Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 3

So the ebike is a brick in the back of my Rav4, but it still works like a normal bike, so let's keep going! But a sudden realization may provide the solution to unlock all the battery goodness, just as another stunning discovery makes me realize, this trip's Plan B was all meant to be.

Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 3

Hotel pack-up & quick diagnosis

• • Morning in Oswego, NY.
  • Realizes the motor cut-off is just a loose brake-lever magnet. Simple electrical/duct-tape fix brings the e-bike back to life.

Route planning & launch

• • Scraps the closed Cape Vincent ferry idea
  • decides to drive the east shore of Lake Ontario, scouting state parks and quieter wildlife areas instead of sticking to busy parks.

Lake-side stops

• • Quick visit to Black Pond Wildlife Management Area (too restricted for bikes).
  • Heads north to Westcott Beach State Park for a short beach walk, photos, and a quick battery test run.

Drive to Canada

• • Long detour to the Thousand Islands bridge (the only open crossing) because the south-end Wolf Island ferry is closed.
  • Smooth Canadian customs stop; grabs ice cream and activates a Canadian eSIM for data.

Kingston → Wolf Island ferry

• • Misses the boat by two cars; 80-minute wait becomes a snack-and-people-watch session.
  • Free ferry ride over; hotel is literally a block from the dock.

Marysville check-in

• • Rustic ground-floor room, lake view, no A/C needed. Drops bags, scopes dinner options (hotel café).

Evening e-bike shake-down

• • 14-mile out-and-back along Route 95 to the shuttered U.S. ferry dock on the south tip.
  • Cruises at ~20 mph, marvels at wind turbines, farmland scenery, and micro-climates.
  • Confirms minimal battery draw and re-affirms "twice the speed, half the effort" mantra.

Wrap-up reflections

• • Happy the brake glitch happened early—it forced a car assist and avoided being stranded.
  • Wolf Island deemed a stellar, low-traffic cycling spot; sets intentions for next day's ride and keeps an eye on looming Toronto weather.