Great video! Thank you! Spent our summers in the 70’s along that stretch of the Grand River and lots of wonderful memories boating, water skiing and bike trips into Dunnville for tennis and milkshakes. Great series and going to check out more!
My beautiful hometown. Walking in barefeet to Byng to swim and to the lake by bike to swim. Many memories on that river. Thank you for highlighting the natural beauty of the area. I enjoyed this.
You did an excellent job showcasing the route, the wildlife, the places people can stay, and the local places to eat! We loved the tidbits of history about the area as well. Thanks for sharing!
Dunnville is actually one of my favourite towns in southwestern Ontario. I’ve literally been to downtown Dunnville like four times on my bicycle. I also potentially plan to move out of the city and potentially make this town one of my options to live at in the future! Absolutely wonderful video CJ, thank you so much!!!!!!!
Got out on my first real bikepacking trip this last weekend. It was a great time and your videos are always so entertaining and inspiring to watch. I sincerely get excited for your releases.
Thanks for sharing this video, it was enjoyable to watch. Your video provides a view that we don't get a chance to see driving along 17 from Cayuga to Dunnville. Travel safe.
Thanks! I've ridden my bike along the west side of this stretch of the river, but for the most part the river was out of sight. There's a whole different view when you paddle it.
The carnival you passed by in Dunnville was part of the Mudcat festival that happens every 2nd weekend in June. They have fireworks on that Saturday night on the Grand River which are really cool to see.
I thought it must have been! The main radio station that I listened to during the second half of the trip was "The Grand" which is based in Cayuga. They talked a lot about the upcoming Mudcat festival. Thanks for confirming.
We were down in Byng Island last fall. Looks like we were on the river starting in Elora the same day. The rain you had overnight helped our trip down to Conestoga. We are doing the same trip this year as day trips. Thanks for sharing your trip!
Thanks! I was really pleased with that encounter with the Sandhill Cranes on this day. I had some pretty unique sightings earlier in the trip too, especially on Day 2.
Really enjoyed watching you travel down the grand river,would loved to have seen your last day after Byng , going down along to Port Maitland, we live half way down and often paddlers stop to have their lunch on our lawn.
Those fish and chips looked really good! Haven't had Dad's Rootbeer in quite a few years, I remember it being good. The Merritt Restaurant is something I remember from your bike trip series because I'm related to William Hamilton Merritt, who orginally came up with the idea for the Welland Canal and who many of the Merritt things in that area are named after. I believe I mentioned that to you in that video. Several years ago a company wanted to build a huge wind turbine project in the Mattawa area where I live. Most of the local people and politicians were against the project though, and for good reasons. To build the project they would have had to build probably over a hundred kilometres of roads through an area that is all forest and mostly untouched, except for some logging that took place many years ago. It would have really destroyed the area and affected wildlife. So in that situation it was not a good place to build a wind farm, as it would have done more harm than good, compared to the areas where wind turbines are built in southern Ontario in mostly farm fields that already have roads to them and don't need to cut down a huge amount of trees through a forest in the process.
They were delicious! Yes, I do remember you mentioning your family connection on my previous video. The potential wind farm you described sounds really similar to the wind farm that I worked at on a co-op work term back when I was a student. It is located in northern New Brunswick in a forested mountainous area where nobody lives. Seeing it for the first time, it certainly seemed like a lot had needed to destroyed/disturbed for the wind farm to be built. I think a big part of the reason why those kind of projects get proposed is because of NIMBYs who oppose wind turbines on farmland.
@@cjhoyle Yes that would make sense, so they propose some of those projects in areas that are not very populated so people don't complain about them being in fields near where they live? I remember watching a documentary several years ago about wind projects down in the area not far from Southampton, where I had lived for two winters. There were poeple against them being built on the farms there and said that they made them sick. That project in New Brunswick does sound very similar project to the one they almost built here. I think that this company thought everyone would think it was a great idea and it wouldn't bother anyone because of it being built away from towns and in a forested area, but instead everyone wanted to protect the land and trees and animals. I think part of the project would have also been built on or near First Nations land, beside two provincial parks, and beside a protected waterway, so those were another few reasons not to build it there. I'm not against wind energy, but it would have been quite awful had they been allowed to build the wind farm in the particular area that they wanted to here.
I've been adapting the overnight oats. Every other day. I've been mixing it up and adding different things. Maple syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter and milk. Later I'm going to try cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
Wow, small world! At that campground there were lots of good campsite options with water access. Because I didn't book ahead, some of the other campsites were already booked when I arrived.
@@cjhoyle I booked ahead as it wad my girlfriends birthday present she wanted the pool and I wanted to fish wasn't many water sites left, I also didn't enjoy the experience as much as my neighbour's I had were very loud and stayed up late side note my high-school is called grand river so growing up I had a fascinating with it so myself it's been nice to see different parts I have gone tubbing in Elora and did that grand river rafting company u spoke of in 2016 we did the Glen Morris course which was drop off at Glen Morris and float down to the old Bridge that has the top remove that you showed before paris and right after Paris.. where you showed the other exit point for the rafting company is a creek that flows out called white man creek great trout fishing on that but I loved the series and thanks for showing a great river 👍
For me it's less about the mode of transportation that I take, and more about where it takes me. I love exploring new places that I've never been before, and I just use the method of transport which is most practical for experiencing it.
Great video! Thank you! Spent our summers in the 70’s along that stretch of the Grand River and lots of wonderful memories boating, water skiing and bike trips into Dunnville for tennis and milkshakes. Great series and going to check out more!
The drone shots have seriously added to the quality of your series!
Thanks, I'm glad they're appreciated.
My beautiful hometown. Walking in barefeet to Byng to swim and to the lake by bike to swim. Many memories on that river. Thank you for highlighting the natural beauty of the area. I enjoyed this.
Thanks. It's a really beautiful part of the province and I'm sure my 3rd visit won't be the last!
You did an excellent job showcasing the route, the wildlife, the places people can stay, and the local places to eat! We loved the tidbits of history about the area as well. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation through Ontario's Southwest. I'm optimistic that my videos will help to inspire others to visit the area.
Really enjoying this series - glad the storm on the previous night cleared out wet weather and that you didn't have any damage from the wind.
Thanks, the tent survived the storm without a scratch.
Amazing! Beautiful peaceful trip.
Thanks!
Dunnville is actually one of my favourite towns in southwestern Ontario. I’ve literally been to downtown Dunnville like four times on my bicycle. I also potentially plan to move out of the city and potentially make this town one of my options to live at in the future! Absolutely wonderful video CJ, thank you so much!!!!!!!
Awesome! Dunnville does seem like it would be a nice place to live.
Thanks for your very informative and enjoyable commentary. Looking forward to your next adventure!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! The final day of the trip has now been posted.
Glad you survived the storm! Glad you were ok! Nice suspense hanging from the last video!
Great narration. Loved the ducks. Loved the food pics.
haha thanks! That was certainly the most intense storm I've ever experiences inside a tent.
Love watching this series
Got out on my first real bikepacking trip this last weekend. It was a great time and your videos are always so entertaining and inspiring to watch. I sincerely get excited for your releases.
That's awesome! Glad you had a nice trip. Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.
Thanks for sharing this video, it was enjoyable to watch. Your video provides a view that we don't get a chance to see driving along 17 from Cayuga to Dunnville. Travel safe.
Thanks! I've ridden my bike along the west side of this stretch of the river, but for the most part the river was out of sight. There's a whole different view when you paddle it.
The carnival you passed by in Dunnville was part of the Mudcat festival that happens every 2nd weekend in June. They have fireworks on that Saturday night on the Grand River which are really cool to see.
I thought it must have been! The main radio station that I listened to during the second half of the trip was "The Grand" which is based in Cayuga. They talked a lot about the upcoming Mudcat festival. Thanks for confirming.
Really enjoyed watching this! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
We were down in Byng Island last fall. Looks like we were on the river starting in Elora the same day. The rain you had overnight helped our trip down to Conestoga. We are doing the same trip this year as day trips. Thanks for sharing your trip!
Wow, small world!
I enjoyed "riding along" with you for this section! Lots of wildlife--more than upriver(?).
Thanks! I was really pleased with that encounter with the Sandhill Cranes on this day. I had some pretty unique sightings earlier in the trip too, especially on Day 2.
Really enjoyed watching you travel down the grand river,would loved to have seen your last day after Byng , going down along to Port Maitland, we live half way down and often paddlers stop to have their lunch on our lawn.
Thanks, the video from my final day of the trip has now been posted!
You have such an interesting life, I really enjoy your channel. Hoping for a bike trip soon , those are my favorite
I can assure you that my life is far less interesting when the camera isn't rolling :P. I love bike trips too!
Nice trip so far..
Thanks.
Hey CJ really enjoyable series on this journey. Do you ever tire of breakfast oats LOL 🥣
Haha thanks. To be honest, I really don't lol. I eat almost an identical breakfast to this at home every day.
Those fish and chips looked really good! Haven't had Dad's Rootbeer in quite a few years, I remember it being good. The Merritt Restaurant is something I remember from your bike trip series because I'm related to William Hamilton Merritt, who orginally came up with the idea for the Welland Canal and who many of the Merritt things in that area are named after. I believe I mentioned that to you in that video. Several years ago a company wanted to build a huge wind turbine project in the Mattawa area where I live. Most of the local people and politicians were against the project though, and for good reasons. To build the project they would have had to build probably over a hundred kilometres of roads through an area that is all forest and mostly untouched, except for some logging that took place many years ago. It would have really destroyed the area and affected wildlife. So in that situation it was not a good place to build a wind farm, as it would have done more harm than good, compared to the areas where wind turbines are built in southern Ontario in mostly farm fields that already have roads to them and don't need to cut down a huge amount of trees through a forest in the process.
They were delicious! Yes, I do remember you mentioning your family connection on my previous video. The potential wind farm you described sounds really similar to the wind farm that I worked at on a co-op work term back when I was a student. It is located in northern New Brunswick in a forested mountainous area where nobody lives. Seeing it for the first time, it certainly seemed like a lot had needed to destroyed/disturbed for the wind farm to be built. I think a big part of the reason why those kind of projects get proposed is because of NIMBYs who oppose wind turbines on farmland.
@@cjhoyle Yes that would make sense, so they propose some of those projects in areas that are not very populated so people don't complain about them being in fields near where they live? I remember watching a documentary several years ago about wind projects down in the area not far from Southampton, where I had lived for two winters. There were poeple against them being built on the farms there and said that they made them sick. That project in New Brunswick does sound very similar project to the one they almost built here. I think that this company thought everyone would think it was a great idea and it wouldn't bother anyone because of it being built away from towns and in a forested area, but instead everyone wanted to protect the land and trees and animals. I think part of the project would have also been built on or near First Nations land, beside two provincial parks, and beside a protected waterway, so those were another few reasons not to build it there. I'm not against wind energy, but it would have been quite awful had they been allowed to build the wind farm in the particular area that they wanted to here.
I've been adapting the overnight oats. Every other day. I've been mixing it up and adding different things. Maple syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter and milk. Later I'm going to try cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
There are so many different variations of the recipe. I keep mine pretty simple.
It would be funny if a same word for dam of a DAMN!.
Then it would be both funny and funny!.
We were in the same area in byng I was site 318 across from the washrooms in that area not same site this time but close
Wow, small world! At that campground there were lots of good campsite options with water access. Because I didn't book ahead, some of the other campsites were already booked when I arrived.
@@cjhoyle I booked ahead as it wad my girlfriends birthday present she wanted the pool and I wanted to fish wasn't many water sites left, I also didn't enjoy the experience as much as my neighbour's I had were very loud and stayed up late side note my high-school is called grand river so growing up I had a fascinating with it so myself it's been nice to see different parts I have gone tubbing in Elora and did that grand river rafting company u spoke of in 2016 we did the Glen Morris course which was drop off at Glen Morris and float down to the old Bridge that has the top remove that you showed before paris and right after Paris.. where you showed the other exit point for the rafting company is a creek that flows out called white man creek great trout fishing on that but I loved the series and thanks for showing a great river 👍
CJ do you like padding more than cycling?
For me it's less about the mode of transportation that I take, and more about where it takes me. I love exploring new places that I've never been before, and I just use the method of transport which is most practical for experiencing it.
@@cjhoyle i agree with you, it's all about the journey!
the map for the Grand vista trail is a waist of time