Sunday October 20, 2019

Last week-end was Thanksgiving and the Company I work for gave all the employees a large bottle of Maple Syrup from a local producer, Gibbons.

Gibbons Farm and Sugar Shack is located just outside the small hamlet of Frankville. The owner often had to give directions to potential customers – “After Frankville take the left at the  fork in the road.” People still got misplaced and would call him from somewhere in the back of beyond.

He decided to remedy the problem by having a large piece of art made. He got permission from the local landowners and the Municipality to install it. It is a large steel fork which is located at the road where his customers have to take the left turn. Very funny and a great art installation.

I had read about the Fork in the Road and suggested to Ralf we cycle up to see it, if the weather stayed nice.

The forecast was good for a high of 16 degrees, mix of clouds and sun. I had mapped the route using google maps and printed turn by turn directions. I still cannot work out Ride with GPS or Strava.

After a late start, the temperatures had warmed up to a balmy 9 degrees and we headed north for a change. We usually head west to the 1000 Island Parkway. This route was completely different from what I have been cycling most of this season. I have been doing out and backs along the parkway or occasionally going up Highway 2 and returning along the parkway.

The trees have almost all changed and the leaves are dropping quickly. The sky was beautiful with wispy white clouds and the wind was mostly at our backs.  There were some nice houses and this purple church which had been converted into a residence.

We checked the turns regularly and did not get misplaced. We eventually came to the fork in the road. It is a nice piece of metal work.

This route took us along quiet country lanes, some gravel roads, passing farms and being chased by dogs. Oh the joy of cycling along a gravel path with two Dobermans chasing you. Actually it wasn’t that bad. The owner had them both under control until she thought we were out of sight. However, we could hear her shouting at one of the dogs as he decided to give chase to the two strange yellow things on two wheels. He obviously was well trained as he returned to the owner quickly. Another dog skittered to a halt as we stopped and told him to stop barking we put our bikes between us and the dog and slowly walked past his property where he promptly shut up and bounded back up his driveway.

After taking photos at the Fork in the road we headed home along County Road 29 and then County Road 46 into Lynn and home. The weather warmed up to a balmy 13 degrees, we were both well dressed for the cooler temperatures.

I am not sure how many more rides we will get to do as we are well into autumn. We will keep going until it snows.