Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 3

Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 3

Author: Tim Mooney July 3, 2025 Duration: 57:04

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.

Statistics

Miles biked 15

Closed ferry terminals visited 2

Open ferry terminals visited 2

Missed ferries 1

Denomination of Canadian currency that may or may not smell like maple syrup unless the bartender was trolling me 50

Flats 0


There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes from traveling by bicycle, where the journey itself becomes the destination. The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures, hosted by Tim Mooney, delves into that experience through a mix of personal stories, practical advice, and wide-ranging conversations. Rather than just a how-to guide, this podcast feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend after a long day on the road. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from fellow bike tourists, each with their own unique tales from the pavement and gravel, alongside Tim’s own reflections and experiments in bicycle touring. The discussions naturally cover the logistical tips and tricks that make trips smoother, but they also explore the cultural and educational aspects of moving through the world at a human pace. It’s about more than gear and routes; it’s about the connections made and the perspectives gained when you embrace a slower, more engaged form of travel. This audio companion to Pedalshift.net aims to demystify bicycle adventure, making it feel accessible and deeply rewarding. By sharing these stories and ideas, the hope is to inspire your own two-wheeled explorations, proving that a bicycle can indeed shrink the world in the most wonderful way. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded take on seeing the world from the saddle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Podcast Episodes
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:03
Transitioning from from the peaceful Toronto Island back into the urban sprawl of southern Ontario is a bit of a record scratch I'll more thoroughly experience when I eventually ride this ride, but a fast forward to a st…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:54
Toronto! The biggest city in Canada beckoned with its record shops, high energy and criminally underrated cycling on the islands off shore. With a basketball arena parking spot and my kind of weather, TO was ready to wel…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:58
This portion of the trip was always going to be a question mark - what kind of biking will there be? Will it be fun? Will I be looking too much ahead to more obviously notable places like Toronto and Niagara Falls? Wolfe…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:23
Episode 404? Isn't 404 a website error? Well part 2 of the Lake Ontario adventure corrects for the very serious 404 we had with the ebike. Still a mystery, but we're recovering and adventuring by bike in amazing towns li…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:40
Folks, if you've followed this pod for any length of time you know my bike adventures usually have a component that goes sideways. But has it ever happened before a single pedal stroke? Can the Lake Ontario adventure sur…
402: Lake Ontario 2025 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:52
After years of circling this ride (pun intended) it's time to do a lap of the lake that I've lived near for a big chunk of my early life. Would it have been easier to pick a smaller lake? Sure. But Lake Ontario truly is…
401: LA Metrobike Adventure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:19
What happens when you've only got one day in Los Angeles, a conference that demands your physical presence, and a red-eye flight back home? You grab a Metrobike and explore, of course! On this edition, it's a whirlwind b…
Spring Break: Filling in the Blanks Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:06
Part 2 of 2. My three day weekend tour was about to be washed out by the remnants of yet another hurricane rolling through the area. And since the C&O isn't exactly the best trail in a soaker, it was a good idea to rever…
Spring Break: Filling in the Blanks Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:54
They say you only live once and some people shorten that up to YOLO, turn that into a verb and make questionable decisions. Sometimes that's a pathway to adventure. And sometimes, it's a convenient excuse to do things yo…
Spring Break: Clean-Up Tour Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on thos…