Fort Erie - Friendship Trail East

Our second day at Mum and Dad's wasn't any better weatherwise than the first but we decided to bike anyway - got to keep up the training. It was hot, very windy and felt (and looked) like it was going to rain at any moment, but it didn't.
We rode to the trail and this time turned left (East) under the Peace Bridge.

The trail then follows the road through a small commercial area made up mostly of Chinese Restaurants. In the Parking Lot of one of them is this Historical Plaque. My kids will tell you, I have to read every bit of information made available to me: art gallery title and artist cards, museum information cards and any historical markers I may come across.

So, who knew, that J.L.Kraft was born in Stevensville. Admit it, you don't even know where Stevensville
is. He worked in Fort Erie but unfortunately didn't invent his cheese processing technique 'til
he was living in the States.

Continuing on with the Historical Markers, it was not even a block before I found one commemorating one of the many ferries that crossed the Niagara River before the Peace Bridge, Niagara Falls Bridge and Queenston Bridge spanned the River.

A nearby Park Plaque indicated that these ferries were a vital last link for the Underground Railway.

Freedom Park

We continued, cycling on the road, past some lovely old homes that looked across the river to the American side. Further on there was a mix of huge new homes (most of them for sale) and small older, almost cottagy homes. They are all on good size lots with well tended gardens and huge lawns.

Across the river to the American side.

As we came out of Fort Erie, the riverside had frequent boat ramps and places for people to fish. There were also plenty of other creatures fishing, cormorants and herons.

This enterprising heron was fed by the fisherman whenever his catch was too small,
smart bird!

We were able to get off the road and cycle on the service roads which were linked by bike trail, with bridges over the little creeks going down to the river. Now we were on the Niagara River Trail that goes all the way to Niagara on the Lake.

We cycled for an hour and a half and went 21km. Still more training necessary.