Biking the O&Q (5): Mountain Grove to West Gate Road

Sat. 28 May:  Biking the O&Q (5):  Mountain Grove to West Gate Road

My starting point today: note the railway station picture

I’m flying!

By the end of today’s journey I was now more than 64 km down the line from Glen Tay.  And since every one of my journeys is a “there and back” trip, I’ve actually completed over 128 km on this line.

I drove into the village of Mountain Grove early this morning, on a hot, humid day.  By 7.30 a.m. I was preparing to set out west along the flat valley floor.  Looking back to Mountain Grove, I was struck by the distinctive shape of the hills directly behind the village.  It reminded me a little of the section of K&P Trail north of Flower Station.

Ahead lay several lakes and swamps, connected by dense woodland with less views now that the leaves have all sprouted on the trees. After about five kilometres I came to the south side of Big Clear Lake, perhaps 3 km by 1.5 km, its islands reflected in the still water.  A little further along the trail was Arden Lake, smaller but with a remote feeling about it, and a canoe on the shoreline.  Here a trail sign pointed out across the waters – only a trail in winter!

There was one large bridge, the waters of a river racing beneath it and emptying into a wide pool, where three anglers sat quietly in a boat waiting for a catch.

I biked through a large puddle, which proved to be deeper than expected.  I had to keep going, despite getting my feet wet.  My sneakers made a slapping sound on the water, like the wheels of a paddle boat.  I avoided stopping mid-crossing, and anyway it didn’t take long for my feet to dry out.  But I was faced with the same soggy challenge on my return journey.

By contrast from my previous trip, I saw less wildlife today, despite my early start.  Some deer ran off up the trail ahead of me, and a heron flew away before I could get a picture.  Even the noisy bullfrogs seemed to be hiding.  And of course, I saw no other travellers, as is the custom along this section of the Trans-Canada Trail.

On to Kaladar!


Note:  I selected the best pics from both legs of my journey and put them in E-W sequence.  Hence the variations in the skies - the hazy atmosphere cleared up on my return journey.

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

Heading west out of Mountain Grove

Now 50 km down the line from Glen Tay

Looking back to the distinctive Mountain Grove landscape

Continuing west

Past several lakes

This one, Big Clear Lake, was a gem

A few rock cuts along this section

The rail and road share a right of way for a short distance:
appropriately named road sign (the O&Q became CP Rail)

Lilacs at their peak

Striking scenery

But a lonely country

This route would only work in winter!

Long low wooden bridge across  a swamp

The one major bridge along this section...

..with an interesting profile...

...and the water racing underneath
into a wide pool where three people
were in a boat fishing

This puddle was deep enough to give me wet feet as I biked through it,
but I soon dried out (until my return leg!)

The O&Q continues west to Kaladar,
while West Gate Road meets Hwy 7 just around the corner.

A trail made for a mountain bike