We took Highway 101 from Timmins to Wawa after completing a wonderful dinner at JC Santos WildExodus and drove across Highway 101. I hadn’t had an opportunity to drive this highway before, other than to get to Timmins, so this was an exciting event for me. There are fewer and fewer highways left in Ontario that I can say that about. It rained on up for the beginning bit, but the skies cleared towards the end and the last few miles were positively inspiring. Add in our evening at the Chapleau Game Preserve courtesy of Ride the North (where I snapped a picture of an incredibly rare orchid) and the visit to Potholes Provincial Park, and you’ve got the makings for a great ride.
- Rideability: High – while the parts closest to Timmins offer some slow curves and slight changes in elevation, the later parts of the ride, closer to Chapleau, offer some entertaining ups and downs. Past Chapleau you get some positively inspiring riding with massive cliffs, lakes right by the side of the road and long descending curves and a few tighter corner that will keep even seasoned riders awake!
- Road Quality: Very good – there are only a very few spots on this road where there are any repaired potholes or frost heaves – nothing even the lowest of the low-riders couldn’t handle. I’d say it was recently repaved within the last five years.
- Scenic Value: High -There are long stretches of boreal forest at the beginning, that give way to lakes and rivers, but it’s the constant changes in elevation that really give this it’s scenic value, giving perspective over the mountain ranges that start to appear the closer you get to Lake Superior.
- Services: Good – As always, if you see gas, fill up. The longest distance between stations is 104km, but that’s no reason to push it. Harder to find will be good eats and accommodations. I highly recommend either Cedars Meadows in Timmins for ultra-luxe spa and resort treatment, or WildExodus just outside of town (although down a long loose gravel road) for the Glamping experience. There’s decent food and motels in Chapleau, but if you’re already that far over, I recommend the Wawa Motor Inn in Wawa – they recently repaved their parking lot expressly for motorcyclists!
Overall: I like this road, and think that there’s enough interesting going on here to make it worth riding. It’s not just a connecting route, but a good ride in it’s own right.
As always, if you want more information about riding in Ontario, check out Routes.OntarioRides.ca or plan your road trip at www.GoTourOntario.ca. And for more information on motorcycle routes, accommodations, attractions
and restaurants in Algoma Country check out www.RideAlgoma.ca
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