Cycling Lake Superior (helpful locals, an unexpected accommodation, making friends)

17 to 24 July: The ride around Lake Superior is called breathtaking and scenic. And I totally agree with that. However, the only existing road, the HWY 17 is a dangerous bottleneck. Right after Sault Ste. Marie one can avoid the HWY by taking a few side roads, but soon there is only one way. Everyone has to take it, motorized or non-motorized, trucks and cyclists. You can imagine...
Additionally to that, one has to cycle through the very long Lake Superior Provinical Park, in which steahlt camping is prohibited and strictly enforced. Staying at official campgrounds can get very expensive.

Enough negativity - I loved cycling there. Arriving in the small towns along the shoreline, each roughly 100 kms/1day apart and the amazing views in between - just incredible.
In S.S.M. I met two cyclists from Montreal and we unintentionally leap frogged for a few days, which means, we saw each other in the upcoming small towns, then separated again, then met again and so forth. We had the same daily average and pace and at some point we decided to cycle together and I can say, we became friends. It was amazing to share the way with them. Eventually we arrived in Thunder Bay and left the lake behind.


Link to the overview map o my route:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=19HGeuwywfxIG7hsWxz1Pdj8HcnoYfpK8&usp=sharing