I do a lot of solo tripping. Lots. Travel time is perhaps more variable on a solo than on a group trip. You are free to go to extremes and everything in between on a solo. Some of my absolute biggest days have been on solo trips...up at 4:45 or 5:00am and hammering it all day 'til sunset. On the other hand, as a photographer I love solo tripping as I can often allow the photography to guide the day's itinerary. Some days I wake up thinking of putting in a fairly long haul, but get drawn in to some great light or a beautiful location, and end up covering very little distance. Simply exploring, slowly and in detail, or having a leisurely morning, just seems like the right thing to do. I don't have to answer to anyone.

One thing that I generally try to do when on a solo trip is be slightly ahead of schedule. No stress. Nice to have some leisure time a bit later in the trip when you feel that you've earned it.

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www.mikemonaghan.ca

I like the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, small, longest portage in park about 1.5k, not overly busy but hard not to see someone if safety is a concern, small lakes not too ruff in wind.
All kinds of small weekend length loops to do.
Check it out, good luck.

I think you're wise to plan on a short first solo trip to get a feel for what you can accomplish. I did the opposite, my first solo trip was over 400 km in northern Saskatchewan, but I took a ton of food, a fishing rod, and had an open schedule. Despite adverse weather it took about half the time I thought it might but that's probably because I was restless, strong, and also didn't have the same distractions one has with companions -- hanging out at camp, discussing route options, and so on. I think, as others have said, it all depends on what you want out of the trip, your personality, your fitness, the winds, your boat, your paddle (I would bring a kayak paddle next time for the windy days and to mix it up), your drive.

Another idea would be to plan a loop trip with options of lengthening or shortening the trip -- something I ended up choosing to not do (though I considered it) to give myself a concrete objective.

I've discovered thanks to the marvels of GPS that I tend to travel solo at about two thirds my tandem speed. Also portaging takes longer for me solo, there's no shared load, a lot of stuff that is needed for two is also needed for one, but there's only one person to carry it.

Winds affect my distance covered especially because I paddle exclusively whitewater canoes...no experience with flat water canoes. Once of the biggest delays I find on a river trip is portaging and difficult rapids and if I dump in a rapid...those can greatly affect my distances. If I'm on flatwater, minimal wind, no portaging, and I get up early I can usually cover 50km. An easy day for me soloing would be about 20km. I have paddled 80ishkm in a day but that was on the Bonaventure where you don't need to paddled and you could likely do half the river before you know it.

Planning for 20km for an intermediate paddler is a pretty safe bet.

Should also mention I have zero experience paddling the great lakes. I have paddled sections of James Bay and a few big lakes up north and those body's of water can leave you stranded for days.... .

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"It's healthy to be dirty" - Lars Monsen

'caltopo' is nice for that too.