Well, we have had sporadic internet access for a while now so I thought I should get something up before I forget all these blog-worthy thoughts. We have travelled from Gillette Wyoming to Blind River Ontario by way of a glorious few days with my family at Westhawk Lake Manitoba. We are embracing a night of roadside motel life before we hopefully meet up with my sister in Algonnquin Park for a few days of camping. Thought I would share some observations and a photo or 2 (maybe later for the photo's):
- jet skiing is awesome. got my first taste of it with Heather's family at Pine Haven lake. was really paranoid I would flip the machine and not be able to get it back over.
- drove through both Dakota's, a good chunk of Wyoming, and a lot of Montana. There is a "Buffalo" in both Wyoming, and North and South Dakota. Trying to figure out what the Canadian equivalent would be (Beaver maybe?)
- internet connectivity at roadside motels is hit and miss. what a surprise.
- My family are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They put me to shame with their generosity and kindness, rolling out the red carpet for someone who can barely muster enough energy to send an email update about life in Vancouver.
- stayed at a motel in Schrieber Ontario last night, where there were a group of Harley owners passing through. One of them could have been Steven Wright (the comedian) son. Same face, hair, and voice. I should have asked him about it but he was too busy playing with my dog (which meant I didn't have to be playing with my dog).
- Ontario is big
- A big thank you to my Uncle Cliff for egging me onto get the water skis on and take a run. I would have really regretted not doing it, and at least I gave them all a memorable face-plant out on the lake. But I did get up....really...I have pictures to prove it.
- neat to drive through the small towns and see the homages to famous NHL players. Saw "Home of Chris Pronger"in Dryden Ontario and home of the Staal brothers in Oliver(?). Waiting for the "Home of Matt McKenzie" to be posted in West Van. I guess he is pinning his hopes on North Vancouver one day having a sign "Home of the McKenzie brothers"
- I really hope it doesn't rain when we are camping
- Lake Superior is really big. Saw the lock between Huron and Superior today in Sault Ste Marie. Surprising how exciting watching water rise can be.
- I am all for road safety but the 90 km speed limit on the Ontario highway is a tad too conservative. Makes me long for the good old days of driving in Montana
- weird to drive through time changes.
- saw a sign that said "from this point all streams/creeks/rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean".
- There really are Tim Horton's everywhere in Eastern Canada.
- I am developing a potentially dangerous addiction to chocolate milk. This will not be good with South America looming
- My daughter told me that over the last 2 days of driving in Ontario she has watched all the Harry Potter movies. She doesn't realize how lucky she is to be in the technology age. Trying to resist urge to tell her "In my day....."
- thankfully my hair seems to be growing back from the Peachland incident.
- stopped at the Terry Fox memorial just outside Thunder Bay. Seeing the memorial and then driving the route he took on defies commentary, but reinforces to me the benefit of doing this trip so that we can experience these aspects of Canada.
