Lost In The Forest

Last day in the Soo new trails on the Crystal side, family loop, big air, broken dropper posts and mushroom finds, I did a quick repair on the trail side and got bucked a few times but did hang on. What a great last day to a cool trip.

Today we were in the Red Pine side of Hiawatha, not only have the trail builders been busy on the new trails around Farmer Lake they have been adding trails on this side too, including a black trail that I love and a few repairs here and there. Crystal can fee like an English seaside town on a holiday weekend (busy) but you can ride this side and see know one. Jessica had less mushroom success today but did manage a green trail.

The tale of a broken Wahoo, saddle and a Porcini Mushroom, this trail has a bad omen for us, last time Jessica got hurt, I had a big off before I started and then I set the record straight, at a cost!Swamp Donkey is worth the ride, Mushrooms everywhere and some home recording for a change. Sault St Marie is becoming the place to ride for sure.

Lake Laurentian Conservation Area is such a cool spot and the rock is grippy. We parked on Ida Access Road straight off the highway, It is 400 meters from the main road to the North or the South. If you're on a road trip to the North to ride bikes, you must stop here. it's cool. We had a great time, my best time was on Back 42 and the descent down to the parking lot. You can see it on our YouTube Channel.

I think we could spend a whole day here.

https://www.trailforks.com/map/?activitytype=1&z=13.2&lat=46.44838&lon=-80.96333

https://www.waldenmbc.ca

Not far from Highway 6 and the 403 this little gem of a trail system is easy to access from Walmart's car park. A lot of blue, a few green and even some red and black trails. Easy link to Kerncliff where there is a small downhill trail. You get to cross a cool railway line, it looks like BC, not Ontario a few moments away from the Highway. We parked in the residential area, we decided not to share this exact location, You can figure it out if you look at Trailforks.

We did a bit of a special one today, easy on the green rail trail and then some simple greens, blues and blacks, such a cool little network. We parked here https://www.trailforks.com/map/?activitytype=1&z=13.2&lat=43.18851&lon=-80.35429 At the Paris end of the SC Johnson trail. Oh we also found 80lbs of Chicken of the woods.

So we went to Arkell Spring Ground and Starkey Hill today. We also visited Flow State Cafe and Bike Shop https://www.flowstatebikeco.comWe had a great day though with some challenges.

Parking here https://www.trailforks.com/region/arkell-spring-grounds/?activitytype=1&z=14.8&lat=43.55048&lon=-80.15703

England Arkell here https://www.arkells.com

From the Arkells website

John Arkell was a remarkable man. Born into a farming family in 1802 in Kempsford, South Gloucestershire, he emigrated to the New World in his late twenties and took with him a group of local people who sought a refuge from the tough conditions endured by agricultural folk at that time. It was a brave step.

They arrived in Canada and established the small community of Arkell - which still exists today - but three years later, John returned for love. His fiancée preferred to live in England so he came home to marry and set up a home in Stratton St Margaret, near Swindon, where he grew barley on his farm.

Short Bonus update on Ravenshoe, trails but mostly mushrooms

Actual ride around East Duffins Headwaters and Norton Tract also known as Walker Woods. We found Lobster and Lions Mane today in the woods.

Lobsters are hard to spot despite being lobster coloured.

These woods are a lovely place to just go ride and not have to think too much about what's under your wheels. Also, less people if you want to just have some peace away from the send-it crowd.