Driving on Toll Roads

Very interesting difference between the U.S.  and Canada when it comes to the cost and the reason why.

We have used the toll roads in Texas around Houston and in Florida around Orlando with minimal charges.  The highest cost was around $8.00 and you have to pull into a toll booth with an attendant.

So in Toronto we took the 407ETR to avoid heavy traffic and learned the heavy cost of not having a toll booth attendant! Let's employ more people Canada!!!

It is an Automatic $50.00 for the video charge for a heavy vehicle RV or commercial.  The only way to avoid this charge is to sign up for a transponder yearly.  The FAQ's state you need to use it a minimum of 4 times to make it economically feasible.   Oh and that $50 is not your toll fee that is additional.  Ours was $24 running from the on ramp in Milton westbound to the off ramp for Hwy 400.  So it's a matter of easier driving at a cost of $75 one way....   Something to know when driving around Toronto:)

Your other option is to take 401 Hwy which is traffic jammed most every day or find a hwy that meanders thru the countryside.  The downside would be your time and diesel fuel sitting in traffic.  Roads in the atlas don't tell you the dollars but sometimes it's worth your sanity!

Stop and Smell the Flowers in Port Carling

July 15 & 16 Record temps 94

Well we wished for nice weather and I guess we got it!

We left on the Harley's Monday to avoid the weekend cottage crowd, which was a great idea.   Who knew it would be sweltering?   It was the hottest 2 days we have spent riding in all our trips.  But the scenery was beautiful and we rode along the lakes and water as much as possible.  You can use the Ontario Backroads Maps to chart out plenty of less travelled scenic roads.

Lake Simcoe, Severn Falls, Bala, Port Carling, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Jackson's Point and Keswick were a few of the places we visited. Our round trip was close to 250 miles which was the perfect amount to split in half with our starting/ending base in Cookstown. We stayed in a wonderful B&B called The Manse in Port Carling ...exceptionally nice hosts Bill & Linda had unique suites for us and a pampered chef breakfast the next morning.

Our suite had the Noah's Arc theme with so much great attention to detail; it was a Methodists Minister's early 1900's period home till they converted it into a B&B.  

This was Barb and Les's first overnight trip. We have ourselves a Bike Gang now!

Innisfil countryside & Creemore Springs

July 13/2013 warm weather and a heat wave coming

Toronto North/Cookstown KOA. Is a great spot if you want to have friends visit since they have several cabins for rent.  Our friends Les and Barb are doing the extreme lodging.... They just spent a few days in a beautiful pampered setting at St. Anne's Spa and have arrived here and settled into a "rustic" cabin! 

We are planning on doing some motorcycle riding together.  Les and Billy decided the first destination should be the craft brewery in Creemore Springs.  There are two twisty roads to ride; east on side road 20 off Airport Road along Pine River then north on 24 head west to Creemore on county road 9. Pretty scenery.   Then of course a little taste testing:)

Creemore Springs Brewery, Creemore Trail Run

July 6/2013   Hot Humid Day
Our friends have come to camp with us for the weekend and what a treat it was to have company.   Bonnie and Jim are joining us on an excursion to Creemore today to watch our son-in-law run in the 25km Trail Run.     The run is set along a river area and very woodsy and hilly.   So we are getting ready for the run and catch up with our kids Calea/Kevin (running the race) and baby Iyla.

Apparently this is a "fun" run.   Although we are not sure about running 25km(15miles) in an all terrain setting as our choice of fun!   Can you believe Kevin did the 3 am feeding and then came to the race early to take off and even came in 3rd for the 25km???

To round out the fun part we headed off after the race to the nearby Creemore Springs Craft Brewery.   It is a very cute little town with beautiful flowers decorating the streets.

The Brewery has tours and sells their different types of beer.  There several different little restaurants and shops on the main street, it is a great one day destination.

Serious RV from Holland

July 6/2013
One thing that campers do everyday is walk around the campground to see what's new and what's interesting.   It is definitely like window shopping.   Here is a rig that we have never seen before.   This family actually shipped their entire unit from Europe and what a rig it is!  It was a full size transport truck and trailer all reconditioned into a spacious bright blue RV.

Oh and not to worry if you think camping in a truck is a tough life, the back had a drop down ramp where they could drive their Mercedes Benz inside !!!!

Toronto North/Cookstown, Ontario

June 27 to July 27/2013 Summertime weather in Southern Ontario, tends to very humid and it has been.  We are running our A/C to keep out the dampness.

We have traveled to this area to be closer to our four kids that live in Toronto and for a very special occasion,,,, a new granddaughter!
Iyla Skye came into the wonderful world on June 23.

  In the last week we have been able to see her quite a few times as our campground KOA Toronto North/Cookstown is about 25 miles away.  We like this campground for its amenities too and nice big pull thru sites.

 

This is a great central spot for visiting Toronto with our kids and grandkids and doing some nice motorcycling riding on our free days.  You can use this as a base area and head in 3 directions, East, West and North.  We recommend not south as you will be into the Greater Toronto Area before you know it and it is NOT biker friendly riding.

We found a nice twisting road following a river bed and then we dropped down towards Orangeville and followed the Hockley Valley Road.  It seemed "all" the other bikers and bicyclists had the same idea.   We were riding alone and then all of a sudden we came upon a group ahead of us and voila!   There is a ski area so you know the road is going to have some nice scenery.  We stopped in the little town of  Hockley at the General Store and Cafe.   It was a great bite to eat and perfect spot to watch bikes coming and going.