being created, ten villages would be flooded; these villages are now called the Lost Villages.  Ingleside accommodated residents from Aultsville, Farran's Point, Dickinson Landing, Santa Cruz,  Wales and Woodlands.  When trying to decide on a new name, the residents quarreled over what it should be, as they wanted to retain their original community names.  The reeve at the time, Thorold Lake, saw the name Ingleside on one of the houses and proposed it as the name of the new community, which was then accepted by council and residents.  The names of the former communities can be found on street names in Ingleside.

If you find yourself in Ingleside with an appetite, I highly recommend Butler's Restaurant.  If I was to describe their food in 4 words, those adjectives would be: Fresh, Homemade, Delicious, Amazing.  The staff are always friendly and helpful.  They carry my favourite beer on tap (Beau's Lug Tread).  Whether you are having fresh pasta (made, rolled and cut there) or you are a suicide wing fiend like myself, you will absolutely love it.

While County Road 2 provided a more direct route to where I was going, I can never resist the Long Sault Parkway.  Considered part of the waterfront trail, it connects several islands created by the Seaway.  The traffic is slower than County Road 2 and is more friendly to outdoor enthusiasts such as cyclists and runners.  One end is in Ingleside and the other end was my next stop, Long Sault.

When the Seaway was created, Long Sault accommodated residents from the former communities of Maple Grove, Milles Roches and Moulinette Mills.  These names live on as street names in Long Sault.  The town itself was named after rapids that existed in the area; they also disappeared when the Seaway was flooded.

My next stop was a tiny spot right next to Long Sault called Lakeview Heights.  The Lost Villages Museum can be found here, with some of the original buildings from the Lost Villages transplanted here.  But outside of that historical gem, Lakeview Heights seems to be a small, quiet, residential neighbourhood.

After going through some rollers on county roads I found myself at St Andrews West.  Why "West"?  Well, back in the 1700's when Ontario and Quebec were known as Upper and Lower Canada, there was a St Andrews in each territory.  So the one in Quebec was referred to as St Andrews East.  That place is now known as Saint-André-d'Argenteuil.  But for St Andrews West, the name stuck.

One of the most iconic things about St Andrews West is the beautiful Church found in the center of the village and the ancient cemetery across the street from it.  The church was built in 1860.  Predating that was the Parish Hall, also featured in the photo.  The Parish hall was built in 1801  and is one of the oldest stone structures in Ontario.  It was primarily used as a church but had been converted to be a hospital during the war of 1812.

Across from those structures is the Pioneer's graveyard, thought to be one of the oldest graveyards in Ontario.  It has been closed to burials since 1915.  This is the resting place of the explorer Simon Fraser, who charted most of British Columbia.

I headed further northeast to South Glengarry and found myself riding on a rolling road surrounded by pristine farmland.  On the corner of one of the farms was a sign that said "SHARE THE ROAD!"  While I appreciate the sentiment, I'm pretty sure it was in reference to farm equipment.  Still, share the road!

Following this route brought me to Martintown.  One of the original town's founders, Malcolm McMartin made a wooden grist mill here.  His son Alexander build the replacement stone grist mill here, which you can see just a slice of in the picture.  The McMartins also had a saw mill and a carding mill.  Originally called McMartin's Mills, this picturesque village on the banks of the South Raisin River used to be the main hub for the entire area.

Martintown is a beautiful place with a rich history.  The only bad thing I have to say about it is the road; it's like a re-enactment of the lunar surface.  I hope it gets re-paved soon!

I backtracked back to South Stormont, following the Raisin River and crossed north again, making my way to the tiny community of Sandfield Mills.  I didn't get a chance to stop and check out the little side streets but I noticed some stone ruins as I passed.  I haven't been able to find much history on this place so far.  What I can tell you is the area is quite beautiful and the chip'n'seal road going through is relatively smooth and bicycle friendly.

I changed my bearing west and arrived in the small community named Bonville.  Originally named McPhail's Corners, the town was renamed to Bonville circa 1892.  It's name is french for "good town" and I can't disagree with that assessment.  The main road still bears the name McPhail.  No paved shoulders but very little traffic.  Right at the corner of McPhail and Highway 138 is a beautiful brick house.  The house used to serve as a post office and general store; nowadays it is a private residence.  As I made my way onward I discovered that there is a Habitat For Humanity set up in Bonville.

Back out in the countryside I found myself on Myer's Road, which gave me a mix of forest, countryside and residences.  The road rolled along several hills and had very low traffic.  At the end of the road I hit County Road 15, aka Avonmore Road.

When it comes to hilly roads in Stormont, Avonmore Road is top shelf.  I'm positive a large chunk of my climbing muscles were birthed in the pain of going up hills on this particular road.  There were a few communities north of here, including the village that shares the name with the road.  But my time was running a bit short and I headed south instead.

Harrison's Corners was my next stop.  Literally four corners with a few buildings!  I believe Harrison's Corners got its name from one of it's earliest inhabitants, one Henry Harrison, who served in the War of 1812.  It was here I parted company with Avonmore Road and headed west on County Road 18.

Soon I sailed into Lunenburg, a place that gets its name from a district in Hanover, Germany, where many of the original Loyalists settlers came from.  Today at the four way stop the most prevalent feature is Crazy Dan's.  It appears to be a car dealership, corner store, combo ice cream stand & fast food, and a garage.  I don't know where he got the name, but I feel like Dan is crazy about being an entrepreneur.

Heading further west along County Road 18 brought me to my last stop in Osnabruck Centre.  Like Lunenberg it was named after a town and province in Hanover, Germany.  When entering Osnabruck Centre, County Road 18 continues north at the intersection.  At that point you can see a large brick building on the right hand side which used to be the original general store and post office.

Not bad for my first go!  Not only did I get to see some beautiful places and get a decent 70km on my bike, I'm getting to know the history behind the area.  It really does add to the experience.

I'm already looking forward to my next tour of the counties!