Page Two-Rabbit Blanket to Mara Provincial Park

July 18th, 2019/Green Acres Tent and Trailer Park to Happy Hearts Campground

Day's total/KM 60/elevation gain 160 meters
Total to date/KM 4352.9/Total elevation gain 25742 meters

 I allowed James to set the timing for today’s ride. The plan was to meet at the restaurant at 11 AM, then catch the ferry over to Tobermory. I have a few years on James, he’s also a much stronger and quicker on the bike than me. I did arrive finally, a bit late but still had plenty of time for food and the early afternoon ferry. Manitoulin Island was great to cycle thru, quiet with little traffic, fields and farmlands along the way and a few gentle hills. The Hwy 6 has a good ride able safe shoulder all the way thru and the road surface was in good condition. The ferry crossing was a bit short of two hours.
Once we reached Tobermory it was a few kilometers to the campgrounds. We setup them it was back into town for dinner, fish n chips. Being from the west coast halibut would have been my choice, white fish here was the go to for the locals, it was pretty good.

July 19th, 2019/Happy Hearts Campground to Harrison Park Campground

Day's total/KM 117/elevation gain 236 meters
Total to date/KM 4469.9/Total elevation gain 25978 meters 

Shortly after exiting the campground onto Hwy 6 it became a-lot less pleasant to cycle on. The wide shoulder that was present all the way thru from Espanola was gone, not to be seen again with the exception of some short bits, I do mean short. Lots of traffic tho all along and rite thru to Owen Sound. I grabbed some groceries, good thing there was nothing near the campground. Good thing I'm a tenter the campground was busy. The pitch was on a grassy area above the chaos of RV’s below, bonus. At times us tenters get the dirty end of the stick. I was hoping to do laundry, the campground was unable to get soap so I hand washed then machine dried a few clothes. It was another hot and humid day today. It rained pretty good at times before dark and let up later in the evening. The campground post quiet hours, clearly no one is there to enforce the rule. The weekend warriors were there to eat and party and they did well into the early hours.

July 20th, 2019/Harrison Park Campground to Cedar Grove Park

Day's total/KM 83/elevation gain 336 meters
Total to date/KM 4552.9/Total elevation gain 26314 meters

 The exit from Owen Sound was hilly, it was hot and humid once again. I ground out the first 20 or so kilometers trying to adapt. There was some relief coming into Meaford, a long descent allowing for a bit of a cool-down. I stopped for breakfast, a couple asked me to join them. It’s always nice to talk to fellow cyclists, their local knowledge of roads, trails etc is always helpful. I then continued on Hwy 26, when it crossed the Georgian Trail I hopped on. In Collingwood I stop to resolve an iPhone issue I’ve been having. 
Cedar Grove Park looked like a good option and not far from Collingwood. I gave them a call, the women was super nice and they had room. I pitched then rode off to the grocery store a few k’s away, ate then showered.  This was a well established trailer park, the property had been in the family for years. They were elbow to elbow, dog barking, ethnic music blaring, kids screaming, neighbors yelling at neighbors. It was like the “Trailer Park Boys”. I decided to stay another day.

July 21st, 2019/Rest Day/Cedar Grove Park

Laundry detail today, cleaned, organized things for tomorrow’s ride, the usual. Rode back for more groceries,  picked up some air fresheners for the tent at Canadian Tire. Stopped in for an ice-cream cone on the way back and used their WiFi. I ended up having to buy another phone and was wanting to transfer over my music, no luck, will have to wait till I get back home.

July 22nd, 2019/Cedar Grove Park to Mara Prov Park

Day's total/KM 88/elevation gain 418 meters
Total to date/KM 4640.9/Total elevation gain 26732 meters

 I allowed Google Maps to pick the exit from Cedar Grove Park, I thought it did a great job. The roads were relatively quiet and I was able to experience more of rural Ontario. An old rail bed, now part of The Trans Canada Trail took me into Orillia. It was shaded, passing by farmlands, there were a number of cyclists which was nice to see. I ate lunch in Orillia then continued along a cycling path that skirted the lake shore separated from traffic thru to the campground. It was another great day of riding!