This cruise was the first one that I have “directed” for our local Muskoka Miata Club.  We started our cruise in Washago at a new fresh food market called “Canoe”.  Fresh pressed coffee and a fresh cinnamon bun was just the ticket to start the day.  We had 8 Miatas of various vintages to cruise the back roads to Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Midland.  More experienced club members were on hand to make sure we tested our CB’s and that I had all our signed u members accounted for.

We started the day with our tops down in the true spirit of the day.  After realizing I had left my written notes at home, we used my GPS to run the route from our test run.  My co-pilot must remember her reading glasses for the next trip!!  She was great at advising up coming turns using a CB.  A wonderful bonus of farm country is the roads are in a grid pattern, so if we missed a turn, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.  We drove around the bottom of Sparrow Lake and headed south and west over hills and dales seeing all the country estates and fall harvest looking farmsteads.  The roads were in great shape and we wound down River Road in Coldwater before heading along highway 12, also freshly paved to arrive at in Midland.  We departed at 9:30 and arrived close to 11, just about dead on for timing.

According to the Guide, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was a 17th century French Jesuit mission to the Huron (Wendat) nation that last for 10 years.  The site was taken on in 1964 by the Ontario Government, in cooperation with the Society of Jesus and the University of West Ontario and opened to the public in 1968.  Our group spent a mere hour and a half touring the site, with self guided “wands” to explain the different structures and explain the history.  Definitely worth a return visit!

A short 5 minute drive later we arrived at Henry’s, for a fabulous fish and chips lunch, there are actually two restaurants, the other one is on an island …an adventure for another day….

Pouring down rain shrunk our group for the second leg of the cruise to Big Chute Marine Railway where the rain let up for those who wanted to stroll about.  The last two cars headed on to Bala to finish the cruise at Don’s Bakery. The weather stayed foggy and the roads wet, but the fall colours were evident and will probably peak soon.

My co-pilot had never been down Southwood Road, a nice twisty route that would bring us back closer to home, it is the path to the Torrance Barren’s a local dark sky reserve where the stars are lit brilliantly with minimal light pollution to distract from the sky.  My co-pilot enjoyed the scenery while I enjoyed the twisty roads!

Whew!  Made it Home!!