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The Northern Ontario Stage is the fifth stage of our journey across Canada to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Motorcycle Ride for Dad’s fight against prostate cancer, and to show support for our troops. It begins where the Highway of Heroes dropped us off, on the shores of Lake Simcoe, and that’s fitting, because the Northern Ontario Stage is all about Lakes, big and small. After a few short and busy days it’s time to stretch our legs a bit and focus on some riding and taking in the scenery. From Barrie we head due north to the shores of Lake Nipissing and the gateway to the north, North Bay. We meet the Nipissing Chapter of the Motorcycle Ride for Dad, and spend the night. On day two we turn west into the rugged and rocky beauty of Rainbow Country, past the Big Nickel and the mines of Sudbury to bed down for the night in the SOO. Day three and four of the Trans-Canada reveals some of the most stunning views of the Great Lakes that nature has to offer, and we’ll visit the iconic Canada Goose at Wawa before spending the night in Marathon. In advance of rolling into Thunder Bay, we’ll stop and pay silent homage at the Terry Fox Memorial. A place where every Canadian should visit, the memorial is located at a non-descript point on the highway, marking where Cancer ended his historic trans-Canadian trek. Terry was a true pioneer in the power of rallying the population through fundraising and standing up to this disease. It is impossible to come away from there uninspired. After an overnight in Thunder Bay we head off through the beautiful Lake of the Woods region, some would say in search of even more bugs for the windshield, but just when you are sure there couldn’t possibly be any more trees in this Province, we come to rest in Kenora. And with that stop we wrap up the Northern Ontario Stage. With almost 1900 kms of Northern Shield and timber under our belt, the Prairies are starting to sound good ! And they’re next.!!
Total Stage Time: 5 days
Total Stage Mileage: 1,851 km.
Accommodation Required: 5 nights
Stage Start: Barrie ON
Stage End: Kenora ON
Tolls: none
Events: (0) Parades- None planned at this time (0) Military Ceremonies, Assorted dinners and breakfasts.
Day.1 Friday August 13st
Friday we roll out north bound on Highway #11 along the shores of Lake Simcoe through Orillia and the shore of Lake Couchiching, ahead of the weekend rush of cottagers into the Muskokas. We continue to roll north through Gravenhurst and Huntsville to the shores of Lake Nipissing and North Bay. We will meet with the Nipissing Chapter.
We stay the night in North Bay.
Distance Traveled : 245 km
Some of the towns we will pass through, or close to on Day #1:
Guthrie, Orillia, Hawkins Corners, Severn Bridge, Kilworthy, GravenHurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Katrine, Burk’s Falls, Sundridge, South River, Trout Creek, Powassan.
If you are out and about, come give us a wave !
Day.2 Saturday August 14st
Saturday morning we haul out on Hwy.#17 heading west through the harsh rocky landscape around Sudbury and on to the eastern tip of Lake Superior at Sault Ste.Marie. We have a supper meeting there.
We stay the night in Sault Ste Marie.
Distance Traveled : 435 km
Some of the towns we will pass through, or close to on Day #2:
Sturgeons Falls, Hagar, Wahnapitae, Sudbury, Lively, Whitefish, Copper Cliff, Espanola, Webbwood, Spanish, Serpent River, Algoma Mills, Blind River, Thessalon.
If you are out and about, come give us a wave !
Day.3 Sunday August 15st
Sunday morning and we are back onto Hwy.#17, the TransCanada, and heading further north along the shores of Lake Superior. We hug the shoreline for awhile then turn inland to the famous town of Wawa and the Giant Canada Goose. We travel further inland through White River then return to the shore at Marathon.
We stay the night in Marathon.
Distance Traveled : 400 km
Some of the towns we will pass through, or close to on Day #3:
Karalash Corners, Batchawana Bay, Montreal River, Agawa Bay, Michipicoten River, Wawa, White River, Hemio, Heron Bay.
If you are out and about, come give us a wave !
Day.4 Monday August 16st
Monday we leave Marathon still on Hwy#17, travelling west on Superior’s north shore and the north shore of Nipigon Bay, eventually swinging around the end of the bay and travelling south west along the west shore of Black Bay. Hwy.#17 has now been joined by Hwy #11 and we follow Hwy#11/17. We will stop at the Terry Fox memorial, before running into Thunder Bay, the western terminus of Lake Superior. A supper meeting is planned.
We stay the night in Thunder Bay.
Distance Traveled : 285 km
Some of the towns we will pass through, or close to on Day #4:
Coldwell, Neys, Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Rossport, Pays Plat, Cavers, Lake Helen, Red Rock, Hurkett, Dorion, Pass Lake, Wild Goose Lake, Thunder Bay.
If you are out and about, come give us a wave !
Day.5 Tuesday August 17st
Leaving Thunder Bay and the Great Lakes behind we head west on Hwy #11/17 past Kakabeka Falls to Shabaqua Corners where the highways split. We take the high road and follow Hwy.#17 north west to Dryden. The highway eases straight west on to Kenora on the north shores of Lake of the Woods.
We stay the night in Kenora.
Distance Traveled : 486 km
Some of the towns we will pass through, or close to on Day #5:
Fort William, Stanley, Raith, Upsala, English River, Ignace, Borups Corners, Wabigoon, Dryden, Minnitaki,Vermilion Bay.Willard Lake, Longbow Lake, Kenora.
If you are out and about, come give us a wave !
This wraps up the Northern Ontario Stage of the Motorcycle Ride for Dad Xth Anniversary Tour. Over the last Five days we’ve travelled 1851KM. together and now we look to ride west out of the forests and out onto the open skies of the great plains. We look forward with great anticipation to the Prairies Stage of our tour!
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