The Halifax Diaries: Day 1 - including highly educational photos

I just downloaded the most oft-used camera of the two I carried along on my motorcycle trip to Halifax and back.

(Yes, I arrived home safely last night. Thanks for asking. A few words about my homecoming are posted here.)

Day 1 - Tuesday, June 8

Destination - Kingston, Ontario.


[“The bike, fully loaded, warmed up - in our back lane”: photos GH]

Estimated mileage - 490 km.

Gord’s mileage - 526.7 km.


[“Yup, that’s a full load, and I know it’s a bit top-heavy”]

Yes, there are shorter ways to Kingston, but they involve the 401 or 407 or both. I went north to Newmarket, via Stratford, Arthur and Orangeville, then zig-zagged toward the 401 to escape Toronto. Unfortunately, I got off track north of Stratford and added more km. to an already long day. Surely, that won’t happen again.


[“My first break was in Millbank (Mennonite country), NE of Stratford”]


[“I hit Kingston only 5 min. later than scheduled, and the Kingston Brewing Co. shortly after eating a tin of stew.”]


[“Kingston is a beautiful, welcoming old city. On my way home from the pub I spotted an interesting architectural feature from the deep past on a lower step. What is it? Nope, not a funky cheese knife”]

A few notes and impressions:

Hostel kitchens and tins of stew will save me tonnes of meal money.

Most Canadians are very friendly. Sherry, hostel hostess at Skweek's House, gave me use of her garage for the bike.

The scenery NE of Stratford (e.g., around Drayton, home of a small festival theater), made my day.

Dragon’s Breath beer (compared to Regal Lager) at the Brewing Co. is a real ale, in my opinion, and I would have had a second lovely, bitter glass but I had many miles to cover the next day.

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